After the success of Aram Khachaturian’s first ballet “Happiness” at the ten-day period of Armenian art in Moscow, the management of the Leningrad Opera and Ballet Theater named after S. M. Kirov ordered a new ballet from the composer. The libretto written by Konstantin Derzhavin that year was based on some of the plot moves of the ballet “Happiness,” which allowed Khachaturian to preserve in the new work the best that was in his first ballet, significantly complementing the score and developing it symphonically.

In 1943, the composer received the Stalin Prize, 1st degree, for this ballet, which he contributed to the fund of the USSR Armed Forces. Later, based on the music for the ballet, the composer created three orchestral suites. In the mid-1950s, the Bolshoi Theater turned to the ballet “Gayane”. Based on a new libretto by Boris Pletnev, Aram Khachaturian significantly changed the ballet score, rewriting more than half of the previous music

Characters

• Hovhannes, chairman of the collective farm
• Gayane, his daughter
• Armen, shepherd
• Nune, collective farmer
• Karen, collective farmer
• Kazakov, head of the geological expedition
• Unknown
• Giko, collective farmer
• Aisha, collective farmer
• Ishmael
• Agronomist
• Geologists
• Head of Border Guard

The action takes place in Armenia today (i.e. in the 30s of the 20th century).

Stage life

Leningrad Opera and Ballet Theater named after S. M. Kirov

Characters

• Gayane - Natalia Dudinskaya (then Alla Shelest)
• Armen - Konstantin Sergeev (then Semyon Kaplan)
• Nune - Tatyana Vecheslova (then Fairy Balabina)
• Karen - Nikolai Zubkovsky (then Vladimir Fidler)
• Giko - Boris Shavrov
• Aisha - Nina Anisimova

Characters

• Gayane - Raisa Struchkova (then Nina Fedorova, Marina Kondratyeva)
• Armen - Yuri Kondratov (then Yuri Goffman)
• Mariam - Nina Chkalova (then Nina Timofeeva, Nina Chistova)
• Georgiy - Yaroslav Sekh
• Nunne - Lyudmila Bogomolova
• Karen - Esfandyar Kashani (then Georgy Solovyov)

The performance was performed 11 times, the last performance was on January 24 of this year.

Author of the libretto and choreographer Maxim Martirosyan, production designer Nikolai Zolotarev, conductor Alexander Kopylov

Characters

• Gayane - Marina Leonova (then Irina Prkofieva)
• Armen - Alexey Lazarev (then Valery Anisimov)
• Nerso - Boris Akimov (then Alexander Vetrov)
• Nune - Natalya Arkhipova (then Marina Nudga)
• Karen - Leonid Nikonov
• Lezginka - Elena Akhulkova and Alexander Vetrov

The performance was performed 3 times, the last performance was on April 12th.

Moscow Musical Theater named after K. S. Stanislavsky and V. I. Nemirovich-Danchenko

“Suite from the ballet “Gayane”” is a one-act ballet. Author of the libretto and choreographer Alexey Chichinadze, production designer Marina Sokolova, conductor Vladimir Edelman

Characters

• Gayane - Margarita Drozdova (then Eleonora Vlasova, Margarita Levina)
• Armen - Vadim Tedeev (then Valery Lantratov, Vladimir Petrunin)
• Nune - A.K. Gaisina (then Elena Golikova)
• Karen - Mikhail Krapivin (then Vyacheslav Sarkisov)

Leningrad Maly Opera and Ballet Theater

Ballet in 3 acts. Libretto, choreography and composition - Boris Eifman, production designer Z. P. Arshakuni, musical director and conductor A. S. Dmitriev

Characters

• Gayane - Tatiana Fesenko (then Tamara Statkun)
• Giko - Vasily Ostrovsky (then Konstantin Novoselov, Vladimir Adzhamov)
• Armen - Anatoly Sidorov (then S. A. Sokolov)
• Matsak - Herman Zamuel (then Evgeniy Myasishchev)

Performances in other theaters

Bibliography

• Kabalevsky D.“Emelyan Pugachev” and “Gayane” // Soviet music: magazine. - M., 1943. - No. 1.
• Kabalevsky D. Aram Khachaturian and his ballet “Gayane” // Pravda: newspaper. - M., 1943. - No. 5 April.
• Keldysh Yu. New production “Gayane” // Soviet music: magazine. - M., 1952. - No. 2.
• Strazhenkova I."Gayane" - ballet by Aram Khachaturian. - M., 1959.
• Tigranov G.. - M.: Soviet composer, 1960. - 156 p. - 2750 copies.
• Armashevskaya K., Vainonen N."Gayane". Recent years of work // . - M.: Art, 1971. - P. 241-252. - 278 p. - 10,000 copies.
• Sheremetyevskaya N.“Gayane” // Musical life: magazine. - M., 1978. - No. 10.
• Esambaev M. Not only the word // Soviet culture: newspaper. - M., 1989. - No. 11 July.
• Antonova K. Celebration of life - celebration of dance // Benoir Lodge No. 2. - Chelyabinsk: Publisher Tatyana Lurie, 2008. - P. 151-152. - 320 s. - 1000 copies.

- ISBN 978-5-89851-114-2.

