Jilek's Jenufa was the third to come, in various forms, from Supraphon, being preceded by the version under Janacek's biographer Jaroslav Vogel (9/57—nla) and that under Bohumil Gregor (via HMV, 2/70—nla). Its merits include a performance from Gabriela Benackova at her finest, setting Jenufa's warmth and tenderness properly at the centre of a set of well-observed perform-ances. There is also, from Nadezda Kniplova, a performance that gives the Kostelnicka greater warmth and humanity than usual, suggesting tensions between these characteristics and the demands of her moral code. Vladimir Krejcik cleverly suggests Steva's proud masculinity to be merely showy as he turns from Jenufa with equal carelessness to pretty little Karolka; and Vilem Pribyl in turn allows Laca to grow by a natural process of self-understanding into the more striking character, the one truly deserving of Jenufa. The orchestra plays well for Jilek.
However, this set was overtaken by the Mackerras version on Decca which first appeared in September 1983, with Elisabeth Soderstrom a wonderful Jenufa. Eva Randova developed the idea of making the Kostelnicka seem a more troubled, self-aware character; and in this she was encouraged by the restoration of what has become known as the 'explanation' aria in Act 1, telling of her own unhappy past. Perhaps Janacek was right to discard this for stage purposes, but it is a fine piece of music, shedding light on the character, and is rightfully restored for gramophone performance. Further, this version not only provides the chance of hearing another discarded piece of music, the original Overture sometimes known as Zarlivost (''Jealousy'')—which, again, one would not want in the theatre—and even the original ending instead of the more commonly heard one by Karel Kovarovic. It is part of Decca's bounty that the latter is also recorded; but once one has grown used to the sparer original, it seems the truer.
Vaclav Neumann's 1982 set of The Cunning Little Vixen was also Supraphon's third, and Neumann's second. The first of all (6/60—nla) included the unforgettable Rudolf Asmus as the Forester and Hana Bohmova as a pretty Vixen; the second, under Bohumil Gregor (12/72—nla), was rather more emotional, though it included a sharply observed Forester from Zdenek Kroupa and had as Vixen the excellent Helena Tattermuschova. Neumann's second version, now revived, finds Richard Novak rather lighter, more self-conscious as the Forester, though he gives a very agreeable performance, and Magdalena Hajossyova makes a pleasantly skittish Vixen.
Anyone who loves the work will surely be glad of the chance to hear each of these attractive performances; but it is again to Mackerras that one must turn for the finest of them all. Lucia Popp's Vixen is a delight, endearing, funny, sexy; and though Dalibor Jedlicka does not banish memories of Asmus and Kroupa, he sings with plenty of character and humour. Especially, the orchestral playing under Mackerras has a marvellous sharpness, understated where simplicity makes the strongest effect but also rich in detail and exultant. His Janacek series for Decca has been one of the major recording achievements of our time.'