"in earnest, and he finished the opera by early November. Rimsky-Korsakov wrote that ""May Night"" was of great importance because, despite the opera's containing a good deal of contrapuntal music, he nevertheless """"cast off the shackles of counterpoint"" [emphasis Rimsky-Korsakov]"". He wrote the opera in a folk-like melodic idiom, and scored it in a transparent manner much in the style of Glinka. Nevertheless, despite the ease of writing this opera and the next, ""The Snow Maiden"", from time to time he suffered from creative paralysis between 1881 and 1888. He kept busy during this time by editing Mussorgsky's works and"
"Danse des petits cygnes Danse des petits cygnes is a famous dance from Tchaikovsky's ""Swan Lake"", from the ballet’s second act, the fourth movement of No. 13. Translated from French, it means ""Dance of the Little Swans"", also known as ""Dance of the cygnets"". It is very challenging because all dancers must look the same. Lev Ivanov's choreography—created for the famous revival of ""Swan Lake"" in 1895—was meant to imitate the way cygnets huddle and move together for protection. Four dancers enter the stage in a line and move across with their arms crossed in front of one another, grasping"
"G major. Trepak The Trepak () () is one of the several consecutive ethnic dances in Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's famous ballet ""The Nutcracker"". It is based on the traditional Ukrainian folk dance known in Ukrainian as the tropak (or tripak). The piece is often also referred to as the ""Russian Dance"" (the other ethnic dances in the ballet have dual names as well, e.g. ""Tea"" is also known as the ""Chinese Dance""). The dance makes much use of ethnic Ukrainian folk melodies. Tchaikovsky's ""Trepak"" is written in AABA form. Its tempo is ""presto"", its time signature is , and its"
"Trepak The Trepak () () is one of the several consecutive ethnic dances in Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's famous ballet ""The Nutcracker"". It is based on the traditional Ukrainian folk dance known in Ukrainian as the tropak (or tripak). The piece is often also referred to as the ""Russian Dance"" (the other ethnic dances in the ballet have dual names as well, e.g. ""Tea"" is also known as the ""Chinese Dance""). The dance makes much use of ethnic Ukrainian folk melodies. Tchaikovsky's ""Trepak"" is written in AABA form. Its tempo is ""presto"", its time signature is , and its key is"
"Evening."" ""Scene 1: The bottom of the Dnieper. The underwater palace of the Rusalki."" ""Scene 2: The bank of the Dnieper River. The ruined mill."" Act 1 Other operas featuring ""rusalki"" as characters include Rimsky-Korsakov's ""May Night"" and Dvořák's ""Rusalka"". Rusalka (Dargomyzhsky) Rusalka () is an opera in four acts, six tableaux, by Alexander Dargomyzhsky, composed during 1848-1855. The Russian libretto was adapted by the composer from Pushkin's incomplete dramatic poem of the same name. It premiered on 4 May 1856 (Old Style) at the Theatre-circus, conducted by Konstantin Lyadov (father of Anatoly Lyadov), choreographed by Marius Petipa and Nikolay"
"Songs and Dances of Death Songs and Dances of Death (, ""Pesni i plyaski smerti"") is a song cycle for voice (usually bass or bass-baritone) and piano by Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky, written in the mid-1870s, to poems by Arseny Golenishchev-Kutuzov, a relative of the composer. Each song deals with death in a poetic manner although the depictions are realistic in that they reflect experiences not uncommon in 19th century Russia: child death, death in youth, drunken misadventure and war. The song cycle is considered Mussorgsky's masterpiece in the genre. ""Songs and Dances of Death"" consists of four individual songs, as"
"Songs and Dances of Death Songs and Dances of Death (, ""Pesni i plyaski smerti"") is a song cycle for voice (usually bass or bass-baritone) and piano by Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky, written in the mid-1870s, to poems by Arseny Golenishchev-Kutuzov, a relative of the composer. Each song deals with death in a poetic manner although the depictions are realistic in that they reflect experiences not uncommon in 19th century Russia: child death, death in youth, drunken misadventure and war. The song cycle is considered Mussorgsky's masterpiece in the genre. ""Songs and Dances of Death"" consists of four individual songs, as"
"the way out of the gloomy kingdom, and into the world of light, Spring, and love. Audio recordings (""Mainly studio recordings"") Kashchey the Deathless Kashchey the Deathless (, ""Kashchey bessmertnïy""), Kashchey the Immortal, is a one-act opera in three scenes (styled a ""little autumnal fairy tale"") by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. The libretto was written by the composer, and is based on a Russian fairy tale about Koschei the Deathless, an evil, ugly old wizard, who menaced principally young women. A similar fairy tale was also used by Igor Stravinsky (Rimsky-Korsakov's pupil) and Michel Fokine to create their iconic ballet, ""The Firebird""."
