Karel Kovařovic: Psohlavci (The Dogheads)

[Alan Howe]

Does anyone know Kovařovic's opera, dating from 1895-7? There's a recording on Supraphon:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000026ATZ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[M. Yaskovsky]

I've owned this recording but eventually sold it. I found the record quality very mediocre, voices very much in front and the orchestra about at the other end of the street. Bathing chamber acoustics. And for the work itself I thought it was rather trying to imitatie The Bartered Bride too much.

[Alan Howe]

Yes: one has to treat this virtually as a historic recording. In those terms, it's perfectly acceptable. The work itself isn't really all that interesting, although I wouldn't really compare it to Smetana's masterpiece as its idiom is clearly that of a later composer (it was written 30 years after the Smetana).