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Notes

• Links

on the website of the Aram Khachaturian Virtual Museum

Excerpt characterizing Gayane (ballet)
Emperor Napoleon had not yet left his bedroom and was finishing his toilet. He, snorting and grunting, turned first with his thick back, then with his overgrown fat chest under the brush with which the valet rubbed his body. Another valet, holding the bottle with his finger, sprinkled cologne on the emperor’s well-groomed body with an expression that said that he alone could know how much and where to spray the cologne. Napoleon's short hair was wet and tangled over his forehead. But his face, although swollen and yellow, expressed physical pleasure: “Allez ferme, allez toujours...” [Well, even stronger...] - he said, shrugging and grunting, to the valet who was rubbing him. The adjutant, who entered the bedroom in order to report to the emperor about how many prisoners were taken in yesterday's case, having handed over what was needed, stood at the door, waiting for permission to leave. Napoleon, wincing, glanced from under his brows at the adjutant.
“Point de prisonniers,” he repeated the words of the adjutant. – Il se font demolir. Tant pis pour l "armee russe,” he said. “Allez toujours, allez ferme, [There are no prisoners. They force themselves to be exterminated. So much the worse for the Russian army. Well, even stronger...],” he said, hunching his back and exposing his fat shoulders.
“C"est bien! Faites entrer monsieur de Beausset, ainsi que Fabvier, [Okay! Let de Beausset come in, and Fabvier too.] - he said to the adjutant, nodding his head.
- Oui, Sire, [I'm listening, sir.] - and the adjutant disappeared through the door of the tent. Two valets quickly dressed His Majesty, and he, in a blue guards uniform, walked out into the reception room with firm, quick steps.
At this time, Bosse was hurrying with his hands, placing the gift he had brought from the Empress on two chairs, right in front of the Emperor’s entrance. But the emperor got dressed and went out so unexpectedly quickly that he did not have time to fully prepare the surprise.
Napoleon immediately noticed what they were doing and guessed that they were not yet ready. He didn't want to deprive them of the pleasure of surprising him. He pretended that he did not see Monsieur Bosset and called Fabvier to him. Napoleon listened, with a stern frown and in silence, to what Fabvier told him about the courage and devotion of his troops, who fought at Salamanca on the other side of Europe and had only one thought - to be worthy of their emperor, and one fear - not to please him. The result of the battle was sad. Napoleon made ironic remarks during Fabvier's story, as if he did not imagine that things could go differently in his absence.
“I must correct this in Moscow,” said Napoleon. “A tantot, [Goodbye.],” he added and called de Bosset, who at that time had already managed to prepare a surprise by placing something on the chairs and covering something with a blanket.
De Bosset bowed low with that French court bow, which only the old servants of the Bourbons knew how to bow, and approached, handing over an envelope.
Napoleon turned to him cheerfully and pulled him by the ear.
– You were in a hurry, I’m very glad. Well, what does Paris say? - he said, suddenly changing his previously stern expression to the most affectionate.
– Sire, tout Paris regrette votre absence, [Sire, all of Paris regrets your absence.] – as it should, answered de Bosset. But although Napoleon knew that Bosset had to say this or the like, although he knew in his clear moments that it was not true, he was pleased to hear it from de Bosset. He again deigned to touch him behind the ear.
“Je suis fache, de vous avoir fait faire tant de chemin,” he said.
- Sire! Je ne m"attendais pas a moins qu"a vous trouver aux portes de Moscou, [I expected no less than to find you, sir, at the gates of Moscow.] - said Bosset.
Napoleon smiled and, absentmindedly raising his head, looked around to the right. The adjutant approached with a floating step with a golden snuff-box and offered it to her. Napoleon took it.
“Yes, it happened well for you,” he said, putting the open snuffbox to his nose, “you love to travel, in three days you will see Moscow.” You probably didn’t expect to see the Asian capital. You will make a pleasant trip.
Bosse bowed with gratitude for this attentiveness to his (until now unknown to him) inclination to travel.
- A! what's this? - said Napoleon, noticing that all the courtiers were looking at something covered with a veil. Bosse, with courtly dexterity, without showing his back, took a half-turn two steps back and at the same time pulled off the coverlet and said:
- A gift to Your Majesty from the Empress.
It was a portrait painted by Gerard in bright colors of a boy born from Napoleon and the daughter of the Austrian emperor, whom for some reason everyone called the King of Rome.
A very handsome curly-haired boy, with a look similar to that of Christ in the Sistine Madonna, was depicted playing in a billbok. The ball represented the globe, and the wand in the other hand represented the scepter.
Although it was not entirely clear what exactly the painter wanted to express by representing the so-called King of Rome piercing the globe with a stick, this allegory, like everyone who saw the picture in Paris, and Napoleon, obviously seemed clear and liked it very much.
“Roi de Rome, [Roman King.],” he said, pointing to the portrait with a graceful gesture of his hand. – Admirable! [Wonderful!] – With the Italian ability to change his facial expression at will, he approached the portrait and pretended to be thoughtfully tender. He felt that what he would say and do now was history. And it seemed to him that the best thing he could do now is that he, with his greatness, as a result of which his son played with the globe in a bilbok, should show, in contrast to this greatness, the simplest fatherly tenderness. His eyes became misty, he moved, looked back at the chair (the chair jumped under him) and sat down on it opposite the portrait. One gesture from him - and everyone tiptoed out, leaving the great man to himself and his feelings.
After sitting for some time and touching, without knowing why, his hand to the roughness of the glare of the portrait, he stood up and again called Bosse and the duty officer. He ordered the portrait to be taken out in front of the tent, so as not to deprive the old guard, who stood near his tent, of the happiness of seeing the Roman king, the son and heir of their beloved sovereign.
As he had expected, while he was having breakfast with Monsieur Bosse, who had received this honor, in front of the tent the enthusiastic cries of the officers and soldiers of the old guard who had come running to the portrait were heard.
– Vive l"Empereur! Vive le Roi de Rome! Vive l"Empereur! [Long live the Emperor! Long live the Roman King!] - enthusiastic voices were heard.
After breakfast, Napoleon, in the presence of Bosse, dictated his orders for the army.
– Courte et energique! [Short and energetic!] - said Napoleon when he read the written proclamation immediately without amendments. The order was:
“Warriors! This is the battle you have longed for. Victory depends on you. It is necessary for us; she will provide us with everything we need: comfortable apartments and a quick return to our homeland. Act as you acted at Austerlitz, Friedland, Vitebsk and Smolensk. May later posterity proudly remember your exploits to this day. Let it be said about each of you: he was in the great battle near Moscow!”
– De la Moscow! [Near Moscow!] - Napoleon repeated, and, inviting Mr. Bosset, who loved to travel, to join him in his walk, he left the tent to the saddled horses.
“Votre Majeste a trop de bonte, [You are too kind, Your Majesty," Bosse said when asked to accompany the emperor: he was sleepy and did not know how and was afraid to ride a horse.
But Napoleon nodded to the traveler, and Bosse had to go. When Napoleon left the tent, the screams of the guards in front of the portrait of his son intensified even more. Napoleon frowned.
“Take it off,” he said, pointing to the portrait with a graceful, majestic gesture. “It’s too early for him to see the battlefield.”
Bosse, closing his eyes and bowing his head, took a deep breath, with this gesture showing how he knew how to appreciate and understand the words of the emperor.