"Kashchey the Deathless Kashchey the Deathless (, ""Kashchey bessmertnïy""), Kashchey the Immortal, is a one-act opera in three scenes (styled a ""little autumnal fairy tale"") by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. The libretto was written by the composer, and is based on a Russian fairy tale about Koschei the Deathless, an evil, ugly old wizard, who menaced principally young women. A similar fairy tale was also used by Igor Stravinsky (Rimsky-Korsakov's pupil) and Michel Fokine to create their iconic ballet, ""The Firebird"". The opera was composed during 1901–1902 and the work was completed in 1902. It was first performed the same year in"
"a letter to Marietta Shaginyan announcing the completion of the work. The Bells (symphony) The Bells (, ""Kolokola""), Op. 35, is a choral symphony by Sergei Rachmaninoff, written in 1913. The words are from the poem ""The Bells"" by Edgar Allan Poe, very freely translated into Russian by the symbolist poet Konstantin Balmont. The traditional Gregorian melody ""Dies Irae"" is used frequently throughout the work. It was one of Rachmaninoff's two favorite compositions, along with his ""All-Night Vigil"", and is considered by some to be his secular choral masterpiece. Rachmaninoff called the work both a choral symphony and (unofficially) his"
"Kamarinskaya Kamarinskaya () is a Russian traditional folk dance, which is mostly known today as the Russian composer Mikhail Glinka's composition of the same name. Glinka's ""Kamarinskaya"", written in 1848, was the first orchestral work based entirely on Russian folk song and to use the compositional principles of that genre to dictate the form of the music. It became a touchstone for the following generation of Russian composers ranging from the Western-oriented Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky to the group of nationalists known collectively as The Five and was also lauded abroad, most notably by French composer Hector Berlioz. According to musicologist"
"the English composer Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji wrote """"Il gallo d’oro"" da Rimsky-Korsakov: variazioni frivole con una fuga anarchica, eretica e perversa"". Audio Recordings (""Mainly studio recordings"", unless otherwise indicated) Source: www.operadis-opera-discography.org.uk The Golden Cockerel The Golden Cockerel (, ""Zolotoy petushok"") is an opera in three acts, with short prologue and even shorter epilogue, composed by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. Its libretto written by Vladimir Belsky derives from Alexander Pushkin's 1834 poem ""The Tale of the Golden Cockerel"". The opera was completed in 1907 and premiered in 1909 in Moscow, after the composer's death. Outside Russia it has often been performed in French"
"musicians called kobzars on their banduras and kobzas. It was also one of the dances often included in the repertoire of village violinists in Eastern Ukraine. The tropak went out of fashion in the 1930s during the major transformations in Ukrainian village society and culture that happened in Soviet Ukraine at that time. One of its best known representations is Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's ""Trepak"" from ""The Nutcracker"" (which is also known as the ""Russian Dance""). The dance music was also used in the last movement of his Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 35. The third of Modest Mussorgsky's ""Songs"
"Mlada (Rimsky-Korsakov) Mlada () is an opera-ballet in four acts, composed between 1889 and 1890 by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, to a libretto by Viktor Krylov that was originally employed for an aborted project of the same name from 1872. In the middle of ""Mlada"", a fantasy tale about ancient pagan Slavs, Cleopatra emerges in a scene that exudes sensuality. Rimsky-Korsakov said ""Among my musical impressions of Paris [at the World Exhibition, summer 1889] I reflect on music in Hungarian and Algerian cafes. The virtuoso playing of a Hungarian orchestra on ""tsevnitsas"" (Pan flutes) gave me the idea of introducing this ancient"
"in Act 2, Scene 3. ""Procession of the Nobles"" is used as the theme for the PBS public affairs program ""Agronsky & Co."" and its successor, ""Inside Washington"", and was used between 1957 and 1969 as the opening theme for the UK TV programme ""What the Papers Say"". ""role key: conductor/voyslava/morena/yaromir/mstivoy"" Svetlanov recording details: Tatyana Tugarinova (Voyslava), Nina Kulagina (Morena), Vladimir Makhov (Yaromir), Alexey Korolyov (Mstivoy), Moscow Radio Symphony Chorus, Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra Notes Sources Mlada (Rimsky-Korsakov) Mlada () is an opera-ballet in four acts, composed between 1889 and 1890 by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, to a libretto by Viktor Krylov"
"it, notably Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's opera ""The Maid of Pskov"" and Tchaikovsky's opera ""The Oprichnik"", both of which were also set in the times of Tsar Ivan the Terrible. It also contains typical features such as folk-songs, dances of jesters, chants of monks, and a chorus of praise for the Tsar. Like Rubinstein's earlier opera, ""The Demon"", (1871), it was based on a narrative poem by Lermontov. Nonetheless, ""The Merchant Kalashnikov"" was not a success. It was taken off after its first two performances for political reasons (the climactic execution of Kalashnikov being objected to by Tsar Alexander II). It was"
"Tchaikovsky, choreography by Yuri Grigorovich) Prince Désiré, Blue Bird (""The Sleeping Beauty"" by Tchaikovsky, new version by Yuri Grigorovich) Antoine Mistral (""Flames of Paris"", choreography by Alexei Ratmansky) 2014 The first dancer (""Lost Illusions"", choreography by Alexei Ratmansky) Albrecht (""Giselle"", choreography by Yuri Grigorovich) Prince Siegfried (""Swan Lake"", choreography by Yuri Grigorovich) Lucentio (""The Taming of the Shrew"", choreography by Jean-Christophe Maillot） 2015 Armand (""Lady of the Camellias"", choreography by John Neumeier) Antoine Mistral (""Flames of Paris"", choreography by Alexei Ratmansky) The leading couple of Diamonds（""Jewels"", choreography by George Balancine) Albrecht (""Giselle"", XIII Mari El Ballet Festival, with Olga Chelpanova)"
"Flight of the Bumblebee ""Flight of the Bumblebee"" is an orchestral interlude written by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov for his opera ""The Tale of Tsar Saltan"", composed in 1899–1900. Its composition is intended to musically evoke the seemingly chaotic and rapidly changing flying pattern of a bumblebee. Despite the piece's being a rather incidental part of the opera, it is today one of the more familiar classical works because of its frequent use in popular culture. The piece closes Act III, Tableau 1, during which the magic Swan-Bird changes Prince Gvidon Saltanovich (the Tsar's son) into an insect so that he can"
"The Bells (symphony) The Bells (, ""Kolokola""), Op. 35, is a choral symphony by Sergei Rachmaninoff, written in 1913. The words are from the poem ""The Bells"" by Edgar Allan Poe, very freely translated into Russian by the symbolist poet Konstantin Balmont. The traditional Gregorian melody ""Dies Irae"" is used frequently throughout the work. It was one of Rachmaninoff's two favorite compositions, along with his ""All-Night Vigil"", and is considered by some to be his secular choral masterpiece. Rachmaninoff called the work both a choral symphony and (unofficially) his Third Symphony shortly after writing it; however, he would later write"
"list of his compositions given to Vladimir Stasov. In 1930, Pavel Lamm, in his edition of Mussorgsky's complete works, referred to the piece as ""Worship of the Black Goat"" (, ""Sluzheniye chornomy kozlu""). ""Mlada"" was a project doomed to failure, however, and this ""second version"" languished along with the first. The score of ""Glorification of Chernobog"" has not survived, and was never published or performed. The following scenario is taken from Rimsky-Korsakov's later ""magic opera-ballet"" ""Mlada"" (1890), based on the same libretto by Viktor Krïlov. ""Mlada"" is set in the 9th or 10th century city of Retra, in the (formerly)"
"by Dargomyzhsky (based on Pushkin) and Dvořák (based on Erben and Němcová). Lysenko's opera, on the other hand, is also based on Gogol's story. Audio Recordings (""Mainly studio recordings"") Source: www.operadis-opera-discography.org.uk May Night May Night (, ""Mayskaya noch"") is a comic opera in three acts, four scenes, by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov from a libretto by the composer and is based on Nikolai Gogol's story ""May Night, or the Drowned Maiden"", from his collection ""Evenings on a Farm Near Dikanka"". The work was composed between 1878 and 1879 and first performed in 1880 at the Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg in Russia."
