Operas by Mikhail Glinka

A Life for the Tsar (1836) Ruslan and Lyudmila (1842) Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka (Russian: Mihail Ivanovič Glinka) (June 1, 1804 [O.S. May 20] - February 15, 1857 [O.S. February 3]), was the first Russian composer to gain wide recognition inside his own country, and is often regarded as the father of Russian classical music. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Ruslan and Lyudmila (Russian: , Ruslan i Lyudmila) is an opera in five acts (eight tableaux) composed by Mikhail Glinka between 1837 and 1842. ...

A Life for the Tsar (Russian: Жизнь за царя, Zhizn' za tsarya) is a "patriotic-heroic tragic opera" in five acts with an epilogue by Mikhail Glinka. The original Russian libretto, based on historical events, was written by Nestor Kukolnik, Yegor Fyodorovich Rozen, Vladimir Sollogub and Vasily Zhukovsky. The opera was immediately hailed as a great success, and became the obligatory season-opener in the Imperial Russian opera theaters. It was one of the first Russian operas to be known outside Russia.A Life for the Tsar occupies an important position in Russian musical theater as the first native opera to win a permanent place in the repertoire. Glinka and the writers with whom he was associated chose, in Susanin, a hero of Russian nationalism well suited to the mood of the time. In keeping with Glinka's European training, much of A Life for the Tsar was structured according to conventional Italian and French models of the period. Nevertheless, several passages in the opera are based on Russian folk songs or folk melodic idioms that become a full part of the musical texture. Most importantly, this opera laid the foundation for the series of Russian nationalistic historical operas continued by works such as Serov's Rogneda, Musorgsky's Boris Godunov, Rimsky-Korsakov's Maid of Pskov, Tchaikovsky's Oprichnik or Mazepa, and Borodin's Prince Igor. The Teatro alla Scala in Milan, Italy. ... Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka (Russian: Mihail Ivanovič Glinka) (June 1, 1804 [O.S. May 20] - February 15, 1857 [O.S. February 3]), was the first Russian composer to gain wide recognition inside his own country, and is often regarded as the father of Russian classical music. ... A libretto is the complete body of words used in an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, sacred or secular oratorio and cantata, musical, and ballet. ... Nestor Vasilievich Kukolnik (1809-1868) was a Russian playwright and prose writer. ... On the publication of Pushkins first major work in 1820, Zhukovsky presented the younger poet with this famous portrait of himself, over the inscription: To the victorious disciple from his vanquished tutor. Vasily Andreyevich Zhukovsky (29 Jan/9 Feb 1783, Mishenskoe near Tula - 12/24 Apr 1852, Baden-Baden... Rogneda (Рогнеда in Cyrillic), is an opera in five acts, composed by Alexander Serov during 1863-1865. ... Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky (Russian: Моде́ст Петро́вич Му́соргский) (March 21, 1839 – March 28, 1881; sometimes spelled Modeste Moussorgsky, and Russians often prefer to transliterate his family name now as the phonetically correct Musorgskii), was an innovative Russian composer famed for his colourful, exotic, and lush orchestral pieces dedicated to various subjects of medieval Russian... I regard the people as a great being, inspired by a single idea. ... The Maid of Pskov (Russian: , Pskovityanka), also known as Ivan the Terrible, is an opera in three acts by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. ... The Oprichnik or The Guardsman (Russian: , Oprichnik) is an opera in 4 acts and 5 scenes by Pyotr Tchaikovsky (1840 - 1893) to his own libretto after the tragedy The Oprichniks (Russian: ) by Ivan Lazhechnikov (1792 – 1869). ... Mazeppa, also Mazepa (Russian: ) is an opera in three acts (six scenes) by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky to a Russian libretto by Victor Burenin, based on Pushkins poem Poltava. ... Prince Igor (Russian: Knâz Igor) is an opera in four acts with a prologue by Alexander Borodin. ...

Composition history

Feodor Chaliapin as Ivan Susanin in Glinka's A Life for the Tsar

The plot of A Life for the Tsar had been used earlier in 1815, when Catarino Cavos, an Italian-Russian composer, had written a two-act singspiel with the same subject and title. (Incidentally, Cavos also conducted the premiere of Glinka's opera.) Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (407x601, 38 KB) Summary Feodor_Chaliapin_as_Ivan_Susanin. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (407x601, 38 KB) Summary Feodor_Chaliapin_as_Ivan_Susanin. ... Feodor Chaliapin Feodor Ivanovich Chaliapin (Russian: Фёдор Ива́нович Шаля́пин) [a more accurate English transliteration is Fyódor Shalyápin] (born February 13 [O.S. February 1] 1873, Kazan – died April 12, 1938, Paris) was the most famous Russian opera singer, bass of the first half of the 20th century. ... Ivan Susanin (15?? - 1613) was a Russian folk hero and martyr of the early 17th centurys Time of Troubles. ... Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka (Михаи́л Ива́нович Гли́нка) (June 1, 1804 – February 15, 1857) was a Russian composer. ... Singspiel (song-play) is a form of German-language music drama, similar to modern musical theater, though it is also referred to as a type of operetta or opera. ...

The original title of the opera was to be Ivan Susanin, after the hero, but when Nicholas I attended a rehearsal, Glinka changed the title to A Life for the Tsar as a monarchy-pleasing gesture. This title was retained in the Russian Empire until the October Revolution, when it reverted to Ivan Susanin. Ivan Susanin (15?? - 1613) was a Russian folk hero and martyr of the early 17th centurys Time of Troubles. ... Nicholas I (Russian: Николай I Павлович, Nikolai I Pavlovich), July 6 (June 25, Old Style), 1796–March 2 (18 February Old Style), 1855), was the Emperor of Russia from 1825 until 1855, known as one of the most reactionary of the Russian monarchs. ... Anthem God Save the Tsar! The Russian Empire in 1914 Capital Saint Petersburg Language(s) Russian Religion Russian Orthodoxy Government Monarchy Emperor  - 1721–1725 Peter the Great  - 1894–1917 Nicholas II History  - Accession of Peter I May 7, 1682 NS, April 27, 1682 OS²  - Empire proclaimed October 22, 1721 NS... “Red October” redirects here. ...