Napoleon spent the entire day of August 25, as his historians say, on horseback, inspecting the area, discussing the plans presented to him by his marshals, and personally giving orders to his generals.
The original line of Russian troops along Kolocha was broken, and part of this line, namely the Russian left flank, was driven back as a result of the capture of the Shevardinsky redoubt on the 24th. This part of the line was not fortified, no longer protected by the river, and in front of it there was only a more open and level place. It was obvious to every military and non-military person that the French were supposed to attack this part of the line. It seemed that this did not require many considerations, there was no need for such care and troubles of the emperor and his marshals, and there was no need at all for that special highest ability called genius, which they so like to attribute to Napoleon; but the historians who subsequently described this event, and the people then surrounding Napoleon, and he himself, thought differently.
Napoleon drove across the field, thoughtfully peered at the area, shook his head with himself in approval or disbelief, and, without informing the generals around him of the thoughtful move that guided his decisions, conveyed to them only final conclusions in the form of orders. Having listened to the proposal of Davout, called the Duke of Ecmul, to bypass the Russian left flank, Napoleon said that this did not need to be done, without explaining why it was not necessary. To the proposal of General Compan (who was supposed to attack the flushes) to lead his division through the forest, Napoleon expressed his consent, despite the fact that the so-called Duke of Elchingen, that is, Ney, allowed himself to note that movement through the forest was dangerous and could upset the division .
Having examined the area opposite the Shevardinsky redoubt, Napoleon thought for a while in silence and pointed to the places where two batteries were to be set up by tomorrow to operate against the Russian fortifications, and the places where field artillery was to be lined up next to them.
Having given these and other orders, he returned to his headquarters, and the disposition of the battle was written under his dictation.
This disposition, about which French historians speak with delight and other historians with deep respect, was as follows:
“At dawn, two new batteries, built in the night, on the plain occupied by the Prince of Eckmuhl, will open fire on the two opposing enemy batteries.
At the same time, the chief of artillery of the 1st Corps, General Pernetti, with 30 guns of the Compan division and all the howitzers of the Dessay and Friant divisions, will move forward, open fire and bombard the enemy battery with grenades, against which they will act!
24 guards artillery guns,
30 guns of the Compan division
and 8 guns of the Friant and Dessay divisions,
Total - 62 guns.
The chief of artillery of the 3rd Corps, General Fouche, will place all the howitzers of the 3rd and 8th Corps, 16 in total, on the flanks of the battery, which is assigned to bombard the left fortification, which will total 40 guns against it.
General Sorbier must be ready, at the first order, to march with all the howitzers of the Guards artillery against one or another fortification.
Continuing the cannonade, Prince Poniatowski will head towards the village, into the forest and bypass the enemy position.
General Compan will move through the forest to take possession of the first fortification.
Upon entering the battle in this way, orders will be given according to the actions of the enemy.
The cannonade on the left flank will begin as soon as the cannonade of the right wing is heard. The riflemen of Moran's division and the Viceroy's division would open heavy fire when they saw the beginning of the attack of the right wing.
The Viceroy will take possession of the village [of Borodin] and cross his three bridges, following at the same height with the divisions of Morand and Gerard, which, under his leadership, will head to the redoubt and enter the line with the rest of the army.
All this must be done in order (le tout se fera avec ordre et methode), keeping the troops in reserve as much as possible.
In the imperial camp, near Mozhaisk, September 6, 1812.”
This disposition, written in a very unclear and confused way, if we allow ourselves to regard his orders without religious horror at Napoleon’s genius, contained four points - four orders. None of these orders could be or were carried out.
The disposition says, first: that the batteries set up at the place chosen by Napoleon with the Pernetti and Fouche guns aligned with them, a total of one hundred and two guns, open fire and bombard the Russian flashes and redoubts with shells. This could not be done, since the shells from the places appointed by Napoleon did not reach the Russian works, and these one hundred and two guns fired empty until the nearest commander, contrary to Napoleon’s orders, pushed them forward.

Ballet in four acts. The author of the ballet is Aram Ilyich Khachaturian. Libretto by K. Derzhavin.

In the fall of 1941, A. Khachaturian began working on the score for a new ballet. The work took place in close collaboration with the Leningrad Opera and Ballet Theater, which was located in Perm at that time. The premiere took place on December 3, 1942 and was a great success. In 1957, a new production of the ballet was performed at the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow. The libretto was changed, and Khachaturian rewrote more than half of the previous music. Ballet entered the history of ballet art in our country. The music for it formed the basis of three large symphonic suites, and individual numbers of the suites, for example, “Sabre Dance,” became world famous.
The ballet “Gayane” is a work deeply folk in spirit, integral in musical language, marked by the extraordinary colorfulness of the instrumentation.

