Act 1
The young teacher Kudrjas is admiring the view of the countryside and the River Volga. The peaceful aft ernoon is disturbed by the entrance of the angry merchant Dikoj and his nephew Boris. Kudrjas wonders why Boris still puts up with his uncle’s overbearing nature, and Boris admits that he is unhappy in Kalinovo, but has no other options. If he wants to collect his inheritance from his grandmother for himself and his sister he must, according to the will, live with his uncle and suff er all his wrongs until they are both of age. His unhappiness is further increased by his unrequited love for a married woman – Katya Kabanova. Katya is unhappy in her marriage, though, for she had grown up in a family that had surrounded her with love, but now she had a weak and alcoholic husband and a despotic mother- -in -law, who mercilessly ruled over the family and detested Katya for she was jealous of Tichon’s love for her. She orders her son to go that day to the market in Kazan and reproaches him for his lack of love and respect towards her.

It is early evening in the Kaban household. Katya and Varvara are sewing and Katya is reminiscing upon her happy childhood days. She admits that she has secretly fallen in love, and the easy–going Varvara off ers to be her intermediary. Tichon arrives to bid farewell to his wife before his journey. Katya begs him to swear to speak to no strangers or else to take her along. Tichon does not understand and refuses. Kabanicha watches over their farewells and on her orders Tichon humiliates Katya with an undignifi ed reprimand.

Act 2
Kabanicha reproaches Katya for not making a suffi cient display of grief over Tichon’s absence. Varvara brings the key for the garden gate which she had taken from Kabanicha so that she could visit Kudrjas. Katya hesitates, but takes the key. The drunken Dikoj goes to Kabanicha and implores her for her favour.

At the back of the Kaban family garden Varvara meets Kudrjas, and at Varvara’s behest Boris comes also. Katya attempts to overcome her desire for Boris, but she fi nally falls into his arms.

Act 3
A severe storm is brewing over the little town. The townspeople seek shelter in the semi -derelict, burned -out monastery. Kudrjas uses the opportunity to conciliate Dikoj by talking to him about a new invention, the lightning conductor, and his idea to introduce them to the town. However, for Dikoj the storm is a sign of the anger of God and dismisses Kudrjas with a curse. Varvara searches for Boris. She fi nds him and tells him that Tichon has returned home and that Katya was very upset. The Kabans also shelter in the ruined building and Katya, frightened by the storm, confesses in front of everyone that he had been unfaithful with Boris. Kabanicha is triumphant. Tichon wants to forgive Katya, but she fl ees into the tempest.

Glasha and Tichon search in vain for Katya. Varvara is also determined to leave the family home and agrees with Kudrjas to elope to Moscow. Katya goes to the banks of the Volga having made up her mind that the only freedom from her unbearable life is death, but wishes to say farewell to Boris. He arrives with the news that his uncle has sent him to run his business in Siberia, and aft er his departure Katya throws herself into the depths of the Volga.

conductor: Ondrej Olos
director: Robert Carsen
assistant director: Maria Lamont
set design: Patrick Kinmonth
costumes: Patrick Kinmonth
choreography: Philippe Giraudeau
lighting design: Robert Carsen, Peter van Praet
choirmaster: Pavel Koňárek

Cast
Káťa: Pavla Vykopalová
Boris Grigorjevič: Magnus Vigilius
Tichon Ivanyč Kabanov: Gianluca Zampieri
Varvara: Lenka Čermáková
Savël Prokofjevic Dikoj: Jiří Sulženko
Kabanicha: Eva Urbanová
Váňa Kudrjáš: Jaroslav Březina
Kuligin: Igor Loškár
Glaša: Jitka Klečanská
Fekluša: Jitka Zerhauová
Woman (one of the citizens): Hana Procházková