Zaporozhets za Dunayem
Encyclopedia
Zaporozhets za Dunayem is a Ukrainian
comic opera
with spoken dialogue in three acts with music and libretto
by the composer
Semen Hulak-Artemovsky
(1813–1873). The orchestration has subsequently been rewritten by composers such as Reinhold Glière
and Heorhiy Maiboroda
. This is one of the best-known Ukrainian comic operas depicting national themes.
It was premiered with a Russian libretto on , in St Petersburg (at the time the capital of the Russian Empire). However, it is now normally performed in a Ukrainian translation.
. The composer wrote nearly all of libretto, although some poetic phrasings are attributed to his good friend, the journalist V. Sykevych.
The story depicts the events following the destruction of the island fortress of Zaporizhian Sich
, the historic stronghold of the Ukrainian Cossack
s on the Dnieper River
. Although historically this destruction was ordered by the Russian Empress Catherine II in 1775, for unknown reasons the composer chose to set the action in 1772. To tell the story of the freedom-loving Zaporozhian Cossacks of Ukraine
, who had fought against the Russian Empire, Hulak-Artemovsky deliberately set the story in Turkish lands
with the Cossacks fighting for the Sultan
. This change of locale helped the work get past the Tsar
's censors, who normally banned stories about Ukrainian Cossacks.
The orchestral score was completed in the autumn of 1862 by Konstantin Lyadov, (father of Anatoly Lyadov), who developed it under the guidance of Hulak-Artemovsky. Hulak-Artemovsky had composed the original piano score and written the libretto (in Russian
), no later than July 12 of that year (as the earliest known manuscript bears that date). The libretto and score were first published in 1866 in St Petersburg, by the firm of F. Stelovsky.
In 1902, the Ukrainian composer Oleksandr Horily wrote the aria
Prylyn', prylyn ( -- "Come, come"), when arranging the comic opera for Mykola Sadovsky's theatrical troupe. The aria essentially extended the vocal range of the character Oksana, who had previously been played by mezzo-soprano
s; this aria is intended for a soprano
.
After 1898, the original role of Prokop Teren , a rival of Andriy for the affections of Oksana, was eliminated (although in Moscow
, the role was performed up until 1915).
was overwhelmed by the Russian army, the Zaporizhian Cossacks and their families headed across the Danube
River to the apparently safe haven of the Ottoman Empire
(this area is now part of Romania
) and established the Danube Sich (see Zaporozhian Host: Russian rule).
The comedy arises from the efforts made by a Cossack clan to adjust to their new home, and from the eccentric behaviour of an amorous Turkish Sultan
. The plot revolves around a chance encounter between Ivan Karas, an old Dnieper Cossack and the Turkish Sultan travelling incognito, resulting in permission for all the "Cossacks beyond the Danube" to resettle on Imperial Russian land, back in Ukraine
.
Produced in Ukraine by a home-grown production staff, this comic opera was released in English-speaking countries as Cossacks Beyond the Danube. Distributor: Amkino; Running Time: 73 Minutes; Starring: Stepan Shkurat; Directed by: Ivan Kavaleridze
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
comic opera
Comic opera
Comic opera denotes a sung dramatic work of a light or comic nature, usually with a happy ending.Forms of comic opera first developed in late 17th-century Italy. By the 1730s, a new operatic genre, opera buffa, emerged as an alternative to opera seria...
with spoken dialogue in three acts with music and 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...
by the composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
Semen Hulak-Artemovsky
Semen Hulak-Artemovsky
Semen Stepanovych Hulak-Artemovsky , was a Ukrainian opera composer, singer , actor, and dramatist who lived and worked in Imperial Russia....