Plot:
Gayane, the daughter of the collective farm chairman Hovhannes, helps to catch and neutralize the Unknown, who secretly entered the territory of Armenia in order to steal the secrets of geologists. Her friends and her loving Gayane Armen help her in this. Armen's rival Giko pays with his life for unwittingly assisting the enemy.

Dark night. An unknown figure appears in a thick network of rain. Listening warily and looking around, he frees himself from the parachute lines. After checking the map, he makes sure that he is at his destination. The rain subsides. Far away in the mountains the lights of the village flicker. The stranger takes off his overalls and remains in a tunic with stripes for wounds. Limping heavily, he leaves towards the village. Sunny morning. Spring work is in full swing in the collective farm gardens. Slowly, lazily stretching, Giko goes to work. The girls of the best brigade of the collective farm are in a hurry. With them is the foreman - a young, cheerful Gayane. Giko stops the Girl. He tells her about his love, wants to hug her. A young shepherd, Armen, appears on the Road. Gayane joyfully runs towards him. High in the mountains, near the shepherds' camp, Armen found shiny pieces of ore. He shows them to the Girl. Giko looks jealously at Armen and Gayane. During rest hours, the collective farmers start dancing. They leave together. After work, Gayane’s friends gathered. Karen plays the tar. Girls perform an ancient Armenian dance. Kazakov enters. He stayed at Hovhannes' house. Gayane and her friends show Kazakov the colorful carpet they have woven and start a game of blind man's buff. A drunk Giko arrives. The game gets upset. The collective farmers are trying to persuade Giko, who is again pursuing Gayane, and advise him to leave. After seeing the guests off, the collective farm chairman tries to talk to Giko. But he does not listen to Hovhannes and annoyingly pesters Gayane. The angry girl drives Giko away. The geologists return from the hike with Armen. Armen's discovery is not an accident. A rare metal deposit was discovered in the mountains. Kazakov decides to examine him in detail. Giko, who lingered in the room, witnesses this conversation. The mineral prospectors are getting ready to set off. Armen tenderly gives his beloved girl a flower brought from the mountain slope. Giko sees this as he walks past the windows with the unknown man. Armen and Hovhannes go with the expedition. Kazakov asks Gayane to keep the bag with ore samples. Gayane hides it. Night has come. An unknown person enters Gayane's house. He pretends to be sick and falls exhausted. Gayane helps him get up and hurries to get water. Left alone, he jumps up and begins to look for materials from the geological expedition. Gayane, who has returned, understands that there is an enemy in front of her. Threatening, the unknown person demands that she tell her where the geologists' materials are located. During the fight, the carpet covering the niche falls. There is a bag with pieces of ore. An unknown person ties up Gayane, takes a bag and, trying to hide traces of the crime, sets the house on fire. Fire and smoke fill the room. Giko jumps out the window. There is horror and confusion on his face. Seeing a stick forgotten by an unknown person, Giko realizes that the criminal is his recent acquaintance. He carries the girl out of the house engulfed in flames. Starry night. High in the mountains there is a camp of collective farm shepherds. A squad of border guards passes by. Shepherd Ishmael entertains his beloved girl Aisha by playing the pipe. Aisha begins a smooth dance. Attracted by the music, the shepherds gather. And here is Armen. He brought geologists. Here, at the foot of the cliff, he found precious ore. Shepherds perform the folk dance “Khochari”. They are replaced by Armen. Burning torches in his hands cut through the darkness of the night. A group of mountaineers and border guards arrives. The mountaineers carry the parachute they found. The enemy has penetrated Soviet soil! There was a glow over the valley. There is a fire in the village! Everyone rushes there. The flames are raging. The figure of an unknown person flashed in the reflections of the fire. He tries to hide, but collective farmers are running from all sides towards the burning house. The unknown man hides the bag and gets lost in the crowd. The crowd subsides. At this moment, an unknown person overtakes Giko. He asks him to remain silent and gives him a wad of money for this. Giko throws money in his face and wants to apprehend the criminal. Giko is wounded but continues to fight. Gayane runs up to help. Giko falls. The enemy points his weapon at Gayane. Armen arrives in time and snatches a revolver from the enemy, who is surrounded by border guards. Autumn. The collective farm reaped a bountiful harvest. Everyone comes together for the holiday. Armen hurries to Gayane.

The melodies of “Gayane” are permeated with intonations and singing of folk songs; They are characterized by the peculiarities of the modal structure of Armenian music, rhythmic patterns, orchestral timbres, as if reproducing the sound of folk instruments. Some features of Khachaturian's music originate in the performing style characteristic of folk singers and instrumentalists. In the ballet “Gayane” dance rhythms play a huge role. This is not only due to the genre of ballet; here there was a direct dependence on Armenian folk song, for which dance rhythms are extremely characteristic. That is why folk song and dance melodies sound naturally and figuratively not only in festive scenes of fun, but also in sketches of the working life of collective farmers, and in the images of characters. The compositional and musical-dramatic techniques used by Khachaturian in “Gayane” are extremely diverse. Integral, generalized musical characteristics acquire predominant importance in ballet: portrait sketches, folk and genre pictures, pictures of nature. They correspond to complete musical numbers, in the sequential presentation of which the features of a symphonic suite are often seen. The logic of development that unites independent musical images into a single whole is different. Thus, in the final picture, the larger dance cycle is united by the ongoing celebration. In some cases, the alternation of numbers is based on figurative, emotional contrasts of lyrical and cheerful, impetuous or energetic, courageous, genre and dramatic (see the first scenes of acts I and II). In the moments of the greatest tension of the action, for example in the scene of Gayane with Giko (from Act II), when Gayane reveals his sabotage plans and tries to counteract them, in the scenes of the revelation of the conspiracy and fire (III Act), Khachaturian gives large symphonic episodes of end-to-end musical development, which corresponds to the very drama of the action. Musical and dramatic means are also clearly differentiated in the characteristics of the characters: solid portrait sketches of episodic characters are contrasted with end-to-end dramatic musical development in Gayane’s part; The varied dance rhythms that underlie the musical portraits of Gayane’s friends and relatives are contrasted by Gayane’s improvisationally free, lyrically rich melodies. Khachaturian consistently applies the principle of leitmotifs to each of the characters, which imparts musical integrity and stage specificity to the images and the entire work.

