Opera in 4 acts with prologue
Libretto by V. I. Belsky
Characters
Tsar Saltan(bass)
Younger sister (Queen Militrisa)(soprano)
Middle Sister (Weaver)(mezzo-soprano)
Elder Sister (Cook)(soprano)
Matchmaker Babarikha(mezzo-soprano)
Tsarevich Guidon(tenor)
Swan Princess(at the beginning of the Swan Bird) (soprano)
old grandfather(tenor)
Messenger(baritone)
Buffoon(bass)
The first shipman(tenor)
Second shipmaster(baritone)
Third Shipman(bass)
Voices of sorcerers and spirits, boyars, boyars, courtiers, nannies, clerks, guards, troops, shipmen, astrologers, walkers, singers, servants and maids, dancers and dancers, people, thirty-three sea knights with uncle Chernomor, a squirrel, a bumblebee.
The action takes place partly in the city of Tmutarakan, partly on the island of Buyan.
History of creation
The origins of the idea for the opera based on Pushkin’s “The Tale of Tsar Saltan” (1831) have not been precisely established. There is reason to believe that this idea was suggested to the composer by V.V. Stasov. Development of the script began in the winter of 1898/99. It was planned to finish the opera by the 100th anniversary of the birth of A. Pushkin (1899). In the spring of this year, the composer began composing music. By the fall the opera was written, and in January of the following year work on the score was completed. The premiere of the opera took place on October 21 (November 2), 1900 on the stage of the Moscow Private Opera - Partnership of the Solodovnikovsky Theater.
"The Tale of Tsar Saltan"
Music
Winter evening. Village lighthouse. Three sisters are sitting at the yarn. The eldest and middle sisters are not too zealous, encouraged by Baba Babarikha: “Don’t force the strands, there are many days ahead.” However, the younger sister, Militrisa, is not allowed to sit idly by. Because of her meekness and modesty, her older sisters consider her a fool. The older sisters boast to each other about their stature and beauty and dream about what each of them would do if she suddenly became a queen.
The king stopped at the door of the room, passing by with his retinue of boyars. He listens to the sisters' conversation. The eldest boasts of throwing a feast for the whole world, the middle one boasts of weaving linen, Militrisa promises to give birth to a hero for the father-king. The king enters the little room. The stunned sisters and Babarikha fall to their knees. The king orders everyone to follow him to the palace to become: Militrisa - queen, and her sisters - Cook and Weaver. The sisters are annoyed and ask Babarikha to help them take revenge on Militrisa. Babarikha proposes a plan: when the king leaves for war and the queen gives birth to a son, they will send the king instead of good news a letter: “The queen gave birth to either a son or a daughter that night. Not a mouse, not a frog, but an unknown animal.” The sisters approve of the plan and celebrate the victory in advance.
Act one. . The royal courtyard in Tmutarakan. ( ). Militrisa is sad. Near her are Babarikha and Skomorokh, the servants, and there are guards at the gate. The Cook enters with a tray of food. The old grandfather appears and asks to be let in to the prince; he wants to amuse the child with fairy tales. The Weaver comes to show off the intricate carpet she has woven. The prince woke up. The nannies sing him a cheerful children's song "Ladushki". The royal courtyard is filled with people. Everyone admires the prince, the choir performs toasts in honor of him and the queen. Pushing aside the crowd, a drunken Messenger bursts in with a letter from the Tsar. He complains to the queen about how poorly he was received by Tsar Saltan, and talks about the “hospitable grandmother” who fed him to his fill and made him drunk. The clerks read the royal letter: “The king orders his boyars, without wasting time, to throw both the queen and the offspring in the barrel into the abyss of water.” Everyone is at a loss. Militrisa is in despair. The sisters and Babarikha rejoice angrily. Tsarevich Guidon is brought in. The queen hugs him, pouring out her grief in a sad song. They roll out a huge barrel. Amid the crying and lamentations of the people, the queen and her son are walled up in a barrel and escorted to the shore. The cries of the crowd merge with the sound of the rushing waves.
Act two. . The shore of Buyan Island. The orchestra paints a majestic picture of the water element. On the crest of a wave, a barrel appears and then disappears. Gradually the sea calms down, throws the barrel ashore, and Militrisa and the grown-up prince emerge from it. . They rejoice at their salvation, but the queen is concerned: after all, “the island is empty and wild.” Guidon calms his mother down and gets down to business - making a bow and arrow. Suddenly there is the sound of a struggle and a groan: it is on the sea that “a swan is struggling among the swells, a kite is flying over it.” Guidon takes aim and fires an arrow from his bow. It got dark. The amazed queen and prince see her emerging from the sea. She gratefully turns to her savior Guidon, promises to “repay him with kindness” and reveals her secret: “You didn’t deliver the swan, you left the girl alive. You didn’t kill the kite, you shot the sorcerer.” The swan bird advises not to grieve, but to go to bed. Militrisa and Guidon decide to follow the advice. A mother sings a lullaby to her son. Both fall asleep. . Dawn is coming. The fabulous city of Ledenets emerges from the morning fog. The queen and prince wake up, admire the vision, and Guidon guesses: “I see - my Swan is amusing himself!” Jubilant people come out of the city gates, thank Guidon for getting rid of the evil sorcerer and ask to reign in the glorious city of Ledenets.
Act three.
Scene one. . The shore of Buyan Island. A ship is visible in the distance, carrying guest sailors to Tmutarakan. Guidon looks after them with longing. He complains to the Swan Bird that he is bored with all the wonders of the island, but he wants to see his father, so much so that he himself remains invisible. The swan bird agrees to fulfill his request and tells the prince to plunge into the sea three times in order to turn into a bumblebee. The famous orchestral flight of the bumblebee sounds - this is Gvidon flying off to catch up with the ship.
Scene two. . The royal courtyard in Tmutarakan. Tsar Saltan sits on the throne, he is sad. Near him are the Cook, the Weaver, and Babarikha. A ship approaches the shore. Trade guests are invited to the king, seated at a table laden with food, and treated. . In gratitude for the treat, the guests begin stories about the miracles they have seen in the world: the transformation of a deserted island into the beautiful city of Ledenets, in which live a squirrel who can gnaw golden nuts and sing songs, and thirty-three heroes. The Cook and the Weaver try to distract the king's attention with other stories, and the Bumblebee gets angry at them for this and stings each of them on the eyebrow. Tsar Saltan has an increasing desire to visit the wonderful island. Then Babarikha starts a story about the most amazing of miracles: about a beautiful princess whose beauty “eclipses the light of God during the day and illuminates the earth at night.” Then the Bumblebee stings Babarikha right in the eye. She's screaming. A general commotion ensues, Bumblebee is caught, but he flies away safely.
Act four.
Picture one. . The shore of Buyan Island. Evening. Guidon dreams of a beautiful princess. He calls the Swan bird, confesses his love for the princess and asks her to find her. Swan does not immediately fulfill his request: she doubts his feelings. But Guidon insists, he is ready to follow his beloved “even to distant lands.” And finally, the Swan says: “Why go far? Know that your destiny is close, because I am this princess.” In the thickening darkness, the Swan Princess appears in the dazzling splendor of her beauty. Morning comes. A song is coming. This is Queen Militrisa going to the sea, accompanied by her servants. Guidon and the Princess ask her to consent to the marriage. Militrisa blesses the children.
