The Secret

Catalogue of Works by Bedřich Smetana

Basic information

Title:
The Secret
Inscribed on the autograph: Tajemství (The Secret).
Subtitle:
A comic opera in three acts
Title by autograph:
Tajemství
Subtitle by autograph:
Komická opera ve 3. dějstvích od ELIŠKY KRÁSNOHORSKÉ, v hudbu uvedl BEDŘICH SMETANA
Classification according to the catalogue of J. Berkovec:
1.110
Title according to the catalogue of J. Berkovec:
Tajemství
Parts/Subjects:
Overture, Act I: A small town beneath Bezděz, Act II: At Bezděz, Act III. Room in Malina's house
Note:
SSD 1875: "The Secret. finished on 31 May... 1878. first performed on 18 September in the new theatre outside the town. A great success."

Cast

Instrumental cast:
2,2,2,2 - 4,2,3,0 - timp., camp., chit. - archi
Vocal cast:
Mixed choir and solo vocals

Other information

Text source

Name/Title:
theme from the Bezděz Castle area
Language:
Czech

Libretto

Author of libretto:
Language:
Czech

The Secret: original version

Place of origin:
Jabkenice
Date of beginning of composition:
23. 07. 1877
Date of composition completion:
15. 07. 1878
Note on date and place of origin:
First act completed 6 December 1877, second act completed 4 April 1878, third act completed 31 May 1878. Validated July 15, 1878.
Premiere date:
18. 09. 1878
Place of premiere:
Prague, The New Czech Theatre
Conductor/Chorus Master:
Staging:
Edmund Chválovský - director, Hugo Uhlik - script writer
Ensemble:
František Mareš, Josef Lev, Betty Fibichová, Marie Sittová, Antonín Vávra, Karel Čech, Adolf Krössing, Leopold Stropnický, A. Märzová, Jan Šára, Ferdinand Koubek

1st edition of the score

Edition type:
Parts
Publisher:
Place of publication:
Prague
Year:
1878
Note:
Blaženka's song from Act 3 "Což ta voda" - arranged for voice and piano by Adolf Čech

Critical edition

Edition type:
Full score
Publisher:
Place of publication:
Prague
Year:
1953
Note:
The volume contains only the opera The Secret.

1st edition of the libretto

Publisher:
Place of publication:
Prague
Year:
1879
Note:
Words by Eliška Krásnohorská

Secret: supplement

Place of origin:
Jabkenice
Date of beginning of composition:
10/1878
Date of composition completion:
11/1878
Premiere date:
28. 02. 1879
Place of premiere:
Prague, Provisional Theatre
Performer/Soloist:

1st edition of the score / Further editions and modifications

Edition type:
Parts
Publisher:
Place of publication:
Prague
Year:
1878
Note:
Arranged by Karel Knittl for mixed instruments