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| | Arts Calendar / May 3 / Opera |
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 The Italian premiere of Norma took place on December 26, 1831 at La Scala in Milan. Four years later the opera was presented in Russia by a German company and the first production took place in St Petersburg in 1837. Despite its popularity, however, Bellini's opera is rarely performed in Russia as it requires virtuoso mastery of the bel canto technique and the role of Norma is one of the most difficult of the soprano repertoire. This will be the first time Norma will be performed at the stage of the Musical Theatre. The conflict between duty and passion that forms the basis of the original storyline has never lost (and will apparently never lose) its significance. The composer and the libretto's author, having placed their quite Italian characters in the first century B.C., and, moreover, having turned them into Druids fighting against the conquering Romans, presented the creators of the performance with a dilemma: either to try, following the stage directions, to recreate the customs and rites of the unknown tribe, or, having caught the sound of the great melodies of V. Bellini, to treat the circumstances of the time and place of the action as a conditional form. The director and the artist suggested the second way for the artists. It is a question of composing a poetic work. More precisely, a poem on the main themes that art deals with: faith - love - death.
Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Moscow Music Theater  |
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 Spring tale in four acts with prologue by Alexander Ostrovsky to music by Pyotr Tchaikovsky. Music Director: Ivan Nikiforchin. Stage Director: Alexei Dubrovsky; Set and Costume Designer: Maria Utrobina; Lighting Designer: Damir Ismagilov. Sixteen years ago, Spring Beauty and Frost gave birth to a daughter, Snegurochka the Snow Maiden, and since then the angry solar god Yarilo has not been giving the Earth enough light and warmth. The Wood-Sprite heralds the approach of Spring Beauty. Surrounded by an escort of birds, she descends. The birds sing and dance to keep warm. The forest is covered with snow, the land is cold. Frost appears. It's time for him to leave the country of the Berendeys. But who will protect his child? After all, Yarilo is just waiting for an opportunity to ignite the fatal fire of love in the girl’s heart. The parents decide to send their daughter to the Berendey settlement in the care of the childless Bobyl Bakula and his wife Bobylikha. The Snow Maiden is happy: she has long been attracted to people by the wonderful songs of the shepherd Lel. Spring and Frost entrust the Wood-Sprite to guard his daughter.
Bolshoi Theater New Stage |
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