Scene two. The orchestral introduction tells the story of the city of Ledenets and its wonders: the squirrel, the heroes, the Swan Princess. On Buyan Island they are waiting for Saltan's arrival. A bell rings. The ship docks at the pier. . The Tsar's retinue comes ashore, followed by Saltan, accompanied by the Cook, the Weaver, and Babarikha. Guidon welcomes the noble guest, seats him on the throne next to him and invites him to admire the miracles. At a sign from the prince, heralds sound the trumpet, announcing the appearance of a crystal house with a wonderful squirrel, and then the knights with uncle Chernomor, and, finally, the Swan Princess emerges from the tower. Everyone is delighted and covers their eyes with their hands, blinded by her beauty. Saltan is excited. He asks the Swan sorceress to show him Queen Militrisa. "Look at the tower!" - Swan answers. The queen appears on the porch. The duet of Saltan and Militrisa is joyful and excited. The king asks about his son. Guidon steps forward: “It’s me!” The Cook and the Weaver fall at the feet of Tsar Saltan, begging for forgiveness. Babarikha runs away in fear. But out of joy, the king forgives everyone. . Solemn feast of Lollipop. Refreshments are brought out to the people. Everyone praises the Swan Princess, Guidon’s beautiful wife. Having fun, many start dancing. The comic song is becoming more and more perky. The inviting sounds of trumpets are heard.
© Alexander MAYKAPAR
ON THE. Rimsky-Korsakov opera “The Tale of Tsar Saltan”
Fairytale opera ON THE. Rimsky-Korsakov was written by him on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of A.S. Pushkin and, according to the composer himself, was one of his favorite musical works. He himself admitted in letters to friends that he was overcome by pride and admiration for his own creativity.
Read a summary of Rimsky-Korsakov's opera "" and many interesting facts about this work on our page.
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Characters |
Description |
|
| Saltan | bass | kind and fair king of Tmutarakan |
| Militrisa | soprano | queen, youngest of three sisters |
| Weaver | mezzo-soprano | middle sister who wanted to weave a lot of linen |
| Cook | soprano | older sister who wanted to prepare a feast |
| Guidon | tenor | Tsarevich, son of Saltan and Militrisa |
| Swan Princess | soprano | beautiful girl turned into a swan |
| Matchmaker Babarikha | contralto | matchmaker of the queen's sisters |
Summary of “Tales of Tsar Saltan”
The plot of the tale begins in the city of Tmutarakan. The king, passing under the windows of the hut, accidentally heard the conversation of three sisters and became very interested. Most of all, he liked the speech of his younger sister and her desire to give birth to a hero. He immediately invited the girls to live in the palace, and named the third sister his wife. But as often happens in fairy tales, the other two girls decided to take revenge out of envy. As soon as the tsar left for war, they wrote him a letter in which they reported that the empress had given birth to an “unknown little animal.” Of course, such unexpected news greatly upset the sovereign. Through the efforts of the sisters, young Militrisa and her newborn son Guidon were immediately imprisoned in a barrel and released into the open sea.
When the waves washed a large barrel to the shore of Buyan Island, the prisoners were finally able to be free. Guidon, who had noticeably matured, immediately made a bow and went in search of prey. Suddenly he heard the cry of the Swan Princess, who was being chased by the evil Kite. Guidon defeated the insidious villain, and in gratitude for this, Swan promised to repay the young man with good.
Early in the morning, Militrisa and Guidon saw that the thick fog had cleared and the wonderful city of Ledenets appeared as if by magic. The residents began to warmly welcome their dear guests and asked Guidon to reign in their wonderful city. However, the young man is not happy, because all this time he does not stop thinking about his father and is very sad, hoping to at least someday be able to see him. The Swan Princess promised to help him in this matter. Thanks to her magical powers, Guidon was able to turn into a bumblebee and went on a ship to Tmutarakan to meet Father Saltan. There, from rich merchants, he learned about unusual miracles: a squirrel singing songs, sea knights, and also a beautiful princess. Returning to Buyan Island, Guidon again turned to the Swan Princess for help. And in this case, she was able to help him by introducing him to the squirrel and the brave knights with Chernomor. When Guidon asked to help him find the beautiful princess, the Swan-bird revealed her main secret. It turned out that she is this beautiful princess! Now nothing could interfere with the happiness of the lovers, and Militris joyfully blessed them.
At this time, Saltan’s ship arrived on the island along with the king and his entire retinue. The long-awaited guests entered Guidon’s luxurious palace and became acquainted with unknown wonders. The surprised Saltan immediately asked to introduce him to the queen and, to his great joy, recognized in her his beloved wife Militrisa, and in Guidon his son, whom he no longer hoped to ever meet. The insidious traitorous sisters immediately began to beg for mercy, fearing that severe punishment awaited them, but Tsar Saltan forgave them.
| Duration of the performance | |||
| Act I | Act II | III Act | Act IV |
| 55 min. | 30 min. | 25 min. | 45 min. |
Photo:
Interesting Facts
- When conductor V. Safonov received the score from the composer for review in order to perform “musical pictures,” he immediately sent him a telegram. In the message, he admitted that he had been reading this work all night, while admiring the genius of the author. (We are talking about the mastery of Rimsky-Korsakov's orchestration)
- It is noteworthy that in the opera the composer used a genuine lullaby, and he himself Rimsky-Korsakov admitted that it was once sung to him and his children.This is a lullaby for baby Guidon.
- Music critic Vasily Yastrebtsev called “Saltan” the Russian “Siegfried”.
- This performance continues the line that originates in the works “” and “ Sadko " This is the theme of the sea and marine images.
- The composer actively participated in the process of staging the opera and he managed to convince the director to exclude mechanical dolls on stage in the roles of the squirrel and bumblebee. As a result, these roles were assigned to children at the insistence of Rimsky-Korsakov.
- The legendary and popular “Flight of the Bumblebee” from the third act has become the calling card of both the composer himself and many virtuoso performers who happily perform it as an encore.
- Do you know that Rimsky-Korsakov came up with his own special mode for his operas based on fairy tales, which is called reduced? With the help of such new paint, the composer emphasized mysterious and fantastic images in his works.
- The author himself called his score a “guide to tricks” due to its unusual orchestration
- At the premiere show, the role of the Princess was performed by singer Nadezhda Zabela, the wife of artist Mikhail Vrubel, who designed the scenery for the play.
Popular numbers
Aria of the Swan Princess from Act II - listen
Three miracles (Squirrel, 33 heroes, Swan) - listen
Flight of the Bumblebee - listen
History of creation
The opera is based on “The Tale of Tsar Saltan” by A. Pushkin; the libretto was written by V. I. Belsky. It is noteworthy that it was this librettist who was the composer’s regular author after opera "Sadko" .
