From the House of the Dead (1861) by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
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Great classical music inspired by books

22. From the House of the Dead (1861) by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
For his final opera, Janáček translated and adapted his libretto from Dostoyevsky's novel of life in a Siberian prison camp. It premiered in 1930, two years after the composer's death. The setting presents a large ensemble cast and requires a vast orchestra - including chains as a percussion instrument to evoke the sound of the prisoners.