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Kashchey the Immortal (opera)
Encyclopedia
Kashchey the Deathless aka Kashchey the Immortal, is a one-act opera
in three scenes (styled a "little autumnal fairy tale") by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
. The libretto
was written by the composer, and is based on a Russian fairy tale
about Koschei
the Deathless, an evil, ugly old wizard, who menaced principally young women. A similar fairy tale was also used by Igor Stravinsky
(Rimsky-Korsakov's pupil) and Vaslav Nijinsky
to create their iconic ballet
, The Firebird
.
The opera was composed during 1901-1902 and the work was completed in 1902. It was first performed the same year in Moscow
.
12 December) 1902 at the Solodovnikov Theater in Moscow
. It was conducted by Mikhail Ippolitov-Ivanov
with set designs by Sergey Malyutin
.
The St. Petersburg premiere followed on 9 April (O.S.
27 March) 1905 and was given at the Komissarzhevskaya
Drama Theatre performed by students of the Conservatory and conducted by Alexander Glazunov
.
Other important premieres took place in 1917 at the Bolshoi Theatre
, Moscow
, conducted by Emil Cooper
; in 1919 in Petrograd at the Theatre of Opera and Ballet conducted by Khessin; in 1924 in Barcelona
, given in Russian; and in 1928 in Salzburg
also given in Russian.
The United Kingdom
premiere took place in 1994 (to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the composer's birthday). The work was given more recently in London
, in concert performance on 5 September 2008.
in 1902 and also in Rimsky-Korsakov's Complete Works, volumes 12 and 40, Muzgiz, Moscow 1954.
Place: Kashchey's realm in the thrice-tenth kingdom, a far off place (beyond thrice-nine lands) in Russian fairy tales.
The beautiful Princess Tsarevna Nenaglyadnaya Krasa is imprisoned by the evil wizard Kashchey the Deathless in his gloomy kingdom, longing for her beloved Prince Ivan-Korolevich. She is upset when looking into the magic mirror, she sees her bridegroom together with Kashcheyevna, the daughter of Kashchey. Kashchey, who also glances into the mirror, is afraid that Ivan could bring him death – he hid his death in the tear of his daughter, whose heart is hard and cold. Many knights were ruined by her beauty, and no one could see her tears. Kashchey breaks the mirror into pieces, and sends Storm-hero Burya-Bogatyr to Kashcheyevna to ask how safely she keeps his death.
Kashcheyevna prepares a magic potion to lull the Prince to sleep and force him to forget his beautiful Princess. When Ivan-Korolevich enters, she gives him the potion to drink. Burya-Bogatyr suddenly appears, and his wind scatters Kashcheyevna’s charms. Following Burya-Bogatyr, Ivan Korolevich leaves for his dear bride.
The Princess sings a lullaby to Kashchey. Ivan-Korolevich arrives. He frees his fiancé, but Kashcheyevna pleads with Ivan to remain with her, since he has awakened love in her severe heart. In an impulse of compassion, the Princess kisses Kashcheyevna, and she begins to cry. Invisible voices announce the death of Kashchey. Kashcheyevna is turned into a weeping willow. But Burya-Bogatyr opens the gates to show the lovers the way out of the gloomy kingdom, and into the world of light, Spring, and love.
Scene 2
Scene 3
>
Video Recordings
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
in three scenes (styled a "little autumnal fairy tale") by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
Nikolai Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov was a Russian composer, and a member of the group of composers known as The Five.The Five, also known as The Mighty Handful or The Mighty Coterie, refers to a circle of composers who met in Saint Petersburg, Russia, in the years 1856–1870: Mily Balakirev , César...