There is information that the idea to write a fairy-tale opera based on this plot was suggested to the maestro by the famous critic V. Stasov. Already in the winter of 1898 Rimsky-Korsakov actively began to develop the script, the next year he took up music. Thus, in the fall of 1899 the opera was written in full, and at the beginning of 1900 the score was completed. While working on the performance, there was constant correspondence between the author and Belsky and they discussed all the important points regarding the opera. Thus, Rimsky-Korsakov was forced to reject some of Belsky’s proposals, for example, the proposal to add realism to Guidon due to his desire to take his own life if he did not find the beautiful Princess anywhere. Belsky also proposed showing Guidon the child using exaggerated childish intonations. But Rimsky-Korsakov greeted some of the librettist’s ideas with enthusiasm - the planned dramatic plan, the emphasis on the appearance of a magical city on the stage. By the way, it was this scene that created a real sensation during the premiere, partly thanks to Vrubel, who designed the scenery.
It is noteworthy that the composer intended the opera to be as close as possible to the original source, but at the same time it contains a number of significant differences. Rimsky-Korsakov deliberately enhanced the beautiful image of the Swan Princess and maximized the satirical line in the images of Saltan, Babarikha and her sisters, ridiculing their vices. The performance is replete with folk life, festive festivities and buffoons.
Productions
The opera premiered in Moscow in 1900 at the Mamontov Private Opera. The performance was very enthusiastically received by the public. Even the composer himself notes in his autobiographical book that “Saltan” was staged well. Vrubel designed the costumes and sets. The part of Militrisa was performed by E. Tsvetkova, the Swan by N. Zabela, and Saltan by Mutin. Conductor – M. Ippolitov-Ivanov.
After a successful premiere, the opera was brilliantly staged on the stages of Moscow and St. Petersburg. In 1902, the audience of the St. Petersburg Conservatory was able to appreciate the composer’s work, and in 1906 the premiere took place at the Zimin Opera House.
It is curious that the play was staged on the main stages of the imperial theaters only in 1913 (Bolshoi) and 1915 (Mariinsky Theater). In Soviet times, theater stages in different cities delighted the public with fairy-tale opera. In addition, the play was successfully staged in Barcelona, Brussels, Milan, Sofia and Paris and many other European cities.
Among modern productions, it is worth noting the 1997 performance staged on the stage of the Moscow Musical Theater. The director this time was A. Titel. The opera was also successfully staged at the Mariinsky Theater (2005), the Moscow Children's Musical Theater named after. Natalia Sats and the Rostov Musical Theater (2008). An interesting version was presented to the public in November 2016 at the Samara Musical Theater. Modern technical means were actively used in this performance. Spectators were able to see the bright pictures of the opera - the appearance of a magical city, the fairy-tale Swan Princess, the scene of the Kite's attack - in 3D format.
The opera "" is, first of all, a fairy tale, a real, kind one, where good necessarily defeats evil. This work is perfect for family viewing and will appeal to everyone without exception. This beautiful performance has everything: a wedding, love, a feast for the whole world and extraordinarily beautiful, heartfelt, colorful, bright, colorful music. Rimsky-Korsakov . It is no coincidence that the composer himself valued this work very highly. We invite you to appreciate and watch right now the opera “The Tale of Tsar Saltan” in its original production and excellent quality.
Nikolai Andreevich Rimsky-Korsakov “The Tale of Tsar Saltan”
The most famous operas in the world. Original title, author and brief description.
The Tale of Tsar Saltan, N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov
Opera in four acts with a prologue; libretto by V. I. Belsky based on the fairy tale of the same name by A. S. Pushkin.
First production: Moscow, 1900.
Characters:
Tsar Saltan (bass), younger sister (Tsarina Militrisa) (soprano), middle sister (Weaver) (mezzo-soprano), older sister (Cook) (soprano), matchmaker Babarikha (mezzo-soprano), Tsarevich Guidon (tenor) , Princess Swan (at the beginning of the Swan Bird) (soprano), old grandfather (tenor), messenger (baritone), buffoon (bass), first shipman (tenor), second shipmaster (baritone), third shipmaster (bass). Voices of sorcerers and spirits, boyars, boyars, courtiers, nannies, clerks, guards, troops, shipmen, astrologers, walkers, singers, servants and maids, dancers and dancers, people, thirty-three sea knights with uncle Chernomor, a squirrel, a bumblebee.
The action takes place partly in the city of Tmutarakan, partly on the island of Buyan.
Prologue.
Winter evening. Village lighthouse. Three sisters are spinning. The eldest and middle sisters are not too zealous, encouraged by Baba Babarikha: “Don’t force the strands, there are many days ahead.” However, the younger sister, Militrisa, is not allowed to sit idly by. The older sisters boast to each other about their rank and beauty and dream about what each of them would do if she suddenly became a queen.
The king stopped at the door of the room, passing by with his retinue of boyars. He listens to the sisters' conversation. The eldest promises to arrange a feast for the whole world, the middle one promises to weave linens, Militrisa promises to give birth to a hero for the king-priest. The king enters the little room. The stunned sisters and Babarikha fall to their knees. The king orders everyone to follow him to the palace to become: Militrisa - the queen, and her sisters - the Cook and the Weaver.
The sisters are annoyed and ask Babarikha to help them take revenge on Militrisa. Babarikha proposes a plan: when the king leaves for war and the queen gives birth to a son, they will send the king instead of good news a letter: “The queen gave birth to either a son or a daughter that night. Not a mouse, not a frog, but an unknown animal.” The sisters approve of the plan and celebrate their victory in advance.
Act one.
The royal courtyard in Tmutarakan. Militrisa is sad. Near her are Babarikha and Skomorokh, the servants, and there are guards at the gate. The Cook enters with a tray of food. The old grandfather appears and asks to be let in to the prince; he wants to amuse the child with fairy tales. The Weaver comes to show off the intricate carpet she has woven. The prince woke up. The nannies sing him a cheerful children's song "Ladushki". The royal courtyard is filled with people. Everyone admires the prince, the choir performs toasts in honor of him and the queen.
Pushing aside the crowd, a drunken Messenger bursts in with a letter from the Tsar. He complains to the queen about how poorly he was received by Tsar Saltan, and talks about the “hospitable grandmother” who fed him to his fill and made him drunk. The clerks read the royal letter: “The king orders his boyars, without wasting time, to throw both the queen and the offspring in the barrel into the abyss of water.” Everyone is at a loss. Militrisa is in despair. The sisters and Babarikha rejoice angrily. Tsarevich Guidon is brought in. The queen hugs him, pouring out her grief in a sad song.
They roll out a huge barrel. Amid the crying and lamentations of the people, the queen and her son are walled up in a barrel and escorted to the shore. The cries of the crowd merge with the sound of the rushing waves.
Act two.
The shore of Buyan Island. The orchestra paints a majestic picture of the water element. On the crest of a wave, a barrel appears and then disappears. Gradually the sea calms down, throws the barrel ashore, and Militrisa and the grown-up prince emerge from it. They rejoice at their salvation, but the queen is concerned: after all, “the island is empty and wild.” Guidon calms his mother down and gets down to business - making a bow and arrow. Suddenly there is the sound of a struggle and a groan: it is on the sea that “a swan is struggling among the swells, a kite is flying over it.” Guidon takes aim and fires an arrow from his bow.