Khachaturian's Concerto for Violin and Orchestra, written in 1940, belongs to the outstanding and most popular works of music. The popularity of Khachaturian's violin concerto is due to its great artistic merits. Pictures of the colorful, happy life of Armenia were reflected in the life-affirming and bright images of the concert, festive-dance and lyrically-soulful.

Having experienced the beneficial influence of the traditions of the Russian classical concert and Russian symphony, Khachaturian created a work marked by high skill and at the same time clearly folk. Authentic Armenian folk tunes are not used in the concert. However, all of his melody, modal-intonation structure, and harmony are an organic transformation of Armenian folk song, native to Khachaturian.

Khachaturian's violin concerto consists of 3 parts: the outer parts are fast, impetuous, full of dynamics and fire; the middle one is slow, lyrical. There are intonation connections between the parts of the concert and individual themes, which gives it integrity and unity.

Part 1 (Allegro, D minor) is written in the form of a sonata allegro. Already a short orchestral introduction captivates the listener with its energy and assertiveness and immediately brings it into the sphere of active action.

Part 2 (Andante sostenuto, A minor) represents the central lyrical image of the concert. It is in bright contrast to the outer parts. The violin acts here exclusively as a melodic, melodic instrument. This is a “song without words” in the oriental style, in which the intonations of Armenian folk tunes are organically implemented. It expresses sincere thoughts, thoughts about his native land, the artist’s love for his people, for the nature of the Caucasus.

The finale of the concert is a vivid picture of a national holiday. Everything is full of movement, aspiration, energy, fire, joyful inspiration. The music is of a dance nature; even when the song flows, the rhythm of the dance continues to sound. The sound range expands, the movement becomes more and more rapid. The sound of the orchestra and violin imitates folk instruments.

Having embodied brightly colorful musical scenes from the life of the people of Armenia in his violin concert, Khachaturian applied the technique of monothematism to the overall composition of his work: in the 2nd part of the concert, and especially in the finale, the themes of the 1st part are carried out. But varying the texture, tempo, rhythm, dynamics contributes to a change in their figurative meaning: the dramatic and lyrical images of part 1 now turn into images of a folk holiday, fun, exuberant and temperamental dancing. This transformation is in keeping with the optimistic concept of the concert.

Ballet "Gayane"

The ballet “Gayane” was written by Khachaturian in 1942. In the harsh days of the Second World War, the music of “Gayane” sounded like a bright and life-affirming story. Shortly before Gayane, Khachaturian wrote the ballet Happiness. In a different storyline revealing the same images, the ballet was, as it were, a sketch for “Gayane” in theme and music: the composer introduced the best numbers from “Happiness” into “Gayane”.

The creation of “Gayane,” one of Aram Khachaturian’s wonderful works, was prepared not only by the first ballet. The theme of human happiness - his living creative energy, the completeness of his worldview was revealed by Khachaturian in works of other genres. On the other hand, the symphonic nature of the composer’s musical thinking, the bright colors and imagery of his music.

The libretto of “Gayane,” written by K. Derzhavin, tells the story of how the young collective farmer Gayane emerges from the power of her husband, a deserter who undermines work on the collective farm; how she exposes his treacherous actions, his connection with saboteurs, almost becoming a victim of a target, almost becoming a victim of revenge, and finally, how Gayane learns a new, happy life.

1 action.

A new harvest is being harvested in the cotton fields of an Armenian collective farm. Among the best, most active workers is collective farmer Gayane. Her husband, Giko, quits working on the collective farm and demands the same from Gayane, who refuses to fulfill his demand. Collective farmers expel Giko from their midst. This scene is witnessed by the head of the border detachment, Cossacks, who arrived at the collective farm.

Act 2.

Relatives and friends try to entertain Gayane. Giko's appearance in the house forces the guests to leave. 3 strangers come to see Giko. Gayane learns about her husband’s connection with saboteurs and his intention to set fire to the collective farm. Gayane's attempts to prevent the criminal plan are in vain.

Act 3.

Proud camp of the Kurds. A young girl Aisha is waiting for her lover Armen (Gayane’s brother). Armen and Aisha's date is interrupted by the appearance of three strangers looking for the way to the border. Armen, having volunteered to be their guide, sends for Kazakov’s detachment. The saboteurs were detained.

In the distance, a fire flares up - it is a collective farm that has been set on fire. Cossacks with a detachment and Kurds rush to the aid of collective farmers.

4 action.

The collective farm, reborn from the ashes, is preparing to begin its working life again. On this occasion there is a holiday on the collective farm. With the new life of the collective farm, Gayane’s new life begins. In the struggle with her deserter husband, she asserted her right to an independent working life. Now Gayane has learned a new, bright feeling of love. The holiday ends with the announcement of the upcoming wedding of Gayane and Kazakov.

The action of the ballet develops in two main directions: the drama of Gayane, pictures of folk life. As in all of Khachaturian’s best works, the music of “Gayane” is deeply and organically connected with the musical culture of the Transcaucasian peoples and, most of all, with his native Armenian people.

Khachaturian introduces several authentic folk melodies into the ballet. They are used by the composer not only as bright and expressive melodic material, but in accordance with the meaning they have in folk life.

