Samiksha Jaiswal (Editor)

The Oprichnik

Updated on
Edit
Like
Comment
Share on FacebookTweet on TwitterShare on LinkedInShare on Reddit
Written
  
1872

Composer
  
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Language
  
Russian

First performance
  
24 April 1874

Librettist
  
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

The Oprichnik httpsimagesnasslimagesamazoncomimagesI5

Similar
  
The Voyevoda, Undina, The Enchantress, Mazeppa, The Maid of Orleans

Tchaikovsky the oprichnik overture arioso and dance


The Oprichnik or The Guardsman (Russian: Опричник, Oprichnik) is an opera in 4 acts, 5 scenes, by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840–1893) to his own libretto after the tragedy The Oprichniks (Russian: Опричники) by Ivan Lazhechnikov (1792–1869). The subject of the opera is the oprichniks. It is set in Ivan the Terrible's court during the oprichnina times (1565–1573).

Contents

Tchaikovsky worked on the opera from February 1870 - March 1872. It includes music from his early opera The Voyevoda (1869). The work is dedicated to the Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolayevich Romanov. It was given its premiere performance at the Mariinsky Theatre in St Petersburg on 24 April 1874, followed by the Moscow premiere on 16 May 1874 at the Bolshoi Theatre.

Instrumentation

Source: Tchaikovsky Research

  • Strings: Violins I, Violins II, Violas, Cellos, and Double Basses
  • Woodwinds: Piccolo, 2 Flutes, 2 Oboes, 2 Clarinets (1 in B-flat, 1 in A), 2 bassoons
  • Brass: 4 Horns (in F), 2 Trumpets (in D, F, and C), 3 Trombones, Tuba
  • Percussion: Timpani, Triangle, Cymbals, Bass Drum
  • Other: Harp

    • Synopsis

    Introduction.

    Act 1

    No. 1 — Scena No. 2 — Chorus of Maidens No. 2a – Natalya's Song No. 3 — Scena & Chorus No. 4 — Scena & Chorus No. 5 — Recitatives No. 5a – Basmanov's Arioso No. 6 — Natalya's Arioso No. 6a – Chorus of Maidens

    Act 2

    Entr'acte

    No. 7 — Scena & Morozova's Aria No. 8 — Scena & Duet No. 9 — Prelude, Scena & Finale No. 9a – Prince Vyazminsky's Aria No. 9b – Andrey's Aria

    Act 3

    Entr'acte

    No. 10 - Chorus of People No. 11 - Recitatives, Chorus of Boys & Duet No. 12 - Scena No. 12a-Natalya's Arioso No. 13 - Finale

    Act 4

    No. 14 - Wedding Chorus No. 15 - Dances of Oprichniks & Women No. 16 - Recitatives, Chorus & Duet No. 17 - Chorus & Scena No. 18 - Scena & Quartet No. 19 - Closing Scena

    Note: The entr'acte to Act II may have been written and scored by Vladimir Shilovsky.[1]

    Derived works

    Arrangements by the composer

  • Numbers from the opera for voices with piano accompaniment (1873)
  • Funeral March on Themes from the Opera The Oprichnik (1877, lost)

    • Recordings

  • 1948, Alexei Korolyov, Natalya Rozhdestvenskaya, Vsevolod Tyutyunnik, Lyudmila Ivanovna Legostayeva, Dmitri Tarkhov, Zara Dolukhanova, Konstantin Polyaev, Antonina Kleschtschova, Moscow Radio Choir and Orchestra, Aleksander Orlov (conductor). Melodiya, reissued Pristine Classics
  • 1980, Vladimirov, Milichkina, Nikitina, Matorin, Kuznetsov, Kotov, Klyonov. Gennady Provatorov (conductor), Chorus and Orchestra of the Central Television and Radio of the USSR.
  • 2003, Vassily Savenko (Prince Zhemchuzhny), Elena Lassoskaya (Natalia), Dmitri Ulyanov (Molchan Mitkov), Irina Dolyenko (Boyarina Morozova), Vsevolod Grivnov (Andrei Morozov), Alexandra Dursseneva (Basmanov), Vladimir Ognovienko (Prince Vyazminsky), Cinzia de Mola (Zakharyevna) Orchestra e Coro del Teatro Lirico di Cagliari, Gennady Rozhdestvensky. Dynamic, reissued Brilliant.

    • References

    The Oprichnik Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA