The Cunning Little Vixen Traditional Cache
delarever: Time to go to earth.
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Size: 
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The Cunning Little Vixen. (The Adventures of Vixen Sharp-Ears) is an opera by Leoš Janácek, with a libretto adapted by the composer from a serialized novella (daily comic)
by Rudolf Tesnohlídek and Stanislav Lolek, which was first published in the newspaper Lidové noviny.
When Janácek discovered Tesnohlídek's comic-strip and decided to turn it into an opera, he began work by meeting with the author and beginning a study of animals.
With this understanding of the characters involved, his own 70 years of life experience, and an undying, unrequited love for the much younger, married Kamila Stösslová, he began work on the opera.
Writing his own libretto, he transformed himself into the forester, and Kamila into the vixen and Terynka. He also transformed the originally comedic cartoon into a philosophical reflection on
the cycle of life and death by including the death of the vixen. As with other operas by older composers, this late opera shows a deep understanding of life leading to a return to simplicity.
It was given its premiere performance on 6 November 1924 in Brno conducted by František Neumann, with Ota Zítek as director and Eduard Milén as stage designer.
The opera received its Italian premiere at La Scala in 1958 with Mariella Adani in the title role. The work was first staged in England by the Sadler's Wells Opera Company.
Act I
The Forest. How Bystrouška was caught. Summer
The badger dozes in the heat of the afternoon, pestered by flies. The Dragonfly dances. The Forester pauses for a nap on his way home. While he sleeps, the Cricket and the Caterpillar give a concert. A young Vixen is exploring the forest for the first time. The Forester wakes, and seizes the inexperienced cub.
The yard of the Forester’s cottage.
Bystrouška grows up in the Forester’s home.
Autumn
The Vixen endures the morose sexual advances of the Dog, and defends herself vigorously against the baiting of the Forester’s children. She is tied up for her pains. The Vixens dreams of her sexual awakening and liberation. Outraged by the economic and sexual slavery of the Hens, she becomes a feminist. But the Hens’ conservatism is too much for her, and she systematically kills them all. She confronts the Forester, and escapes.
Act II
The Forest. Bystrouška acquires a home
The refugee Vixen returns to the forest, and ruthlessly evicts the Badger. She settles gratefully into his comfortable home.
The Inn. Winter
The Forester, full of drink, baits the Schoolmaster about his hopeless passion for Terynka, a gypsy girl. The Parson is pursued by his own sexual guilt and remorse. But the Forester too is susceptible when he is taunted about the Vixen that he lost, and finally rushes out in pursuit of her.
The Forest. Winter
The Vixen haunts the Schoolmaster and the Parson as they stumble home from the inn. The Schoolmaster mistakes her for Terynka, and is inspired to the single passionate outburst of his life. The Parson recalls his fatal encounter with a seductive young girl in his student days. The Forester wildly hunts the Vixen through the forest.
The Forest. Spring
The Vixen finds a mate, and is soon obliged to marry.
Act III
The Forest. Bystrouška is killed. Autumn
The poacher Harašta is going to visit Terynka, whom he is to marry. He finds a dead hare - one of the Vixen’s victims. The Forester warns him to stay off poaching, and sets a trap for the Vixen. The Vixen and her mate play with their cubs. They find the trap, and ridicule the Forester’s incompetence. Harašta returns to pocket the Hare. The Vixen at first outwits him, but becomes carried away by her exalted defiance of man, and is shot.
The Inn
The Schoolmaster bitterly regrets his lost opportunity - Terynka is to marry today. The Forester however accepts his growing age, and gladly sets out for a quiet nap in the forest.
The Forest. Summer
Inspired by the beauty of nature, the Forester’s imagination is awakened for a moment of radiant spiritual perception. He sleeps and dreams of the Vixen. A Frog reminds him of the inevitable cycle of nature.
According to the Janácek's maid, Marie Stejskalová, it was her laughing at the newspaper cartoons of the adventures of vixen Sharpears that drew her master to the subject of Príhody Lišky Bystroušky. The story which appeared in 1920 the Brno newspaper Lidové noviny was itself inspired by a set of drawings by Stanislav Lolek.
Easy Driveby.
Take a look at the names of properties in the area and you will see why the Vixen has gone to earth here.
FTF The Gom Squad Well Done.
Congratulations to Burton Wanderers for 500th find.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Ng onfr bs cbfg
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