. The libretto
Libretto
A libretto is the text used in an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata, or musical. The term "libretto" is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major liturgical works, such as mass, requiem, and sacred cantata, or even the story line of a...
was written by the composer, and is based on a Russian fairy tale
Fairy tale
A fairy tale is a type of short story that typically features such folkloric characters, such as fairies, goblins, elves, trolls, dwarves, giants or gnomes, and usually magic or enchantments. However, only a small number of the stories refer to fairies...
about Koschei
Koschei
In Slavic folklore, Koschei is an archetypal male antagonist, described mainly as abducting the hero's wife. None of the existing tales actually describes his appearance, though in book illustrations, cartoons and cinema he has been most frequently represented as a very old and ugly-looking man...
the Deathless, an evil, ugly old wizard, who menaced principally young women. A similar fairy tale was also used by Igor Stravinsky
Igor Stravinsky
Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky ; 6 April 1971) was a Russian, later naturalized French, and then naturalized American composer, pianist, and conductor....
(Rimsky-Korsakov's pupil) and Vaslav Nijinsky
Vaslav Nijinsky
Vaslav Nijinsky was a Russian ballet dancer and choreographer of Polish descent, cited as the greatest male dancer of the 20th century. He grew to be celebrated for his virtuosity and for the depth and intensity of his characterizations...
to create their iconic ballet
Ballet
Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...
, The Firebird
The Firebird
The Firebird is a 1910 ballet created by the composer Igor Stravinsky and choreographer Michel Fokine. The ballet is based on Russian folk tales of the magical glowing bird of the same name that is both a blessing and a curse to its captor....
.
The opera was composed during 1901-1902 and the work was completed in 1902. It was first performed the same year in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
.
Performance history
The premiere took place on 25 December (O.S.Old Style and New Style dates
Old Style and New Style are used in English language historical studies either to indicate that the start of the Julian year has been adjusted to start on 1 January even though documents written at the time use a different start of year ; or to indicate that a date conforms to the Julian...
12 December) 1902 at the Solodovnikov Theater in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
. It was conducted by Mikhail Ippolitov-Ivanov
Mikhail Ippolitov-Ivanov
Mikhail Mikhailovich Ippolitov-Ivanov was a Russian composer, conductor and teacher.- Biography :...
with set designs by Sergey Malyutin
Sergey Malyutin
Sergey Vasilyevich Malyutin was Russian painter, architect and stage designer. He is credited with designing and painting the first Russian matryoshka doll in 1890.- References :*...
.
The St. Petersburg premiere followed on 9 April (O.S.
Old Style and New Style dates
Old Style and New Style are used in English language historical studies either to indicate that the start of the Julian year has been adjusted to start on 1 January even though documents written at the time use a different start of year ; or to indicate that a date conforms to the Julian...
27 March) 1905 and was given at the Komissarzhevskaya
Vera Komissarzhevskaya
Vera Fyodorovna Komissarzhevskaya was the most celebrated Russian actress at the turn of the twentieth century.Vera Komissarzhevskaya was the daughter of Fyodor Komissarzhevsky, a leading tenor of the Mariinsky Theatre, and sister of Theodore Komisarjevsky, a famous theatrical director...
Drama Theatre performed by students of the Conservatory and conducted by Alexander Glazunov
Alexander Glazunov
Alexander Konstantinovich Glazunov was a Russian composer of the late Russian Romantic period, music teacher and conductor...
.
Other important premieres took place in 1917 at the Bolshoi Theatre
Bolshoi Theatre
The Bolshoi Theatre is a historic theatre in Moscow, Russia, designed by architect Joseph Bové, which holds performances of ballet and opera. The Bolshoi Ballet and Bolshoi Opera are amongst the oldest and most renowned ballet and opera companies in the world...
, Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, conducted by Emil Cooper
Emil Cooper
Emil Albertovich Cooper, also known as Emil Kuper was a Russian conductor and violinist, of English ancestry....
; in 1919 in Petrograd at the Theatre of Opera and Ballet conducted by Khessin; in 1924 in Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
, given in Russian; and in 1928 in Salzburg
Salzburg
-Population development:In 1935, the population significantly increased when Salzburg absorbed adjacent municipalities. After World War II, numerous refugees found a new home in the city. New residential space was created for American soldiers of the postwar Occupation, and could be used for...
also given in Russian.