"ballet ""Trilby""."" Gerald Abraham provides the following details: """"Trilby"" or ""The Demon of the Heath"", a ballet with choreography by Petipa, music by Julius Gerber, and décor by Hartmann, based on Charles Nodier's ""Trilby"", or ""The Elf of Argyle"", was produced at the Bolshoi Theatre, Petersburg, in 1871. The fledglings were canary chicks."" The movement is cast in ternary form (ABA) with a literal repeat and terse extension (coda). Key: B minor Meter: time Tempo: ""Andante. Grave energico"" and ""Andantino"" Stasov's comment: ""Two Jews: rich and poor"" () Stasov's explanatory title elucidates the personal names used in Mussorgsky's original manuscript."
"Swan Lake (1895) The 1917 Petipa/Ivanov/Drigo revival of Swan Lake is a famous version of the ballet ""Swan Lake"", (ru. ""Лебединое Озеро""), (fr. ""Le Lac des Cygnes""). This is a ballet by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky based on an ancient German legend, presented in either four acts, four scenes (primarily outside Russia and Eastern Europe), three acts, four scenes (primarily in Russia and Eastern Europe) or, more rarely, in two acts, four scenes. Originally choreographed by Julius Reisinger to the music of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (opus 20), it was first presented as ""The Lake of the Swans"" by the Ballet of"
"Cherevichki Cherevichki (, ""Cherevichki"", ""Čerevički"", ""The Slippers""; alternative renderings are ""The Little Shoes"", ""The Tsarina's Slippers"", ""The Empress's Slippers"", ""The Golden Slippers"", ""The Little Slippers"", ""Les caprices d'Oxane"", and ""Gli stivaletti"") is a comic-fantastic opera in 4 acts, 8 scenes, by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. It was composed in 1885 in Maidanovo, Russia. The libretto was written by Yakov Polonsky, and is based on the story ""Christmas Eve"", part of a collection called ""Evenings on a Farm Near Dikanka"", by Nikolai Gogol. The opera is a revision of Tchaikovsky's earlier opera ""Vakula the Smith"". The work was first performed in 1887"
"material. Tchaikovsky's greatest debt in this regard was to Glinka's ""Kamarinskaya"". He believed fervently that in ""Kamarinskaya"" lay the core of the entire school of Russian symphonic music, ""just as the whole oak is in the acorn"", as he wrote in his diary in 1888. ""Kamarinskaya"" is based on two melodies. The first is a bridal song, ""Izza gor"" (From beyond the mountains). The second, the title song of the piece, is a ""naigrïsh"", an instrumental dance to an ostinato melody repeated for as long as the dancers can keep up with it. Glinka uses the principle from folk song"
"The Golden Cockerel The Golden Cockerel (, ""Zolotoy petushok"") is an opera in three acts, with short prologue and even shorter epilogue, composed by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. Its libretto written by Vladimir Belsky derives from Alexander Pushkin's 1834 poem ""The Tale of the Golden Cockerel"". The opera was completed in 1907 and premiered in 1909 in Moscow, after the composer's death. Outside Russia it has often been performed in French as ""Le coq d'or"". Rimsky-Korsakov had considered his previous opera, ""The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh and the Maiden Fevroniya"" (1907) to be his final artistic statement in the"
"people strike up a stirring hymn to Yarilo. Prologue Act 1 Act 2 Act 3 Act 4 Audio Recordings (""Mainly studio recordings"") Source: www.operadis-opera-discography.org.uk The Snow Maiden The Snow Maiden (subtitle: A Spring Fairy Tale) () is an opera in four acts with a prologue by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, composed during 1880–1881. The Russian libretto, by the composer, is based on the like-named play by Alexander Ostrovsky (which had premiered in 1873 with incidental music by Tchaikovsky). The first performance of Rimsky-Korsakov's opera took place at the Mariinsky Theatre, Saint Petersburg on 29 January 1882 (OS; 10 February NS) conducted by"
