Through my days... "The Tsar's Bride" - our classic heritage Author of the historical drama The Tsar's Bride

The 1890s are an era of high maturity in creative life N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov. Beginning in the spring of 1894, one opera was being written in draft or designed in sketches, another was being instrumented, a third was being prepared for production; At the same time, previously staged works are being revived in different theaters. Rimsky-Korsakov still teaches at the St. Petersburg Conservatory, conducts the Russian symphony concerts, continues numerous editorial works. But these matters fade into the background, and the main forces are given to continuous creativity.

The appearance of the Savva Mamontov Russian Private Opera in Moscow contributed to maintaining the working rhythm of the composer, who became, after the death of P.I. Tchaikovsky in 1893 recognized as the head of Russian music school. A whole cycle of Rimsky-Korsakov’s operas was staged for the first time in this free enterprise: “Sadko”, “Mozart and Salieri”, “The Tsar’s Bride”, “Boyaryna Vera Sheloga” (which acted as a prologue to “The Woman of Pskov”), “The Tale of Tsar Saltan” ; In addition, Mamontov showed “May Night”, “The Snow Maiden”, Korsakov editions of “Boris Godunov” and “Khovanshchina”, “ Stone Guest" and "Prince Igor". For Savva Mamontov, the Private Opera was a continuation of the activities of the Abramtsevo estate and its workshops: almost all the artists of this association took part in the design of opera performances. Recognizing the virtues theatrical works brothers Vasnetsov, K. A. Korovin, M. A. Vrubel and others, Rimsky-Korsakov still believed that in Mamontov the picturesque side of his performances outweighed the musical side, and the main thing in opera was the music.

Perhaps the Mariinsky choir and orchestra or Bolshoi Theaters were stronger than in the private enterprise, although in terms of soloists the Mamontov Opera was hardly inferior to them. But the new artistic context in which Rimsky-Korsakov’s operas fell was especially important: “The Snow Maiden” in the scenery and costumes of Viktor Vasnetsov, “Sadko” by Konstantin Korovin, “Saltan” by Mikhail Vrubel became major events not only of a musical nature: they carried out a real synthesis of the arts . For the composer's further work and for the development of his style, such theatrical experiences were very important. Rimsky-Korsakov's operas of the 1890s varied in form and genre. According to the composer himself, “Mlada”, “The Night Before Christmas” and “Sadko” form a trilogy; after this comes, again in the words of the author, “once again teaching or alteration.” We are talking about “the development of melody and melodiousness,” which was reflected in the romances and chamber operas of this period (“Mozart and Salieri,” the final edition of the prologue to “The Pskov Woman”) and especially clearly in “The Tsar’s Bride.”

On a creative upswing after the completion of the brilliant “Sadko,” the composer wanted not to remain with the tried and tested old, but to try something new. Another era was approaching - the fin de siècle. As Rimsky-Korsakov wrote: “Many things have grown old and faded before our eyes, and many things that seemed outdated, apparently, will later turn out to be fresh and strong and even eternal...” Among Rimsky-Korsakov’s “eternal beacons” are great musicians past: Bach, Mozart, Glinka (as well as Tchaikovsky: his “Queen of Spades” was studied by Nikolai Andreevich during the period of work on “The Tsar’s Bride”). AND eternal themes- love and death. The history of the composition of The Tsar's Bride is simple and short: conceived and begun in February 1898, the opera was composed and completed in the score within ten months and was staged by the Private Opera the following season. Turning to this drama by Lev May was the composer’s “long-standing intention” - probably since the 1860s, when Rimsky-Korsakov himself composed his “Pskov Woman” based on another play by Mey, and Balakirev and Borodin (the latter) thought about the plot of “The Tsar’s Bride” I even made several sketches of oprichnik choirs, the music of which was later used in “Prince Igor”). Rimsky-Korsakov planned the script for the new opera independently, and entrusted the “final development of the libretto” to Ilya Tyumenev, a writer, theater figure and his former student. (By the way, having written “Servilia” a few years later based on May’s play, Rimsky-Korsakov “embraced” the entire dramaturgy of this author, so beloved by him.)

At the heart of May's play is a love triangle typical of a romantic drama, or rather, two triangles: Marfa - Lyubasha - Gryaznoy and Marfa - Lykov - Gryaznoy. The plot is complicated by the intervention of a fatal force - Tsar Ivan the Terrible, whose choice at the bride's show falls on Marfa. Both the play and the opera written based on it do not belong to the type of “historical dramas”, like “The Woman of Pskov” or “Boris Godunov,” but to the type of works where the historical setting and characters are only the initial condition for the development of the action. General color the plot of “The Tsar’s Bride” is reminiscent of Tchaikovsky’s operas “The Oprichnik” and “The Enchantress”; Rimsky-Korsakov probably had the opportunity to “compete” with them, as in his “The Night Before Christmas,” written on the same plot as Tchaikovsky’s “Cherevichki.” Without putting forward such complexities as arose in Rimsky-Korsakov’s previous operas (large folk scenes, scenes of rituals, fantastic worlds), the plot of The Tsar’s Bride made it possible to concentrate on pure music, pure lyrics.

Some admirers of Rimsky-Korsakov’s art saw the appearance of “The Tsar’s Bride” as a betrayal of the past, a departure from ideas Mighty bunch. Critics of another direction welcomed the composer’s “simplification”, his “desire to reconcile the demands of the new musical drama with the forms of the old opera.” The work was a very big success among the public, even surpassing the triumph of “Sadko”. The composer noted: “... Many who, either from hearsay or on their own, were for some reason against The Tsar’s Bride, but listened to it two or three times, began to become attached to it...”

Nowadays “The Tsar’s Bride” is hardly perceived as a work breaking with the heroic past of the New Russian School, but rather as a work that unites the Moscow and St. Petersburg lines of the Russian school, as a link in the chain from “The Pskov Woman” to “Kitezh”. And most of all in the sphere of melody - not archaic, not ritual, but purely lyrical, close to modernity. Another significant feature of the style of this opera is its Glinkaism: as one subtle and intelligent critic (E.M. Petrovsky) wrote, “the trends of the Glinka spirit that permeate the entire opera are really noticeable.”

In The Tsar's Bride, unlike previous operas, the composer, lovingly depicting Russian life, does not try to convey the spirit of the era. He also almost withdraws from his favorite soundscapes. Everything is focused on people, on the spiritual movements of the characters in the drama. The main emphasis is placed on two female characters appearing against the backdrop of beautifully depicted old Russian life. In his comments to the drama, Lev May calls the two heroines of “The Tsar’s Bride” “song types” (two types - “meek” and “passionate”) and cites the corresponding folk texts to characterize them. The first sketches for the opera were in the nature of a lyrical, drawn-out song, and the melodies related to both heroines at once. In Lyubasha's role, the structure of the drawn-out song was preserved (her song without accompaniment in the first act) and supplemented with dramatic romance intonations (duet with Gryazny, aria in the second act). The central image of Marfa in the opera received a unique solution: in fact, Marfa as a “person with speeches” appears on stage twice with almost the same music (arias in the second and fourth acts). But if in the first aria - “Martha’s happiness” - the emphasis is on the bright song motives of her characterization, and the enthusiastic and mysterious theme of “golden crowns” is only exposed, then in the second aria - “on the outcome of the soul”, preceded and interrupted by “fatal chords” and with the tragic intonations of “dream”, the “theme of crowns” is sung and its meaning is revealed as a theme of premonition of another life. Martha's scene at the opera's finale not only consolidates the entire dramaturgy of the work, but also takes it beyond the boundaries of everyday love drama to the heights of true tragedy. Vladimir Belsky, a remarkable librettist of the composer’s later operas, wrote about the last act of The Tsar’s Bride: “This is such an ideal combination of beauty and psychological truth that so often fight with each other, such deeply poetic tragedy that you listen as if spellbound, without analyzing or remembering anything. .."

In the perception of the composer's contemporaries, the image of Marfa Sobakina - like the Snow Maiden, the Volkhovs in "Sadko", and then the Swan Princess in "The Tale of Tsar Saltan" - was inextricably linked with the sophisticated image of Nadezhda Zabela, the wife of the artist Mikhail Vrubel. And Rimsky-Korsakov, who usually maintained a certain “distance” in relation to the performers of his music, treated this singer with care and tenderness, as if anticipating her tragic fate (death only son, husband's madness, early death). Nadezhda Zabela turned out to be the ideal exponent of that sublime and, often, not entirely earthly female image that runs through everything operatic creativity Rimsky-Korsakov - from Olga in “The Woman of Pskov” to Fevronia in “Kitezh”: just look at the paintings of Vrubel, who depicted his wife in Korsakov’s opera roles, to understand what this is about we're talking about. The part of Marfa was, of course, composed with Nadezhda Zabela in mind, who became its first performer.

