The Oprichnik (opera)

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Operas by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Voyevoda (1868)
Undina (1869)
The Oprichnik (1874)
Vakula the Smith (1876)
Eugene Onegin (1879)
The Maid of Orleans (1881)
Mazeppa (1884)
Cherevichki (1887)
The Enchantress (1887)
The Queen of Spades (1890)
Iolanta (1892)
v • d • e

The Oprichnik or The Guardsman (Russian: Опричник, Oprichnik) is an opera in 4 acts, 5 scenes, by Pyotr Tchaikovsky (1840 - 1893) to his own libretto after the tragedy The Oprichniks (Russian: Опричники) by Ivan Lazhechnikov (1792 – 1869). The subject of the opera is the oprichniks. It is set in Ivan the Terrible's court during the oprichnina times (1565-1573).

Tchaikovsky worked on the opera from February 1870 - March 1872. It includes music from his early opera The Voevoda (1869). The work is dedicated to the Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolaevich Romanov. It was given its premiere performance at the Mariinsky Theatre in St Petersburg on 24 April 1874, followed by the Moscow premiere on 16 May 1874 at the Bolshoy Theatre.

Contents

[edit] Roles

Role Voice type Premiere cast, St. Petersburg
24 April (12 April O.S.) 1874
(Conductor: Eduard Nápravník)		 Premiere cast, Moscow
16 May (4 May O.S.) 1874
(Conductor: Eduard Merton)
Prince Zhemchuzhnïy bass Vladimir Vasilyev Demidov
Natalya, his daughter soprano Wilhelmina Raab Smelskaya
Molchan Mitkov, the bridegroom of Natalya bass V. F. Sobolev
Boyarïnya Morozova, the widow mezzo-soprano Aleksandra Krutikova Kadmina
Andrey Morozov, her son tenor D. A. Orlov Aleksandr Dodonov
Basmanov, a young oprichnik contralto V. M. Vasilyev Aristova
Prince Vyazminsky baritone Ivan Melnikov Radonezhsky
Zakharyevna soprano Olga Shreder (Schröder)
Chorus, silent roles: People

[edit] Instrumentation

Source: www.tchaikovsky-research.net

  • Strings: Violins I, Violins II, Violas, Cellos, and Double Basses
  • Woodwinds: Piccolo, 2 Flutes, 2 Oboes, 2 Clarinets (1 in B-flat, 1 in A), 2 bassoons
  • Brass: 4 Horns ( in F), 2 Trumpets (in D, F, and C), 3 Trombones, Tuba
  • Percussion: Timpani, Triangle, Cymbals, Bass Drum
  • Other: Harp

[edit] Synopsis

Apollinary Vasnetsov (1856-1933) The street in the town: the set to the opera The Oprichnik by Pyotr Tchaikovsky, 1911, paper, water-colour, coil, 52 x 83,2 cm. A.A. Bakhrushin Theatrical Museum, Moscow
Apollinary Vasnetsov (1856-1933) The street in the town: the set to the opera The Oprichnik by Pyotr Tchaikovsky, 1911, paper, water-colour, coil, 52 x 83,2 cm. A.A. Bakhrushin Theatrical Museum, Moscow
Introduction.

[edit] Act 1

No. 1 — Scena
No. 2 — Chorus of Maidens
No. 2a – Natalya's Song
No. 3 — Scena & Chorus
No. 4 — Scena & Chorus
No. 5 — Recitatives
No. 5a – Basmanov's Arioso
No. 6 — Natalya's Arioso
No. 6a – Chorus of Maidens

[edit] Act 2

Entr'acte

No. 7 — Scena & Morozova's Aria
No. 8 — Scena & Duet
No. 9 — Prelude, Scena & Finale
No. 9a – Prince Vyazminsky's Aria
No. 9b – Andrey's Aria

[edit] Act 3

Entr'acte

No. 10 - Chorus of People
No. 11 - Recitatives, Chorus of Boys & Duet
No. 12 - Scena
No. 12a-Natalya's Arioso
No. 13 - Finale

[edit] Act 4

No. 14 - Wedding Chorus
No. 15 - Dances of Oprichniks & Women
No. 16 - Recitatives, Chorus & Duet
No. 17 - Chorus & Scena
No. 18 - Scena & Quartet
No. 19 - Closing Scena

Note: The entr'acte to Act II was written and scored by Vladimir Shilovsky.[1]

[edit] Derived works

Arrangements by the composer

  • Numbers from the opera for voices with piano accompaniment (1873)
  • Funeral March on Themes from the Opera The Oprichnik (1877, lost)

[edit] Selected recording

  • 1980, Provatorov (conductor), Chorus and Orchestra of the Central Television and Radio of the USSR, with Vladimirov, Milichkina, Nikitina, Matorin, Kuznetsov, Kotov, Klyonov
  • 2004, Rozhdestvensky (conductor), Cagliari Theater Orchestra, with Savenko, Grivnov, Durseneva, Ognovenko, De Mola, Ulyanov, Doljenko, Lassoskaya

[edit] External links