Chinese Theatre in Tsarskoe Selo, ca. 1900.

Anyuta (Russian: Аню́та) is a one-act comic opera to a libretto by Mikhail Popov. This is one of the first operas written in the Russian language . Sydney Opera House: one of the worlds most recognisable opera houses and landmarks. ... 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. ... Russian (Russian: русский язык, russkiy yazyk, ) is the most widely spoken language of Eurasia and the most widespread of the Slavic languages. ...

The collection of Popov's poems, translations and plays called Dosugi (Досуги – Lesure Hours) was published at the request of Empress Catherine II. This collection also contained the libretto to the opera Anyuta. Catherine II (Екатерина II Алексеевна: Yekaterína II Alekséyevna, April 21, 1729 - November 6, 1796), born Sophie Augusta Fredericka, known as Catherine the Great, reigned as empress of Russia from June 28, 1762, to her death on November 6, 1796. ...

The music hasn’t survived and the composer is unknown, however it has sometimes been attributed to Vasily Pashkevich or even to Yevstigney Fomin although at that time he was just 11 year old. It is known that the music was a selection of popular songs as specified in the libretto.

Performance history

The premiere took place at the Chinese Theatre, Tsarskoye Selo, on September 6 [OS August 26] 1772. It was one of the most successful. Cross (Krestovy) Bridge in the 19th century. ... September 6 is the 249th day of the year (250th in leap years). ... Catherine IIs soldiers in the Russo-Turkish War, by Alexandre Benois. ...

Plot

It is a story about a girl called Anyuta, brought up in a peasants’ household, who turned out to be of noble birth, eventually marrying her nobleman beloved, Victor, to the sound of wedding bells.

Bibliography

Polovtsev, A.A. Russian Biographical Dictionary (Русский биографический словарь А.А.Половцова) published 1896-1918, (see the link below) 1896 (MDCCCXCVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ...

External links

• Popov's biography 1
• Popov's biography 2
• Russian Comic Opera
• "Russian Biographical Dictionary"