The story of Juno and maybe. Great love stories: “Juno and Avos”

Their sad story love ended more than two centuries ago, but thanks to the soulful poems set to beautiful music, this story seems to live forever.

For more than 30 years, the phenomenal rock opera “Juno and Avos” continues to excite hearts, immersing viewers in romantic world two lovers: Count Rezanov and young Conchita. Their sad love story ended more than two centuries ago, but thanks to the soulful poems set to beautiful music, this story seems to live forever.

Background

The modern opera “Juno and Avos” is based on real events that occurred back in the 18th century. In St. Petersburg, a son, Nikolai, was born into the impoverished noble family of the Rezanovs. The boy received a good education at home and showed brilliant abilities for learning languages. In addition, by the age of 14 he had grown handsome beyond his years and was able to enroll in military service to the artillery. In a fairly short time, the ambitious and purposeful young man changed several positions and rose to the rank of ruler of the chancellery under Catherine II’s secretary, Gabriel Romanovich Derzhavin.

Portrait of the correspondent of the Russian-American trading company, Count Nikolai Rezanov, by an unknown artist.

However, the appearance of the young, tall, handsome Rezanov at court aroused fears among the Empress's new favorite, Count Zubov. The latter, deciding to remove a potential rival from the road, ordered Nikolai to be sent to Irkutsk. In the provinces, Rezanov was supposed to inspect trading activities merchant and traveler Grigory Shelikhov, known as the Russian Columbus. He became the founder of the first Russian settlements in America; it was with the help of Shelikhov that Alaska became part of the Russian Empire under Catherine II. From that moment on, Rezanov’s fate was forever connected with Russian America. He married Shelikhov's daughter, young Anna, and both benefited greatly from this marriage. Shelikhov strengthened his position at court, his daughter received noble title and all the privileges associated with it, and Nikolai became a co-owner of huge capital. By order of Paul I, who succeeded the Empress, a single Russian-American company was created on the basis of the Shelikhov trading company and the companies of other Siberian merchants (CANCER ). Of course, Rezanov became its authorized representative, who made every effort to merge the companies into one powerful organization. At his new post, Rezanov submitted a petition to the emperor to establish sea communications with Russian settlers in America. Due to the irregular and long delivery of food from Russia, they often received food that was expired and no longer suitable for consumption. By 1802 a plan had been developed trip around the world, the goals of which were to inspect Russian settlements in Alaska and establish ties with Japan. However, preparations for the expedition for the count were overshadowed by the death of his wife. Anna died 12 days after the birth of their second child. The inconsolable widower was about to resign and devote himself to raising his children, but was stopped by the order of the emperor. He appointed Rezanov as envoy to Japan and leader of the first Russian round-the-world expedition. In 1803, the count set off on two ships “Nadezhda” and “Neva”.

The brainchild of geniuses

A country rising sun kept the diplomat on her soil for six months and ultimately refused to do business with Russia. After the failed mission, Rezanov continued his journey to Alaska. Arriving at the place, he was amazed: the settlers lived on the verge of starvation, in devastation, and scurvy “flourished.” Seeing the confusion of the ruler of Russian America, Baranov, Rezanov, using his own funds, purchased the frigate “Juno” with a cargo of food from a visiting merchant. However, it was clear that these products would not last long. Then the count ordered the construction of another ship - the tender "Avos". For provisions, he decided to go to the rich and prosperous Fort San Francisco in California, and at the same time establish trade relations with the Spaniards, under whose rule this part of America was. Starting from this journey, the action of the famous rock opera “Juno and Avos” unfolds, although at first there was only “Avos”. The poet Andrei Voznesensky wrote the poem “Maybe!”, based on Rezanov’s travel diary and the notes of J. Lensen, who had a very high opinion of the Russian count. The poem told the sad love story of 42-year-old Rezanov and 15-year-old Spaniard Conchita, a girl whom Nikolai met on the Californian coast.

