The Two Widows

Composer: SMETANA, Bedřich
  • Smetana wrote his two-act comedic opera, The Two Widows, between 1873-74, revising the score in 1877.
  • The libretto was written by Emanuel František Züngel, based on the play of the same name by Jean Pierre Félicien Mallefille.1
  • The opera’s music uses Czech-style dances and choruses and is set in a Bohemian country estate. The plot follows two widows (who are also cousins) who have strongly contrasting personalities. New love interests arise, hijinks ensue, and the opera ends with a new engagement.
  • Fun fact: Richard Strauss considered The Two Widows to be one of the best operas of the 19th century.2

Sources

  1. “Dvě vdovy, JB 1:108 (Smetana, Bedřich),” IMSLP, accessed July 24, 2026, https://imslp.org/wiki/Dv%C4%9B_vdovy,_JB_1:108_(Smetana,_Bed%C5%99ich).
  2. “The Two Widows,” OperaVision, accessed July 24, 2026, https://operavision.eu/performance/two-widows.

Cut IDs

25420 28637