Bedrich Smetana

Bartered Bride, The, B. 143

Bedrich Smetana (1824-1884) composed The Bartered Bride, B. 143, between 1863 and 1866 as part of his effort to establish a distinctly Czech national opera, blending native dance rhythms and village life with the traditions of comic opera. Premiered at Prague's Provisional Theatre on May 30, 1866, in its original two-act version, the opera underwent several revisions before reaching its definitive three-act form in 1870, by which time it had become a landmark of Czech musical culture. The lively Polka from Act I occurs during the village festivities, where the townspeople celebrate with exuberant dancing, providing a joyful backdrop that contrasts with the unfolding complications surrounding the intended marriage of Marenka and Jeník. Although based on the popular Bohemian dance rather than a direct folk tune, Smetana's music captures the spirit, vitality, and communal warmth of Czech rural life, making the dance one of the opera's most memorable orchestral moments. Today, this Polka is frequently performed as an independent orchestral selection, standing alongside the overture and the Act II Furiant as one of the best-loved examples of Czech nationalist music. Instrumentation: 2.2.2.2: 4.2.3.0: Timp.Perc(2-3): Str (9.8.7.6.5 in set). Edited by Donald Miller.