Czech tenor Aleš Briscein is set to portray the roles of Mazal, Blankytný, and Petřík in Leoš Janáček’s opera “The Excursions of Mr. Brouček.” This production is a collaboration between the National Theatre Brno, Teatro Real in Madrid, and the Staatsoper Unter den Linden in Berlin. The Berlin premiere is scheduled for March 16, 2025.
Directed by Robert Carsen, the production was previously showcased at the Janáček Brno Festival in the autumn of 2024. In Berlin, the musical direction will be led by esteemed conductor Sir Simon Rattle, with Aleš Briscein performing the triple role of Mazal, Blankytný, and Petřík. Briscein and Rattle have previously collaborated successfully, notably in a concert performance of Janáček’s “Jenůfa” in London, where Briscein’s portrayal of Laca received critical acclaim. Bachtrack noted: “Impressive Aleš Briscein as Laca, the only Czech among the main performers, almost overshadowed the female singers; with his excellent tone and ringing upper register, he portrayed this character in a symphatetic light than usual.”
The title role of Mr. Brouček will be performed by British tenor Peter Hoare, renowned for his interpretations in 20th-century operas. Following the Berlin premiere on March 16 and four subsequent performances, two concert versions are planned with the London Symphony Orchestra, also under the baton of Sir Simon Rattle. These concerts are set for May 4 and 6, 2025, at London’s Barbican Hall. The entire Janáček project with the London Symphony Orchestra will also be recorded under the LSO LIVE label.
Aleš Briscein is among the leading interpreters of Janáček’s works, underscoring his significant standing on the international opera scene. In the current season, he portrayed Albert Gregor in Janáček’s “The Makropulos Affair” at the Staatsoper Unter den Linden and later at the Janáček Brno Festival. In May, he is scheduled to perform as Laca in “Jenůfa” in a new production at the National Theatre. In December 2024, Briscein sang the tenor solo in Janáček’s “Glagolitic Mass” with the Czech Philharmonic at New York’s Carnegie Hall. He is also a recipient of the Leoš Janáček Foundation Memorial Medal for his exceptional vocal and acting interpretations of Janáček’s operatic works on both Czech and international stages, including performances at Opéra national de Paris, Bayerische Staatsoper in Munich, and Komische Oper in Berlin. This honor places him among distinguished figures such as Jiří Bělohlávek, Gabriela Beňačková, and Charles Mackerras. Among other accolades, Briscein has received three Czech Thalia Awards and the prestigious Austrian Music Theater Prize in 2018 for Best Male Lead for his portrayal of the title role in Zemlinsky’s opera “Der Zwerg” in Graz.
For more information on the production of “The Excursions of Mr. Brouček,” visit:
https://www.staatsoper-berlin.de/en/veranstaltungen/die-ausfluege-des-herrn-broucek.15537/#event-89011
