The Snowmaiden by Rimsky-Korsakov, fre. 11 sept. 2020, Fra (2020/2020), Instrueret af Valery Raku, Dirigent Evgeny Samoilov, Valery Kritskov, Novaya Opera Theatre, Moscow, Russia

One of the main Russian operas, one of the best operas by N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov, the point of perfect balance between his early and late style - such is "The Snow Maiden" (1882). Based on the famous fairy tale by A.N. Ostrovsky, the composer brought a number of important accents to the composition. One of them is associated with the image of the Snow Maiden. "If Ostrovsky's heroine is more of a daughter of Frost, then Rimsky-Korsakov's heroine is primarily a daughter of Vesna... What is simple and natural for people is excruciatingly difficult for the Snow Maiden. She wins the right to be called a man" (A.A. Gozenpud). "The Snow Maiden" gives us innumerable musical beauties: solo, ensemble scenes, impressive choral episodes ("Seeing off Maslenitsa" is a brilliant experience of a holistic reconstruction of a folk rite!) and, of course, bright symphonic fragments. The production of the Novaya Opera has been a success with the audience for more than 15 years. "The fairy tale is a lie, yes there is a hint in it...", - textbook lines of A.S. Pushkin, which are the best fit for "The Snow Maiden": before us is a drama and at the same time a philosophical parable, striking in depth and multi-layeredness. The authors of the performance emphasized the dramatic element of the opera, the complex interweaving of myth and reality.