"Rimsky-Korsakov. The piece premiered 17 January 1909 in the Grand Hall of the Saint Petersburg Conservatory but was then lost until September 2015, when it resurfaced in a back room of the city's Conservatoire. It was played again for the first time in over a century on 2 December 2016. The rediscovery generated much enthusiasm and, as a result, over 25 performances are scheduled in 2017 and beyond. Performances in St. Petersburg of ""Scherzo fantastique"" and ""Feu d'artifice"" attracted the attention of Serge Diaghilev, who commissioned Stravinsky to orchestrate two piano works of Chopin for the ballet ""Les Sylphides"" to"
"The Nightingale (opera) The Nightingale (Russian: Соловей - ""Solovyei""; French: ""Le Rossignol"") is a Russian ""conte lyrique"" in three acts by Igor Stravinsky. The libretto, based on the tale of ""The Nightingale"" by Hans Christian Andersen, was written by the composer and Stepan Mitussov. It was first performed on 26 May 1914 by the Ballets Russes at the Palais Garnier in Paris. Stravinsky had begun work on the opera in 1908, but put it aside for several years after he had received the commission from Sergei Diaghilev for the ballet ""The Firebird"". He completed it in 1914, after he had"
"The Mermaids (Kramskoi) The Mermaids (also known as Drowned Maidens, Russian: Русалки ) is an 1871 oil on canvas by the Russian artist Ivan Kramskoi. It depicts nineteen rusalki, who, according to Slavic mythology, were river or lake spirits who appeared at night in the form of young women. Some versions of the myths describe them as spirits who had died unbaptised or unmarried, or had drowned themselves following an unrequited love. They would emerge from the water at night, to sing and dance. They fulfilled a similar folkloric role to sirens; often enchanting young men before luring them to"
"The Snow Maiden The Snow Maiden (subtitle: A Spring Fairy Tale) () is an opera in four acts with a prologue by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, composed during 1880–1881. The Russian libretto, by the composer, is based on the like-named play by Alexander Ostrovsky (which had premiered in 1873 with incidental music by Tchaikovsky). The first performance of Rimsky-Korsakov's opera took place at the Mariinsky Theatre, Saint Petersburg on 29 January 1882 (OS; 10 February NS) conducted by Eduard Nápravník. By 1898 it was revised in the edition known today. It remained the composer's own favorite work. The story deals with the"
"David Helfgott. Flight of the Bumblebee ""Flight of the Bumblebee"" is an orchestral interlude written by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov for his opera ""The Tale of Tsar Saltan"", composed in 1899–1900. Its composition is intended to musically evoke the seemingly chaotic and rapidly changing flying pattern of a bumblebee. Despite the piece's being a rather incidental part of the opera, it is today one of the more familiar classical works because of its frequent use in popular culture. The piece closes Act III, Tableau 1, during which the magic Swan-Bird changes Prince Gvidon Saltanovich (the Tsar's son) into an insect so that"
"31, 1828 night at Bolshoy stage for the benefit of Mikhail Shchepkin featured ""The Robbers"" by Friedrich Schiller, a single-act French opera, and a ""vaudeville ballet by Alexander Shakhovskoy in rhyme and free verse with machines, flooding of the entire theatre, diverse dancing and music compiled from folk songs"". In the second quarter of the century native Russian plays gradually increased their share. Maly performances included works by Vasily Zhukovsky, Alexander Griboyedov (""Woe from Wit"" 1831 featuring both Shchepkin and Pavel Mochalov). Alexander Pushkin (""Ruslan and Ludmila"" 1825, ""The Fountain of Bakhchisaray"" 1827, ""The Gypsies"" 1832) and lesser known, now"