The Tale of Tsar Saltan by Rimsky-Korsakov, og. 19 aza. 2020, Noiztik (2020/2021), Zuzendaria Alexei Frandetti,, Zuzendaria Anton Grishanin, Tugan Sokhiev, Dmitry Kryukov, New Stage of the Bolshoi Theater, Moscow, Russia

The Tale of Tsar Saltan is the fairest fairy tale among the others by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. Situations happening to its heroes are resolved with happy end for everyone; even villains receive forgiveness; the most important thing, though, nobody dies (which is so rare in romantic operas!). The only exception is ‘wizard’- kite: he appears for a minute in the second act and immediately perishes by ‘tsarevich’ (prince in English) Guidon’s arrow – following the plot of Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin. Wonderfully written libretto full of musical ‘wonders’ by Vladimir Belsky and score by Rimsky-Korsakov were already highly appraised during premiere. First production belonged to Private Opera Society (1900). Opera performance became legendary due to scenic design by Mikhail Vrubel and ‘mysterious look of unforgettable Tsarevna’ (in English, princess; referred to Tsarevna Swan-Bird) that created artist’s wife Nadezhda Zabela-Vrubel. Success went further on leading to performance on imperial stage; however, it took quite some time: opera was included in the Bolshoi’s repertoire only in 1913. Symphonic compositions were well matched with scenic design by Konstantin Korovin. Brilliant cast including bass by Grigory Pirogov (Tsar Saltan), soprano by Leonida Balanovskaya (Tsaritsa Militrisa) and Elena Stepanova (Tsarevna Swan-Bird). Later on, Xenia Derzhinskaya got a role of Militrisa, and Antonina Nezhdanova of Swan-Bird, performed on The Bolshoi Theatre stage. It was known it was their favorite roles that they kept in their repertoire for decades. After the Bolshoi, this opera survived two more revivals – in 1959 and 1986. The latter was there until 1989. It is completely evident, now is the right time for the fourth one.