Early performance history

First Performance

• Date: 29 November (Old Style) 1836
• Place: Bolshoy Theater, Saint Petersburg
• Conductor: Catarino Cavos

The old Bolshoy Theater is now the site of the St. Petersburg Conservatory building. Old Style or O.S. is a designation indicating that a date conforms to the Julian calendar, formerly in use in many countries, rather than the Gregorian calendar, currently in use in most countries. ... Year 1836 (MDCCCXXXVI) was a leap year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a leap year starting on Wednesday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... Saint Petersburg (Russian: Санкт-Петербу́рг, English transliteration: Sankt-Peterburg), colloquially known as Питер (transliterated Piter), formerly known as Leningrad (Ленингра́д, 1924–1991) and... The St. ... Theatre Square and the conservatory in 1913. ...

Historical basis of the plot

The historical basis of the plot involves Ivan Susanin, a patriotic hero of the early 17th century who gave his life in the expulsion of the invading Polish army for the newly elected Tsar Mikhail, the first of the Romanov dynasty, elected in 1613. Ivan Susanin (15?? - 1613) was a Russian folk hero and martyr of the early 17th centurys Time of Troubles. ... The House of Romanov (Рома́нов, pronounced Ro-MAH-nof), the second and last royal dynasty of Russia, which ruled Muscovy and the Russian Empire for five generations from 1613 to 1762. ... Events January - Galileo observes Neptune, but mistakes it for a star and so is not credited with its discovery. ...

Characters and Setting

The action takes place in autumn of 1612 and the winter of 1613. A basso (or bass) is a male singer who sings in the lowest vocal range of the human voice. ... Look up soprano in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... In music, an alto is a singer with a vocal range somewhere between a tenor and a soprano. ... This article or section seems to contain too many examples (or examples of poor quality) for an encyclopedia entry. ... Events January - Galileo observes Neptune, but mistakes it for a star and so is not credited with its discovery. ...

Synopsis

(Note that the Act IV and the Epilogue contain more than one set of stage decor.)

Act I. On a street in the village of Domnino, Antonida is eager to marry Sobinin, but her father Susanin refuses permission until a Russian has been duly chosen to take the Tsar's throne. When Sobinin informs him that the Grand Council in Moscow has chosen a Tsar, everyone celebrates.

Act II. In a sumptuous hall in Poland, the nobility are celebrating the Polish dominance over the Russians with singing and dancing. Suddenly a messenger comes in, with the news that Mikhail Romanov has been selected as the Tsar of Russia and is now in hiding. The Poles vow to overthrow him.

Act III. In Susanin's cottage. Susanin and his adopted son Vanya pledge to defend the new Tsar. Susanin blesses Sobinin and Antonida on their upcoming wedding. A detachment of Polish soldiers bursts in, demanding to know where the Tsar is hiding. Susanin, in order to protect the Tsar, tells Vanya aside that he will lead them off the trail, and sends Vanya off to warn him. Pretending to help them, Susanin goes off with the Poles. Antonida is devastated. Sobinin gathers some men to go on a mission to rescue Susanin.

Act IV. In a dense forest, Sobinin reassures his men of the rightness of their mission. Night falls. In a part of the forest near a monastery, Vanya knocks at the gates and alerts the inhabitants to spirit the Tsar away. Into an impassable, snow-covered area of the forest Susanin has led the suspicious Polish troops. The Poles sleep while Susanin waits for the dawn and bids farewell to his children. A blizzard sets in, and when day breaks, the Poles awake. When they realize that Susanin has deceived them, they kill him.

Epilogue. Across the stage walks a crowd of people, celebrating the triumph of the new Tsar. Alone in their own solemn procession, Antonida, Sobinin, and Vanya mourn Susanin. A detachment of Russian troops comes upon them and, after discovering their connection with Susanin, comforts them. The scene changes to Red Square, where the people proclaim glory to the Tsar and to Susanin's memory.

Principal arias and numbers

• Overture
• Antonida's Cavatina and Rondo (Act I)
• Dances (Act II): Polonaise, Krakowiak, Waltz, Mazurka
• Vanya's song (Act III)

Orchestral excerpts heard in the concert hall consist largely of the overture and the Polish numbers of the second act. Typical rhythm of a Polonaise For a robe à la polonaise, see Polonaise (clothing). ... The Krakowiak is a fast, syncopated Polish dance in duple time from the region of Krakow and Little Poland. ... A waltz (German: , Italian: , French: , Spanish: , Catalan: ) is a ballroom and folk dance in   time, done primarily in closed position. ... The mazurka (Polish: mazurek, named after Polands Masuria district[1]) is a Polish folk dance in triple metre with a lively tempo, containing a heavy accent on the third or second beat. ... Overture (French ouverture, meaning opening) in music is the instrumental introduction to a dramatic, choral or, occasionally, instrumental composition. ...

Versions by other hands

As popular as the opera was, however, its Tsarist-leaning libretto was an embarrassment to the Soviet state. After some unsuccessful attempts were made to remedy this situation, in 1939 the poet S.M. Gorodetsky rewrote the text to remove references to the Tsar and otherwise make the libretto politically acceptable.