In Janáček’s*Příhody lišky Bystroušky*(*The Cunning Little Vixen*), the human and animal worlds come together in an enchanting way. The forest is teeming with energy. Every spring brings new life. Badgers, frogs, and birds make their way toward the light. In the village, however, time has come to a standstill. The forester is old, and the village is slowly dying out. Old friends gather in the pub to reminisce. Their time is almost up; stubborn and obstinate, they cling to life.

But then the gamekeeper meets a young fox. Lively, mysterious, swift. She is different from the other animals. To his wife’s frustration, he takes her home and imprisons her. But she won’t let herself be chained. She escapes, but she won’t let go of the forester. He can’t stop thinking about her. He must and will catch her again. Why is she haunting him? What is she trying to teach him?

In Janáček’s famous masterpieceThe Cunning Little Vixen, the students of the Dutch National Opera Academy show how deeply life and death are intertwined and explore the relationship between humans and nature.