The compositional and musical-dramatic techniques used by Khachaturian in “Gayane” are extremely diverse. Integral, generalized musical characteristics acquire predominant importance in ballet: portrait sketches, folk and genre pictures, pictures of nature. They correspond to complete, closed musical numbers, in the sequential presentation of which bright suite-symphonic cycles often develop. The logic of development that unites independent musical images into a single whole is different in different cases. Thus, in the final picture, a large cycle of dances is united by the ongoing celebration. In some cases, the alternation of numbers is based on figurative, emotional contrasts of lyrical and cheerful, impetuous or energetic, courageous, genre and dramatic.

Musical and dramatic means are also clearly differentiated in the characteristics of the characters: solid portrait sketches of episodic characters are contrasted with end-to-end dramatic musical development in Gayane’s part; The varied dance rhythms that underlie the musical portraits of Gayane’s friends and relatives are contrasted by Gayane’s improvisationally free, lyrically rich melodies.

Khachaturian consistently applies the principle of leitmotifs in relation to each of the characters, which imparts musical value and stage specificity to the images and the entire work. Thanks to the diversity and development of Gayane’s melodies, her musical image acquires much greater flexibility in comparison with other ballet characters. The image of Gayane is revealed by the composer in a consistent development, as her feelings evolve: from hidden sorrow (“Dance of Gayane”, No. 6) and the first glimpses of a new feeling (“Dance of Gayane”, No. 8), through a struggle full of drama (Act 2) - to a new bright feeling, a new life (introduction to Act 4, No. 26).

“Dance of Gayane” (No. 6) is a mournful, restrained monologue. His expressiveness is concentrated in a soulful and at the same time intense melody.

A different circle of images is conveyed by another “arioso” of Gayane - “Dance of Gayane” (No. 8, after a meeting with the head of the border detachment Kazakov) - excited, tremulous, as if foreshadowing the beginning of a new, bright feeling. And here the composer adheres to strict economy of expressive means. This is a harp solo built on wide passages.

Now follows “Lullaby” (No. 13), where the characters’ introductory melody, measured, still bears traces of the drama of the previous scene. But as it develops, the same theme in the sound of the violins, with variations activating the melody, in a new, more intense harmonization, acquires a broader lyrical meaning. A further change in the theme completely violates the framework of the lullaby: it sounds like a dramatic monologue of Gayane.

The portrait of Gayane, given by the composer in a variety of ways, is at the same time distinguished by its amazing musical unity. This is especially clear in the example of the duet with Kazakov. And here the composer strives to preserve the general image of the heroine: the same broad, improvisational melody, deeply lyrical, but for the first time light, in a major key; the same intimacy and chamberness of the sound of solo instruments.

A completely different principle underlies the musical depiction of other characters: Nune and Karen, Gayane’s brother Armen, the Kurdish girl Aisha.

The “portrait” of Aisha, a young Kurdish girl, is painted brightly and prominently - “Aisha’s Dance” (No. 16). The composer managed to combine a drawn-out, leisurely, oriental melody, whimsically rhythmic, with a clear and smooth waltz movement, giving the music the character of soft lyricism.

In "Aisha's Dance" the variational principle of development is combined with a three-hour form; dynamics, movement - with clarity and symmetrical construction.

“Dance of the Pink Girls” (No. 7) is distinguished by its extraordinary freshness, elegance and grace of movement. Its melody is extremely clear in design, as if it combines the clarity of a marching gait, which imparts cheerfulness to the music, and the whimsicality of dance rhythms.

“Dance with Sabers” (No. 35), energetic, temperamental, in its design is connected with the tradition of showing strength, prowess, and dexterity at folk festivals. Fast tempo, strong-willed uniform rhythm, chanting of melody, ringing and sharp orchestral sounds - all this reproduces the speed and rhythm of movements, saber strikes.

One of the bright numbers of the “Dance Suite” of Act 4 is “Lezginka”. It is striking in its very subtle, sensitive insight into the essence of folk music. Everything in Lezginka comes from listening to folk music. “Lezginka” is an example of how Khachaturian, based entirely on the principles of folk music, freely and boldly develops them to the scale of symphonic thinking.

Libretto by K. Derzhavin. Choreographer N. Anisimova.

Characters

Hovhannes, chairman of the collective farm. Gayane, his daughter. Armen, shepherd. Nune. Karen. Kazakov, head of the geological expedition. Unknown. Giko. Aisha. Ishmael. Agronomist. Geologists. Head of the Border Guard.

Dark night. An unknown figure appears in a thick network of rain. Listening warily and looking around, he frees himself from the parachute lines. After checking the map, he makes sure that he is at the goal.

The rain is subsiding. Far away in the mountains the lights of the village flicker. The stranger takes off his overalls and remains in a tunic with stripes for wounds. Limping heavily, he goes towards the village.

Sunny morning. Spring work is in full swing in the collective farm gardens. Slowly, lazily stretching, Giko goes to work. The girls of the best brigade of the collective farm are in a hurry. With them is the foreman - a young, cheerful Gayane. Giko stops the Girl. He tells her about his love, wants to hug her. A young shepherd, Armen, appears on the Road. Gayane joyfully runs towards him. High in the mountains, near the shepherds' camp, Armen found shiny pieces of ore. He shows them to the Girl. Giko looks jealously at Armen and Gayane.

During rest hours, collective farmers start dancing. Suitable o. He wants Gayane to dance with him and tries to hug her again. Armen protects the girl from annoying advances. Giko is furious. He is looking for a reason to quarrel. Grabbing the basket of seedlings, Giko throws it furiously. He doesn't want to work. The collective farmers reproach Giko, but he does not listen to them and attacks Armen with raised fists. Gayane comes between them. She demands that Giko leave immediately.

Collective farmers are outraged by Giko's behavior. A young collective farmer, Karen, comes running. He reports that guests have arrived. A group of geologists led by the head of the expedition, Kazakov, enters the garden. An unknown person follows them. He hired out to carry the geologists' luggage and stayed with them.

