Mikhail Vasilyevich Popov
Encyclopedia
Mikhail Ivanovich Popov (1742, Yaroslavl
– 1790) was a Russia
n writer
, poet
, dramatist and opera
librettist of the 18th century.
family, he was a pupil of Fyodor Volkov
. After 1757 he was an actor at the Court
Theatre
in St Petersburg. He entered Moscow University in 1765, and began to translate comedies from German
and French
. He wrote a collection of lyrics called “Songs” (1765).
During 1771–1772 he translated the poem Gerusalemme Liberata (Jerusalem Delivered
) by Torquato Tasso
and wrote the novel Slavyanskie Drevnosti (Славянские древности – The Slavonic Antiquities). Together with Mikhail Chulkov, he published a collection of Russian folk songs. His own collection of songs, Russian Erota or the Collection of the Best and Newest Russian Songs (Российская Эрота, или Выбор наилучших новейших русских песен), was published posthumously in 1791. Popov wished to popularize Slavic mythology
, which had been largely forgotten in Russia in his time, as a more patriotic alternative to Greek
and Roman mythology
. To this end, he conducted some rather inaccurate research and wrote the essay, Описание древнеславянского баснословия (The Description of Ancient Slavic Fable-writing, 1768). He included this essay in the collection of his poems, translations and plays called Dosugi (Досуги – Lesure Hours), published at the request of Empress Catherine II. This collection also contained his famous libretto to the opera Anyuta
.
He wrote a few librettos for comic operas and was especially celebrated for the text of the one-act opera Anyuta
, which was given at the (Chinese Theatre, Tsarskoye Selo
, September 6 [OS August 26] 1772). The music was a selection of popular songs specified in the libretto. The story is about a girl called Aniuta, brought up in a peasant household, who turns out to be of noble birth, and the story of her love for a nobleman, Victor, which eventually ends happily with wedding bells. The music hasn’t survived, and the composer is unknown, although it is sometimes attributed to Vasily Pashkevich
or even to Yevstigney Fomin
, who at that time was just 11 years old.
Yaroslavl
Yaroslavl is a city and the administrative center of Yaroslavl Oblast, Russia, located northeast of Moscow. The historical part of the city, a World Heritage Site, is located at the confluence of the Volga and the Kotorosl Rivers. It is one of the Golden Ring cities, a group of historic cities...
– 1790) was a Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
, dramatist and opera
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...
librettist of the 18th century.
Biography
Born into a merchantMerchant
A merchant is a businessperson who trades in commodities that were produced by others, in order to earn a profit.Merchants can be one of two types:# A wholesale merchant operates in the chain between producer and retail merchant...
family, he was a pupil of Fyodor Volkov
Fyodor Volkov
Fyodor Grigorievich Volkov was a Russian actor and founder of the first permanent Russian theater.The stepson of merchant Polushkin from Kostroma, Fyodor Volkov received a versatile education. He established the very first public theater in Yaroslavl in 1750, which would later bring fame to the...
. After 1757 he was an actor at the Court
Court
A court is a form of tribunal, often a governmental institution, with the authority to adjudicate legal disputes between parties and carry out the administration of justice in civil, criminal, and administrative matters in accordance with the rule of law...
Theatre
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
in St Petersburg. He entered Moscow University in 1765, and began to translate comedies from German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
and French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
. He wrote a collection of lyrics called “Songs” (1765).
During 1771–1772 he translated the poem Gerusalemme Liberata (Jerusalem Delivered
Jerusalem Delivered
Jerusalem Delivered is an epic poem by the Italian poet Torquato Tasso first published in 1581, which tells a largely mythified version of the First Crusade in which Catholic knights, led by Godfrey of Bouillon, battle Muslims in order to take Jerusalem...
) by Torquato Tasso
Torquato Tasso
Torquato Tasso was an Italian poet of the 16th century, best known for his poem La Gerusalemme liberata , in which he depicts a highly imaginative version of the combats between Christians and Muslims at the end of the First Crusade, during the siege of Jerusalem...
and wrote the novel Slavyanskie Drevnosti (Славянские древности – The Slavonic Antiquities). Together with Mikhail Chulkov, he published a collection of Russian folk songs. His own collection of songs, Russian Erota or the Collection of the Best and Newest Russian Songs (Российская Эрота, или Выбор наилучших новейших русских песен), was published posthumously in 1791. Popov wished to popularize Slavic mythology
Slavic mythology
Slavic mythology is the mythological aspect of the polytheistic religion that was practised by the Slavs before Christianisation.The religion possesses many common traits with other religions descended from the Proto-Indo-European religion....
, which had been largely forgotten in Russia in his time, as a more patriotic alternative to Greek
Greek mythology
Greek mythology is the body of myths and legends belonging to the ancient Greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. They were a part of religion in ancient Greece...
and Roman mythology
Roman mythology
Roman mythology is the body of traditional stories pertaining to ancient Rome's legendary origins and religious system, as represented in the literature and visual arts of the Romans...
. To this end, he conducted some rather inaccurate research and wrote the essay, Описание древнеславянского баснословия (The Description of Ancient Slavic Fable-writing, 1768). He included this essay in the collection of his poems, translations and plays called Dosugi (Досуги – Lesure Hours), published at the request of Empress Catherine II. This collection also contained his famous libretto to the opera Anyuta
Anyuta
Anyuta is a one-act comic opera to a libretto by Mikhail Popov. First performed in 1772, it was one of the first operas written in the Russian language ....
.
Opera librettist
Anyuta
Anyuta is a one-act comic opera to a libretto by Mikhail Popov. First performed in 1772, it was one of the first operas written in the Russian language ....
, which was given at the (Chinese Theatre, Tsarskoye Selo
Chinese Village (Tsarskoe Selo)
The Chinese Village in the Alexander Park of Tsarskoye Selo, Russia was Catherine the Great's attempt to follow the 18th-century fashion for the Chinoiserie....
, September 6 [OS August 26] 1772). The music was a selection of popular songs specified in the libretto. The story is about a girl called Aniuta, brought up in a peasant household, who turns out to be of noble birth, and the story of her love for a nobleman, Victor, which eventually ends happily with wedding bells. The music hasn’t survived, and the composer is unknown, although it is sometimes attributed to Vasily Pashkevich
Vasily Pashkevich
Vasily Alexeyevich Pashkevich also Paskevich was a Russian composer, singer, violinist and teacher who lived during the time of Catherine the Great.-Biography:...
or even to Yevstigney Fomin
Yevstigney Fomin
Yevstigney Ipat'yevich Fomin was a Russian opera composer of the 18th century.-Biography:...
, who at that time was just 11 years old.
External links
- Biography 1
- Biography 2
- Russian Comic Opera
- "Russian Biographical Dictionary" that contains the most accurate information
See also
- Russian operaRussian operaRussian opera is the art of opera in Russia. Operas by composers of Russian origin, written or staged outside of Russia, also belong to this category, as well as the operas of foreign composers written or intended for the Russian scene. These are not only Russian-language operas...