03.06.2011
In the framework of Days of Culture of Saint-Petersburg in Perm April 13-17 Saint Petersburg Opera theatre presented its production of The Rape of Lucretia by B. Britten. After the death of British Orpheus as Purcell was called, none of British composers has ever approved himself as brightly as Britten. The main topics of Britten’s creative work such as protest against violence, war, confirmation of the value of fragile and unprotected human world found their most powerful expression in The Rape of Lucrettia (1946). Saint-Petersburg opera were the first to put it on stage in Russia. Lucrettia has been in the theatre’s repertoire since 2005 and has been a real success with the public.
«We are responsible for Britten’s work to be presented properly and to be adequately appreciated by the audience. Conditions are dictated by Britten’s fantastic music… The opera is performed in English. First because it delivers the poetical beauty of the work, second, what we need is a bold documentary text, presented in the original and free of opera prettyism of any kind. Actors exist in this opera in a very different manner and aesthetics than they do in operas by Russian and Italian composers. It is impossible to simply “play” the music, it was originally written as a protest opera, as a reaction to the events of the World War II. Having given up on the pictorialism we made up our own story”, People’s Artist of Russia Yuri Alexandrov said.
01.04.2011
Saint-Petersburg Opera is looking for a concertmaster with work experience.
Please contact Inna Gennadyevna Ipatova, tel. 312 08 15, +7921 576 04 97
31.03.2011
Saint-Petersburg Opera invites you to our costumed gala-concerts which will take place during the summer (from June to September). Classical music, chamber atmosphere, magnificent interiors of the Baron von Derviz’s mansion will help you transit from the mundane vanity into the world of beauty. Program includes popular arias and duos from operas and operettas by G. Puccini, G. Verdi, J. Offenbach, E. Kalman, W.-A. Mozart, G. Donizetti, P. Tchaikovsky, M. Mussorgsky, N. Rimsky-Korsakov.
Gala-Concerts
June 2011.
June 1. Beginning 19-00
June 7. Beginning 19-00
June 8. Beginning 20-00
June 13. Beginning 19-00
June 18. Beginning 19-00
June 21. Beginning 19-00
June 22. Beginning 20-00
July 2011.
July 7. Beginning 19-00
July 11. Beginning 19-00
July 18. Beginning 19-00
July 22. Beginning 19-00
July 25. Beginning 19-00
July 28. Beginning 19-00
July 29. Beginning 19-00
August 2011.
August 1. Beginning 19-00
August 2. Beginning 19-00
August 4. Beginning 19-00
August 7. Beginning 20-00
August 10. Beginning 19-00
August 18. Beginning 19-00
August 24. Beginning 20-00
August 30. Beginning 19-00
September 2011.
September 2. Beginning 20-00
September 3. Beginning 20-00
September 5. Beginning 19-00
September 7. Beginning 19-00
September 8. Beginning 19-00
September 17. Beginning 20-00
September 22. Beginning 20-00
September 26. Beginning 19-00
September 29. Beginning 19-00
30.03.2011
On April 6 and 9 Yuri Alexandrov will present his first night performance of Prince Igor opera by Borodin in Novaya Opera theatre in Moscow. Alexandrov has many productions of Prince Igor under his belt. Among his latest works are staging for Rostov music theatre, submitted to Moscow's audience's approval at Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Music theatre in March and performance at Samara opera and ballet theatre (February 18). Alexandrov claims that he sees Prince Igor as a state opera above all: “Now I am working with Prince Igor at three very different theatres simultaneously. All these three productions are not the same both in substance and musical edition. In Samara it was a festival with snow-white domes and bells. In Moscow I will present my authorial edition. In it I am distancing from many traditional things, for example there are no dances in Polovtsian camp. The upcoming performance is a documentary one, telling us about establishment’s irresponsibleness. This very tough performance will be given next to Kremlin. I’ll speak my mind in it. The performance itself ends with the most tragic piece of music, a capella choir of countrymen in the afterworld. It was my wish. Prince Igor is a classical opera and it allows different approaches. The main thing is that pain points have to coincide, while the semitones may differ.”