It got dark. The amazed queen and prince see the Swan bird emerging from the sea. She gratefully turns to her savior Guidon, promises to “repay him with kindness” and reveals her secret: “You didn’t deliver the swan, you left the girl alive. You didn’t kill a kite, you shot a sorcerer.” The swan bird advises not to grieve, but to go to bed. Militrisa and Guidon decide to follow the advice. A mother sings a lullaby to her son. Both fall asleep.
Dawn is coming. The fabulous city of Ledenets emerges from the morning fog. The queen and prince wake up, admire the vision, and Guidon guesses: “I see - my Swan is amusing himself!” Jubilant people come out of the city gates, thank Guidon for getting rid of the evil sorcerer and ask to reign in the glorious city of Ledenets.
Act three. Picture one.
The shore of Buyan Island. A ship is visible in the distance, carrying guest sailors to Tmutarakan. Guidon looks after them with longing. He complains to the Swan Bird that he is bored with all the wonders of the island, but he wants to see his father, so much so that he himself remains invisible. The swan bird agrees to fulfill his request and tells the prince to plunge into the sea three times in order to turn into a bumblebee. The famous orchestral flight of the bumblebee sounds - it is Guidon who flies off to catch up with the ship.
Picture two.
The royal courtyard in Tmutarakan. Tsar Saltan sits on the throne, he is sad. Near him are the Cook, the Weaver, and Babarikha. A ship approaches the shore. Trade guests are invited to the king, seated at a table laden with food, and treated. In gratitude for the treat, the guests begin stories about the miracles they have seen in the world: the transformation of a deserted island into the beautiful city of Ledenets, in which live a squirrel who can gnaw golden nuts and sing songs, and thirty-three heroes.
The Cook and the Weaver try to distract the king's attention with other stories, and the Bumblebee gets angry at them for this and stings each of them on the eyebrow. Tsar Saltan has an increasing desire to visit the wonderful island. Then Babarikha starts a story about the most amazing of miracles: about a beautiful princess whose beauty “eclipses the light of God during the day and illuminates the earth at night.” Then the Bumblebee stings Babarikha right in the eye. She's screaming. A general commotion ensues, Bumblebee is caught, but he flies away safely.
Act four. Picture one.
The shore of Buyan Island. Evening. Guidon dreams of a beautiful princess. He calls the Swan bird, confesses his love for the princess and asks her to find her. Swan does not immediately fulfill his request: she doubts his feelings. But Guidon insists, he is ready to follow his beloved “even to distant lands.” And finally the Swan says: “Why far away? Know that your destiny is close, because this princess is me.” In the thickening darkness, the Swan Princess appears in the dazzling splendor of her beauty.
Morning comes. A song is coming. This is Queen Militrisa going to the sea, accompanied by her servants. Guidon and the Princess ask her to consent to the marriage. Militrisa blesses the children.
Picture two.
The orchestral introduction tells the story of the city of Ledenets and its wonders: the squirrel, the heroes, the Swan Princess. On Buyan Island they are waiting for Saltan's arrival. A bell rings. The ship docks at the pier. The king's retinue comes ashore, followed by Saltan, accompanied by the Cook, the Weaver, and Babarikha. Guidon welcomes the noble guest, seats him on the throne next to him and invites him to admire the miracles. At a sign from the prince, the heralds sound the trumpet, announcing the appearance of a crystal house with a wonderful squirrel, and then the knights with uncle Chernomor, and, finally, the Swan Princess emerges from the tower.
Everyone is delighted and covers their eyes with their hands, blinded by her beauty. Saltan is excited. He asks the Swan sorceress to show him Queen Militrisa. “Look at the tower!” - Swan answers. The queen appears on the porch. The duet of Saltan and Militrisa is joyful and excited. The king asks about his son. Guidon steps forward: “It’s me!” The Cook and the Weaver fall at the feet of Tsar Saltan, begging for forgiveness. Babarikha runs away in fear. But out of joy, the king forgives everyone.
The origins of the concept of the opera based on Pushkin’s “The Tale of Tsar Saltan” (1831) not exactly established. There is reason to believe that this idea was suggested to Rimsky-Korsakov by V.V. Stasov. Development of the script began in the winter of 1898-1899. It was planned to finish the opera by the centenary of Pushkin’s birth (in 1899). In the spring of 1899, the composer began composing music. By the fall the opera was written, and in January of the following year work on the score was completed. The premiere of “The Tale of Tsar Saltan” took place on October 21 (November 2), 1900 on the stage of the Moscow private opera - the Solodovnikovsky Theater Partnership. “Saltan” belongs to the composer’s favorite fairy-tale genre, but among similar works it occupies a milestone position. Behind the outward simplicity of the plot lies a significant meaning.
Sunny and full of light humor, this opera recreates the charming features of Pushkin’s cheerful fairy tale. However, in the conditions of Russian reality at the end of the 19th century, a new shade was introduced into “The Tale of Tsar Saltan”. The gentle humor that colors this work acquires in the depiction of the stupid, unlucky tsar and his court entourage the character of undisguised irony, which anticipates the sharply satirical orientation of Rimsky-Korsakov’s subsequent fairy-tale operas “Kashchei the Immortal” and “The Golden Cockerel”.
“The Tale of Tsar Saltan” is one of the sunniest works of opera literature. Her music, illuminated by cloudless joy and gentle humor, flows easily and naturally. It recreates the naive simplicity and freshness of folk art. The music is full of melodic turns and intricate rhythms of folk songs and dances. Symphonic episodes play a significant role in the opera, in which the principles of programming are consistently applied. These episodes are organically included in the stage action and complement it.
A celebratory fanfare cry is repeated throughout the opera; it appears at the beginning of each picture as a call: “Listen! Look! The show begins! It also opens with the introduction of the opera, which takes the place of the overture. The song of the eldest and middle sisters flows serenely, in the spirit of the people. In the ensuing conversation, Babarikha’s grumpy remarks and the sisters’ fractional patter are answered by Militrisa’s broad lyrical melody. A rudely pompous march and decisive vocal phrases outline the appearance of a wayward king.
The first act is preceded by a march-like orchestral introduction, which is preceded by an epigraph from Pushkin’s fairy tale:
At that time there was war.
Tsar Saltan said goodbye to his wife,
Sitting on a good horse,
She punished herself
Take care of him, loving him.
The action begins with a calm lullaby based on an authentic folk melody; It is repeated several times throughout the act, conveying the leisurely measured course of life. The humorous dialogue of the Buffoon and the Old Grandfather is imbued with the humor of folk jokes. The appearance of the prince is accompanied by the melody of the children's folk song “Ladushki”. The first half of the act ends with a welcoming chorus of people. Its second half is a free alternation of solo and choral episodes, among which Militrisa’s plaintive arioso “V devki sizheno” stands out. The act ends with the mournful lamentation of the choir.
The orchestral introduction to the second act, painting a picture of the sea, conveys the content of the poetic epigraph that precedes it:
The stars shine in the blue sky,
In the blue sea the waves are lashing;
A cloud is moving across the sky
A barrel floats on the sea.
Like a bitter widow
The queen is crying and struggling within her;
And the child grows there
Not by days, but by hours.
In the scene that opens the second act, Militrisa’s sorrowful lamentations are set off by the prince’s lively remarks. Arioso Swans “You, prince, are my savior” combines a lyrically charming song melody with flexible, moving melodic turns. The second half of the act is a developed scene, full of joyful excitement.
The short orchestral introduction to the third act depicts a seascape. In the center of the first picture is the duet of Guidon and Swans, ending with the symphonic episode “Flight of the Bumblebee”.
In the second picture there is a lot of movement, ensemble episodes, the music is permeated with lively ditty melodies and rhythms. The final scene of the turmoil, where the warlike melody of Saltan’s march appears on the words “From now on, all bumblebees should not be allowed into the royal court,” is marked by genuine comedy.
The central episode of the first scene of the fourth act is a duet; Guidon’s excited, passionate speeches are answered by the calm, affectionate phrases of the Swans. The transfiguration scene is accompanied by a brief orchestral intermezzo, in which the melody of the Swan Princess sounds jubilantly and solemnly, close to the tune of the folk song “There Was a Feast.” The same melody underlies the enthusiastic love duet of Guidon and Lebedi.
The last scene of the opera is preceded by a large symphonic introduction “Three Miracles”, the content of which is revealed in a poetic epigraph (according to Pushkin):
An island lies on the sea,
There is a city on the island
With golden-domed churches,
With towers and gardens.
Living in the city is not bad.
Here are the three miracles:
There is a squirrel there, in front of everyone
The golden one gnaws a nut,
The emerald takes out,
And he collects the shells,
Places equal piles
And sings with a whistle
Honestly, in front of all the people -
“Whether in the garden or in the vegetable garden.”
And the second miracle in the city:
The sea will swell violently,
It will boil, it will howl,
It rushes onto the empty shore,
Will spill in a noisy run,
And they will remain on the shore,
In scales, like the heat of grief,
Thirty-three heroes.
Third: there is a princess there,
What you can't take your eyes off:
During the day the light of God is eclipsed,
At night it illuminates the earth;
The moon shines under the scythe,
And in the forehead the star is burning.
I was there; honey, drank beer -
And he just wet his mustache.
In the symphonic introduction, separated by festive fanfare, the bell theme of the city of Ledenets, the elegantly orchestrated melody of the folk song “In the garden, in the vegetable garden”, a courageous march characterizing the sea knights, and the charming melodies of the Swan Princess alternate one another; they are all intertwined into an enchantingly sparkling sound pattern. The opening music is filled with energy, light and unbridled jubilation that dominate the last scene of the opera. A joyful welcoming chorus enters the action. The musical characteristics of the wonders of the city of Ledenets are again taking place, this time with the participation of a choir and soloists. The love duet of Militrisa and Saltan conveys a feeling of complete happiness. The choral conclusion of the picture is permeated with perky ditty rhythms and lively choruses; at the peak of the rapid rise, the melody of a fanfare cry jubilantly sounds from the choir and all the characters.
In the operatic work of Rimsky-Korsakov in recent years, two lines are clearly visible. One, begun by The Snow Maiden, is represented by a number of fantastic operas; these are “The Tale of Tsar Saltan”, “Kashchei the Immortal” and “The Golden Cockerel”. The second is formed by lyrical and psychological dramas coming from “The Tsar’s Bride” - “Servilia” and “Pan Voivode”. “The Tale of the Invisible City of Kitezh” occupies a special position. If we consider the operas in chronological order, a motley line is formed.
Written after The Tsar's Bride, The Tale of Tsar Saltan is a light and vibrant score that demonstrates the virtuosity of instrumental writing. The libretto based on Pushkin’s fairy tale was written by Belsky, who after “Sadko” became the composer’s permanent literary assistant. The development of the plot in the opera corresponds to a fairy tale that is familiar to everyone from childhood.
Only the most minor changes were made to the libretto compared to Pushkin's text: the queen was given the name Militrisa, Saltan's kingdom was named Tmutarakan, the wonderful city on the island of Buyan was named Lollipop; The Old Grandfather and the Buffoon were introduced into the cast of characters.
The plot of the opera unfolds throughout the introduction and four acts (six scenes).
In the introduction (the room of the three sisters), the king takes Militris as his wife; the first action takes place at the royal court in Tmutarakan, where a messenger arrives with Saltan’s forged sentence, which is carried out on the queen and prince; the second act and the first scene of the third are on the island of Buyan, from where Guidon, transformed by the Swan into a bumblebee, flies to visit his father, Saltan; the second scene of the third act in the Tmutarakan kingdom, where Saltan, unaware of the presence of his son, learns from the shipmen about miracles on the island of Buyan; both scenes of the fourth act are in Guidon’s principality: there the Swan Princess bestows magical gifts on the young prince and a happy ending occurs.
The opera begins with an inviting fanfare, as if inviting you to watch the performance; they are repeated before each picture. This emphasizes the “nonsense” of everything that happens on stage. “The technique is unique and suitable for a fairy tale,” according to Rimsky-Korsakov. In addition, the deliberate musical repetition echoes the textual returns of Pushkin’s fairy tale: “The wind is walking on the sea and the boat is urging on,” “The wind is making a cheerful noise, the ship is running cheerfully,” and others. The naive, ingenuous songs introduced by the composer into the opera also highlight the “toy-like” nature of the plot: the touching lullaby of the nannies rocking little Guidon, and “Ladushka” in the first act; the humorous “Whether in the garden or in the vegetable garden”, which accompanies the appearance of a squirrel, is in the last picture.
Finally, the symphonic intermission “Three Miracles” is a whole small overture inside the opera, telling about all the events of the last picture. Following the inviting fanfares, the joyfully ringing and intricate theme of the city of Lollipop sounds, in which three miracles happen: first, the piccolo flute “whistles” the melody of the squirrel (“Whether in the garden or in the vegetable garden”). It is “pushed aside” by fanfare, inviting one to admire the following miracle: against the background of the menacing, at first distant, then ever-increasing roar of an invariably repeated bass motif, a ponderous, loud theme of the procession of thirty-three heroes appears; as if moving away, it subsides, and fanfares announce the appearance of the Swans. The melody with whimsical breaks, capricious ups and downs gradually “warms up” and pours out into a wide cantilena, depicting a magical transformation into a beautiful Princess. Pictures of living, changing nature, so dearly loved by the composer, are richly presented in the opera score. This is the light music of the splashing sea (introduction to both scenes of the third act), a picturesque sound recording of the dawn with the gradually emerging outlines of the fabulous Candy (second act), a poetic sketch of the night landscape that opens the first scene of the fourth act. The opera contains many pages of sound-visual music, among which “Flight of the Bumblebee” stands out, a brilliant scherzo of the perpetuum mobile type, naturally intertwined with the course of the dramatic action.
Most of the characters in the opera are presented in a humorous way: Saltan with his toy belligerence and clumsy grief for the wife he killed, the ingenuous Guidon with the deliberate primitiveness of expressions, the sisters Militrisa and Babarikha plotting intrigues for the queen, the gentle Old Grandfather. Against this background, the lyricism of Militrisa and especially the deep poetry of the central image of the opera - the Swan Princess - stand out. Its two sides - fantastic and real - are embodied in contrasting types of melody: the first is based on motives of a mainly instrumental nature, the second - on folk song intonations. The Swan Princess continues the string of charmingly feminine magical images beloved by the composer.
When the premiere of “The Tale of Tsar Saltan” was being prepared again at the Private Opera with the participation of Zabela (The Swan Princess) and Sekar-Rozhansky (Prince Guidon), Rimsky-Korsakov was already thinking about the next opera, the composition of which he spent the summer of 1901. The composer wrote “The Tale of Tsar Saltan” with passion, but at the same time realizing that in this opera he “never rose to the heights of the last picture, “The Tsar’s Bride,” which, along with “The Snow Maiden,” he considered one of his best works. Therefore, the search for a new plot was directed away from the fairy-tale theme.
100 years of “The Tale of Tsar Saltan” by N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov
On November 3 (October 21), 1900, the premiere of “The Tale of Tsar Saltan” by N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov took place in Moscow at the Association of Russian Private Opera.
It was a difficult period in the Mamontov enterprise. Although Savva Ivanovich was already acquitted in court (we are talking about the scandalous “Mamontov Case”, in which the highest financial circles led by S. Yu. Witte were involved, and where the philanthropist-entrepreneur became a victim of financial and political intrigue) and was released in July to freedom, not a trace remained of its former power. Thanks to the efforts of a number of enthusiastic artists who donated their modest savings to the theater's box office, Mamontov's opera was transformed into a Partnership. The situation was extremely difficult. At the beginning of 1899, F. Chaliapin, director P. Melnikov, K. Korovin (who later, during the prosecution of Mamontov, did not behave very correctly towards him and destroyed all correspondence) left for the imperial stage. Many friends turned their backs on Savva Ivanovich.
But there were also “acquisitions”. Relations with M. Vrubel became closer and more friendly. The spat associated with the participation of his wife N. Zabela in “The Snow Maiden” has become a thing of the past (Mamontov did not want to give preference to her alone; he also “moved” other singers). It was Vrubel who became the designer of all productions of 1900 - early 1901 (“Asya” by Ippolitov-Ivanov, “The Enchantress” by Tchaikovsky, “William Ratcliffe” by Cui, “Tannhäuser” by Wagner). However, mental illness soon interrupted this fruitful collaboration. But while still full of energy, the artist devotes all his talent to the scenery for “Saltan”, which aroused the delight of his contemporaries (especially everyone was shocked by the scene of the appearance of the dazzlingly bright city of Ledenets from the sea waves).
Nadezhda Zabela recalled this period as the happiest in her life, and her “Swan Princess” (following the artist’s painting of the same name) became one of the symbols of that era. And even now, for many of us, this image from childhood is one of the most vivid artistic impressions.
The main roles were played (except for Zabela) by the most famous singers A. Sekar-Rozhansky, E. Tsvetkova and others. Director M. Lentovsky created a bright fairy-tale world of folk fair action. The composer actively participated in the production process. For example, at his insistence, children portrayed the bumblebee and the squirrel (and not mechanical dolls, as the director intended). Special mention should be made of the musical merits of the production, where the most important role, along with the author, was played by the conductor M. Ippolitov-Ivanov, who managed to reveal the wonderful visual discoveries and poetic beauty of the orchestral episodes of Rimsky-Korsakov’s music (introduction to Act 2 “In the Blue Sea the Stars Shine”, symphonic painting “Three Miracles”, “Flight of the Bumblebee”, etc.). The composer himself was very pleased with the work of the theater (which, given its well-known rigor and exactingness, can be considered a significant achievement of the Partnership).
“The Tale of Tsar Saltan” is the last of Rimsky-Korsakov’s relatively “serene” fairy-tale operas. Different times came, and subsequent works of this genre (which accompanied the composer throughout his creative life) were already more satirical than folk fantasy (“Kashchei the Immortal”, “The Golden Cockerel”).
Let us briefly trace the production fate of the work. In 1902, the opera was staged at the St. Petersburg Conservatory (enterprise of U. Guidi, conductor V. Zeleny), in 1906 at the Zimin Opera Theater (conductor Ippolitov-Ivanov). Only in 1913 the work “reached” the imperial theaters and was performed in Moscow (Bolshoi Theater, conductor E. Cooper, the part of Saltan was sung by G. Pirogov, the Swan Princess - E. Stepanova). In 1915, the opera was staged at the Mariinsky Theater (conductor A. Coates, the role of Guidon was performed by the outstanding tenor I. Ershov). During Soviet times, the opera was also repeatedly staged in Leningrad (1937), Riga (1947), Moscow (1959), Kuibyshev (1959), Frunze (1964) and other cities of the Soviet Union.
Among the latest productions is the 1997 premiere at the Moscow Musical Theater named after K. S. Stanislavsky and V. I. Nemirovich-Danchenko (directed by A. Titel, who previously staged this opera in Sverdlovsk).
Foreign theaters often turned to opera. Among the productions were performances in Barcelona (1924), Brussels (1926), Buenos Aires (1927), Aachen (1928), Milan (1929), Sofia (1933). Of particular note is the 1929 production in Paris (“Théâtre des Champs-Élysées”), carried out by the Russian Private Opera in Paris. This enterprise was organized by the outstanding singer M. Kuznetsova (together with the famous entrepreneur A. Tsereteli, in whose private troupe she made her opera debut as Margarita in Faust in 1904) with the money of her then husband A. Massenet, the nephew of the outstanding composer. The premiere was carried out by conductor E. Cooper and director N. Evreinov (who later turned to this opera again in 1935 in Prague). In the same year, the play (together with other productions, including “Prince Igor”, Sadko”, “The Tale of the Invisible City of Kitezh and the Maiden Fevronia”, “The Snow Maiden”) was shown with great success on tour in Madrid, Barcelona, Munich , Milan, cities of South America. In the post-war years, the opera was staged in Cologne, Dresden and other European cities. In 1988 it was staged at La Scala in Milan, and in the mid-90s at the Berlin Komische Oper (directed by G. Kupfer), where it is still part of the theater’s repertoire to this day.
Opera in four acts (six scenes) with prologue (introduction)
Libretto by V. I. Velsky based on the fairy tale by A. S. Pushkin. First staged in Moscow, on the stage of the Russian Onera (S. I. Mamontov Theater), November 3, 1900.
Characters of the introduction:
Tsar Saltan - bass
Junior - soprano
Middle sister - mezzo-soprano
Older sister - soprano
Characters of the opera:
Tsar Saltan - bass
Queen Militrisa (younger sister) - soprano
Weaver (middle sister) - mezzo-soprano
Cook (elder sister) - soprano
Matchmaker Babarikha - mezzo-soprano
Tsarevich Guidon - tenor
The Swan Princess (originally the Swan Bird) - soprano
Old grandfather - tenor
Messenger - baritone
Skomorokh - bass
1st Shipman - tenor
2nd shipmaster - baritone
3rd shipman - bass
Voices of the sorcerer and spirits - choirs
Boyars, boyars, courtiers, nannies, clerks, guards, troops, shipmen, astrologers, walkers, singers, servants and maids, dancers and dancers and the people. Thirty-three sea knights with uncle Chernomor. Squirrel. Bumblebee.
The action takes place partly in the city of Tmutarakan, partly on the island of Buyan.
