Jan Vacík with paunch, bowler hat and walking-stick was a star of The Barbican Hall
Great success was the concert performance of The Excursions of Mr. Broucek for soloists Jan Vacík, Maria Haan a Václav Sibera on 25th February 2007 in the Barbican Hall in London. The chief conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra Jiří Bělohlávek invited Czech soloist to perform rarely produced Janáčeks piece. The title role of Mr. Broucek was sung and played by Czech tenor Jan Vacík, who performed this role in the last production of the Excursions of Mr. Broucek in the National Theatre Prague under Sir Charles Mackerras. The main soprano roles Málinka-Etherea-Kunka was performed by soloist of the National Theatre Prague Maria Haan. In the roles of Básník, Oblačný and Vacek Bradatý appeared budding Czech baritone Václav Sibera.
Reviews focused mainly on Jan Vacík as Brouček. Jan Vacík, in false beer belly, bowler hat and with his trusty walking-stick, acted and sang the title role with the detail of a fully staged performance was the enthusiastic commentary to his performance of The Daily Telegraph on 28th February 2007. Further excellent review you could find in the The Financial Times: As for Jan Vacik's Broucek, it was hard to believe we weren't face-to-face with a definitive realisation: it wasn't just the specs, the paunch or the period dress, but Vacik's knack of inhabiting Broucek's flaws and turning them into an endearing portrait of life. And the highest appraisal found The Sundy Telegraph on 4th March 2007 for Maria Haan and Václav Sibera too: Maria Haan and Peter Straka played the two lovers (as well as their lunar and 1420 characters) with the sort of passion that Janácek fans will instantly respond to; and Václav Sibera was superbly stirring in the Poet's lament to abandoned Czech ideals. The concert performance of The Excursions of Mr. Brouček was recorded by Deutsche Grammophon. The CD recording will be realized in coming moths.