Anna Bolshova as Conchita and Dmitry Pevtsov as Nikolai Rezanov on the stage of the Lenkom Theater in the rock opera “Juno and Avos”

When director Mark Zakharov approached Voznesensky with a request to write a libretto for the plot of “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign,” the poet was not at a loss and suggested instead that the play be based on his poem. The director agreed, and invited Alexey Rybnikov as a composer. Thus, thanks to the initiative of three geniuses, one of the most piercing musical performances of the 20th century was born, which became a sensation both in the USSR and abroad. The rock opera premiered on July 9, 1981 on the stage of the Lenkom Theater. Those who were lucky enough to participate in the production of the rock opera later admitted that the performance owed its stunning success to love. Every syllable and every note of the work is imbued with an atmosphere of love and inspiration, and even with the replacement of familiar and beloved actors, the opera does not lose its charm. But still, the version of the play with Nikolai Karachentsev and Elena Shanina - the first Rezanov and Conchita - is considered canonical. "I will never forget you" The events described in the rock opera are romantic, and the main characters are full of love and self-sacrifice. Reality from fiction differs, but, oddly enough, only slightly. When Juno and Avos arrived in California in 1806, the Spaniards greeted the Russians unfriendly and refused to sell them anything. However, quite soon, the governor of San Francisco, Jose de Arguello, succumbed to Rezanov’s diplomatic gift of persuasion and charm, especially since the governor’s young daughter, the beautiful Maria dela Concepcion, or, simply, Conchita, fell in love with the count. Despite the fact that Rezanov was already 42 years old, he had not lost his spirit at all. attractiveness, in addition, he was famous, rich and moved in the highest circles of society. Contemporaries claimed that Conchita’s desire to marry a Russian count contained as much love as calculation; she supposedly dreamed of luxurious life at the court in St. Petersburg, but subsequent events proved the sincerity of her feelings for Rezanov. The Count stayed in San Francisco for only six weeks, but during this time he managed to successfully complete his mission and even more: he obtained provisions for the starving people from Alaska, enlisted the support of the Spanish governor and became engaged to Conchita. At first, Jose de Arguello did not want to marry his daughter to the Russian count. The parents took the girl to confession and convinced her to give up such unexpected marriage, but Conchita was adamant. Then they only had to give their blessing for the engagement, but the final decision on the issue of marriage was behind the Roman throne.

“Portrait of Conchita” by brush American artist Russian origin Anatoly Sokolova and actress Elena Shanina, who performed the role of Conchita in the first production of the play “Juno and Avos”

An obstacle arose on the path to happiness for the lovers. Rezanov was Orthodox, Conchita was Catholic. In order for the floor To obtain permission for marriage, Nicholas had to submit a petition to Emperor Alexander I to intercede for them with the Pope. Having made Conchita promise that she would

will have to wait for him for two years while he seeks permission, Rezanov, with ships filled with fresh cargo, went to Alaska, and then to the emperor in Petersburg. However, the harsh Russian winter and the long journey through Siberia undermined the diplomat's strength. Due to a severe cold, Rezanov lay unconscious and feverish for almost two weeks. IN in serious condition he was brought to Krasnoyarsk, where he died on March 1, 1807. When the news of the count's death reached Conchita, she did not believe him. True to her promise, she waited for Rezanov and for a year every morning she came to a high cape, from where she peered into the ocean. Over the following years, to beautiful girl The best grooms in California were wooed, but each time they received an invariable refusal. Conchita remained faithful to the deceased count and saw her destiny in charity and teaching the Indians; in her homeland they began to call her La Beata - the Blessed One. After 35 years, Maria Concepcion entered the third Order of the White Clergy, and after another 10 years she was ordained a monk. She died at the age of 67, and a stele was erected next to her grave in the cemetery of St. Dominic in memory of her fidelity and love. Thanks to the world-famous rock opera, a symbolic reunion of the unhappy lovers took place. In 2000, the sheriff of the city in which Conchita was buried brought a handful of earth from the Spanish woman’s grave and scattered it over Rezanov’s burial place in Krasnoyarsk. A monument was erected at the count's grave, which contains lines from famous romance: “I will never see you, I will never forget you.”