Introduction. On a winter evening, three sisters are spinning in the village room. The older sisters completely drove the youngest, Militrisa: bring water, heat the stove, and milk the cow. You know, they boast of their beauty and rank. “If I were a queen,” the eldest dreamed, “I myself would prepare a feast for the whole world.” Her middle sister echoes her: if she were a queen, she would weave linens for the whole world. The younger one says that she is neither a skilled craftswoman nor a baker, nor a weaver; she would “give birth to a hero for the king’s father.” As soon as she said, Tsar Saltan entered the room and ordered her to immediately get ready to go to the palace. The queen will howl for her, and the sisters will; one is a cook, and the other is a weaver. Envy comes from older sisters; They persuade Baba Babarikha, the matchmaker, to spell trouble for Militrisa.
Act one. In the royal palace in Tmutarakan, Queen Militrisa is waiting for Saltan to return from the war. Long ago she sent a messenger to her husband with the joyful news of the birth of Tsarevich Guidon, but there was still no answer from Saltan. The queen does not know that the evil sisters and Babarikha replaced her letter and sent a messenger with the news that
The queen gave birth in the night
Either a son or a daughter,
Not a mouse, not a frog,
And an unknown animal.
The long-awaited messenger from Saltan arrives and brings a decree in which the tsar orders “to throw both the queen and the offspring in a barrel into the abyss of water.” With tears and lamentations, the people fulfill the royal will.
Act two. The barrel floats for a long time on the blue sea. Prince Guidon is growing in her by leaps and bounds. But then the waves throw the barrel onto the deserted shore of Buyan Island. Alone on the island are Queen Militrisa and the young prince Guidon. Suddenly the prince sees: high in the sky, a white Swan is trying to escape from the claws of a kite. Guidon shoots and kills the evil kite. The swan bird promises to repay the prince with good for his salvation.
Evening is falling. Mother and son fall asleep, and when they wake up, they don’t believe their eyes: the wonderful city of Lollipop sparkles with its domes in the sun. People pour out of its gates to the sound of bells and ask Guidon to become their prince.
Act three. Picture one. Guidon lives well in the city of Ledenets. But at the sight of the ships sailing on the sea to Tmutarakan, an evil melancholy sharpens his heart. Guidon wants to visit his homeland and see his father. He comes to the Swan Bird for advice. The Swan tells Gvidon to plunge into the sea three times - and the prince turns into a bumblebee.
Picture two. In the royal chambers, Saltan affectionately treats the shipbuilders. They tell the king about the marvelous city of Ledenets, ruled by Prince Guidon, about miracles: about a magical squirrel that gnaws golden nuts and sings songs, about thirty-three heroes emerging from the waves of the sea. Saltan was just about ready to go visit Gvidop, but the evil sisters Militrisa and Babarikha do not let him in, they are trying to distract him with a story about a miracle that does not exist in the city of Ledenets: about a princess who, with her beauty, “eclipses the light of God during the day, illuminates the earth at night.” The bumblebee painfully stings the evil aunts and Babarikha and flies away.
Act four. Picture one. The prince cannot sleep: he cannot forget the story about the unknown beautiful princess. He calls the Swan bird and asks him to tell him how to find the princess. He is ready to “go on foot from here even to distant lands,” “No, why look far away?.. That princess is me!” answers the Swan and turns into a beautiful princess.
Morning comes. Militrisa descends to the sea. She joyfully blesses Guidon and the Swan Princess.
Picture two. Tsar Saltan comes to the island. The king marvels for a long time at the three miracles of the city of Ledenets. But the most amazing miracle is that his beloved wife and son are alive and unharmed. To celebrate, Saltan forgives even the villainous sisters. A feast begins for the whole world.
A wonderful fairy tale opera was created by N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov for the 100th anniversary of A. S. Pushkin, although V. Stasov back in the 1880s. drew the composer's attention to this plot.
On November 3 (October 21), 1900, the premiere of “The Tale of Tsar Saltan” took place in Moscow at the Association of Russian Private Opera.
It was a difficult period in the Mamontov enterprise. Although Savva Ivanovich was already acquitted in court (we are talking about the scandalous “Mamontov Case”, in which the highest financial circles led by S. Yu. Witte were involved, and where the philanthropist-entrepreneur became a victim of financial and political intrigue) and was released in July to freedom, not a trace remained of its former power. Thanks to the efforts of a number of enthusiastic artists who donated their modest savings to the theater's box office, Mamontov's opera was transformed into a Partnership. The situation was extremely difficult. At the beginning of 1899, F. Chaliapin, director P. Melnikov, K. Korovin (who later, during the prosecution of Mamontov, did not behave very correctly towards him and destroyed all correspondence) left for the imperial stage. Many friends turned their backs on Savva Ivanovich.
But there were also “acquisitions”. Relations with M. Vrubel became closer and more friendly. The spat associated with the participation of his wife N. Zabela in “The Snow Maiden” has become a thing of the past (Mamontov did not want to give preference to her alone; he also “moved” other singers). It was Vrubel who became the designer of all productions of 1900 - early 1901 (“Asya” by Ippolitov-Ivanov, “The Enchantress” by Tchaikovsky, “William Ratcliffe” by Cui, “Tannhäuser” by Wagner). However, the artist’s mental illness soon interrupted this fruitful collaboration. But while still full of energy, Vrubel devotes all his talent to the scenery for “Saltan,” which aroused the delight of his contemporaries (everyone was especially shocked by the scene of the dazzlingly bright city of Ledenets emerging from the sea waves).
Nadezhda Zabela recalled this period as the happiest in her life, and her Swan Princess (following the artist’s painting of the same name) became one of the symbols of that era. And even now, for many of us, this image from childhood is one of the most vivid artistic impressions.
The main roles were played (except for Zabela) by the most famous singers A. Sekar-Rozhansky, E. Tsvetkova and others. Director M. Lentovsky created a bright fairy-tale world of folk fair action. The composer actively participated in the production process. For example, at his insistence, children portrayed the bumblebee and the squirrel (and not mechanical dolls, as the director intended). Special mention should be made of the musical merits of the production, where the most important role, along with the author, was played by the conductor M. Ippolitov-Ivanov, who managed to reveal the wonderful visual discoveries and poetic beauty of the orchestral episodes of Rimsky-Korsakov’s music (introduction to Act 2 “In the Blue Sea the Stars Shine”, symphonic painting “Three Miracles”, “Flight of the Bumblebee”, etc.). The composer himself was very pleased with the work of the theater (which, given its well-known rigor and exactingness, can be considered a significant achievement of the Partnership).
“The Tale of Tsar Saltan” is the last of Rimsky-Korsakov’s relatively “serene” fairy-tale operas. Different times came, and subsequent works of this genre (which accompanied the composer throughout his creative life) were already more satirical than folk fantasy (“Kashchei the Immortal”, “The Golden Cockerel”).