Marina Rakhmanova

“The style in the theater can be as strange as you like, but it would be nice for it to be artistic...”

Nora Potapova. “And as one we will die fighting for this.”

This year, the outstanding Russian composer N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov (1844-1908) turned 170 years old. One of the founders of the Russian school, he found time for extensive composing activity in the field of opera, symphony, chamber, and later church music. He is the author of famous operas: “The Pskov Woman”, “May Night”, “The Snow Maiden”, “The Night Before Christmas”, “Sadko”, “Mozart and Salieri”, “The Tsar’s Bride”, “The Tale of Tsar Saltan”, “The Tale of the City” Kitezh”, “The Tale of the Golden Cockerel” - so we have been familiar with its historical and fairy-tale theatrical repertoire since childhood.

It is gratifying that the staff of our native Bolshoi Theater named after A. Navoi twice turned to staging opera performances by N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov is “Mozart and Salieri” (1898) in the eighties and “The Tsar’s Bride” (1899), which is successfully performed today on the stage of the Bolshoi Theater named after A. Navoi and arouses constant interest among viewers.

At concerts of Russian romance in the Tashkent and Central Asian Diocese, we have repeatedly heard the works of the Russian composer performed by leading soloists of the A. Navoi Bolshoi Theater. Most recently, at the Easter concert on April 27, 14, Levko’s song from the opera “May Night” was performed by our beloved lyric tenor Normumina Sultanova.

Why is Rimsky-Korsakov’s operatic work so attractive today? - says the director of the Bolshoi Theater, Honored Worker of Culture of Uzbekistan A.E. Slonim:

- Rimsky-Korsakov , A The second of fifteen operas, he introduced a number of unsurpassed masterpieces into the treasury of world music. Sensitively and subtly developing operatic dramaturgy, he introduced fundamentally new techniques for revealing dramaturgy, events, and the psychology of characters into the very foundations of composer creativity. And at the same time, there are undoubted shades of a new movement for its time, called “impressionism,” which sought to convey the uniqueness of IMPRESSIONS from moods, perceptions, and sensations. Trying to penetrate into the very depths of the movement of the soul, Rimsky-Korsakov not only accurately reveals the special truth of passions and feelings, but subtly explores the smallest nuances of the movements of the spirit.

The director of the Bolshoi Theater named after A. Navoi strictly preserved this innovative concept in new production“The Tsar’s Bride”, whose backstory spans more than a century of stage evolution. World premiere took place on October 22/November 3, 1899 on the stage of the Moscow Private Russian Opera. This was followed by the premiere of the opera at the Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg on October 30, 1901. In our time, the Martiniplaza Theater, Groningen (Netherlands), turned to stage the opera on December 10, 2004. At the end of the same year - 12/29/2004, the Mariinsky Theater was again in St. Petersburg, and quite recently in February of this year, the premiere of “The Tsar’s Bride” took place at the Mikhailovsky Theater there in the northern capital.

What is fundamentally different about the production directed by the Bolshoi Theater named after A. Navoi A.E. Slonim from other modern Russian interpretations of historical opera? The young soloist of the Opera answered this question to me. folk theater from St. Petersburg Mikhail Kramer. He comes from Tashkent, came on a visit to his family, and with me attended the play “The Tsar’s Bride” in two acts based on the drama of the same name by L. Mey (Libretto by I. Tyumenev and N. Rimsky-Korsakov):

- Director's work I really liked it - the careful attitude to the text of the opera, the era perfectly conveyed, for the most part The scenography fits perfectly with the music of the opera. In general, it is very valuable that modern trends, the so-called “director opera”, have not reached the Uzbek capital’s theater. I can say that in St. Petersburg now there is no such careful production of “Tsarskaya” - at the Mariinsky Theater the action of the opera is transferred to Stalin’s times (http://www.mariinsky.ru/playbill/repertoire/opera/tsars_bride/), at the Mikhailovsky Theater (formerly the Maly Opera) this year they made a simply disgusting production, the scenography of which can only be understood by being pumped up on drugs (http://www.operanews.ru/14020208.html).

The production of the Bolshoi Theater named after A. Navoi is distinguished by its absolute adequacy, and, I emphasize once again, a very careful attitude to the text of the opera. The only thing I didn’t understand in this production was why Ivan the Terrible was brought out at the end. And, as far as I remember, the score of the opera does not say that Martha dies at the end.

In that important point, related to the novelty of the opera production, one can object to our guest. Tsar Ivan Vasilyevich the Terrible is performed by opera director A.E. Slonim. This image, intertwined with others in the play, is very important. In the concept of the performance the image is presented end-to-end, right up to the finale and its final expressive mise-en-scène, in which the Tsar himself is represented among the abundance of victims of the era of totalitarianism (in modern language) and lawlessness. He punishes his oprichnik Grigory Gryazny and a moment later, he hangs helplessly on his royal staff. Thus, he merges in his impulse with all the people, uttering the final phrase “Oh, Lord!” - in a frenzied prayer for forgiveness for everything, for everything... This is catharsis (purification), without which not a single classical tragedy from the time of Shakespeare to the present day can do.

In principle, any director has the right, in accordance with the score, to expand the scope of the author's instructions. According to the author, the role of Bomelius ends in the second film. Directed by A.E. Slonim, this image develops in the final scene. Grigory Gryaznoy brings an overseas doctor with him to heal Martha, as he short-sightedly believes, from “longing for love” for Gregory. When the intrigue is revealed, Bomelius also receives full reward for his actions. Let us recall the fact that the historical Bomelius was indeed captured and executed.

A.E. Slonim is motivated in a new way, completely psychologically justified, by the image of Martha, according to his own creative concept:

And young Martha from “The Tsar’s Bride”, who becomes an involuntary victim of human passions, innocently poisoned by an evil potion, in her aspiration towards the light, intones her phrases also in this “mode of doom”. And to the point of confusion of spirit, it is obvious that when the same darkness of destiny thickens over the oprichnik Grigory Gryazny - one of the main culprits of the tragedy - then the same harmony unexpectedly appears in his intonations, prophesying a quick death. Having listened and looked closely at the Snow Maiden, who has already known the beginning earthly love– we will hear in her phrases not only insight, but also an overhanging sign of an imminent departure. It seems that in the very techniques of revealing the vision of the world, Rimsky-Korsakov, for obvious reasons, turns out to be very close to the work of the great painters of his era - Vrubel, Borisov-Musatov, Levitan.

As in any opera production by N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov, music plays a significant role in The Tsar’s Bride - from the first bars of the restrained overture to the utmost expressive possibilities dramatic development of the plot in the second act, in which the mental life heroes. The composer's deep attention to their feelings, psychological contradictions and conflicts, expanding and deepening, is expressed in complex and varied music: it is at times pathetically solemn, and at other times it is unarmedly lyrical and even intimate.

The orchestra, led by People's Artist of Karakalpakstan Aida Abdullaeva, accurately conveys the soulless hangover “lawlessness” of the oprichnina of the era of Ivan the Terrible. The music not only condemns, but at times justifies the unbridled passion of the royal guardsman Grigory Gryazny (Ruslan Gafarov) and his former lover Lyubasha (Ya. Bagryanskaya), punished for their villainy at the end of the performance. The music picturesquely depicts the character of the kind, hospitable and unhappy merchant Sobakin (G. Dmitriev), plunged into despair by an unexpected misfortune - the fatal illness of his daughter, Princess Martha, poisoned by a poisonous potion. The music luminously conveys the sublime purity of the “royal bride” (L. Abieva), devoted to her feelings for the young groom Ivan Lykov (U. Maksumov) until her death. She expressively emphasizes the ambiguous characters of Malyuta (D. Idrisov), the German doctor Bomelius, the simple-minded Dunyasha and the naive Domna (N. Bandelette). There are no dead characters in the performance, they are all endowed with living feelings and enlivened by the multi-colored timbres of the “characters” of the epic world of Rimsky-Korsakov, where the miracle of Love and sublime Purity, even in death, conquers all historical and everyday circumstances.

