Even by the high standards that Janáček Brno has set over the past two decades, this year’s edition is special. All nine of the composer’s operas will be performed as part of the largest program in the festival’s history, including two versions of Šarka, his first foray into opera, and The Beginning of a Romance, his second. For festival Director Martin Glaser, the fact that all of the operas were produced in-house, by the National Theater Brno, is particularly significant.

“This year is exceptional for featuring the complete cycle of Janáček’s operas in productions by our own company,” he says. “It represents a retrospective of our era at the National Theater Brno. The oldest production dates back to 2014, while the newest ones will premiere during the festival. I am proud that we have managed not only to stage revivals of this entire collection, but also to bring in exceptional new guest artists.”