A Life for the Tsar
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| Operas by Mikhail Glinka |
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A Life for the Tsar (1836) |
A Life for the Tsar (Russian: Жизнь за царя, Zhizn' za tsarya), as it is known in English, although its original name was Ivan Susanin (Russian: Иван Сусанин) is a "patriotic-heroic tragic opera" in five acts with an epilogue by Mikhail Glinka. The original Russian libretto, based on historical events, was written by Nestor Kukolnik, Yegor Fyodorovich Rozen, Vladimir Sollogub and Vasily Zhukovsky.
The plot of A Life for the Tsar had been used earlier in 1815, when Catterino Cavos, an Italian-Russian composer, had written a two-act singspiel with the same subject and title. (Incidentally, Cavos also conducted the premiere of Glinka's opera.)
The original title of the opera was to be Ivan Susanin, after the hero, but when Nicholas I attended a rehearsal, Glinka changed the title to A Life for the Tsar as an ingratiating gesture. This title was retained in the Russian Empire until the October Revolution, when it reverted to Ivan Susanin.
The historical basis of the plot involves Ivan Susanin, a patriotic hero of the early 17th century who gave his life in the expulsion of the invading Polish army for the newly elected Tsar Mikhail, the first of the Romanov dynasty, elected in 1613.
Glinka and the writers with whom he was associated chose, in Susanin, a hero of Russian nationalism well suited to the mood of the time. The opera was immediately hailed as a great success, and became the obligatory season-opener in the Imperial Russian opera theaters. A Life for the Tsar occupies an important position in Russian musical theater as the first native opera to win a permanent place in the repertoire.
The opera was given its premiere performance on 29 November 1836 at the Bolshoy Theater, St. Petersburg conducted by Catterino Cavos with set designs by Andrey Roller. It was followed several years later with its premiere in Moscow on 7 September (Old Style) 1842 in a new production with sets by Serkov and Shenyan..
It was one of the first Russian operas to be known outside Russia.
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[edit] Influences
In keeping with Glinka's European training, much of A Life for the Tsar was structured according to conventional Italian and French models of the period. Nevertheless, several passages in the opera are based on Russian folk songs or folk melodic idioms that become a full part of the musical texture.
Most importantly, this opera laid the foundation for the series of Russian nationalistic historical operas continued by works such as Serov's Rogneda, Musorgsky's Boris Godunov, Rimsky-Korsakov's Maid of Pskov, Tchaikovsky's Oprichnik or Mazepa, and Borodin's Prince Igor.
[edit] Roles
| Role | Voice type | World premiere, St. Petersburg 29 November (Old Style) 1836 (Conductor: Catterino Cavos) |
Moscow premiere 7 September (Old Style) 1842 (conductor: Ivan Iogannis ) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ivan Susanin, a peasant of the village of Domnino | bass | Osip Petrov | Kurov |
| Antonida, his daughter | soprano | Mariya Stepanova | Mariya Leonova |
| Vanya, Susanin's adopted son | contralto | Anna Petrova-Vorobyeva | Petrova |
| Bogdan Sobinin, a militiaman, Antonida's fiance | tenor | Lev Leonov | Aleksandr Bantïshev |
| Commander of the Polish Detachment | bass | ||
| A Polish courier | tenor | ||
| Commander of the Russian Detachment | bass | ||
| Chorus and silent: Peasant men and women, militiamen, Polish nobles and ladies, knights | |||
[edit] Publications of the score
- 1857, piano-vocal score, as A Life for the Tsar, Stellovsky, St. Petersburg
- 1881, full score, as A Life for the Tsar, Stellovsky, St. Petersburg
- 1907, new edition by Rimsky-Korsakov and Glazunov, Belyayev, Leipzig
- 1942, as Ivan Susanin, Muzgiz
- 1949, as Ivan Susanin, Muzgiz
- 1953, as Ivan Susanin, Muzgiz
[edit] Performance practice
As popular as the opera was, its Tsarist-leaning libretto was an embarrassment to the Soviet state. After some unsuccessful attempts were made to remedy this situation, in 1939 the poet S.M. Gorodetsky rewrote the text to remove references to the Tsar and otherwise make the libretto politically acceptable.
[edit] Synopsis
(Note that the Act 4 and the Epilogue can contain more than one set of stage decor.)
[edit] Act 1
The village of Domnino
Antonida is eager to marry Sobinin, but her father Susanin refuses permission until a Russian has been duly chosen to take the Tsar's throne. When Sobinin informs him that the Grand Council in Moscow has chosen a Tsar, everyone celebrates.
[edit] Act 2
Poland
In a sumptuous hall, the nobility are celebrating the Polish dominance over the Russians with singing and dancing. Suddenly a messenger comes in, with the news that Mikhail Romanov has been selected as the Tsar of Russia and is now in hiding. The Poles vow to overthrow him.
[edit] Act 3
Susanin's cabin
Susanin and his adopted son Vanya pledge to defend the new Tsar. Susanin blesses Sobinin and Antonida on their upcoming wedding. A detachment of Polish soldiers bursts in, demanding to know where the Tsar is hiding. In order to protect the Tsar, Speaking privately to Vanya, Susanin tells him that he will lead the soldiers off the trail, and sends Vanya off to warn the Tsar. Pretending to help them, Susanin goes off with the Poles. Antonida is devastated. Sobinin gathers some men to go on a mission to rescue Susanin.
[edit] Act 4
A dense forest
Sobinin reassures his men of the rightness of their mission. Night falls. In a part of the forest near a monastery, Vanya knocks at the gates and alerts the inhabitants to spirit the Tsar away. Into an impassable, snow-covered area of the forest Susanin has led the suspicious Polish troops. The Poles sleep while Susanin waits for the dawn and bids farewell to his children. A blizzard sets in, and when day breaks, the Poles awake. When they realize that Susanin has deceived them, they kill him.
[edit] Epilogue
Across the stage walks a crowd of people, celebrating the triumph of the new Tsar. Alone in their own solemn procession, Antonida, Sobinin, and Vanya mourn Susanin. A detachment of Russian troops comes upon them and, after discovering their connection with Susanin, comforts them. As the scene changes to Red Square, the people proclaim glory to the Tsar and to Susanin's memory.
[edit] Principal arias and numbers
- Overture
Act I
- Cavatina and Rondo: "To the field, to the field", «В поле, в поле» (Antonida)
Act II
Act III
- Song: «Как мать убили у малого птенца» (Vanya)
Act IV
- Aria: "They sense the truth!", «Чуют правду!» (Susanin)
Epilogue
- Chorus: "Be glorified, be glorified, holy Rus'!", «Славься, славься, святая Русь!» (People)
Orchestral excerpts heard in the concert hall consist largely of the overture and the Polish numbers of the second act.
[edit] Selected recordings
- 1947, Aleksander Melik-Pasheyev (conductor), Bolshoy Theatre Orchestra and Chorus, Maksim Mikhaylov (Ivan Susanin), Nataliya Shpiller (Antonida), Georgiy Nelepp (Bogdan Sobinin), Yelizaveta Antonova (Vanya), Fyodor Svetlanov (Sigizmund King of Poland), Sergey Khosson (Russian soldier), Ivan Skobtsov (Polish messenger)