Regarding the performance, our guest from St. Petersburg noted:

The absolute star of the evening was undoubtedly Latife Abieva, who performed the role of Martha. Her amazingly beautiful lyric-coloratura soprano is ideal for singing the role of Marfa - the brightest character in this opera. Surprisingly beautiful, transparent and light, Martha’s first aria sounded: “In Novgorod, we lived next to Vanya...”. The singer's voice is amazingly beautiful and when she sings full voice, and when she sings quietly, indicating outstanding vocal skill. At the same time, the singer is very suitable for this role in appearance, which, as we know, does not happen often in the opera genre. Both the singing and the stage image - everything corresponded to the light inherent in this part, which is contrasted with the passionate and vengeful Lyubasha. In the scene of Marfa's madness at the opera's finale, the singer showed the talent of a real tragic actress. The second aria: “Ivan Sergeich, do you want to go to the garden?..” also sounded perfect.

Ulugbek Maksumov, who performed the part of Lykov, was very good. The singer has a beautiful lyric tenor, and he is very musical. The singer managed to decorate and make interesting even the rather faded, in my opinion, arioso from the first act, “Everything is different, both people and earth,” which goes unnoticed for me in so many performers. The most complex aria “A stormy cloud rushed past” was performed at a very high level.

Also noteworthy is the performance of Sobakin’s part by bass Georgy Dmitriev. The singer has quite in a beautiful voice, however, in my opinion, the performer of this part should have a lower voice - the “F” of the large octave at the end of the aria was not colored by timbre for the singer. But this small drawback was more than compensated for by the amazing acting. The image of a simple-minded, kind father, into whose life great grief unexpectedly came, was conveyed superbly.

Yanika Bagryanskaya was not bad in the role of Lyubasha, but, unfortunately, nothing more. The singer has obvious problems with extremely high notes, and also has a strange way of reassembling the sound, which makes some words very difficult to understand (for example, instead of the sound “a” on many notes, the singer sings an outright “u”). Intonation (hitting the notes) was not always accurate, especially at the top. And the top “A” in the first aria (“After all, I am the only one who loves you”) was not successful at all. In addition, the singer quite noticeably separated from the orchestra several times.

Ruslan Gafarov is the ideal performer for the role of Grigory Gryazny. This part is very difficult because it is written very high for a baritone. That is why quite often it is assigned to be sung by soft, lyrical, so-called “Onegin” baritones, which, of course, deprives it of its sinister character. Gafarov has a dramatic baritone, which allows him to convey all the colors of this rather emotionally complex part. At the same time, his vocal range allows him to overcome all tessitura difficulties. Acting-wise, the image also suits him very well, and he quite clearly conveys this controversial guardsman. All the more regrettable is the fact that the singer quite often disagreed with the orchestra (for example, in a dialogue with Bomelius before the trio or in the finale of the opera). However, it should be noted that the most difficult aria at the beginning of the opera (“The beauty is going crazy”) was performed perfectly.

The performer of the role of Bomelia Nurmahmad Mukhamedov played this role quite well. The singer's voice suits the part well. But he was more likely than anyone else to disagree with the orchestra and partners. This was especially noticeable in the trio from the first act, which the singer simply ruined by not being on time.

In general, I even think that perhaps it is not so much the singers who are to blame for these unfortunate mistakes, but rather the audience. My guess is that in this hall they can’t hear the orchestra on stage very well. Or there is no opportunity to fully rehearse. During my visit to Tashkent since the end of January, I attended many performances of the theater, and I observed similar discrepancies in other performances - “Carmen” and “Troubadour”.

I really liked the supporting cast: Rada Smirnykh (Dunyasha) and Nadezhda Bandelet (Domna Saburova). To be honest, more than once during the evening the thought occurred to me that the very sonorous, rich voice of Rada would be much better suited for performing the part of Lyubasha than the rather modest, in my opinion, voice of Bagryanskaya. Nadezhda Bandelet demonstrated excellent command of her voice in a rather revealing aria from the third act (staged by the Bolshoi Theater - the first scene of the second act), and both Rada Smirnykh and Nadezhda Bandelet perfectly conveyed the characters of their characters.

Today I was also pleased with the sound of the choir, which, unfortunately, is usually not the strong point of performances. The orchestra conducted by Aida Abdullaeva sounded very harmonious, balanced, and expressive.

The diversity of views and reviews of the opera production of The Tsar’s Bride confirmsfairness of opinionstage director of the Bolshoi TheaterA.E. Slonim that “the time will come, and interest in the works of this outstanding composer will deepen and intensify.After all, the mighty appearance of N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov, who comprehended the mysteries of Miracle in many of its manifestations, today not only does not lose the features of its brightness, intelligibility and novelty, butmakes it clear in reality that this great composer is by no means a musical figure of the past, but a creator, centuries ahead in his perceptions of the world, both his time and his era - and invariably close in his aspirations to us today...”

Guarik Bagdasarova

Photo by Mikhail Levkovich

Opera in three acts by Nikolai Andreevich Rimsky-Korsakov; libretto by the composer (with the participation of V.V. Stasov, M.P. Mussorgsky, V.V. Nikolsky) based on the drama of the same name by L. May.

Characters:

Tsar Ivan Vasilyevich the Terrible (bass), Prince Yuri Ivanovich Tokmakov, royal governor and sedate posadnik in Pskov (bass), boyar Nikita Matuta (tenor), Prince Afanasy Vyazemsky (bass), Bomeliy, royal physician (bass), Mikhail Andreevich Tucha, mayor's son (tenor), Yushko Velebin, messenger from Novgorod (bass), Princess Olga Yuryevna Tokmakova (soprano), hawthorn Stepanida Matuta, Olga's friend (soprano), Vlasyevna, mother (mezzo-soprano), Perfilyevna, mother (mezzo-soprano) ), watchman's voice (tenor).
Tysyatsky, judge, Pskov boyars, mayor's sons, guardsmen, Moscow archers, Senna girls, people.

Time of action: 1570.
Location: Pskov; at the Pechersky Monastery; near the Mededni River.
First execution of the first edition: St. Petersburg, January 1 (13), 1873.
First execution of the third (final) edition: Moscow, December 15 (27), 1898.

“The Woman of Pskov” is the first of fifteen operas created by N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov. When he conceived it - in 1868, he was 24 years old. The composer himself talks about the first impulses to write an opera in “My Chronicle.” musical life“: “I remember how, one day, sitting at my place (in my brother’s apartment), I received a note from him setting the day of departure (to a village in the Kashinsky district of the Tver province. A.M.). I remember how the picture of an upcoming trip into the wilderness, into the interior of Rus', instantly aroused in me a surge of some kind of love for Russian folk life, for its history in general and for the “Pskovite” in particular, and how, under the impression of these sensations, I sat down at the piano and immediately improvised the theme of the chorus of the meeting of Tsar Ivan with the Pskov people (among the compositions of “Antara” I was already thinking about an opera at that time).” It is noteworthy that “The Woman of Pskov” was composed by Rimsky-Korsakov at the same time when Mussorgsky, being in close relations with Rimsky-Korsakov, was composing his “Boris Godunov”. “Our life with Modest was, I believe, the only example of two composers living together,” Rimsky-Korsakov wrote many years later. - How could we not interfere with each other? That's how. From morning until 12, Mussorgsky usually used the piano, and I either transcribed or orchestrated something that had already been completely thought out. By 12 o'clock he left for work at the ministry, and I used the piano. In the evenings, things happened by mutual agreement... We worked a lot this fall and winter, constantly exchanging thoughts and intentions. Mussorgsky composed and orchestrated the Polish act “Boris Godunov” and the folk painting “Under Kromi”. I orchestrated and finished “Pskovianka.”

The fruits of the friendship of these two great composers are well known - Mussorgsky contributed to the creation of the libretto of "The Pskov Woman", Rimsky-Korsakov - in promoting "Boris Godunov" to the opera stage.

“The Woman of Pskov” was staged at the Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg on January 1, 1873. But, as it turned out, this was only its first edition. The composer was dissatisfied with many people, and it took another five years to make a second edition of the opera. But it also did not bring the desired satisfaction (and was not staged; only some of its numbers were performed under the piano in the circle of the composer’s friends, who, despite their own active participation in this performance - Mussorgsky, for example, sang the part of the boyar Sheloga - rather restrainedly treated her). And only the third edition (1892) - in which the opera is staged to this day - brought the composer satisfaction. But even so, he did not stop thinking about the whole plan of the drama. So, already in 1898, he finally isolated from “The Pskovite” the storyline associated with the noblewoman Vera Sheloga, and created the one-act opera “Vera Sheloga”, which is now the prologue to “The Pskovite”. Thus, this plot occupied the composer’s thoughts for more than thirty years.