The United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
premiere took place in 1994 (to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the composer's birthday). The work was given more recently in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, in concert performance on 5 September 2008.
Roles
| Role | Voice type | Premiere cast Moscow, 12 December 1902 (Conductor: Mikhail Ippolitov-Ivanov Mikhail Ippolitov-Ivanov Mikhail Mikhailovich Ippolitov-Ivanov was a Russian composer, conductor and teacher.- Biography :... ) |
Premiere cast St. Petersburg, 1905 (Conductor: Alexander Glazunov Alexander Glazunov Alexander Konstantinovich Glazunov was a Russian composer of the late Russian Romantic period, music teacher and conductor... ) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kashchey, the Deathless | tenor Tenor The tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2... |
Felix Oshustovich | A. Gurovich |
| Tsarevna, Princess Beloved Beauty | soprano Soprano A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody... |
Nadezhda Zabela-Vrubel Nadezhda Zabela-Vrubel Nadezhda Ivanovna Zabela-Vrubel was a Russian opera singer. Vocally, she is best described as a lyrical soprano, with a particularly high tessitura.... |
K. Mayzels |
| Prince Ivan-Korolevich | baritone Baritone Baritone is a type of male singing voice that lies between the bass and tenor voices. It is the most common male voice. Originally from the Greek , meaning deep sounding, music for this voice is typically written in the range from the second F below middle C to the F above middle C Baritone (or... |
Mikhail Bocharov | F. Pavlovsky |
| Kascheyevna, Daughter of Kashchey | mezzo-soprano Mezzo-soprano A mezzo-soprano is a type of classical female singing voice whose range lies between the soprano and the contralto singing voices, usually extending from the A below middle C to the A two octaves above... |
Vera Petrova-Zvantseva | N. Lezhen |
| Storm-Bogatyr Bogatyr The bogatyr was a medieval heroic warrior of Kievan Rus' and the Novgorodian Republic, akin to a Western European knight errant.- Kievan Rus' :... , the wind |
bass | Vasily Osipov | I. Pavlov |
| Offstage chorus Choir A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus... : Invisible voices |
|||
Publication
The full score and vocal score were published by BesselBessel
Bessel may refer to:* Bessel beam* Bessel ellipsoid* Bessel function in mathematics* Bessel's inequality in mathematics* Bessel filter, a linear filter often used in audio crossover systems* Bessel , a small lunar crater...
in 1902 and also in Rimsky-Korsakov's Complete Works, volumes 12 and 40, Muzgiz, Moscow 1954.
Synopsis
Time: UnspecifiedPlace: Kashchey's realm in the thrice-tenth kingdom, a far off place (beyond thrice-nine lands) in Russian fairy tales.
Scene 1
Kashchey's realmThe beautiful Princess Tsarevna Nenaglyadnaya Krasa is imprisoned by the evil wizard Kashchey the Deathless in his gloomy kingdom, longing for her beloved Prince Ivan-Korolevich. She is upset when looking into the magic mirror, she sees her bridegroom together with Kashcheyevna, the daughter of Kashchey. Kashchey, who also glances into the mirror, is afraid that Ivan could bring him death – he hid his death in the tear of his daughter, whose heart is hard and cold. Many knights were ruined by her beauty, and no one could see her tears. Kashchey breaks the mirror into pieces, and sends Storm-hero Burya-Bogatyr to Kashcheyevna to ask how safely she keeps his death.
Scene 2
Kashcheyevna's domainKashcheyevna prepares a magic potion to lull the Prince to sleep and force him to forget his beautiful Princess. When Ivan-Korolevich enters, she gives him the potion to drink. Burya-Bogatyr suddenly appears, and his wind scatters Kashcheyevna’s charms. Following Burya-Bogatyr, Ivan Korolevich leaves for his dear bride.
