Thread: Russian Opera

Originally Posted by myaskovsky2002

Polovtsian were Turkic people...a mixt of Turkish and Tartar. The opera is based on the anonymous poem (around 1245)

The Lay of the Host of Igor



O Russian Land, you are already behind the hill! ! The night was long in falling. Slowly the light of the sunset faded and dark mist covered the plain. The nightingales fell quiet and the call of the ravens was heard. The men of Rus barred the great plains...»

Around 1245. Igor lost the battle as shown in the opera, he went again and this time he lost...his life.
It is a wonderful Epic Poem...Much more than a simple opera as Alexander Nevsky was for Prokofiev.

Bye

Martin

About Polovtsian you are absolutely right! I am happened to be Tatar. I know folk melodies of these people from my childhood and was surprised not to hear them even remotely in Polovtsian dances. Very nice poem. Where did you get it? What books are you reading? You seems to be very educated person - my respect to you.

About Polovtsian you are absolutely right! I am happened to be Tatar. I know folk melodies of these people from my childhood and was surprised not to hear them even remotely in Polovtsian dances. Very nice poem. Where did you get it? What books are you reading? You seems to be very educated person - my respect to you.

I am in love with Russia and its culture. I read all Gogol, 95% of Pushkin, 45% of Dostoyevsky, 10% of Tchekhov and 0% of Tolstoi (LOL). I also read many books about R-K, Tchaikovsky, etc.
I also read the two poems: Prince Igor and Alexander Nevsky and many many Russian fairy tales, I went to Russia twice...the first time I stayed 45 days and the second one 30 days. I met Dmitri Shostakovich in Moscow and we had a cup of tea together and actually I'm learning Russian...I started 2 years ago alone and now with a Russian guy once a week. I love Russian opera and I have the most impressive collection I know of Russian opera...You can take a look at:

http://www3.bell.net/svp1/


I live in Canada and here Russian classical music and Russian opera are not popular.

A pleasure.

Martin

Originally Posted by myaskovsky2002

You can take a look at:

http://www3.bell.net/svp1/

Thanks for sharing - very impressive!!

Thanks for sharing - very impressive!!

My goal is to share, not to impress.
But to share with interesting people...and with interested people who can express themselves non stop...I hate being the last to speak in many places...LOL




Martin

each time I speak about Russian opera and let's say I show my collection I am the very last to speak...I feel depressed...Please speak!!!!!!!!!!! I know I have a big collection but I can still learn, I'm not dead!

Martin

Last year, in February, I was watching Closing Ceremony of Olympic Games and saw presentation from Russia. Among all things there was Guleghina singing an aria from Prince Igor. They brought her out on some sort of ladder. Whole setting was weird, nobody, at least among my friends, understood what she was singing and why. I thought what a horrible opera that must be. Then, recently, I saw your topics on russian opera and decided to give it another chance - Thanks God (i mean thanks to you) I can't stop listening to it. Every time I discover something new about it, it is amazing!

I listened/watched Shostakovitch, Lady Macbeth ..., found that the video is distracting. I like Shostakovitch, I heard that, his music is as if somebody sneaked into your soul, and scared it to death! Maybe fear is our national trait.

Noch peried rozhdestvov: (R-K)





Onieguin: (Tchai)...and other


Tsar's bride (R-K)




Wonderful!

Russian opera is the very best...like black caviar!



Martin

Originally Posted by Agatha

I listened/watched Shostakovitch, Lady Macbeth ..., found that the video is distracting. I like Shostakovitch, I heard that, his music is as if somebody sneaked into your soul, and scared it to death! Maybe fear is our national trait.

I think that Lady Macbet of Mtsensk District (a.k.a., with some modifications, as Katerina Izmailova) is one of the very best 20th century operas. Like top 5. It is an amazing opera.

зто правда

мартин

Originally Posted by myaskovsky2002

зто правда

мартин

вам я верю

Is there a good dvd (stage version) of Sadko? Imdb says there's an old movie.


I heard the Varangian Guest aria and fell in love. Such a beautiful piece!

Originally Posted by Sieglinde

Is there a good dvd (stage version) of Sadko? Imdb says there's an old movie.


I heard the Varangian Guest aria and fell in love. Such a beautiful piece!

This is the only one I know and own (it *is* a staged version):



I think it's OK, not outstanding.

I saw on Amazon that there are two others but I don't know them:





The second one doesn't seem to be exactly the opera but rather a film with animation (?!?); they do say that it includes RK's score.

I have the first DVD: Gergiev...Gergiev is very personal, singers are poor...or unknown.

The second that I do not have is with Atlantov, a GREAT singer...I highly recommend this one.

The third is a lovely movie I have...a movie movie...not opera, in Russian with English subtitles if you need them.

Sadko is the very first opera by Rimsky...Not the very best.

Mlada and May night both in DVD are great!






The Tsar's bride (a good version, the other one is not good) but B & W The voices are awesome.

Я ОЧЕНЬ ЛЮБЛЮ ЦАРСКУЮ НЕВЕСТУ !

мартин

I've just seen the other version again...not just Atlantov but Irina Arkhipova (the very best) ...it is warranty you'll fall in love with Sadko! That one is the best versions, not mine! I'm jealous!!!!!!!

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr


Martin