Overture

The opera begins with an orchestral overture, which outlines the main conflict of the opera. The theme of Tsar Ivan the Terrible sounds gloomy and wary. The people of Pskov angered Tsar Ivan, and now they have to wait for thunderstorms. This first theme is opposed by the impetuous, strong-willed melody of Cloud Cloud’s song. The rapid flow is interrupted by Olga's broad theme, like a folk song. In the end, the theme of the king wins in the struggle between these images.

Act one. Scene one

Pskov. 1570 Garden of Prince Yuri Tokmakov, the Tsar's viceroy in Pskov; to the right are the boyar mansions; to the left is a cracked fence into the neighboring garden. In the foreground is a dense bird cherry tree. Underneath there is a table and two benches. The Kremlin and part of Pskov are visible in the distance. Twilight. Lively, joyful mood. Girls frolic here - they play burners. Two mothers - Vlasyevna and Perfilyevna - are sitting at the table and talking to each other. On the bench on the other side of the garden, not taking part in the game, sits Olga, the daughter of Prince Yuri Tokmakov. Among the girls having fun is Stesha, Olga’s friend. Soon she suggests that they stop playing with burners and go pick raspberries. Everyone agrees and leaves; Stesha drags Olga along with him. The mothers are left alone and talk; Perfilyevna conveys to Vlasyevna the rumor that Olga is not the prince’s daughter - “raise him higher.” Vlasyevna does not like empty talk and considers this topic stupid. Another thing is news from Novgorod. She says that “Tsar Ivan Vasilyevich deigned to be angry with Novgorod and came with all the oprichnina.” He mercilessly punishes the guilty: there is a groan throughout the city, and in the square three thousand people were executed in one day. (Their conversation takes place against the backdrop of a girls' choir that sounds offstage.) The girls return with berries. They ask Vlasyevna to tell a fairy tale. She resists for a long time, but in the end agrees to tell about Princess Lada. While they were trying to persuade Vlasyevna, Stesha managed to whisper to Olga that Tucha, Olga’s lover, said that he would come later today and give Olga the news. She's happy. Vlasyevna begins the fairy tale (“The fairy tale begins with a sentence and a saying.” Suddenly a sharp whistle is heard behind the neighboring fence. It is Mikhail (Mikhailo) Cloud, Olga’s lover, who has come. Vlasyevna was frightened by the loud whistle and scolds Cloud. The girls go into the house.

Mikhail Tucha sings (first behind the fence, then climbing onto it) a wonderful long-drawn song (“Rasked for you, little cuckoo”). It gets completely dark outside; a month is coming out from behind the Kremlin. Olga comes out into the garden at the sound of the song; she quickly walks along the path towards Cloud; he goes to her. Their love duet sounds. But both of them understand that Olga cannot belong to Tucha - she is betrothed to another, the boyar Matutu. They are considering different options for how to solve this problem: should he, Tucha, go to Siberia in order to get rich there and then rightfully compete with Matuta (Olga rejects this option - she does not want to part with her lover), or should Olga fall at the feet of her father and confess to him my love for Mikhailo Tucha and, perhaps, even confess that she secretly came to see him on a date? What to do? Their duet ends with a passionate declaration of love to each other.

Prince Yuri Tokmakov and boyar Matuta appear on the porch of the house; They seem to continue a conversation that began back in the house. Frightened by their appearance, Olga sends Cloud away and hides in the bushes. The prince and the boyar descend into the garden. The prince has something to say to Matuta, and he intends to do it in the garden. “Here it’s not like in a mansion; cooler, and more free to speak,” he says to Matuta, however, restlessly - he remembers what he imagined: someone shouted when they entered the house, and even now he notices that the bushes are moving. Prince Tokmakov calms him down and wonders who Matuta is scared of. Matuta fears the unexpected arrival of the Tsar in Pskov. But the prince has another concern. “Do you think Olga is my own daughter?” He stuns Matutu with this question. "Then who?" - the boyar is perplexed. Who... who... I don’t know what to call it!” the prince answers. He goes on to say that Olga is actually his adopted daughter.

(Here it is assumed that the listener knows the content of the opera “Vera Sheloga", which is the prologue to “The Pskov Woman”. Here is its brief content (its plot is the first act of Mey’s drama). Vera, the wife of the old boyar Sheloga, is visited by her unmarried sister Nadezhda, the bride of Prince Tokmakov . Vera is sad: she is afraid of the return of her husband - during his long absence she gave birth to a daughter, Olga. One day, while walking with the girls near the Pechersky Monastery. Vera met the young Tsar Ivan, fell in love with him. Olga is the daughter of the Tsar, not Sheloga. How will she meet her? unloved husband? Sheloga arrives with Tokmakov. Guessing that this is not his child, he angrily interrogates Vera. But Nadezhda takes the blame upon herself, boldly declaring that this is her child. Later (this is indirectly told in the opera “The Pskov Woman”) Tokmakov married Nadezhda and adopted Olga. She became the favorite of Pskov. Hence the name of May's drama and Rimsky-Korsakov's opera.) So, old prince told the boyar a secret: Olga is not his daughter. (Prince Tokmakov revealed only half the truth to Matute - he named his mother, but said about his father that he didn’t know, and he really, apparently, doesn’t know who he is). Olga, hiding in the bushes, hears this; she can’t help herself and screams: “Lord!” Matuta is again alarmed by this cry. But at that moment in the city, in the Kremlin, a bell rang: one strike, another, a third... The bell does not stop buzzing. A meeting of Pskov residents is convened. Matuta does not know what to do, whether to go with the prince or wait for him in the mansion; The prince reproaches the boyar for cowardice: “Stop it, Nikita! Here, perhaps, you’ll have to defend Pskov, and you’ll go to the stove out of fear, like a woman.” In the end they both leave hastily. Olga comes out from behind the bushes and listens in excitement to the bell: “They are not ringing for good! Then they bury my happiness.” She covers her face with her hands and sinks onto the bench.

From the ringing of bells that accompanies the end of the first picture, the orchestral intermezzo that follows it grows. Soon the themes of Tsar Ivan the Terrible are woven into it.

Scene two

Trade area in Pskov. Veche place. There are bonfires in the square. The bell is buzzing at the Trinity Bell Tower. Night. Crowds of people hastily enter the square from everywhere. Yushko Velebin, a Novgorod messenger, stands at the veche place; near him there is a circle of Pskovites. There are more and more people. Mikhailo Tucha and the townspeople's children enter. Everyone is in alarm: who rang the bell? Apparently it's not good. The messenger enters the veche place, takes off his hat and bows on three sides. he has bad news: “Your elder brother (Novgorod the Great. A.M.), showed off, told you to live long and hold a funeral for him.” He tells the chilling details of the punishment inflicted by Tsar Ivan on the Novgorodians, and says that the tsar and the oprichnina are going to Pskov. At first, the people are determined to defend their city by force. But the old prince Yuri Tokmakov takes the floor. He, on the contrary, calls on the Pskovites to meet the Tsar with bread and salt (let's remember that he is the Tsar's viceroy in Pskov). His argument is, of course, erroneous (although, apparently, he himself believes in it) that the tsar is not coming with punishment, but to worship the Pskov shrine, and it is not right to greet him with a pole and a berdysh as an enemy. (The six-footer is a kind of club, mace. Berdysh is a kind of ax on a long spear.) But then Mikhailo Tucha takes the floor. He doesn't like the prince's proposal. He paints a picture of the humiliation of Pskov: “Recapture all the gates from the Kremlin, dull your swords and spears, in churches, rip off the frames of the icons for the seditious seditious laughter and joy!” He, Mikhailo Tucha, will not tolerate this - he leaves. Cloud and with him the brave freemen (his detachment) leave to hide in the forests and then defend the freedom of Pskov. The people are in confusion. Prince Tokmakov is trying to reason with the people so that they will hospitably welcome Tsar Ivan Vasilyevich. The veche bell rings.

Act two. Scene one

Large square in Pskov. In the foreground is the tower of Prince Yuri Tokmakov. Tables with bread and salt are laid outside the houses. The people are anxiously awaiting the arrival of the Tsar (chorus “The Terrible Tsar is coming to the great Pskov. There will be punishment for us, a cruel execution”). Olga and Vlasyevna come out onto the porch of the princely house. Olga’s heart is heavy. She cannot recover from the mental blow she received after becoming an involuntary witness to the prince’s conversation with Matuta. She sings her arietta “Oh, mom, mom, no red fun for me!” I don’t know who my father is and whether he’s alive.” Vlasyevna tries to calm her down. And then it turns out that Olga is passionately awaiting the arrival of Tsar Ivan, and her soul is pining for him, and the world is not sweet to her without him. Vlasyevna is frightened and says (to the side), as if anticipating evil: “Fate has not given you many bright, clear days, child.” The stage is filled with people. Bells begin to ring throughout the city. The royal procession is shown. The people bow to the waist to the king riding on horseback and kneel before him.

