Summary
In 1962, director Václav Kašlík realised the televised versions of two classic Czech operas: Rusalka (The Water Nymph) and Prodaná nevěsta (The Bartered Bride). He subsequently returned to the latter work, the favourite creation of Bedřich Smetana, in 1975 for a German-Czech film coproduction. Kašlík situates the love story of Mařenka and Jeník amid picturesque South Bohemian landscapes. He casts actors, but their words are sung by opera singers. The director, together with German cameraman Karel Steiberger, attempts to make the opera less static through the use of a moving camera. The acting of Vanda Švarcová (Mařenka), Čestmír Řanda (Kecal), Ladislav Pešek (the ringmaster) and Václav Sloup (Vašek) enhances the film. The Czech version is sung by Gabriela Beňačková (Mařenka), Ivo Žídek (Jeník) and Karel Berman (Kecal). In the German version, the sung parts are undertaken by René Kollo, Teresa Stratas and Walter Berry.
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