Performed in ItalianThe performance will have synchronised Russian and supertitles
Premiere of this production: 22 January 2005
Music Director Felix Korobov Conductors Valery Kritskov,Felix Korobov Director Yuri Grymov Set Designer Vladimir Maksimov Costume Designer Maria Danilova Choirmaster Andrey Lazarev Lighting Designer Sergey Martynov
Running time: 2 hours 10 minuteswith one intermission
Premiered on 23 January 2005
Recommended for 16+
Libretto by Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov and Ilya Tyumenev based on the drama by Lev Mey
This is a story of love – passionate, ardent, scorching and, at times, burning out everything around. This is a story about the Russian soul that has always had room for purity, poetry, self-denial and mercy.
At the same time, this is a story about the atrocious time of total lawlessness in Russia, when the authorities treated an individual as a plaything for their own ends. This is a story about our Motherland, where “high above spreads the sky like a spacious marquee”. “Is the sky in foreign lands the same as here?” sings “the Tsar’s bride”, Marfa Sobakina, and Evgeny Kolobov regarded these words as the leitmotif of the opera.
"Life after death does exist, and ample proof that is provided by The Tsar’s Bride directed by Yuri Grymov for the Novaya Opera. This is a thoroughly Kolobovian production, which carries on the Maestro’s traditions of radical transformation of classical operas. <…> Short and dynamic, the production meets the requirements of the modern audience".
Nezavisimaya Gazeta, January 27, 2005
Synopsis
FIRST ACT
First scene
Following a beautiful unknown girl, whom he accidentally had met in Madrid,
the Count Almaviva arrived in Seville under a name of Lindoro. His servant
Fiorello managed to find out the girl’s address. To entice Rosina from the house
the Count sings her a serenade at night, but all his efforts are in vain… The
Count pays off musicians.
The barber Figaro recently moved in Siviglia, enjoying wide popularity here.
By chance he is brought together with his former master – Almaviva. Fortunately
to the Barber the Count, as it turned out, is in love with Dr. Bartolo’s ward –
Rosina, and in this situation a person who can enter Doctor’s house may be
extremely useful!
Meanwhile Bartolo is away for a short while. A new serenade by “Lindoro”
turns out to be more successful than the first one. The Count demands from
Figaro to bring him in to Bartolo’s house. To this the Barber suggests him to
pretend to be a drunken soldier. After that he gives a long and confused
explanation about his address in Seville, but without success, as it seems.
Sums, promised by the Count for his service, makes Figaro to give himself up to
rosy dreams… Second scene
Rosina is ready to run away with a splendid “Lindoro”, but how to do that? To
write a letter! Figaro, as usual, comes to offer his services to Rosina, but she
has no time to say a word about the letter as he disappears, hearing Doctor’s
steps.
Bartolo suspects that Figaro has come on purpose. He has heard that his ward
is noticed by the Count Almaviva and intends without delay to make Rosina his
wife tonight. A patient, that has come to him, a military musician Don Basilio,
works up a strategy of the battle: first, to defame an enemy spitefully, second,
immediately to make a marriage contract between Rosina and Bartolo. Their
conversation is overheard by Figaro: the girl should hurry up, if she does not
like to marry her guardian! Rosina gives the letter to the Barber, but Dr
Bartolo is already here and sets a trap to her, trying to catch her. The Count
disguised as a drunken soldier bursts into the house and tries to hand a letter
to Rosina. A fight begins between the Count and Bartolo. A noise draws attention
of a military patrol. After hearing to confused explanations from all who are
present, the Officer takes a decision to arrest the “soldier”. After a short
talk with a perspective prisoner tкteatкte, he changes his decision.
Nobody understands anything.
SECOND ACT
First scene
The Count again penetrates Bartolo’s house under a new mask to find a way to
Rosina’s heart. Disguised as Don Alonso, a faithful pupil of supposedly ill Don
Basilio, he gives the girl a singing lesson. Rosina performs an aria from a
popular opera “La Fille mal gardйe”. Old Bartolo does not approve of modern
music.
Figaro comes to shave the Doctor so that the lovers could talk without
trouble. Suddenly Don Basilio comes… A sum of money helps to diagnose scarlatina
with him and to suggest an idea to him to return home and receive medical
treatment. Rosina is going to escape with Almaviva at midnight, but Bartolo
again suspects of something and casts reproaches upon her. The servant Berta,
who has got tired of strange quarrels and shouts, dreams about
love… Second scene
Dr. Bartolo and Don Basilio work up a plot: it’s necessary to convince
Rosina, that Lindoro has another lover and he is an agent sent to kidnap the
girl for the Count Almaviva. Rosina agrees to the immediate marriage to Bartolo.
At midnight sharp the Count appears, but Rosina meets her “Lindoro” not the way
that he has expected. To become reconciled with the girl Almaviva is forced to
reveal his real name. The time for escape is missed; Basilio, the Notary and
then Bartolo appear. Rosina’s kidnapping is cancelled. The Count has at once to
marry lawfully in presence of all witnesses.