Scene two begins with an orchestral intermezzo, painting a fragile, ideal image of the opera's heroine, Olga. The melodies from which it is woven will subsequently be heard in her story about childhood dreams, in her appeal to the king. The intermezzo directly leads to the stage action of the second scene. A room in the house of Prince Yuri Tokmakov. The Pskov nobility meets the Tsar here. But the king is unfriendly - he sees betrayal everywhere. He suspects poison in the cup that Olga brings him, and demands that the prince himself drink first. Then he orders Olga to bring it to him too; but not just with a bow, but with a kiss. Olga boldly looks straight into the eyes of the Tsar. He is shocked by her resemblance to Vera Sheloga. Olga leaves, Tsar Ivan gestures away the others who were in the mansion. Now the king and prince are left alone in the mansion (even the doors are locked). And so Grozny asks Tokmakov who he was married to. The prince talks about his wife, Nadezhda, about her sister Vera and how Olga, Vera’s illegitimate daughter, ended up in his house (that is, he briefly retells the content of the prologue of the opera “Vera Sheloga”). The Tsar clearly understands who Olga is to him. The shocked king changes his anger to mercy: “Let all killings cease; a lot of blood! Let's blunt our swords on stones. God bless Pskov!”

Act three. Scene one

The third act begins with an orchestral musical picture, which the composer called “Forest. Royal hunt. Storm". With amazing skill, N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov gives in it a colorful image of Russian nature. Thick dark forest surrounds the road to the Pechersky Monastery. From afar the sounds of the royal hunt are heard - the signals of hunting horns. They are joined by the warlike leitmotif of Tsar Ivan the Terrible. It's gradually getting darker. A thunderstorm is coming. Stormy gusts of wind can be heard in the orchestra. But then the storm passes, the thunder subsides. The setting sun peeks through the clouds. A song sounds from afar - it is the hay girls of Prince Tokmakov singing. They accompany Olga to the monastery, where she goes on a pilgrimage. Olga deliberately lags behind a little - she wants to be left alone, because she must secretly meet here with Mikhailo Tucha, her lover. And then he appears. Their love duet sounds. Olga begs Cloud to return with her to Pskov: the Tsar is not formidable, his eyes look kindly. These words of Olga hurt Cloud: “If you say so, leave me, then go to him, the destroyer,” he irritably throws at her. But Olga convinces him of her love, and their voices merge in one impulse.

But the joy of Olga and Tucha did not last long. Olga had long been followed by Matuta, who was offended by her indifference. And here, on the forest road, he finally learned the reason for her contempt for him: hiding in the bushes, he watched her meeting with Cloud. And now, on his orders, his slaves attack Cloud, wound him, and tie up Olga and take him away with them. Matuta rejoices angrily, he threatens to tell Tsar Ivan about Cloud’s betrayal.

Scene two

Royal headquarters. The back side is folded back; a wooded area and the steep bank of the Medeni River are visible. Night. The moon is shining. The headquarters is covered with carpets; front left bearskin over carpet; on it is a table covered with gold brocade with two candelabra; on the table is a fur hat, a silver-forged sword, a shot glass, a glass, an inkwell and several scrolls. There's a weapon here. Tsar Ivan Vasilyevich is alone. His monologue sounds (“Former joy, former passion, ebullient dreams of youth!”). Olga can't get out of his head. His thoughts are interrupted by the news that the royal guards have captured Matutu, who was trying to kidnap Olga. The Tsar does not want to listen to Matuta’s slander against Tucha and drives the boyar away. And Olga calls to himself. She comes. At first, the Tsar is wary of Olga’s words, but she openly tells him about her childhood, how she prayed for him back then, and that she dreamed about him at night. The king was touched and excited.

Suddenly a noise is heard near the headquarters. These are the voices of the freemen of the Clouds detachment. It turns out that, having recovered from his wound, he gathered his fighters and now attacked the king’s headquarters, wanting to free Olga. Having learned about this, the king in anger orders the rebels to be shot, and Cloud himself to be brought to him. Tucha, however, manages to avoid captivity, and from afar Olga hears the words of his farewell song. Olga breaks free and runs out of the bet. Behind the bet the command of Prince Vyazemsky sounds: “Shoot!” (The prince meant Mikhailo Tucha.) Olga turned out to be killed...

The squad slowly enters with dead Olga in their arms. At the sight of Olga, the Tsar rushes to her. He mourns inconsolably, bending over her. She calls the doctor (Bomelia), but he is powerless: “The Lord alone raises the dead”...

The headquarters is filled with people mourning Olga. But there is no tragedy in the sound of the final chorus. His general mood is enlightened sadness.

A. Maykapar

“The Woman of Pskov,” Rimsky-Korsakov’s first opera and the only historical musical drama in his legacy, or, more precisely, a musical drama about history, has an unusually long and complex creative biography. Like Mussorgsky’s “Boris Godunov,” it has not one, and not even two, but three author’s editions, but, unlike “Boris,” these editions are dispersed in time: between the beginning of work on the opera and the end of its score in the third edition, quarter of century. The second edition, which Rimsky-Korsakov was working on on the eve of “May Night,” does not exist today as a whole. Its character can be judged from various sources: in addition to the surviving but unpublished materials belonging to this edition itself, from Rimsky-Korsakov’s self-reviews in the Chronicle and conversations with Yastrebtsev, as well as from those fragments that remained in the third edition or were included by the author in the music for Mey’s drama “The Pskov Woman” (1877; overture to the Prologue and four symphonic intermissions), or in a revised form included in the opera “Boyaryna Vera Sheloga” (completed in 1897), or forming an independent opus (“Poem about Alexei of God man" for choir and orchestra).

The composer himself emphasized that the third edition is a “real” type of opera and that here he “in general did not deviate from the first edition,” that is, he returned to it. This is true if we compare the final version with the intermediate one, but still not with the original one, and between the first and third editions of the opera a relationship arises that is somewhat reminiscent of the relationship between the two author’s editions of Boris Godunov. True, there are fewer quantitative differences between the texts of the first and third editions of “The Woman of Pskov” than between the two editions of Mussorgsky’s opera; the insertion of new music into the third edition does not change the concept of operatic action as radically as the Polish scenes and “Kromy” do, and yet they inform the opera a different appearance than what was originally formed. The first edition of "The Pskov Woman" was performed on stage only in the premiere production of the Mariinsky Theater, and nevertheless it makes sense - at least in the historical aspect - to consider this text as original and independent.

(This point of view contradicts the opinion of the overwhelming majority of researchers who clearly prefer the third edition and analyze the opera only based on the text of the early 90s or turn to the first edition in a purely comparative sense in order to prove its imperfection. But there is still another research concept in relation to this opera, recognizing the independent value of the first edition. It is reflected, for example, in the book by M. S. Druskin “Issues of the musical dramaturgy of opera” (Moscow, 1952), in the article by the American researcher Richard Taruskin “The Past in the Present.”)

