Janáček: The Makropulos Case at the Royal Opera
Revisiting Mitchell’s Powerful Farewell
Katie Mitchell’s final opera production at the Royal Opera House, The Makropulos Case, brings together striking theatrical intensity and psychological complexity. It is a bold farewell for the director and a new chapter for Jakub Hrůša, now in his second opera as Music Director at Covent Garden, presenting his first Janáček work in that role.
Provocative Staging and Bold Themes
Mitchell heightens both the dramatic and structural tension of Janáček’s compact opera. Her direction is confrontational and unflinching, turning each scene into an exploration of human desire and decay. The results are continuously provocative, with emotional and visual pressure that rarely relents.
Ausrine Stundyte, as the enigmatic Marty, embodies the role with raw dramatic conviction rather than lyrical polish. In Mitchell’s vision, Marty’s self-destructive impulses come vividly alive through depictions of addiction and sexuality that appear even before the overture concludes.
Expanded Character Dynamics
Mitchell introduces a striking reinterpretation by expanding the usually minor part of Kristina—reimagined here as Krista, portrayed by Heather Engebretson with resonant warmth—into Marty’s lover. Krista remains visible throughout the opera, her presence portrayed through live performance and projected text messages, blending digital intimacy with emotional immediacy.
“Each set is a pair of adjacent square-box rooms, recalling designer Vicki Mortimer’s work with Mitchell on Written on Skin.”
Creative Collaboration and Visual Design
Designer Vicki Mortimer’s configuration of connected box-like rooms reinforces Mitchell’s study of confinement and duality. This meticulous staging, coupled with Hrůša’s dynamic musical direction, serves Janáček’s tension-filled score with clarity and vigor.
Performance Insight
- Director: Katie Mitchell
- Music Director: Jakub Hrůša
- Lead Role (Marty): Ausrine Stundyte
- Krista: Heather Engebretson
- Designer: Vicki Mortimer
- Venue: Royal Opera House, Covent Garden
- Date: November 5, 2025
Mitchell’s final production intertwines human intimacy with existential dread, solidifying The Makropulos Case as a fierce and unforgettable theatrical statement.
Author’s summary: A striking and emotionally charged farewell from Katie Mitchell, whose bold reinterpretation of Janáček’s opera blends provocative direction, powerful performances, and meticulously crafted stage design.
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