(1813–1873). The orchestration has subsequently been rewritten by composers such as Reinhold Glière
Reinhold Glière
Reinhold Moritzevich Glière was a Russian and Soviet composer of German–Polish descent.- Biography :Glière was born in Kiev, Ukraine...
and Heorhiy Maiboroda
Heorhiy Maiboroda
Heorhiy Ilarionovych Maiboroda, sometimes transcribed in English as Georgiy or Heorhy Maiboroda or Mayboroda Heorhiy Ilarionovych Maiboroda, sometimes transcribed in English as Georgiy or Heorhy Maiboroda or Mayboroda Heorhiy Ilarionovych Maiboroda, sometimes transcribed in English as Georgiy or...
. This is one of the best-known Ukrainian comic operas depicting national themes.
It was premiered with a Russian libretto on , in St Petersburg (at the time the capital of the Russian Empire). However, it is now normally performed in a Ukrainian translation.
Composition history
According to contemporary accounts, Hulak-Artemovsky based the libretto on a story by the historian Mykola KostomarovNikolay Kostomarov
Nikolay Ivanovich Kostomarov , of mixed Russian and Ukrainian origin, is one of the most distinguished Russian and Ukrainian historians, a Professor of History at the Kiev University and later at the St...
. The composer wrote nearly all of libretto, although some poetic phrasings are attributed to his good friend, the journalist V. Sykevych.
The story depicts the events following the destruction of the island fortress of Zaporizhian Sich
Zaporizhian Sich
Zaporizhian Sich was socio-political, grassroot, military organization of Ukrainian cossacks placed beyond Dnieper rapids. Sich existed between the 16th and 18th centuries in the region around the today's Kakhovka Reservoir...
, the historic stronghold of the Ukrainian Cossack
Cossack
Cossacks are a group of predominantly East Slavic people who originally were members of democratic, semi-military communities in what is today Ukraine and Southern Russia inhabiting sparsely populated areas and islands in the lower Dnieper and Don basins and who played an important role in the...
s on the Dnieper River
Dnieper River
The Dnieper River is one of the major rivers of Europe that flows from Russia, through Belarus and Ukraine, to the Black Sea.The total length is and has a drainage basin of .The river is noted for its dams and hydroelectric stations...
. Although historically this destruction was ordered by the Russian Empress Catherine II in 1775, for unknown reasons the composer chose to set the action in 1772. To tell the story of the freedom-loving Zaporozhian Cossacks of Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
, who had fought against the Russian Empire, Hulak-Artemovsky deliberately set the story in Turkish lands
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
with the Cossacks fighting for the Sultan
Sultan
Sultan is a title with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic language abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", and "dictatorship", derived from the masdar سلطة , meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be used as the title of certain rulers who...
. This change of locale helped the work get past the Tsar
Tsar
Tsar is a title used to designate certain European Slavic monarchs or supreme rulers. As a system of government in the Tsardom of Russia and Russian Empire, it is known as Tsarist autocracy, or Tsarism...
's censors, who normally banned stories about Ukrainian Cossacks.
The orchestral score was completed in the autumn of 1862 by Konstantin Lyadov, (father of Anatoly Lyadov), who developed it under the guidance of Hulak-Artemovsky. Hulak-Artemovsky had composed the original piano score and written the libretto (in Russian
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
), no later than July 12 of that year (as the earliest known manuscript bears that date). The libretto and score were first published in 1866 in St Petersburg, by the firm of F. Stelovsky.
In 1902, the Ukrainian composer Oleksandr Horily wrote the aria
Aria
An aria in music was originally any expressive melody, usually, but not always, performed by a singer. The term is now used almost exclusively to describe a self-contained piece for one voice usually with orchestral accompaniment...
Prylyn', prylyn ( -- "Come, come"), when arranging the comic opera for Mykola Sadovsky's theatrical troupe. The aria essentially extended the vocal range of the character Oksana, who had previously been played by 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...
s; this aria is intended for a 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...
.
After 1898, the original role of Prokop Teren , a rival of Andriy for the affections of Oksana, was eliminated (although 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...
, the role was performed up until 1915).