&feature=youtu.be

History of creation

However, after some time, thanks to Pierre Cardin, the Lenkom Theater toured in Paris and on Broadway in New York, then in Germany, the Netherlands and other countries.

December 31, 1985 on the stage of the Palace of Culture. Kapranov in St. Petersburg, the premiere of a rock opera performed by the VIA “Singing Guitars” (later became the St. Petersburg Rock Opera Theater) took place. This stage version differed from the Lenkom production. In particular, director Vladimir Podgorodinsky introduced a new character into the play - the Bell Ringer, actually the “materialized” soul of Nikolai Rezanov. The bell ringer is practically devoid of words and only conveys the tossing of the protagonist’s soul with the most complex plasticity and emotional mood. According to recollections, Alexey Rybnikov, who was present at the premiere, admitted that “Singing Guitars” more accurately embodied the idea of ​​the creators of the opera, preserving author's genre mystery operas and original dramaturgy of Voznesensky. In the summer of 2010, the two thousandth performance of “Juno and Avos” took place in St. Petersburg, performed by the Rock Opera Theater.

The opera was also staged in Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Germany, South Korea, Ukraine and other countries.

Summer 2009 in France State Theater under the direction of People's Artist Composer Alexey Rybnikov was presented to Russia new production rock opera "Juno and Avos". The main emphasis in it is on the musical component of the performance. Vocal numbers are staged by Honored Artist of the Russian Federation Zhanna Rozhdestvenskaya, choreographic numbers by Zhanna Shmakova. The main director of the play is Alexander Rykhlov. On A. Rybnikov’s website it is noted:

The full author's version... is a serious innovation in the genre of world musical theater and is intended to return the original idea of ​​the authors. IN new version operas combined the traditions of Russian sacred music, folklore, genres of mass “urban” music, with the figurative, ideological and aesthetic priorities of the composer.

Original story source

According to the memoirs of Andrei Voznesensky, he began writing the poem “Maybe” in Vancouver, when he was “swallowing... flattering pages about Rezanov from J. Lensen’s thick volume, following the fate of our brave compatriot.” In addition, Rezanov’s travel diary, which was also used by Voznesensky, has been preserved and partially published.

And after another two centuries, a symbolic act of reunion of lovers took place. In the fall of 2000, the sheriff of the Californian city of Benisha, where Conchita Arguello is buried, brought a handful of earth from her grave and a rose to Krasnoyarsk to lay at the white cross, on one side of which the words are engraved I will never forget you, and on the other - I'll never see you again.

Naturally, both the poem and the opera are not documentary chronicles. As Voznesensky himself puts it:

The author is not so consumed by conceit and frivolity as to portray real persons based on scanty information about them and insult them with approximateness. Their images, like their names, are only a capricious echo of famous destinies...

A similar story happened with the future Decembrist D.I. Zavalishin during his participation in a round-the-world expedition under the command of M. Lazarev (1822-24) (See Questions of History, 1998, No. 8)

Plot

• Rezanov - G. Trofimov
• Conchita - A. Rybnikova
• Federico - P. Tils
• Rumyantsev, Khvostov, Father Yuvenaly - F. Ivanov
• Voice of the Mother of God - J. Rozhdestvenskaya
• Soloist in the prologue - R. Filippov
• Davydov - K. Kuzhaliev
• Jose Dario Arguello - A. Samoilov
• Praying woman - R. Dmitrenko
• Praying girl - O. Rozhdestvenskaya
• Sailor - V. Rotar
• Group of worshipers - A. Sado, O. Rozhdestvenskaya, A. Paranin

A quarter of a century ago, a production directed by Mark Zakharov at the Theater named after them was called a theatrical sensation. Lenin Komsomol rock opera by Alexei Rybnikov to a libretto by Andrei Voznesensky. And not surprisingly, then back in 1981 orthodox prayers and chants, the St. Andrew's flag, the Mother of God with the baby Jesus on the stage of Lenkom - all this seemed like a miracle. And the history of this work began with the meeting of Rybnikov and Voznesensky.

- a real, albeit sad, love story between the Russian traveler Nikolai Rezanov and the daughter of the governor of San Francisco, Maria Conchita Arguello de la Concepcion. The huge age difference, thousands of kilometers separating the lovers, will not allow the lovers to live happily.

