M. Lysenko's opera "Natalka Poltavka" belongs to the outstanding works of Ukrainian musical culture, it is noted for its artistic perfection, imagery, the richness of the vocal palette, and the truthfulness of the depiction of the life of the people.
When starting work on the opera, Mykola Lysenko (1842 - 1912) had the opportunity to get acquainted with certain musical material, which was accompanied by numerous productions of I. Kotlyarevskyi's play on the dramatic stage. However, all the musical accompaniments of "Natalka Poltavka" did not go beyond the salon, vaudeville-operetta genre.
The composer was attracted by the plot of "Natalka Poltavka" by Ivan Kotlyarevskyi with a sincere disclosure of the life of the common people, a deep insight into their spiritual values, and a realistic reflection of the people's life. The work of the founder of Ukrainian classical literature, full of sharp satire, was also attractive for its social outline.
M. Lysenko turned to the play "Natalka Poltavka" in 1864, but, not having enough experience in the musical and dramatic genre, he was not satisfied with the first version of the opera. The composer worked on this seemingly uncomplicated work for almost a quarter of a century, which proved how important it was for the composer. The piano was published in 1889. By the way, the work on "Natalka Poltavka" became a prelude to the monumental work of M. Lysenko - "Tarasa Bulba". The rich experience gained by the composer during the writing of "Natalka Poltavka" contributed to the work on the opera based on the novel by M. Gogol.
The musical material of the opera is closely related not only to the dramaturgy of the play, but also to the national song melos, which made the opera very close to the spiritual mentality of the people, which proved the theaters' interest in this work, which has not left the stage for more than one hundred and twenty years.
M. Lysenko does not overload the libretto with additional plot lines, new characters, but strives for maximum disclosure of the plot and images created by I. Kotlyarevsky by means of music.
The main character of the opera is Natalka, a girl from Poltava, endowed with the best features: intelligence, honesty, modesty, love of work, noble and sincere character. Her heart aches for her beloved Peter, who is far away and it is not known when he will return. The melody of Natalka's song "The Winds Blow" is a bright musical and psychological picture, extremely simple, sincere and expressive.
Concerned by Vozny's harassment, Natalka points out the difference in their social origins, trying to convince the suitor of the impossibility of marriage. The sad melody of the song "Vidno szlyakhi Poltavaskaia" and the simple harmonic texture of the accompaniment are a wonderful psychological contrast to Vozny's eloquent sentimental expressions. But the will of the mother is the law for Natalka, and she is forced to agree to the engagement with Vozny.
The girl is in despair. Alone with herself, with her thoughts, she yearns for the one who could save her from death: "Sleep, dear! Save me from a fierce disaster! When I'm out of love, I must perish."
The composer reproduces the spiritual tension of the heroine, who, having fallen into a difficult situation, experiences a struggle between feeling and duty. This is how the image of Natalka appears before us, a simple and honest girl, sincere in her grief and in her joys, capable of deep feelings and noble deeds.
The composer painted the images of representatives of the rural poor — Petr and Mykola — in bright colors. A lyricist by nature, Petro lives in memories of the heroic past of the people. Most of his songs became widely known. These are "Oh, don't make noise, puddle", "Oh, there came a Cossack from the Don", "There is no one worse in the world", "The sun is low" and others, as well as Mykola's songs "Rumble, rumble on the wood", "Vorskla - the river is small."
Already in the last name of Natalchyna's mother, her difficult fate is reflected ("Endure disaster"). A poor woman, broken by grief and poverty, is used to bowing her back to the rich. For the sake of her daughter's happiness, she is willing to do anything.
The village rich elected Makogonenko and the briber Vozniy are representatives of the lordship. Hence the musical characteristics that clearly outline the essence of the characters. Here, the technique of the satirical duet of Vozny and Vyborny is successfully used: two bribe-takers, gluttons and predators hypocritically complain about their fate, reproach that Natalka, they say, is "greedy to others, but impetuous to them."
The opera Natalka Poltavka gained great popularity during M. Lysenko's lifetime. It was the most repertory work of the first Ukrainian professional music and drama troupes. Maria Zankovetska, Ivan Sadovskyi, Panas Saksaganskyi, Ivan Maryanenko, Hanna Zatyrkevich-Karpynska, Natalya Uzhviy played in "Natalka Poltavatsi".
Natalka Poltavka was staged for the first time on the stage of the Kyiv Opera House in 1936. Since then, the theater's staff has turned to the opera eight more times. The play was directed by Volodymyr Manziy, Amvrosy Buchma, Dmytro Smolich, Dmytro Hnatyuk. At different times, the opera was conducted by Volodymyr Yorish, Borys Chistyakov, Veniamin Tolba, Ivan Gamkalo, the artistic design was carried out by Ivan Kurochka-Armashevskyi, Oleksiy Shovkunenko, Oleksandr Khvostenko-Khvostov, Serhiy Otroshchenko, Fedir Nirod, Andriy Kholoptsev. Maria Sokil, Oksana Petrusenko, Zoya Gaidai, Zoya Hristych, Klavdia Radchenko, Yevdokia Kolesnyk, Lydia Zabylyasta (Natalka), Ivan Patorzhynskyi, Mykhailo Donets, Mykhailo Romenskyi, Andriy Kikot, Vladylen Hrytsyuk, Mykola Shopsha (Vyborny), Maria Lytvynenko sang in the performance. -Wolgemut, Vera Lyubimova, Valentina Kochur (Terpylyha), Petro Bilynnyk,
The current edition, carried out by composer Myroslav Skoryk and director Anatolii Solovyanenko, is called for by the requirements of the time. Today's audience, accustomed to the dynamic rhythm of modern life, does not always perceive the narrative and unhurried rhythm of an opera work of the 19th century, characteristic of the times in which Kotlyarevskyi and Lysenko lived. Therefore, the new interpretation of the opera can be considered as meeting the modern artistic and aesthetic requirements. It is appropriate to add that this is the practice of many theaters in the world, which meaningfully make new editions of the works of Verdi, Wagner, Glinka, Tchaikovsky, so that they become closer to listeners who grew up in the era of time acceleration.
Keeping the ideological and aesthetic concept of "Natalka Poltavka", the beautiful texts of Ivan Kotlyarevskyi, the immortal music of Mykola Lysenko, the producers delicately shortened some song and conversational moments, which do not destroy the architecture of the opera at all, but make it more dynamic and energetic in the presentation of the musical and literary text, and more graphically outline the psychological characters of its heroes.
Anatoly Denisenko,
candidate of historical sciences,
Vasyl Turkevich,
Honored Artist of Ukraine