Let us briefly trace the production fate of the work. In 1902, the opera was staged at the St. Petersburg Conservatory (enterprise of U. Guidi, conductor V. Zeleny), in 1906 at the Zimin Opera Theater (conductor Ippolitov-Ivanov). Only in 1913 the work “reached” the imperial theaters and was performed in Moscow (Bolshoi Theater, conductor E. Cooper, the part of Saltan was sung by G. Pirogov, the Swan Princess - E. Stepanova). In 1915, the opera was staged at the Mariinsky Theater (conductor A. Coates, the role of Guidon was performed by the outstanding tenor I. Ershov). During Soviet times, the opera was also staged several times in Leningrad (1937), Riga (1947), Moscow (1959, Bolshoi Theater, conductor V. Nebolsin), Kuibyshev (1959), Frunze (1964) and other cities of the Soviet Union. Once again the opera appeared in the repertoire of the Bolshoi Theater in 1986 (conductor A. Lazarev, director G. Ansimov).
Among the recent productions is the 1997 premiere at the Moscow Musical Theater named after K. S. Stanislavsky and V. I. Nemirovich-Danchenko (director A. Titel, who previously staged this opera in Sverdlovsk), the 2005 premiere at the Mariinsky Theater (director A. Petrov, conductor P. Bubelnikov). In the year of the 100th anniversary of the composer's death (2008), the opera was staged at the Moscow Children's Musical Theater named after. Natalia Sats and at the Rostov Musical Theatre.
Foreign theaters also turned to opera. Among the productions were performances in Barcelona (1924), Brussels (1926), Buenos Aires (1927), Aachen (1928), Milan (1929), Sofia (1933). Of particular note is the 1929 production in Paris (“Théâtre des Champs-Élysées”), carried out by the Russian Private Opera in Paris. This enterprise was organized by the outstanding singer M. Kuznetsova together with the famous entrepreneur A. Tsereteli (in whose private troupe she made her operatic debut as Margarita in Faust in 1904) with the money of her then husband A. Massenet (the nephew of the outstanding composer). The premiere was carried out by conductor E. Cooper and director N. Evreinov (who later turned to this opera again in 1935 in Prague). In the same year, the play (together with other productions, including “Prince Igor”, “Sadko”, “The Tale of the Invisible City of Kitezh and the Maiden Fevronia”, “The Snow Maiden”) was shown with great success on tour in Madrid, Barcelona, Munich, Milan, cities of South America. In the post-war years, the opera was staged in Cologne, Dresden and other European cities. In the mid-90s, the opera was staged at the Berlin Komische Oper (directed by G. Kupfer). In the 2008/09 season, the opera is included in the repertoire of theaters in Munich, Athens and Maastricht (Netherlands).
Evgeniy Tsodokov
Illustrations:
I. Repin. Portrait of N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov, 1893.
M. Vrubel. "City of Lollipop". Sketch for the play "The Tale of Tsar Saltan", 1900.
M. Vrubel. "The Swan Princess", 1900.
Scene from a performance at the Mariinsky Theatre, 2005.
THE TALE OF TSAR SALTAN, about his son, the glorious and mighty hero Prince Guidon Saltanovich, and about the beautiful Swan Princess - an opera by N. Rimsky-Korsakov in 4 parts (7 parts) with a prologue, libretto by V. Belsky based on the fairy tale of the same name by A. Pushkin with the preservation of many original poems. Premieres of the first productions: Moscow, Russian Private Opera Association, October 21, 1900, under the direction of M. Ippolitov-Ivanov, artist M. Vrubel (E. Tsvetkova - Militrisa, A. Sekar-Rozhansky - Guidon, N. Zabela - The Swan Princess , V. Shkafer - Old Grandfather); St. Petersburg, Great Hall of the Conservatory, by the enterprise of U. Guidi, December 22, 1902
The fairy-tale images of Pushkin have long attracted Rimsky-Korsakov. He first tried to embody them in the symphonic “Fairy Tale” (1880), inspired by the prologue to “Ruslan and Lyudmila”. In the 80s V. Stasov advised me to write an opera based on the plot of “Saltan”. This idea was realized later (1899-1900), during the celebration of the centenary of the birth of the great poet. The composer sought to remain faithful to the content of the tale; V. Belsky's libretto includes many of its poems. However, when creating the opera, it was necessary to develop some of the motives only outlined by Pushkin and introduce new characters. The image of the Swan Princess underwent the greatest changes. While retaining the features of its literary prototype, it acquired new ones, becoming the personification of beauty, poetry and art. The satirical line in the opera is strengthened. In the images of Saltan, Babarikha and the two older sisters there is not only a good-natured grin, but also irony. Of course, Saltan is not Dodon from the Golden Cockerel, but he is close to Dodon. At his court, servility, dull obedience, and groveling reign. Comically menacing, stupid, absurd, he is by no means harmless. In Saltan there is nothing of the enlightened wisdom of Berendey in the Snow Maiden, although he is not devoid of human traits, in his own way he sincerely loves his wife, from whom he was separated by deception. The kingdom of Tmutarakan is opposed to the city of Ledenets, which grows on the island of Buyan. Saltan and his entourage are confronted by the bright image of the Swan-bird, which turns into the Swan Princess.
The opera uses the traditions of folk theater, buffoonery, and skaz techniques. Her main idea - art and beauty overcome the difficulties of life, transform the world - is embodied in a highly poetic form. The poetic element is associated with the images of Militrisa, Guidon, the Swan Princess, with pictures of nature - the sea and heavenly elements - and the wonders of Lollipop captured in incomparably beautiful symphonic interludes. In the first productions of the opera, admiration for this particular side prevailed and the image of the Swan Princess came to the fore, especially thanks to the inspired performance of N. Zabela, and later A. Nezhdanova. The portrayal of Saltan and his entourage emphasized comedic features. Unfortunately, caricature and caricature have become a tradition. Rimsky-Korsakov's plan is much more complex, deeper and richer than a similar approach. Ridicule of Saltanov's world cannot be carried out only by external methods, and exaggerated ones at that. The Tsar is not a doll, not a clown, but a man - otherwise it is not clear why Militrisa fell in love with him.
The most prominent performers of the central parts are G. Pirogov, M. Donets, P. Zhuravlenke, V. Osipov, V. Sharonov, I. Petrov (Saltan), A. Bogdanovich, I. Ershov, S. Streltsov, G. Nelepp (Guidon ), N. Zabela, A. Nezhdanova, E. Stepanova, V. Barsova (The Swan Princess), etc. The most significant productions: Bolshoi Theater, 1913 (conductor E. Cooper, director V. Lossky, artist K. Korovin) ; Mariinsky Theatre, 1915 (conductor A. Coates, director V. Lossky, artists K. Korovin, A. Golovin); Theater named after Kirov, 1937 (conductor A. Pazovsky, director V. Lossky, artists I. Bilibin, A. Shchekotikhina-Pototskaya); a new performance at the Bolshoi Theater (1959), etc. Abroad, the opera was first staged in Barcelona (1924), then in Brussels (1926), Milan (1929), Paris (1929, enterprise M. Kuznetsova-Benois, director N. Evreinov ), London (1933), Bern and Cologne (1959), Stralsund (1962, director G. Kupfer). The premiere of the latest production took place at the Moscow Musical Theater. Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko January 17, 1997 (director A. Titel).
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7. Orchestral introduction to the last film “Three Miracles” 7:16
8. Act four, scene 2 19:20