Speaking about the influences he experienced during the period of work on “The Woman of Pskov” (1868–1871), Rimsky-Korsakov names five names: Mussorgsky, Cui, Dargomyzhsky, Balakirev, Liszt. Minus Liszt, whose influence in “The Woman of Pskov” could have been felt mainly in the chord-harmonic sphere, and with the addition of the “forgotten” Borodin, who was then working on a symphonic and operatic-historical epic - the Second Symphony and “Prince Igor”, we get full composition The “Mighty Handful” during the most fruitful period of its existence. The influence of Cui and Dargomyzhsky on Rimsky-Korsakov, which most of all concerned, of course, the operatic form and recitative style, was very intense during this period: the composition of “The Pskov Woman” at first proceeded against the backdrop of frequent home performances of the almost completed “The Stone Guest” and the one preparing for production “ William Ratcliffe”, and then was suspended by Rimsky-Korsakov’s work on the score of Dargomyzhsky’s opera (some numbers in Cui’s opera were also instrumented by him). The influence of Mussorgsky and Balakirev was indicated primarily by an indication of the drama of May, a writer well known to both of them from his works and personally (but by the time Rimsky-Korsakov appeared on the musical horizon, he had already passed away), on whose poems they wrote romances, whose plays they looked closely at for a long time (for example, Balakirev at one time intended to take the plot of “The Tsar’s Bride”, and then recommended it to Borodin; back in 1866, he gave Rimsky-Korsakov the text from the first act of Meev’s “Pskovian Woman”, on which the beautiful “Lullaby” was written, later included in “Boyaryna Vera Sheloga”). Balakirev intervened little in the process of composing the opera, not considering himself competent in this genre; in addition, the end of “The Pskovite” coincided with a serious crisis in his life. Mussorgsky, Nikolsky, Stasov acted as advisers on the layout of the libretto, the search for texts, etc. But the examples of highly artistic, innovative interpretation of folk song, given in Balakirev’s collection of 1866, most decisively determined the meaning of the song in the dramaturgy of “The Pskov Woman” and influenced its musical language generally. At the beginning of work on the opera, Mussorgsky’s “The Marriage” appeared, and then the first edition of “Boris Godunov”, which deeply impressed listeners, including Rimsky-Korsakov. The second edition of "Boris" and the score of "The Pskov Woman" were completed simultaneously and even within the same walls - during the months of the two composers' cohabitation, and it is symbolic that only a month separates the premiere of "The Pskov Woman" from the first public performance of Mussorgsky's opera (the premiere of "The Pskov Woman" - 1 January 1873; three scenes from “Boris”, staged at a benefit performance directed by G. P. Kondratiev, on February 5 of the same year). In addition, during the period of the “Pskovite” there was a collective composition by four kuchkists of Gedeonov’s “Mlada”, which also encouraged a constant exchange of musical ideas. Thus, the dedication of the opera in the first edition - “To my dear musical circle” (filmed in the third edition) - is not a simple declaration: it is an expression of gratitude to comrades, a deeply conscious unity of goals.

Subsequently, the style of “The Woman of Pskov,” unique in Rimsky-Korsakov’s work, was often considered “under the sign of Boris,” which Rimsky-Korsakov himself gave rise to with some of his statements. Undoubtedly, this opera, especially in the first edition, is the most “Mussorgian” among Rimsky-Korsakov’s works, which was already determined by the genre of “The Women of Pskov.” But it is also important to note that the influence was not one-sided, but mutual, and much was born, apparently, in joint quests: for example, if “forced glorification” in the coronation scene, people's laments in the Prologue and the scene “At St. Basil’s” chronologically precede the close in meaning scene of the meeting of the Terrible with the Pskovites, then the brilliant “Veche” precedes “Kromy”, and Vlasyevna’s Tale precedes the chamber scenes of “Boris Godunov”.

What they had in common was the courage, the maximalism with which both young composers undertook to embody the most complex problems of Russian history through the means of a new type of musical drama. It is noteworthy, in particular, that both plays - Pushkin's and Mey's - at the beginning of work on the operas were under a censorship ban for staging on stage. What was common to both operas in the end was the natural, spirit-of-the-time ambiguity of their concepts: both Boris and Ivan combine contradictory principles - good in them is in an inevitable struggle with evil, “personal” with “state”; The riots in the clearing near Kromy and on the Pskov veche square were written with enthusiasm and deep emotional sympathy, but also with a premonition of their doom. It is no coincidence that hostile reviewers came up with a comparison with the “morbid”, “bifurcated” Dostoevsky (with the recently published “Crime and Punishment”) not only in connection with Mussorgsky’s “Boris” and its central character, but also in connection with “The Woman of Pskov” and its main characters - Tsar Ivan and Olga.

Without continuing further, the comparison of the operas of Rimsky-Korsakov and Mussorgsky is a separate big topic, - we will only point out that the work on them took place in a similar way: directly from the texts of the dramas, enriching them with examples of folk art.

Studies usually emphasize that Rimsky-Korsakov deepened the concept of May’s drama, discarding many “purely everyday” episodes, including the entire first act, and “dramatically strengthening the role of the people.” Perhaps it would be more correct to first point out that in the work of this wonderful Russian writer, friend and like-minded person A. N. Ostrovsky, the composer found a harmonious consonance with his nature: the desire for truth and beauty, based on a broad knowledge of the Russian folk worldview, history , life, language; balance, objectivity, so to speak, non-tendentious feelings and thoughts, colored with heartfelt warmth. Subsequently, Rimsky-Korsakov “voiced” all of May’s dramaturgy. In "Pskovianka" he did not need to rethink main idea, and the concept of the opera coincides with Meev’s (expressed both in the text of the drama and in the author’s historical notes to it): this is the same combination, sometimes turning into a struggle between the “Karamzin” and “Soloviev”, “state” and “federalist” principles, trends in disclosure historical process, which marks Mussorgsky’s “Boris” in the second edition, and, for example, the concept of Balakirev’s “Rus”.

(This issue is covered in detail in the aforementioned books by A. A. Gozenpud and A. I. Kandinsky; its modern interpretation is given by R. Taruskin in the above work. The peculiarity of the historical concept of the “Pskovite” is that the confrontation between Tsar Ivan - the “state” beginning and the Pskov freemen - the beginning of the "federalist" is removed by the death of Olga, who, by the will of fate, is involved in both warring forces. Such a resolution of an insoluble contradiction through the sacrifice made by the female soul, first appearing in "The Pskov Woman", appears repeatedly in the following operas of Rimsky-Korsakov ("The Snow Maiden" , “Sadko” - the image of Volkhova, “The Tsar’s Bride”, “Servilia”, “Kitezh” - Fevronia and Grishka Kuterma).)

Indeed, in accordance with the aesthetics of Kuchkism of the 60s, the drama is being purified from “everydayism”; from episodes of a similar nature, what can characterize folk customs in general is selected: in “Pskovian Woman” these are the “burners” noted by Rimsky-Korsakov himself, choirs of girls in Acts 1 and 4, glorification of the Tsar in Tokmakov’s house. But the culmination of two lines of the opera - the evening scene and the reasoning of Tsar Ivan in the last act - were written almost exactly according to May (of course, with cuts and rearrangements, inevitable due to the specifics of the opera and the strong reduction in the number of characters). As for the magnificent scene of the meeting of Ivan the Terrible, which Mey only outlined, and the epilogue, composed anew, here, in addition to the successful discovery of V.V. Nikolsky, the high generalizing power of music came to the rescue, which could express what the drama of the last century was not is possible, - an integral image of the people.

B.V. Asafiev called “Pskovite” “ opera-chronicle", thereby defining the general tone of the musical narrative - objective, restrained epic and the general orientation musical characteristics- their constancy, stability. This does not exclude a multi-sided display of the images of Ivan and Olga (but only them: all other characters are determined immediately, and the characters of the two main characters do not develop, but rather are revealed), nor the introduction of diverse genre elements (everyday life, love drama, landscape, light touches of comedy and fantasy), but all of them are given in subordination to the main idea, the main carrier of which, as befits in an opera chronicle, is the chorus: and seething with internal conflicts Pskov choirs at the veche (the idea of ​​choral recitatives and semantic contradictions of choral groups, stated in the first edition of “Boris”, receives a truly symphonic development here), and the “fresco” (A. I. Kandinsky) choir of the meeting of the Tsar, united in thought, and the final choral funeral service

(It naturally evokes an analogy with the epilogue of the second edition of Boris Godunov, especially since the conclusion of Mussorgsky’s opera with the cry of the Holy Fool, absent from Pushkin, as well as the mourning of Olga and Pskov liberty, absent from Mey, were proposed by one person - Nikolsky. In these dramaturgically parallel and In the finales composed at the same time, the difference in the historical, artistic, personal worldview of two artists brought up by the same school is especially strong: Mussorgsky’s piercingly anxious questioning of the future and Rimsky-Korsakov’s reconciling, cathartic conclusion.)

A very important discovery of the composer in the veche scene is the introduction of an a cappell song with solo chants at the climax (the departure of Cloud and the freemen from the veche). This idea was proposed by Mey, as well as some other song episodes of the drama (the chorus “Po Raspberry”, the song Clouds (in the drama - Chetvertki) (“Raskone you, cuckoo”), and the poet relied here on Ostrovsky’s dramatic aesthetics, according to which exactly folk the song becomes high symbol human destiny. Rimsky-Korsakov, armed with the means of music, went even further in this sense, making a veche in the scene folk song symbol of fate people, and this discovery of his was accepted by Mussorgsky in the second edition of “Boris” (“Dispersed, went wild” in “Kromy”), and by Borodin in “Prince Igor” (peasant choir). It is also important that both detailed episodes of the love drama are resolved in the song key - the duets of Olga and Tucha in the first and fourth acts (let us remember the significance of songs and, more broadly, folk beliefs, folk speech in dramaturgical concept"Thunderstorms" by Ostrovsky). For this, Rimsky-Korsakov received many reproaches from critics, including Cui, who did not understand how exactly this objective - not “from himself”, but through “sung by the people” - expression of personal feeling corresponds to the general structure of the work. Here Rimsky-Korsakov, like Mussorgsky in the second edition of “Boris,” takes a new path, moving away from “The Stone Guest” and “Ratcliffe” and continuing “A Life for the Tsar” (and perhaps listening to Serov’s experiments).

A special feature of “Pskovite” is the very dense saturation of the musical fabric, not only with leitmotifs, but also with leitharmonies and leitintonations. Perhaps this is precisely the quality the composer had in mind when he wrote the words “symmetry and dryness” in the description of his first opera. In his review of the premiere, Cui considered the main shortcomings of “The Woman of Pskov” to be “some of its monotony... which stems from the small variety of musical ideas... mostly related to each other.” Among the frequently repeated reproaches of critics was also the accusation of excessive “symphonism,” that is, of transferring the main musical thematic action to the orchestral part in a number of scenes. Based on modern auditory experience, one could talk about the remarkable stylistic consistency of the intonation structure of the opera, its deep correspondence to the place, time, character, as well as a significant degree of asceticism and radicalism in solving the problems of musical dramaturgy and speech characteristic of “The Pskov Woman” (quality, which she undoubtedly inherited from “The Stone Guest” by Dargomyzhsky and is very close to the first edition of “Boris Godunov”). The best example of ascetic dramaturgy can be the final chorus in the first edition: not an extended epilogue crowning a monumental historical drama, but a simple, very short choral song, ending as if mid-sentence, with the intonation of a sigh. The most radical in concept is the monothematic characterization of the Tsar, which, except for the last scene with Olga, is centered around the archaic “formidable” theme (according to the recording of V.V. Yastrebtsev, heard by the composer in childhood in the singing of Tikhvin monks) with the accompanying leitharmonies: it skillfully varies in the orchestra, and the declamatory vocal part seems to be superimposed on the theme, sometimes coinciding with it in certain areas, sometimes moving quite far away. B.V. Asafiev remarkably aptly compared the meaning of the tsar’s theme in the opera with the meaning of the leader’s theme in the fugue, and the technique of monothematic characterization with icon painting (“it evokes the rhythm of the lines of ancient Russian icons and shows us the face of the Terrible in that sacred aura, on which the king himself constantly relied on..."). The harmonic style of the opera is also concentrated in the leitcomplex of Grozny - “severe and internally intense... often with a tart taste of the archaic” (A. I. Kandinsky). In "Thoughts on My Own Operas" the composer called this style "pretentious", but it would be better, using his own term in relation to Wagner, to call the harmony of "Pskovite" "exquisite".

With the same consistency, Olga’s themes are carried out, which, in accordance with the main dramatic idea, come close either to the themes of Pskov and freemen, or to the chants of Grozny; a special area is formed by intonations of a non-genre nature, associated with Olga’s prophetic premonitions - it is they who highly raise the main female image of the opera, taking him away from ordinary operatic collisions and placing him on a par with the majestic images of the king and the free city. The analysis of the recitatives of “The Pskov Woman”, carried out by M. S. Druskin, shows how meaningfully the leitintonation and genre coloring of intonations are also used in other vocal parts opera: “It is not in the bright individuality of the speech of the characters that one should look for them strengths, but in their standard warehouse, in which each time the main ideological orientation of the opera is reflected in its own way” (Druskin M. S.).

The history of the production of “The Pskov Woman” at the Mariinsky Theater, associated with numerous censorship difficulties, is described in detail in the “Chronicle”. The opera was staged and performed by the same group of theater workers who, a year later, achieved the passage of the second edition of Boris onto the stage. The response from the public was very sympathetic, the success was great and stormy, especially among young people, but despite this, “The Pskov Woman,” like “Boris,” did not stay long in the repertoire. Among the critical reviews, the reviews of Cui and Laroche stand out - in that they set the tone and determine the directions along which criticism of Rimsky-Korsakov's new operas will be conducted for decades: inept declamation, subordinating the text to the music; preference for “symphonic” (in the sense of instrumental) forms over purely operatic ones; the predominance of the choral principle over the personal lyrical; the predominance of “skillful construction” over “depth of thought”, the general dryness of melody, the abuse of folk thematics or in the folk spirit, etc. There is no need to talk about the injustice of these reproaches, but it is important to note that the composer took some of them into account when working on second and third editions of the opera. In particular, he developed and melodized the parts of Olga and Ivan, and made many recitatives freer and more melodious. However, the experience of bringing the concept of “Pskovian Woman” in the second edition closer to literary source, which led to the inclusion of a number of lyrical and everyday episodes (prologue, “merry couple” - Stesha and Chetvertka, an extended game of burners, a game of grandmas, Stesha’s conversation with the Tsar, a change in the ending of the drama, etc.), as well as composed by Stasov scenes of the royal hunt and the meeting of the king with the holy fool, not only burdened the opera, but weakened and blurred its main content, led the musical dramaturgy towards the stencils of the dramatic and opera house. The “transitionality” characteristic of Rimsky-Korsakov’s works of the 70s and stylistic instability were thus reflected in “The Pskov Woman.”

In the third edition, much has returned (usually in revised form) to its place. The introduction of the musical scenes “Evening Alarm” and “Forest, Thunderstorm, Tsar’s Hunt” in combination with the overture and the previously existing orchestral intermezzo - “Olga’s portrait”, as well as the expanded chorus of the epilogue, formed a cross-cutting symphonic dramaturgy. The opera undoubtedly gained in the beauty of sound, stability, and balance of forms: it seemed to acquire qualities characteristic of Rimsky-Korsakov’s style of the 90s. In this case, there were inevitable losses in the sharpness, novelty, originality of dramaturgy and language, including the northern and, more specifically, Pskov coloring of musical speech, truly “miraculously captured” (Rimsky-Korsakov’s words about the coloring of the poem “Sadko”) by beginners. opera composer (This is especially noticeable in the softening of the harsh dissonances of the overture, in the more traditional lyrical mood of the new episodes of Olga’s part, in the beautiful scene of the royal hunt, which has analogues in opera literature.). Therefore, the composer’s recognition to Yastrebtsev, which is rarely paid attention to, seems very important. In January 1903, Rimsky-Korsakov, discussing the need for an artist to listen “exclusively to inner voice his inner feeling, creative instinct,” remarked: “But here’s my “reworked” “Pskovian Woman” - isn’t this a kind of concession to Glazunov’s insistence and advice? After all, “May Night” has its shortcomings, and, however, it would never even occur to me to work on it again.”

M. Rakhmanova

This early opera was written by Rimsky-Korsakov under the influence and influence of active participation members of the “Balakirev circle”. The composer dedicated his work to them. The premiere of the opera was not an unconditional success. The composer abandoned traditional forms too abruptly opera art(arias, ensembles), the recitative-declamatory style dominated the composition. Dissatisfied with his creation, the composer remade the score twice.

The premiere was historic latest edition opera in 1896 (Moscow private Russian opera, the role of Ivan was performed by Chaliapin). With great success, “The Woman of Pskov” (under the title “Ivan the Terrible”) was shown in Paris (1909) as part of the Russian Seasons, organized by Diaghilev (the title role is Spanish Chaliapin, directed by Sanin).

Discography: CD - Great Opera Performances. Dir. Schippers, Ivan the Terrible (Hristov), ​​Olga (Panni), Cloud (Bertocci) - Gramophone record Melody. Dir. Sakharov, Ivan the Terrible (A. Pirogov), Olga (Shumilova), Cloud (Nelepp).

March 24 at Memorial museum-apartment N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov (28 Zagorodny Ave.) opened the exhibition “Tragedies of Love and Power”: “Pskov Woman”, “The Tsar’s Bride”, “Servilia”. The project, dedicated to three operas based on the dramatic works of Lev Mey, completes a series of chamber exhibitions that, since 2011, have systematically introduced the general public to the operatic heritage of Nikolai Andreevich Rimsky-Korsakov.

“To Nikolai Andreevich Rimsky-Korsakov, the Great Singer of Mey” is written in gold embossing on the ribbon presented to the composer. Dramas, poetry, translations - the work of Lev Aleksandrovich Mey attracted Rimsky-Korsakov throughout almost his entire life. Some materials of the opera - heroes, images, musical elements- moved to “The Tsar’s Bride”, and later migrated to “Servilia”, which seemed so far from the dramas of the era of Ivan the Terrible. The focus of three operas is light female images, fragile world beauty and purity, which perishes as a result of the invasion of powerful forces, embodied in their quintessence, be it the Moscow Tsar or the Roman Consul. The three doomed brides of Mey - Rimsky-Korsakov are one emotional line, directed to the highest expression in the image of Fevronia in “The Tale of the Invisible City of Kitezh”. Olga, Marfa and Servilia, loving, sacrificial, anticipating death, were brilliantly embodied on stage by Korsakov’s ideal - N.I. Zabela-Vrubel, with her unearthly voice, ideally suited for these roles.

The opera “The Tsar's Bride” is familiar to a wide audience more than other operas by Rimsky-Korsakov. In the collections of the Museum of Theater and musical art Evidence of many productions has been preserved: from the premiere at the Private Theater of S.I. Mamontov in 1899 to performances in the last quarter of the 20th century. These are sketches of costumes and scenery by K. M. Ivanov, E. P. Ponomarev, S. V. Zhivotovsky, V. M. Zaitseva, original works by D. V. Afanasyev - two-layer sketches of costumes imitating the relief of fabric. The central place at the exhibition will be taken by S. M. Yunovich’s sketches of scenery and costumes. In 1966 she created one of best performances in the entire history of the stage life of this opera - piercing, intense, tragic, like the life and fate of the artist herself. The exhibition will feature for the first time the Marfa costume for Tiflis Opera soloist I. M. Korsunskaya. According to legend, this costume was purchased from a lady-in-waiting of the Imperial Court. Later, Korsunskaya gave the costume to L.P. Filatova, who also took part in the play by S.M. Yunovich.

It is no coincidence that “The Woman of Pskov,” chronologically the first opera by Rimsky-Korsakov, will be presented in the final exhibition of the cycle. Work on this “opera-chronicle” was dispersed over time; three editions of the work cover a significant part creative biography composer. At the exhibition, visitors will see a sketch of the set by M. P. Zandin, a stage costume, a collection dramatic works Meya in the edition of Kushelev-Bezborodko from the personal library of Rimsky-Korsakov. The score of the opera “Boyaryna Vera Sheloga”, which became the prologue to “The Pskov Woman”, has been preserved, with the autograph of V.

V. Yastrebtsev - biographer of the composer. The exhibition also presents memorial tapes: “N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov “Pskovian Woman” benefit performance of the orchestra 28.X.1903. Orchestra of Imperial Russian Music"; "N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov “in memory of my slave Ivan” Pskovite 28 X 903. S.P.B.”

Chaliapin, who suffered through every intonation of the role of Ivan the Terrible, who is torn between his love for his newfound daughter and the burden of power, turned the historical drama “The Women of Pskov” into a true tragedy.

Visitors to the exhibition will have a unique opportunity to get acquainted with Rimsky-Korsakov’s opera “Servilia,” presented by E. P. Ponomarev’s costume designs for the premiere performance at the Mariinsky Theater in 1902; a stage costume, which will be exhibited in an open exhibition for the first time, as well as an opera score with personal notes from the composer. Opera has not appeared on the theater stage or in the concert hall for several decades. There is no complete recording of Servilia. The museum’s appeal to Rimsky-Korsakov’s forgotten opera, planned several years ago, surprisingly coincided today with the anticipation of an outstanding event - the upcoming production of Servilia at the Chamber musical theater them. B. A. Pokrovsky. Before the premiere, scheduled for April 15, Gennady Rozhdestvensky also plans to make the first ever recording of “Servilia.” This is how the empty window in the majestic opera building of N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov will be filled.

Genre - lyrical-psychological drama.

The opera premiered in 1899 at the private opera house of S. Mamontov. Costume sketches were created by M. Vrubel, the role of Marfa was performed by N. Zabela.

Rimsky-Korsakov turned to the historical plot three times. All three operas, based on historical themes, were created based on the dramas of Lev May. The first was "The Pskov Woman", then - "Boyaryna Vera Sheloga", the plot of which precedes the events of "The Pskov Woman", and "The Tsar's Bride". All three dramas are associated with the era of Ivan the Terrible.

I. The plot basis of the opera. “The Tsar’s Bride” is based on a real historical event: Ivan the Terrible chose his third wife, gathering about 2000 girls from merchant and boyar families (N.M. Karamzin writes about this in “History of the Russian State.” He chose the daughter of a Novgorod merchant Marfa Sobakin, however, the tsar's bride fell ill before the wedding. The wedding took place, but Martha soon died. Lev May rethought this event in his drama in a romantic way, creating a complex psychological intrigue around the fact of the death of the tsar's chosen one. The concept of Mey's play in the opera is almost unchanged ..

P. Refraction of the historical theme. The composer's interest in history arose under the influence of Mussorgsky. “Boris Godunov” and “Pskovian Woman” were created simultaneously. However, Rimsky-Korsakov is not focused on large-scale crowd scenes, but on the lyrical and psychological plot line. He is more attracted to the problem of personality absorption To historical era.

P. The unique refraction of the historical theme determines the complexity of the dramatic organization. The opera has several dramaturgical “circles” that form a concentric structure. The center of plot collisions is Marfa Sobakina. I dramaturgical circle - the love of Martha and Ivan Lykov. This is a lyrical plot line. The second circle is the love of the guardsman Gryazny for Marfa and at the same time the tragedy of Lyubasha abandoned by him. This is the dramatic line of the opera, according to sk Olka is right here s The main intrigue of the plot is formed. III the circle unites all the characters with Ivan the Terrible. It is at this level of drama that it is shown how a historical era (symbolized by Ivan the Terrible) can control personal destiny. Like the pure love of Martha and Ivan Lykov, so the intrigues of Lyubash and Gryazny are broken by the decision of the tsar.

III. The musical language of the opera is a vivid example of Rimsky-Korsakov’s ariosous style, which the composer took a long time to approach, having written a large number of romances. To realize the dramatic concept, the composer builds a complex system of leitthemes in the opera.

IV. Characteristics of the main characters

Marfa- it's lyrical, ideal And an absolutely passive character. Exposition of the image - aria II actions, where three themes are heard that will accompany the heroine in the final scenes of the opera. The development of the image is associated with the strengthening of the features of doom and tragedy. The climax is a scene of madness “Oh, Vanya, Vanya! What kind of dreams are there!” (the theme of madness appears not-

how much earlier, in the quintet preceding) and the aria of Act IV, where all three leitthemes take place.

Grigory Gryaznoy- the most active and complex character. This is a man driven by his passions. He commits crimes not because he is angry, but because his feelings are unbridled. We can draw some analogy with Don Juan.

The exposition of the image is the aria of Act I “Where did your old prowess go?” an unrequited lover, a man. The image is revealed in ensemble scenes (with Bomeliy and Lyubasha in Act II): on the one hand, Gryaznoy is characterized as a man whom nothing will stop in the fulfillment of his plan, on the other hand, in the scene with Lyubasha his ability to sympathize and regret deed. Arietta Act III demonstrates the hero's feigned humility, an imaginary abandonment of his plans. Act IV is the climax and denouement of the image. The arioso “She is sick, and cries and grieves” shows the hero’s hope for the success of his plan. The scene with Lyubasha and the arioso “The Innocent Sufferer” is the denouement of the development of the image, demonstrating the hero’s repentance, his desire to punish for what he has done.

Lyubasha- like Marfa, this heroine is revealed in a rather one-dimensional way: she is a strong personality, obsessed with one idea - to return the love of Gryaznoy. The exposition of the image is the tragic song from Act I “Equip quickly.” Development takes place in Act I, in a trio with Gryazny and Bomelius, in a duet with Gryazny. A significant stage in the development of the image is the arioso “Oh, I’ll find your sorceress” from Act I, where Lyubasha decides to “turn away” her rival. The next stage is the scene of Lyubasha and Bomelius, where Martha’s death is a foregone conclusion. The denouement of the image is the scene of Gryazny and Lyubasha in Act IV, where Lyubasha dies.

Ivan groznyj, although he is the central figure in the events of the opera, has no vocal characteristics. He appears briefly at the beginning of Act II.

Overture ch.t. - first 8 beats. t. - s. Ts.Z