Janáček’s opera Káťa Kabanová is set in a small Russian town and is based on the play The Storm by Aleksandr Ostrovsky. The story revolves around the central character, Káťa – sung by “the phenomenal Corinne Winters” (Neue Musikzeitung) – who is trapped in a loveless marriage to an abusive man named Tichon. Despite her unhappiness, she is bound by the strict societal norms of her time and is unable to escape the situation. However, when she meets and falls in love with a young man named Boris, she finally experiences happiness and passion. But their relationship is short-lived, as Tichon finds out and forces Káťa to confess her infidelity in front of the entire town. Overwhelmed by the shame and guilt, she drowns herself in the nearby river. The opera explores themes of social conformity, oppression, and the consequences of forbidden love. Janáček’s use of musical leitmotifs and repetitive themes reflect the characters’ emotions and psychological states, adding depth and nuance to the story. Stage director Barrie Kosky managed to create an intimate but impressive setting in the magnificent Felsenreitschule.

“Jittery and balletic, ecstatic and anxious, Winters has a child’s volatile presence, and her livewire voice conveys Kát'a’s wonder and vulnerability.” – The New York Times

“Corinne Winters is ‘Káťa Kabanová’: a great, luminous longing from head to toe. With director Barrie Kosky and conductor Jakub Hrůša, she makes the opera in Salzburg a triumph.” – Der Tagesspiegel

Cast:
- Dikoj: Jens Larsen
- Boris: David Butt Philip
- Kabanicha: Evelyn Herlitzius
- Tichon: Jaroslav Březina
- Káťa: Corinne Winters
- Kudrjaš: Benjamin Hulett
- Varvara: Jarmila Balážová
- Kuligin: Michael Mofidian
- Glaša: Nicole Chirka
- Fekluša: Ann-Kathrin Niemczyk

Recording date: Salzburg Festival, Grosses Festspielhaus, August, 2023
Sound format: PCM Stereo, DTS 5.0
Picture: NTSC, 16:9
Total running time: 103 mins