Collective farmers warmly welcome visitors. The restless Nune and Karen begin to dance in honor of the guests. Gayane also dances. The guests also watch with admiration the dance of the shepherd Armen. The signal to start work sounds. Hovhannes shows visitors the collective farm gardens. Gayane is left alone. Everything pleases her eyes. The girl admires the distant mountains and the fragrant gardens of her native collective farm.

Geologists are returning. Gayane advises Armen to show them the ore he brought. Armen's find interested geologists. They are ready to go on reconnaissance now. Armen shows the route on the map and undertakes to accompany the geologists. At this moment, an unknown person appears. He closely monitors Armen and the geologists.

Packing for the trip is over. Gayane tenderly says goodbye to Armen. Giko, who comes up, sees this. Seized with jealousy, he threatens to follow the shepherd. An unknown hand rests on Giko's shoulder. He pretends to sympathize with Giko, and, inciting his hatred, insidiously offers friendship and help. They leave together.

After work, friends gathered at Gayane's place. Karen plays the tar. Girls perform an ancient Armenian dance. Kazakov enters. He stayed at Hovhannes's house.

Gayane and her friends show Kazakov the flowery carpet they have woven and start a game of blind man's buff. A drunk Giko arrives. The game gets upset. The collective farmers are trying to persuade Giko, who is again pursuing Gayane, and advise him to leave. After seeing the guests off, the collective farm chairman tries to talk to Giko. But he does not listen to Hovhannes and annoyingly pesters Gayane. The angry girl drives Giko away.

Geologists return from the hike with Armen. Armen's discovery is not an accident. A rare metal deposit was discovered in the mountains. Kazakov decides to examine him in detail. Giko, who lingers in the room, witnesses this conversation.

Mineral prospectors are getting ready to hit the road. Armen tenderly gives his beloved girl a flower brought from the mountain slope. Giko sees this as he walks past the windows with the unknown man. Armen and Hovhannes go with the expedition. Kazakov asks Gayane to keep the bag with ore samples. Gayane hides it.

Night has come. An unknown person enters Gayane's house. He pretends to be sick and falls exhausted. Gayane helps him get up and hurries to get water. Left alone, he jumps up and begins to look for materials from the geological expedition.

Returning Gayane understands that she faces an enemy. Threatening, the unknown person demands that she tell her where the geologists' materials are located. During the fight, the carpet covering the niche falls. There is a bag with pieces of ore. An unknown person ties up Gayane, takes the bag and, trying to hide traces of the crime, sets the house on fire.

Fire and smoke fill the room. Giko jumps out the window. There is horror and confusion on his face. Seeing a stick forgotten by an unknown person, Giko realizes that the criminal is his recent acquaintance. He carries the girl out of the house engulfed in flames.

Starlight Night. High in the mountains there is a camp of collective farm shepherds. A squad of border guards passes by. Shepherd Ishmael entertains his beloved girl Aisha by playing the pipe. Aisha begins a smooth dance. Attracted by the music, the shepherds gather. And here is Armen. He brought geologists. Here, at the foot of the cliff, he found precious ore. Shepherds perform the folk dance “Khochari”. They are replaced by Armen. Burning torches in his hands cut through the darkness of the night.

A group of mountaineers and border guards arrives. The mountaineers carry the parachute they found. The enemy has penetrated Soviet soil! There was a glow over the valley. There is a fire in the village! Everyone rushes there.

The flames are raging. The figure of an unknown person flashed in the reflections of the fire. He tries to hide, but collective farmers are running from all sides towards the burning house. The unknown person hides the bag and gets lost in the crowd.

The crowd subsided. At this moment, an unknown person overtakes Giko. He asks him to remain silent and gives him a wad of money for this. Giko throws money in his face and wants to apprehend the criminal. Giko is wounded but continues to fight. Gayane runs up to help. Giko falls. The enemy points his weapon at Gayane. Armen, who arrived in time, snatches a revolver from the enemy, who is surrounded by border guards.

Autumn. The collective farm reaped a bountiful harvest. Everyone comes together for the holiday. Armen hurries to Gayane. On this wonderful day he wants to be with his beloved. Armena stops the kids and starts a dance around him.

Collective farmers carry baskets of fruit and jugs of wine. Guests invited to the celebration from the fraternal republics arrive - Russians, Ukrainians, Georgians.

Finally Armen sees Gayane. Their meeting is full of joy and happiness. People flock to the square. Here are the old friends of the collective farmers - geologists and border guards. The best brigade is awarded a banner. Kazakov asks Hovhannes to let Armen go to study. Hovhannes agrees.

One dance gives way to another. Nune and her friends dance, striking the ringing tambourines. Guests perform their national dances - Russian, dashing Ukrainian hopak, Lezginka, warlike mountain dance with sabers and others.

Tables are set right there in the square. With their glasses raised, everyone praises free labor, the indestructible friendship of the Soviet peoples, and the beautiful Motherland.

Ballet in four acts

Libretto by K. Derzhavin

Characters

Hovhannes, chairman of the collective farm

Gayane, his daughter

Armen, shepherd

Nune

Karen

Kazakov, head of the geological expedition

Unknown

Giko

Aisha

Ishmael

Agronomist

Head of Border Guard

Geologists

Dark night. An unknown figure appears in a thick network of rain. Listening warily and looking around, he frees himself from the parachute lines. After checking the map, he makes sure that he is at the goal.

The rain is subsiding. Far away in the mountains the lights of the village flicker. The stranger takes off his overalls and remains in a tunic with stripes for wounds. Limping heavily, he goes towards the village.

Sunny morning. Spring work is in full swing in the collective farm gardens. Slowly, lazily stretching, Giko goes to work. The girls of the best brigade of the collective farm are in a hurry. With them is the foreman - a young, cheerful Gayane. Giko stops the girl. He tells her about his love, wants to hug her. A young shepherd Armen appears on the road. Gayane joyfully runs towards him. High in the mountains, near the shepherds' camp, Armen found shiny pieces of ore. He shows them to the girl. Giko looks jealously at Armen and Gayane.