This sublimely tragic love story inspired Andrei Voznesensky to create the poem “Maybe,” which was later reworked by the author into the libretto of the opera. Rybnikov has long wanted to combine traditional Orthodox chants with elements of modern musical language. And when Andrei Voznesensky approached him with the text of his poem “Maybe,” written on the basis of authentic historical facts, Rybnikov began working on a rock opera.

The plot of the rock opera “Juno and Avos”

Two sailing ship"Juno" and "Avos" under the Russian flag arrive in California, where the captain of the brig "Avos" is Russian Count Nikolai Petrovich Rezanov fell in love with a local beauty Maria dela Conception Arguello, daughter of the commandant of the fortress of San Francisco. The love of the count and the young Spanish woman aroused the jealousy and hatred of the rival in love with her. Urgent departure Ryazanov to their homeland separated the lovers. Waiting for several years for permission to marry a Catholic woman, the count died near Krasnoyarsk without having achieved it. A Conchita She waited for him for 35 years until she received reliable information about his death, after which she took a vow of silence and retired to a monastery.

The rock opera “Juno and Avos” is based on real events. Initially, it was the poem “Maybe,” which Andrei Voznesensky created, impressed by the love story of the traveler Nikolai Rezanov and Conchita Arguello.

After a meeting with composer Alexei Rybnikov, the poet writes a libretto. After processing which the rock opera “Juno and Avos” appears. It was a new trend in art - prayer songs with modern musical accompaniment. And for almost 37 years now, the rock opera, staged by director Mark Zakharov, has been successfully performed on the stage of the Lenin Komsomol Theater.

The plot of the poem is about Great love, for which there are no barriers or distances, no age restrictions, the theme of faith and service to the Fatherland, the theme of sacrifice in the name of Russia is also very prominent.

Voznesensky shows us the main character of the libretto with a high sense of patriotism, devotion to the Motherland, a man searching for meaning, the truth of life. Rezanov considers himself to be a restless generation, for whom it is hard both at home and abroad.

Nikolai Rezanov does not find joy in everyday life, his soul is in an eternal search for unfulfilled dreams. In his youth, he dreamed of the Mother of God and since then she has taken possession of his thoughts. As the years passed, the image of the Holy Virgin became more familiar. The young man thinks of her as his cherry-eyed lover. His heart is in constant turmoil.

And now he is 40 years old, and he rushes about like a lost man in search of illusory freedom, a new life path. Finding no joy in anything, Nikolai Petrovich decides to devote his life to serving the Fatherland, to bring his plan to life - to find new lands.

He writes numerous petitions, believing only in the Russian “maybe,” to Tsar Alexei Nikolaevich with a request to support his idea and send ships to the shores of California to carry out a Russian-American trading company, to strengthen the glory and power of Russia.

Out of despair, Rezanov prays to the Mother of God and bashfully confesses his secret love for her, as for an ordinary woman. In response, he hears a voice that blesses him for his deeds. And unexpectedly the chamberlain receives a positive response to the trip. The Emperor entrusts Rezanov with a responsible mission - to establish Russian-American and Spanish trade relations.

In response, Rumyantsev graciously, in view former exploits Rezanov and grief after the loss of his wife, as well as due to the difficult external situation, supports the Count’s project.

Rezantsev goes to sea under the St. Andrew's flag on the ships "Juno" and "Avos". Already approaching the shores of California, the team had no food left, many fell ill with scurvy.

Travelers stop on the Spanish coast. The commandant of the fort was so impressed by the greatness of Rezanov's mission that he gave a ball in honor of the Russian peacekeeper. This was a fatal decision.

A Russian traveler gives the daughter of the commandant of San Francisco a gold diadem with precious stones as a sign of friendship between the two great powers. The Russian navigator invites the daughter of José Dario Argueyo to dance, who immediately fell in love with him. This crucial moment in a rock opera.

