Rimsky premiere at ROH

[gurnemanz]

I'm looking forward to the Tsar's Bride at Covent Garden on 23 April. It appears to be set in modern Russia. Putin=Ivan the Terrible? I got to know the work through the classic black-and-white Svetlanov film on DVD. I'm in a bit of a Rimsky phase at the moment....songs with Olga Borodina

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swqOM1UVOd4

... and I've just acquired this unashamedly romantic chamber music twofer, recently re-issued classic performances. including a lovely rendition of R-K's Quintet for piano and wind.

http://www.mdt.co.uk/MDTSite/product//ELQ4802397.htm

[french frank]

I'm looking forward to the Tsar's Bride at Covent Garden on 23 April. It appears to be set in modern Russia. Putin=Ivan the Terrible?

Opening night tonight?

[Il Grande Inquisitor]

Just back from the opening night and am starting on my review...

[french frank]

Gissa link, then, won't you, when you're done

[Il Grande Inquisitor]

Gissa link, then, won't you, when you're done

All done... Opera Britannia review at http://tinyurl.com/RKTsarsB

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

The distraught Gryaznoy confesses his actions, after which Lyubasha arrives to admit she switched the powders, leading to a bloodbath which leaves her, Gryaznoy and Marfa all dead. No-one was seriously expecting a happy ending now, were they?

Is there such a thing as a Russian opera with a happy ending?

[Il Grande Inquisitor]

Is there such a thing as a Russian opera with a happy ending?

Good point, but there must be some?! The Tale of Tsar Saltan has a happy ending, assuming you weren't one of the wicked aunts stung by Guidon-bee...

[french frank]

Thanks for the comprehensive review, IGI - as good as a seat in the house!

[LHC]

Good point, but there must be some?! The Tale of Tsar Saltan has a happy ending, assuming you weren't one of the wicked aunts stung by Guidon-bee...

Cherivichki (or the Tsarina's slippers as the ROH had it) has a happy ending, as does Iolanta, and that's just Tchaikovsky.

Shostakovich's 1st opera the Nose also has a happy ending as Kovalyov is finally reunited with his nose.

[amateur51]

... and I've just acquired this unashamedly romantic chamber music twofer, recently re-issued classic performances. including a lovely rendition of R-K's Quintet for piano and wind.

http://www.mdt.co.uk/MDTSite/product//ELQ4802397.htm

Many thanks for this link, gurnemanz. I remember the R-K performance from its days on LP and it would be delightful to make its acquaintance once again.

[Mandryka]

I saw this on Monday evening. Enjoyable but - as with so many of R-K's operatic works - the lack of memorable melodies means it will never gain a permanent place in the repertory.

That said, I thought the production was imaginative - having just returned from St. Petersburg, I recognised the Russia it depicted. I did rather wish the male protagonists hadn't all been costumed in the same type of business suit - from where I was sitting in the ampitheatre, it was difficult to distinguish them.

I'm still not sure why the scene changes took so long: I'm sure I've seen other ROH productions where more complex changes have been done in less time.

[Curalach]

I'm sure I can't be the only member who keeps reading the title of this thread as the "Risky" premiere at ROH!!

[Il Grande Inquisitor]

Having reviewed the opening night, I called in at Covent Garden on Tuesday to interview Marina Poplavskaya. She was charming and we could have talked all day, especially on Don Carlo:

http://www.opera-britannia.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=488:interview-marina-poplavskaya&catid=15:interviews&Itemid=14

[gurnemanz]

Is there such a thing as a Russian opera with a happy ending?

Thanks for the review link. We had a good evening. Despite the dark atmosphere of power politics, fear, loathing, death, betrayal, deception etc which prevails, the poor wronged and deranged Marfa is actually sublimely happy at the end in her own private garden with her loved one, the sky and the flowers. It was with her final aria going round my head that I left the theatre. Beautiful feelings were still possible amid all the degradation.