Organization

Conductor

Vladimir Rylov

Stage director

Dina Orlova

Chorus master

Valery Volchanetsky

Evgenia Suleimanova

Buryat Academic Opera and Ballet Theater

Tsarskaya Nevesta -  (The Tsar's Bride)

Ulan-Ude

Russia

Tsarskaya Nevesta Rimsky-Korsakov

Public

The Tsar's Bride

Approved

The Tsar's Bride is the ninth opera by N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov based on the drama of the same name by the Russian poet, translator and playwright L. A. Mey (1822-1862). Back in 1868, on the advice of M.A. Balakirev Rimsky-Korsakov drew attention to this play. However, the composer began to create an opera based on its plot only thirty years later. The writing of The Tsar's Bride began in February 1898 and was completed within ten months. The premiere of the opera took place on October 22 (November 3), 1899 at the Moscow Private Opera Theater of S. I. Mamontov.

L. May's drama "The Tsar's Bride" was written in 1849. Its action takes place in the era of Ivan the Terrible, during the period of the cruel struggle between the tsarist oprichnina and the boyars, accompanied by numerous manifestations of despotism and arbitrariness. Mey's drama does not claim to be historically accurate, but it vividly depicts the tense situations of that era, representatives of various segments of the population, the life and life of Muscovite Russia.

The drama is based on a little-known historical episode of the third marriage of Ivan the Terrible. Here is how N.M. describes it. Karamzin in his “History of the Russian State”: “Missing widowhood, although not chaste, Ivan the Terrible had long been looking for a third wife ... From all cities, brides were brought to Sloboda, both noble and ignoble, more than two thousand in number: each was presented to him especially. At first he chose 24, and after 12 ... he compared them for a long time in beauty, in amenities, in mind; Finally, he preferred Marfa Vasilyeva Sobakina, the daughter of a Novgorod merchant, to everyone. But the royal bride fell ill, began to lose weight, dry up: they said that she was spoiled by villains, haters of John's family well-being. The evil slanderer, Dr. Elisha Bomelius, suggested to the king to exterminate the likhodey with poison and, as they say, composed a destructive potion with such infernal art, that the poisoned one died at the moment appointed by the tyrant. So John executed one of his favorites Grigory Gryazny, Prince Ivan Gvozdev-Rostovsky and many others who were recognized as participants in the poisoning of the royal bride. Meanwhile, the tsar married (October 28, 1572) the sick Martha, hoping, in his own words, to save her by this act of love and trust to the mercy of God; six days later he married his son to Evdokia Saburova, but the wedding feasts ended with a funeral: Martha died on November 13, being either really a victim of human malice, or only the unfortunate culprit of the execution of the innocent. Meanwhile, the tsar married (October 28, 1572) the sick Martha, hoping, in his own words, to save her by this act of love and trust to the mercy of God; six days later he married his son to Evdokia Saburova, but the wedding feasts ended with a funeral: Martha died on November 13, being either really a victim of human malice, or only the unfortunate culprit of the execution of the innocent. Meanwhile, the tsar married (October 28, 1572) the sick Martha, hoping, in his own words, to save her by this act of love and trust to the mercy of God; six days later he married his son to Evdokia Saburova, but the wedding feasts ended with a funeral: Martha died on November 13, being either really a victim of human malice, or only the unfortunate culprit of the execution of the innocent.

In Rimsky-Korsakov's opera, Mey's plot did not change significantly. The libretto, written by I. F. Tyumenev (1855-1927), included many verses of the drama.

“The bright, pure image of Martha, the bride of the Tsar, is one of the most charming female images in the work of Rimsky-Korsakov,” writes the famous musicologist M.S. Druskin. - Marfa is opposed by Grigory Gryaznoy - insidious, domineering, who does not stop at nothing in the implementation of his plans; but Dirty has a warm heart and falls victim to his own passion. The images of the abandoned mistress of Dirty Lyubasha, the youthfully simple-hearted and gullible Lykov, and the prudently cruel Bomelius are realistically convincing. Throughout the opera, the presence of Ivan the Terrible is felt, invisibly determining the fate of the heroes of the drama. Only in the second act is his figure briefly shown” (May does not have this scene).

B. V. Asafiev believed that the strength of the impact of The Tsar’s Bride lies in the fact that “the theme of love rivalry ... and the old opera-librett situation of “quartets” ... is voiced here in the intonations and frame of Russian realistic everyday drama in the distant future, which is also enhances its romantic and romantic appeal", and most importantly, in "rich Russian heartfelt emotional melody".

On the stage of the Buryat Opera and Ballet Theater "The Tsar's Bride" was staged in 1948, 1953 and 1971.

English

The Tsar's Bride by Rimsky-Korsakov, From (2022/2022), Directed by Dina Orlova,, Conductor Vladimir Rylov

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