Prom 29 (8.08.20) Tchaikovsky: The Queen of Spades

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Tchaikovsky: The Queen of Spades

Yuri Marusin (Hermann)
Sergei Leiferkus (Tomsky)
Dimitri Kharitonov (Prince Yeletsky)
Felicity Palmer (Countess)
Nancy Gustafson (Lisa)
Enid Hartle (Governess)
Anne Dawson (Chloe)
Glyndebourne Chorus
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Sir Andrew Davis (conductor)

(From BBC Proms 1992, 26 July)

At the time Chief Conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra as well as Music Director of Glyndebourne Festival Opera, newly knighted Sir Andrew Davis brought his distinguished East Sussex opera company to the Royal Albert Hall in 1992 for the Proms premiere of Tchaikovsky’s chilling supernatural tale of obsession and revenge, based on Pushkin. Nancy Gustafson, who made a memorable Proms appearance (alongside Felicity Palmer) two years earlier as Janáček’s Katya, sings Lisa to the Hermann of leading Russian tenor Yuri Marusin; while Palmer – who was created DBE the following year – added Tchaikovsky’s Countess to her long list of distinguished roles.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

This is the only Tchaikovsky opera I've seen on stage -a Sadlers Wells production in the late 1960s.

I'm not a fan of Dame Felicity's voice, but in this role, she was spot on.

[Constantbee]

The Glyndebourne QoS, on which the archive prom is based, is still a highly regarded performance. It’s available on Medici TV (to subscribers only, sadly), but you can see a (slightly furry) full length uploaded version with Italian subtitles on Youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhrlsgVu8kw

It’s worth fast forwarding through it for the charming pastoral scene complete with dancing sheep, and the duchess’ bedchamber scene, in which you can see a superb example of Dame Felicity’s acting skill. It’s a role she has deservedly made her own

[edashtav]

What a full-blooded, well-drilled performance. Over the years, my admiration for Andrew Davis's interpretations have waxed and waned but when he's a 'believer' and he has plenty of rehearsal time and good performers, he does rank with the best conductors. The last time I heard Shostakovich's 10th Symphony live in the RFH, he was in charge and gave a memorable performance, his interpretations of Messaien's Turangalila Symphony have always been special, as has his recent CD of works by Sir Arthur Bliss.

Tonight, orchestra and singers were confident, committed and expansive whilst Felicity Palmer's Queen put the icy icing on the cake. Tchaikovsky operas can sound hum-drum, this transfer from the 'old' Glyndebourne to RAH was an electric one-night stand.