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| | Arts Calendar / June 24 / Opera |
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Pyotr Tchaikovsky's opera in two acts in commemoration of Tchaikovsky’s 175th anniversary. Symphonic suite Nutcracker is performed as part of production. Libretto by Modest Tchaikovsky after “King René’s Daughter” by Heinrich Hertz. Music Director: Anton Grishanin. Stage Director: Sergey Zhenovach. Designer: Alexander Borovsky. Iolanta and Nutcracker were commissioned from Tchaikovsky by the Mariinsky Theatre management. It is thought that the idea of uniting the one act opera and two act ballet into a single production to be shown on the same evening originated with the then director of the Imperial Theatres Ivan Vsevolozhsky. In July 1891 Tchaikovsky began composing the music for Iolanta, starting off with the Iolanta and Vaudemont duet. He was full of enthusiasm. The composer wrote to his brother Modest: "I'm in love more than ever with the subject of Iolanta, and your libretto is quite perfect… Oh yes, I will write an opera such that the audiences will weep". By September the music to all intents and purposes was completed and by December – so was the orchestration. The production is by Sergey Zhenovach, the artistic director of The Theatre Art Studio, and an acknowledged maître of giving major works of literature a new lease of life on stage. Working with him on the production were his permanent co-authors: scenographer Alexander Borovsky and lighting designer Damir Ismagilov.
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