The Cunning Little Vixen The Cunning Little Vixen The Cunning Little Vixen (; until the 1970s, generally referred to in English as Adventures of Vixen Sharp-Ears ) is a Czech language opera by Leoš Janáček, composed 1921 to 1923. Its libretto was adapted by the composer from a 1920 serialized novella, "Liška Bystrouška", by Rudolf Těsnohlídek, which was first published in the newspaper "Lidové noviny" (with illustrations by Stanislav Lolek). The opera incorporates Moravian folk music and rhythms as it recounts the life of a clever (alternative reading: sharp-eared) fox and accompanying wildlife, as well as a few humans, and their small adventures while
William Chapman (baritone) NYCO. At Spoleto he also appeared in the world premiere of Tennessee Williams's play "The Milk Train Doesn't Stop Here Anymore". In March 1962 he portrayed Horace Tabor in Douglas Moore's "The Ballad of Baby Doe" opposite Beverly Sills in the title role and the Secret Police Agent in Menotti's "The Consul". In the 1964–1965 season Chapman added four new roles to his NYCO repertoire: Rangoni in Modest Mussorgsky's "Boris Godunov" with Norman Treigle in the title role; Jochanaan in Richard Strauss's "Salome" with Norman Kelley as Herod, Patricia Neway as Herodias, and Curtin in the title role; Boris in