L. Janáček: Líška Bystrouška

It is among the most elaborate of Vychodil’s relatively traditional, carefully designed productions with a strong role played by the cyclorama. The shape of the cyclorama within a conventionally curved one of translucent projection folio encompassing the stage was an inner cyclorama of dark green material that was compressed in such a way as to present a scalloped or wavelike vertical surface. Elongated oval section of the convex surfaces was then cut out at different heights and in different sizes, and vertical, sometimes glistering strings were stretched in the openings. It was through these openings that the audience saw a series of images of forest and rural motifs that were rearprojected onto the translucent cyclorama behind the openings.

Supplementing these rear projections were frontal projections of woods and leaves on a scrim that completely covered the proscenium opening. The setting had great stylistic unity and revealed Vychodil’s gift’s as a painter and his deep feeling for nature. The total impression was of complex, atmospheric scenography that did not call attention to itself as scenography but instead completely served the special demands of Janacek’s world. (Burian)

Vychodil described the scene:  ‘The forest reminds us of a gothic cathedral, which using projections changes before our eyes.’