National Theatre in Prague 2011
cond. – Jan Chalupecký
The Devil and Kate, Op. 112, B.201, (Čert a Káča in Czech) is an opera in three acts by Antonín Dvořák to a Czech libretto by Adolf Wenig. It is based on a farce by Josef Kajetán Tyl, and the story also had been treated in the Fairy Tales of Božena Němcová. The first performance of the opera was at the National Theatre, Prague, on 23 November 1899.
The Devil and Kate is one of the few operas of Dvořák, along with Rusalka, to have remained in the repertory. This can be attributed to the high demand for Italian grand operas in his time and the difficulties of Dvořák’s intricate staging. The opera has great appeal because of its combination of fairy tale and folk music; it is very close in feel to a Czech tone poem. At times, it feels like a Czech version of Hansel & Gretel. The overture was written after the opera itself.