Roles
| Role | Voice type | Premiere cast 26 April 1863 |
|---|---|---|
| Ivan Karas, a Zaporozhian Cossack, aged 45-50 | bass | Semen Hulak-Artemovsky |
| Odarka, aged 35, wife of Karas | 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... |
|
| Andriy, a young Zaporozhian Cossack | 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... |
|
| Oksana, an orphan maiden, raised by Karas and Odarka | soprano (originally 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... ) |
Darya Leonova |
| The Sultan, aged 30 | 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... |
|
| Selikh-Aha, a Turkish lord | tenor | |
| Ibrahim-Ali, an Imam Imam An imam is an Islamic leadership position, often the worship leader of a mosque and the Muslim community. Similar to spiritual leaders, the imam is the one who leads Islamic worship services. More often, the community turns to the mosque imam if they have a religious question... |
bass | |
| Hasan, a servant | ||
Synopsis
The story is based on a historical event: when the Zaporizhian SichZaporizhian Sich
Zaporizhian Sich was socio-political, grassroot, military organization of Ukrainian cossacks placed beyond Dnieper rapids. Sich existed between the 16th and 18th centuries in the region around the today's Kakhovka Reservoir...
was overwhelmed by the Russian army, the Zaporizhian Cossacks and their families headed across the Danube
Danube
The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
River to the apparently safe haven of the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
(this area is now part of Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
) and established the Danube Sich (see Zaporozhian Host: Russian rule).
The comedy arises from the efforts made by a Cossack clan to adjust to their new home, and from the eccentric behaviour of an amorous Turkish Sultan
Sultan
Sultan is a title with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic language abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", and "dictatorship", derived from the masdar سلطة , meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be used as the title of certain rulers who...
. The plot revolves around a chance encounter between Ivan Karas, an old Dnieper Cossack and the Turkish Sultan travelling incognito, resulting in permission for all the "Cossacks beyond the Danube" to resettle on Imperial Russian land, back in Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
.
Noted arias
- Transliterated titleRomanization of UkrainianThe romanization or Latinization of Ukrainian is the representation of the Ukrainian language using Latin letters. Ukrainian is natively written in its own Ukrainian alphabet, a variation of Cyrillic....
: Prylyn', prylyn, -- "Come, come" -- Act 1 (Oksana) - Transliterated titleRomanization of UkrainianThe romanization or Latinization of Ukrainian is the representation of the Ukrainian language using Latin letters. Ukrainian is natively written in its own Ukrainian alphabet, a variation of Cyrillic....
: Vidkilya tse ty usiavsa, -- "Where did you come from?" -- Act 1 (Odarka and Karas'). - Transliterated titleRomanization of UkrainianThe romanization or Latinization of Ukrainian is the representation of the Ukrainian language using Latin letters. Ukrainian is natively written in its own Ukrainian alphabet, a variation of Cyrillic....
: Chorna khmara za dibrovy, --"Black Clouds Behind the Grove" -- Act 2 (Oksana and Andriy) - -- "O Lord of Heaven and Earth" -- (Chorus)
Recordings
Zaporozhets za Dunayem (A Cossack Beyond the Danube)- Ivan Karas: Sergei Yaroshenko, bass; Odarka: Natalia Moiseyeva; Andrei: Stepan Fitysch; Oksana: Lidiya Zabiliasta; The Sultan: Mykola Koval; Imam: Ivan Tcherney; Selih-Aga: Yuri Khomych
- Chorus and Orch of the National Opera of Ukraine/Ivan Hamkalo.
- Recorded in May 2009 at the National Opera and Ballet Theatre of Ukraine, Kiev. 1hr 48'
Film
Zaporozhets Za Dunayem also known as Cossacks Beyond the Danube 1938-Ukraine/USSR-Costume Adventure/Film-OperaProduced in Ukraine by a home-grown production staff, this comic opera was released in English-speaking countries as Cossacks Beyond the Danube. Distributor: Amkino; Running Time: 73 Minutes; Starring: Stepan Shkurat; Directed by: Ivan Kavaleridze