Scene 3
Kashchey's realmThe Princess sings a lullaby to Kashchey. Ivan-Korolevich arrives. He frees his fiancé, but Kashcheyevna pleads with Ivan to remain with her, since he has awakened love in her severe heart. In an impulse of compassion, the Princess kisses Kashcheyevna, and she begins to cry. Invisible voices announce the death of Kashchey. Kashcheyevna is turned into a weeping willow. But Burya-Bogatyr opens the gates to show the lovers the way out of the gloomy kingdom, and into the world of light, Spring, and love.
Structure of the opera
Scene 1- 1. Dni bez prosveta (Princess and Kashchey)
- 2. Ya vishu devu krasoty chudesnoy (Princess, Kashchey and Burya-Bogatyr)
- 3. Temny yeyo ochi (Arioso of Kashchey)
- 4. Vy, gusli samogudy (Choir / Interlude)
Scene 2
- 5. Nastala noch (Arioso of Kashcheyevna)
- 6. Glukhaya noch (Scene and Arietta of Ivan-Korolevich)
- 7. Pit'yo prokhladnoe (Duo of Kashcheyevna and Ivan-Korolevich)
- 8. Zasnul (Kashcheyevna, Ivan-Korolevich and Burya-Bogatyr)
Scene 3
- 9. Bayu, bay, Kashchey sedoy (The Lullaby of Princess)
- 10. Mereshchitsja (Duo of Princess and Ivan-Korolevich)
- 11. Prosti, lyubimy korolevich moy (Kashcheyevna, Princess, Ivan-Korolevich and Kashchey)
- 12. Konets zlomu tsarstvu (Final Chorus)
Gallery
Recordings
Audio Recordings (Mainly studio recordings)- 1991, Andrey Chistyakov (conductor), Bolshoy Theatre Orchestra, Yurlov Academic Choir, Aleksandr Arkhipov (Kashchey), Irina ZhurinaIrina Zhurina-Biography:Zhurina was born in Kharkiv . After studying singing at the Kharkov Art Institute, she joined the Kharkov Opera in 1971, where she sang the leading roles in La Traviata, Lucia di Lammermoor, Rigoletto, etc....
(Tsarevna), Nina Terentyeva (Kashcheyevna), Vladislav Verestnikov (Ivan Korolevich), Vladimir MatorinVladimir MatorinVladimir Anatolyevich Matorin is a famous Russian opera singer. He is considered one of the greatest contemporary bass singer in Russia.-Biography:...
(Storm-Bogatyr)
- 1999, Valery GergievValery GergievValery Abisalovich Gergiev is a Russian conductor and opera company director. He is general director and artistic director of the Mariinsky Theatre, principal conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra, and artistic director of the White Nights Festival in St. Petersburg.- Early life :Gergiev,...
(conductor), Kirov Opera & Orchestra, Marina Shaguch (Tsarevna), Konstantin Pluzhnikov (Kashchey), Aleksandr Morozov (Storm-Bogatyr), Aleksandr Gergalov (Ivan Korolevich), Larisa Dyadkova (Kashcheyevna)
Video Recordings
- 1991? Helikon OperaHelikon OperaHelikon Opera is a Russian opera company based in Moscow, specializing in unconventional productions. Their main performing base is the 250 seat Mayakovsky Theater, the former ballroom in the palace of the Shakhovskoi-Glebov-Streshneva family who were patrons of the arts in 19th century Moscow...
dir Dmitry Bertmann, DVD-R of 1991 or 2003 production - 1987 Konstantin PluzhnikovKonstantin Pluzhnikov-References:*-External links:...
(Kaschei), Natalya Lapina (Kashcheyevna - actress), E. Rubin (Kashcheyevna - singer), Alla Oding (Princess), Sofia Yalysheva (Princess), Valery Lebedev (Prince Ivan Korolevich), Yuri Stoyanov (The Storm Knight - actor), Alexander Morozov (The Storm Knight - singer). Dmitri Shostakovich Symphony Orchestra of Leningrad, A. Trifonov