Emotions overwhelm the main characters. The governor's daughter was only 16 years old; Senor Federico was considered her fiancé. But Rezantsev can no longer refuse the young beauty and comes to Conchita at night with words of tenderness. They become close.

They have to make a secret engagement, which had no force. Different religions did not allow them to be together - Conchita had to obtain the consent of the Pope, Rezanov - the Russian Emperor.

Society condemns the actions of the Russian, a scandal is brewing. Rezanov sadly leaves his bride; on his way to St. Petersburg to obtain permission to marry Conchita. In addition, Rezanov needs to continue the mission he has begun for the good of the Fatherland.

The way back was sad. Rezanov writes to the sovereign that he wanted to glorify his homeland, but his dreams were shattered. Returning to St. Petersburg, the traveler falls ill with a fever and dies without realizing his plan.

Conchita remains to wait for Rezanov. When she is informed about the death of her loved one, she rejects these rumors. And he continues to wait. Many eligible suitors approached the governor's daughter, but she turned them down again and again. Her heart belonged only to the distant Russian. Mother and father grew old, Conchita took care of them. And she waited.

Time passed and my parents passed away. Thirty years have passed. And only when Conchita saw the official papers about the death of Rezanov, she became a nun, spending the rest of her days in a Dominican monastery.

“Juno and Avos” is about fidelity, the power of love, which Conchita proudly carried throughout her life. At the end of the rock opera, “Hallelujah” sounds - as a symbol great love, something worth living for.

“...Rivers merge into the common sea,

Picture or drawing by Rybnikov - Juno and Avos

Other retellings for the reader's diary

• Summary of Undertaker Pushkin

  Undertaker moved in new house. His neighbor, the shoemaker, invited him to visit family celebration. The undertaker got drunk at the shoemaker's, and when the guests drank to the health of their clients, the undertaker was jokingly asked to drink to the dead

• Summary: Good attitude towards Mayakovsky’s horses

  The work is in a poetic style, at the beginning it describes a cold and icy street. This street is well blown by frosty winds, with big amount of people.

• Summary of Ekimov Night of Healing

  A grandson comes to visit his grandmother for skiing. The ski trip captivated him so much that it was too late to go home - he needed to spend the night. A portrait of a classic caring and kind grandmother is drawn. She's constantly fussing around the house

• Summary of Lermontov Taman

  Pechorin is a very mysterious nature, who can be impetuous or coldly calculating. But it is far from simple, but in this case - in Taman, he was fooled. It is there that Pechorin stops at the house of an old woman

• Brief summary of Veresaev Mother

The legendary rock opera will be 37 years old this year, during which time more than 1,500 thousand performances have been given. Almost always with a full house. Despite the fact that several generations of performers have changed, the performance still excites the audience. Reviews of “Juno and Avos” have always been only enthusiastic, starting from the era of stagnation, continuing through perestroika and remaining to the present day.

Original source

The plot of the poem and rock opera is based on real story which happened to the Russian statesman and traveler Nikolai Petrovich Rezanov (1764-1807). A 43-year-old Russian nobleman fell in love with sixteen-year-old Conchita Arguello, the daughter of the Spanish commandant of San Francisco.

According to the memoirs of the author of the poem, Andrei Voznesensky, he began writing “Maybe” in Vancouver, Canada, when he read J. Lensen’s work about Rezanov. The author wrote very flatteringly about the brave traveler. Nikolai Petrovich’s travel diary was also used for writing, which was partially preserved and published.

But neither the poem nor musical performance- these are not documentary chronicles at all, as the famous poet said in one of his interviews. In reviews of “Juno and Avos,” viewers wrote that they were able to make a big performance out of a small play.

The story of a Russian traveler

Nikolai Rezanov was one of the leaders of the Russian expedition that sailed to California to purchase food for the Russian colony in Alaska. A middle-aged nobleman fell in love with sixteen-year-old Conchita Arguello and they became engaged. As a Russian nobleman, he was required to return to the imperial court to obtain permission to marry a Catholic woman, but not before visiting Alaska. While returning home, the groom became seriously ill and died in Krasnoyarsk. Bride for a long time she did not want to believe in the death of her lover, information about which sometimes reached her. According to reviews of “Juno and Avos”, the audience really liked this romantic story, which was immortalized in a poem and a rock opera.