During rest hours, collective farmers start dancing. Giko approaches. He wants Gayane to dance with him and tries to hug her again. Armen protects the girl from annoying advances. Giko is furious. He is looking for a reason to quarrel. Grabbing the basket of seedlings, Giko throws it furiously. He doesn't want to work. The collective farmers reproach Giko, but he does not listen to them and attacks Armen with raised fists. Gayane comes between them. She demands that Giko leave immediately.

Collective farmers are outraged by Giko's behavior. A young collective farmer, Karen, comes running. He reports that guests have arrived. A group of geologists led by the head of the expedition, Kazakov, enters the garden. An unknown person follows them. He hired out to carry the geologists' luggage and stayed with them.

Collective farmers warmly welcome visitors. The restless Nune and Karen begin to dance in honor of the guests. Gayane also dances. The guests also watch with admiration the dance of the shepherd Armen. The signal to start work sounds. Hovhannes shows visitors the collective farm gardens. Gayane is left alone. Everything pleases her eyes. The girl admires the distant mountains and the fragrant gardens of her native collective farm.

Geologists are returning. Gayane advises Armen to show them the ore he brought. Armen's find interested geologists. They are ready to go on reconnaissance now. Armen shows the route on the map and undertakes to accompany the geologists. At this moment, an unknown person appears. He closely monitors Armen and the geologists.

Packing for the trip is over. Gayane tenderly says goodbye to Armen. Giko, who comes up, sees this. Seized with jealousy, he threatens to follow the shepherd. An unknown hand rests on Giko's shoulder. He pretends to sympathize with Giko, and, inciting his hatred, insidiously offers friendship and help. They leave together.

After work, friends gathered at Gayane's place. Karen plays the tar. Girls perform an ancient Armenian dance. Kazakov enters. He stayed at Hovhannes's house.

Gayane and her friends show Kazakov the flowery carpet they have woven and start a game of blind man's buff. A drunk Giko arrives. The game gets upset. The collective farmers are trying to persuade Giko, who is again pursuing Gayane, and advise him to leave. After seeing the guests off, the collective farm chairman tries to talk to Giko. But he does not listen to Hovhannes and annoyingly pesters Gayane. The angry girl drives Giko away.

Geologists return from the hike with Armen. Armen's discovery is not an accident. A rare metal deposit was discovered in the mountains. Kazakov decides to examine him in detail. Giko, who lingers in the room, witnesses this conversation.

Mineral prospectors are getting ready to hit the road. Armen tenderly gives his beloved girl a flower brought from the mountain slope. Giko sees this as he walks past the windows with the unknown man. Armen and Hovhannes go with the expedition. Kazakov asks Gayane to keep the bag with ore samples. Gayane hides it.

Night has come. An unknown person enters Gayane's house. He pretends to be sick and falls exhausted. Gayane helps him get up and hurries to get water. Left alone, he jumps up and begins to look for materials from the geological expedition.

Returning Gayane understands that she faces an enemy. Threatening, the unknown person demands that she tell her where the geologists' materials are located. During the fight, the carpet covering the niche falls. There is a bag with pieces of ore. An unknown person ties up Gayane, takes the bag and, trying to hide traces of the crime, sets the house on fire.

Fire and smoke fill the room. Giko jumps out the window. There is horror and confusion on his face. Seeing a stick forgotten by an unknown person, Giko realizes that the criminal is his recent acquaintance. He carries the girl out of the house engulfed in flames.

Starlight Night. High in the mountains there is a camp of collective farm shepherds. A squad of border guards passes by. Shepherd Ishmael entertains his beloved girl Aisha by playing the pipe. Aisha begins a smooth dance. Attracted by the music, the shepherds gather. And here is Armen. He brought geologists. Here, at the foot of the cliff, he found precious ore. Shepherds perform the folk dance “Khochari”. They are replaced by Armen. Burning torches in his hands cut through the darkness of the night.

A group of mountaineers and border guards arrives. The mountaineers carry the parachute they found. The enemy has penetrated Soviet soil! There was a glow over the valley. There is a fire in the village! Everyone rushes there.

The flames are raging. The figure of an unknown person flashed in the reflections of the fire. He tries to hide, but collective farmers are running from all sides towards the burning house. The unknown person hides the bag and gets lost in the crowd.

The crowd subsided. At this moment, an unknown person overtakes Giko. He asks him to remain silent and gives him a wad of money for this. Giko throws money in his face and wants to apprehend the criminal. Giko is wounded but continues to fight. Gayane runs up to help. Giko falls. The enemy points his weapon at Gayane. Armen arrives in time and snatches a revolver from the enemy, who is surrounded by border guards.

Autumn. The collective farm reaped a bountiful harvest. Everyone comes together for the holiday. Armen hurries to Gayane. On this wonderful day he wants to be with his beloved. Armena stops the kids and starts a dance around him.

Collective farmers carry baskets of fruit and jugs of wine. Guests invited to the celebration from the fraternal republics arrive - Russians, Ukrainians, Georgians.

Finally Armen sees Gayane. Their meeting is full of joy and happiness. People flock to the square. Here are the old friends of the collective farmers - geologists and border guards. The best brigade is awarded a banner. Kazakov asks Hovhannes to let Armen go to study. Hovhannes agrees.

One dance gives way to another. Nune and her friends dance, striking the ringing tambourines. Guests perform their national dances - Russian, dashing Ukrainian hopak, Lezginka, warlike mountain dance with sabers and others.

Tables are set right there in the square. With their glasses raised, everyone praises free labor, the indestructible friendship of the Soviet peoples, and the beautiful Motherland.