Voyevoda (opera)
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| Operas by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky |
|---|
Voyevoda (1868) |
Voyevoda (Russian: Воевода, The Voyevoda) is an opera, Opus 3, in 3 acts, 4 scenes, by Pyotr Tchaikovsky (1840 – 1893) with a libretto written by Alexander Ostrovsky and based on his play Dream on the Volga (Russian: Сон на Волге).
The opera was composed between March 1867 and July 1868, and it received its first performance 11 February [OS January 30] 1869 at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow. It was a benefit for Menshikova.
The score was subsequently destroyed by Tchaikovsky in the 1870s, but has since been posthumously reconstructed from surviving orchestral and vocal parts. Much of the first act was re-used in The Oprichnik (1870 – 1872).
Contents |
[edit] Roles
| Role | Voice type | Premiere cast 11 [OS January 30] February 1869 Conductor: Eduard Merten) |
|---|---|---|
| Nechay Shalïgin, Voyevoda | bass | Finokki |
| Vlas Dyuzhoy, a wealthy merchant | bass | Radonezhsky |
| Marya Vlasyevna, his wife | soprano | A. Menshikova |
| Praskovya Vlasyevna, his older daughter | soprano | Kronenberg |
| Nastasya | soprano | Annenskaya |
| Stepan Bastryukov, son of a wealthy nobleman | tenor | Rapport |
| Roman Dubrovin | baritone | Demidov |
| Olena, his wife | mezzo-soprano | Ivanova |
| Rezvïy, Bastryukov's servant | bass | Bozhanovsky |
| Jester | tenor | Lavrov |
| Nedviga, a nurse | mezzo-soprano | Rozanova |
| New Voevoda | bass | Korin |
| Chorus, silent roles: Noblemen, merchants, servants, maidens, people | ||
[edit] Instrumentation
- Strings: Violins I, Violins II, Violas, Cellos, and Double Basses
- Woodwinds: Piccolo, 2 Flutes, 2 Oboes, Cor Anglais, 2 Clarinets (B-flat & A), 2 Bassoons
- Brass: 4 Horns (all in F), 2 Trumpets (B-flat), 3 Trombones, Tuba
- Percussion: Timpani, Triangle, Cymbals, Bass Drum
- Other: Harp
Source: www.tchaikovsky-research.net
[edit] Synopsis
Time: The middle of the 17th century Place: A large city on the Volga River
- Overture
[edit] Act 1
- No.1 Chorus of Maidens & Scena
- No.2 Mariya's Ballad & Duet
- No.3 Scena
- No.4 Bastryukov's Aria
- No.5 Scena & Duet
- No.6 Scena
- No.7 Scena
- No.8 Quartet & Scena
- No.9 Finale
[edit] Act 2
- No.10 Introduction
- No.11 Chorus of Servants
- No.12 Bastryukov's Aria
- No.13 Scena & Dubrovin's Aria
- No.14 Entr'acte & Dances of the Chambermaids
- No.15 Scena & Mariya's Song
- No.16 Scena
- No.17 Duet
- No.18 Scena
- No.19 Scena & Khorovod
[edit] Act 3
- No.20 Entr'acte
- No.21 Scena & Dubrovin's Aria
- No.22 Scena
- No.23 Quartet
- No.24 Scena
- No.25 Duet
- No.26 Scena & Quartet
- No.27 Scena
- No.28 Quintet
- No.29 Scena & Chorus
- No.30 Scena
- No.31 Closing Scena
Source: www.tchaikovsky-research.net
[edit] Derived works
- The Entr'acte and Dances of the Chambermaids from Act 2 were based on the Characteristic Dances for orchestra (1865), and were also arranged for piano duet by Tchaikovsky.
- Under the pseudonym "Cramer", Tchaikovsky composed a Potpourri on themes from the opera The Voyevoda, for solo piano (1868).
[edit] Related works
- Tchaikovsky: Pot-pourri on themes from the Opera "The Voyevoda", for solo piano
- Tchaikovsky: Symphonic Ballad in A minor, The Voyevoda, Op.78 (1891)
The symphonic ballad The Voyevoda is an orchestral work based on Alexander Pushkin's translation of Adam Mickiewicz's poem, and is related to the earlier opera only in name.
[edit] Discography
The lively overture has occasionally been performed and recorded. It is one of the few works of Tchaikovsky to be performed by Arturo Toscanini and the NBC Symphony Orchestra in a broadcast performance that was preserved on transcription discs. The overture was also included in Vox Records' complete recordings of Tchaikovsky's orchestral music, released on both LP and CD (with Dolby surround sound).
