Jaroslav Hasek's classic World War I comic novel The Good Soldier Schweik unleashed one of the great 20th century archetypal characters: a seemingly simple-minded, guileless protagonist blessed with an instinct for survival in spite of anything and everything. Shortly before his untimely death at age 38, Robert Kurka had completed an opera based on the Schweik story. He co-wrote the libretto with Lewis Allan, the man who wrote the song "Strange Fruit", made famous by Billie Holiday. Kurka limited his instrumental forces to a 16-piece ensemble made up only of winds, brass, and percussion. No strings. As a result, the score's punchy, sardonic sound world perfectly suits the story line.

Although Kurka's main teacher was Darius Milhaud, the latter's urbane polyphony is less evident than the Weill/Brecht modernist model with its declamatory rather than lyrical vocal lines. Kurka's melodic writing also is influenced by American musical theater (Frank Loesser and Richard Rodgers come to mind). He's a rather oblique tunesmith, though the dual influences of jazz and Czech folk music enliven the proceedings considerably. After the New York City Opera premiered Schweik in 1958, the opera gained a cult following during the course of 100 subsequent productions worldwide. The present world premiere recording stems from the Chicago Opera Theater's April, 2001 production, and it's a knockout in every way.

The excellent cast features tenor Jason Collins in the title role, whose warm voice and impetuous delivery are exactly what Schweik needs. Then you have Kelli Harrington's attractive timbre and keen attention to words, baritone Marc Embree's appropriately chilling Lt. Lukash, and Buffy Baggott throwing herself into the character role of Baroness von Botzenheim. Conductor Alexander Platt elicits sharply etched, incisive, and committed playing from the little orchestra, and the engineering ideally balances singers and instrumentalists. A libretto is provided, but you'll understand the words without it. Thanks to the folks at Cedille, at long last a glaring operatic catalog gap is triumphantly filled. [5/4/2002]

--Jed Distler