28.03.2011
Yuri Alexandrove is going to present two exclusive projects at the end of the 24th theatrical season. The first is dedicated to 190th anniversary of F.M. Dostoyevsky birth and 130th anniversary of his death. It will be the first night performance of Y. Butsko’s opera The White Nights. The second is the first night performance of Betrothal in a Monastery by S. Prokofiev.
Modern composer Yuri Butsko is the author of the oratorio The Story of Pugachev’s Revolt, mono opera Diary of a Madman, The White nights Opera and suite-opera From the Old Times in Russia as well as music for films and dramatics. The White Nights will be performed in the open air in the historical corners of Saint-Petersburg, directly connected with Dostoyevsky. This is going to be the first scenic version of the work, created by the composer in 1968. Even though the opera drew a response in the music community, it has not been put on stage on grounds of soviet censorship. The only recording of that time was made by an outstanding conductor Gennady Rozhdestvenskiy (soloists- Anatoly Mish'evskiy and Galina Pisarenko). During the 1968/69 season The White Nights was put on stage in Dresden (at the theatre of a brilliant opera conductor Harry Kupfer). The success was overwhelming. “I was happy, it seemed to me that that I lived like Wagner, the whole city was at my feet”, the composer recalled. Alexandrov’s production is the attempt to tell us about young Dostoyevsky, his astral connection with the strange and ghostly Petersburg. Three characters are taking part in the performance: Nastenka, Dreamer and the Author (Stranger). The psychological sophistication of Butsko's music suggested the Gogol’s motive of a split personality, that brought conceptual polysemy into the dramaturgy of the performance. The Russian first night performance is planned for the end of March 2011, on the City Day.
Betrothal in a Monastery opera by Prokofiev, based on Sheridan's play the Duenna was finished by the composer in December 1940. In connection with the fact that the libretto was written by Prokofiev himself (lyrics by M. Mendelson) Prokofiev’s characters are different from those of the Sheridan’s comedy and live a new life. Comical and lyrical elements coexist in the opera on equality with each other. The composer with unlimited fantasy easily develops the intrigue full of funny surprises. Opera’s music sparkles with humor, captivates with its melodic beauty. The first night performance of the opera was to take place in the spring 1941 at K.S. Stanislavsky theatre, but the events of the Great Patriotic War didn't let it happen. It was only on November 3 1946 that the audience saw the performance for the first time on stage of Kirovskiy theatre in Leningrad. At Saint-Petersburg Opera the first night performance of Betrothal in a Monastery will take place in July 2011. Yuri Alexandrov as usual tries to find answers to the modern artistic and moral issues in the operas sheet music. This time the plot of Duenna will be interpreted as a funny about the eternal generation gap and conflict of academism and innovation. The director said: “We transfer the action into an educational institution; it may be my favorite Theatre Academy in Mokhovaya Street. It is the place where theatrical and real lives interact most naturally. First original actors’ etudes as a form of existence. Then a feast of theatricality that gradually absorbs the entire reality. This performance requires singers to have virtuosic plasticity, ability to dance, fence, coming closer to the mastery of drama theatre actors.”
26.03.2011
Saint-Petersburg opera has opened its page in the major Russian social network VKontakte.ru. We will be glad to see you among our visitors.
25.03.2011
Between 8 and June 11, 2011 Theater St. Petersburg Chamber Opera will take part inevents dedicated to the 50 anniversary of establishment of friendly relations between St.Petersburg (Leningrad) and Dresden.
24.03.2011
April 9, the National Theatre Award and the festival "Golden Mask" Theater St. Petersburg Chamber Opera will perform on the stage center of opera singing of Galina Vishnevskaya (Moscow) with the performance "Pagliacci" by R. Leoncavallo. Nomination: The Opera, Best Production, Best Director - People's Artist of Russia Yuri Alexandrov, Best Actor - Victor Aleshkov.