On this topic: Enameling baths: reviews and process features

Conchita believed in Rezanov's death only in 1842, when George Simpson, an English traveler, told the story of his death. She had been waiting for her groom for thirty-five years. A few years after this, the Spaniard took monastic vows and died in 1857.

Making a rock opera

In 1978, the young composer Alexey Rybnikov presented Mark Zakharov with musical improvisations on the themes of Orthodox chants. The director really liked the music, he decided to create a play based on it based on the plot of “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign” and offered to write a libretto to the popular poet Andrei Voznesensky. However, he did not support the idea, proposing his poem “Maybe.” Zakharov agreed, stipulating that he would choose the composer himself. The poet later wrote in reviews of “Juno and Avos” that Rybnikov was a happy choice.

For the libretto of the play, many scenes and arias had to be added. Therefore, in reviews of “Juno and Avos,” viewers who read the poem first noted that the rock opera had a more impactful effect on them. strong impression. The choreographer was Vladimir Vasiliev, who got into the play almost by accident. Karachentsev once came to him, complaining that they were all stuck in a loop and didn’t know what to do next. The choreographer suggests weaving dances into the fabric of the entire performance.

First performance

The rock opera premiered on July 9, 1981 on the stage of the famous Moscow Lenin Komsomol Theater. In the main male roles famous people were involved Soviet actors Nikolai Karachentsov (Count Rezanov), Alexandra Abdulov (Fernando). In the main female role, Rezanov’s beloved - Elena Shanina (Conchita). Karachentsev played a Russian nobleman until an accident (a car accident). The actor had to take vocal lessons from musician Pavel Smeyan, who played the Chief Composer. He pulled out high notes when Rezanov couldn’t cope with them.

On this topic: The best classic motorcycles. Road classic motorcycles

According to the recollections of the author of the music, Rybnikov, reviews of the Lenkom Theater’s “Juno and Avos” were published in the Western press literally a few days later. Where journalists assessed the performance as anti-Soviet. Because of this, the production was not released abroad for a long time, the release of the rock opera record and the payment of royalties were delayed. A television version was released in 1983. In the same year, a triumphal tour took place, organized by the famous French designer Pierre Cardin. The rock opera was shown in Paris on the Champs-Elysees, and in New York on Broadway. In subsequent years - in Germany, the Netherlands and many other countries.

Modern execution

This year the performance turned 37 years old, and all these years it has always been sold out in Lenkom. The dream of every aspiring theater actor is to get the role of one of the thirteen sailors. Popular actor Dmitry Pevtsov played a sailor on a ship in “Avos” for almost ten years. Since 2005, he “became captain.” His beloved is played by Alla Yuganova, and Fernando’s eternal rival is played by Viktor Rakov.

On the poster for the performance the subtitle reads: “Modern opera in two parts.” Since in reviews of Lenkom’s “Juno and Avos,” viewers note that the story has not lost its relevance. Although many of them write that for them there is no Rezanov, except as performed by Karachentsev, and Fernando is only Abdulov. The performance has actually traveled all over the world; for convenience, the costumes have not been taken out of their drawers for a long time.

On this topic: Tomato Beef: description, characteristics. Large fleshy tomatoes for salads and juice

What do the authors and spectators say about the play now?

Mark Zakharov says that the performance brought a lot of joyful emotions that helped the troupe live. Voznesensky managed to write an excellent poem, and Rybnikov - wonderful music, which became a fusion of Russian romance, Orthodox chants and rock culture. The choreographer of the performance, Vladimir Vasiliev, is confident that the story of Rezanov and Conchita will be new as long as the next generations bring their own aesthetics and features of the new time. And no one is surprised for a long time when, at the end, the audience begins to sing along with their favorite characters.

In reviews of the opera “Juno and Avos” one can find the most different opinions: some people like Karachentsev in the role of Rezanov in his youth, others believe that in mature age he began to understand his character better. Some people are generally more attracted to Pevtsov’s acting.

Read also: