History Theatre / Jenufa

* KissingCousins: Števa and Jenůfa. It is not dwelled on in the opera, but Kostelnička brings it up as yet another obstacle for their relationship in the play. Laca, while legally Števa's brother, isn't related to Jenůfa.

* TangledFamilyTree: It is said that Janáček had to explain it to the libretto’s publisher who was lost in trying to figure out who is related to whom; and even now many plot summaries on theatres' websites get mistaken. So (deep breath). Grandmother Buryja was married to Old Buryja, who died. They had two sons. The elder was first married to the widow Klemeň, who had a son, Laca, from her previous marriage, then to another woman who gave birth to Števa. The younger was married first to a woman named Jenůfa who is the titular heroine’s mother, and then to Kostelnička. Jenůfa the main heroine has a child by Števa (also named Števa) and later marries Laca.

-->'''Jenůfa''' (to Števa and Laca): Each of you has something good – you, Števa, have your good looks, but Laca has a kind, loving soul.

* HeelFaceTurn: Laca’s whole arc. The contrast between him in act one (blaming everything on everyone else) and him in act three (blaming everything on himself, even the things he clearly isn’t responsible for) is clear.

* UnconventionalWeddingDress: Jenufa wears a simple dark-colored dress for her wedding, because she is mourning her illegitimate son who died a couple of months earlier. His very existence is kept a carefully-guarded secret, so when one of the guests expresses surprise at Jenufa's choice of clothes, her stepmother claims that in high society, every lady marries in a plain dress.

* TenorBoy: Surprisingly for an opera with not one but ''two'' leading tenors, averted. Števa might look like your TenorBoy but he is anything but, being a selfish, amoral drunkard, and Laca, even after his CharacterDevelopment, is far too conflicted to fit the trope.

* CrosscastRole: Jano is a soprano. To avoid costuming difficulties and due to the fact that it makes absolutely no difference on the plot, he is sometimes changed into a girl.

* TheDitz: The most common portrayal of Karolka, the mayor’s daughter and Števa’s fiancée.

* DisappearedDad: Every character’s father is either dead or uninterested in the child.

''Jenůfa'' (also known as ''Her Stepdaughter''; Czech: ''Její pastorkyňa'') is a 1904 three-act opera by Leoš Janáček, based on a play ''Její pastorkyňa'' by Gabriela Preissová (later novelized by the same author). It is considered to be the composer's first opera to embody his characteristic style and is well-known for its use of Moravian national musical tones and for its grim and controversial libretto. Janáček dedicated the opera to his daughter Olga, who died when he was composing it.

* ShotgunWedding: Kostelnička attempts to invoke it with Števa and Jenůfa after the baby's birth. Števa refuses point blank and says he'll pay as much as he likes as long as nobody learns the kid is his (since the baby clearly takes after him and it's a small village, it would have been rather difficult).

* TangledFamilyTree: It is said that Janáček had to explain it to the libretto’s publisher who was lost in trying to figure out who is related to whom; and even now many plot summaries on theatre websites get mistaken. So (deep breath). Grandmother Buryja was married to Old Buryja, who died. They had two sons. The elder was first married to the widow Klemeň, who had a son, Laca, from her previous marriage, then to another woman who gave birth to Števa. The younger was married first to a woman named Jenůfa who is the titular heroine’s mother, and then to Kostelnička. Jenůfa the main heroine has a child by Števa (also named Števa) and later marries Laca.

* BornLucky: Števa. Handsome, heir to the mill, doted on by his grandmother, the darling of the girls, and he doesn’t get drafted into the army despite having the ideal build and strength for a soldier. Lampshaded by his grandmother and the old Miller in the first act.

* KissingCousins: Števa and Jenůfa.

* TangledFamilyTree: It is said that Janáček had to explain it to the libretto’s publisher who was lost in trying to figure out who is related to whom. So (deep breath). Grandmother Buryja was married to Old Buryja, who died. They had two sons. The elder was first married to the widow Klemeň, who had a son, Laca, from her previous marriage, then to another woman who gave birth to Števa. The younger was married first to a woman named Jenůfa who is the titular heroine’s mother, and then to Kostelnička. Jenůfa the main heroine has a child by Števa (also named Števa) and later marries Laca.

* AdaptationPersonalityChange: Downplayed, with several actions and phrases taking a different meaning and painting the characters in a slightly different light, compared to the play.
** The most jarring one is the moment after Laca cuts Jenůfa‘s cheek and runs away in terror and remorse. The old miller calls after him. In the opera, it goes:
-->'''Miller''' (accusingly): Laca, don’t run away! You have done it on purpose, on purpose!
:: While what he actually shouts in the play, for some reason, is this.
-->'''Miller''': Laca, don’t run away! You have done it on purpose, but I will not give evidence against you!

* AllThereInTheManual: Many details (such as Kostelnička’s name being Petrona Slomková) can be found in the original play and the novelization.

:: While what he actually shouts in the play, for some reason, is this: