Opera The Tsar`s Bride (Opera in 2 Acts) Mikhailovsky Classical Ballet and Opera Theatre (established 1833)
Running time: 2 hours 50 minutes
Schedule for The Tsar`s Bride (Opera in 2 Acts) 2022
Composer: Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov Set Designer: Vyacheslav Okunev Costume Designer: Vyacheslav Okunev
Orchestra: Mikhailovsky Symphony Orchestra
opera in two acts Music: Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov Libretto: Ilya Tyumenev
after the drama by Lev Mey Production: Stanislav Gaudasinsky Sets and
costumes design: Vyacheslav Okunev Ballet production: Maria Bolshakova
Costumes production supervision: Alla Marusina
Running time: 2 hours 50 minutes Performed in Russian
Synopsis
The Tsar’s Bride Prologue
In the room of Ivan the Terrible.
Act one
Scene one Chamber in oprichnik
Grigory Gryaznoy’s house. He’s expecting his guests but he’s plunged
in deep thought. He used to rape any girl he liked. But now
he’s fallen in love passionately in love with Marfa, daughter
of the merchant Sobakin, but she is already betrothed to the
young boyar, Ivan Lykov. His guests arrive: the oprichniks led
by Malyuta Skuratov, Gryaznoy’s friend, Ivan Lykov and the Tsar’s foreign
physician, Bomelius. Lykov tells the assembled company of the foreign parts
from whence he has recently returned. To entertain his guests,
Gryaznoy invites the singers. Bomelius asks Malyuta about Lyubasha, whom
he calls his god-daughter. At Malyuta’s request, she sings
a song. Oprichniks depart to church, where the Tsar
is to arrive. Gryaznoy detains Bomelius. Lyubasha hears the
conversation: Gryaznoy asks Bomelius for a love potion. Lyubasha
understands: Grigory doesn’t love her any more. She vows to return
Grigory’s love.
Scene two Ivan the Terrible and
followed by oprichniks are coming out of the monastery after the
evening service. Common people discuss the Tsar’s viewing of brides.
Marfa, accompanied by her friend Dunyasha and Petrovna, the
housekeeper, come out of the monastery gates. They bump into the Tsar and
his intent gaze frightens her. Lyubasha meets her rival: she is struck
by Marfa’s beauty. Out of her mind with despair, Lyubasha rushes
to Bomelius to ask for a potion which will destroy human beauty.
Bomelius agrees, demanding in return Lyubasha’s love. Lyubasha has
to agree.
Act two
Scene
three Viewing of brides. Sobakin is hosting Lykov and
Grigory Gryaznoy. They’re wating for the girls from the viewing. Everybody
is worried: they wish the Tsar didn’t choose Marfa. Domna Saburova,
Dunyasha’s mother, arrives: she tells how tender was the Tsar to Dunyasha.
Sobakin and Lykov are sure that the Tsar has chosen Dunyasha. Grigory fills two
goblets, he intends to drink a toast to the bride and
bridegroom. He managed to pour the love potion into Marfa’s goblet.
Gryaznoy doesn’t know that Lyubasha has changed the potions. Malyuta appears
with the boyars and proclaims the Tsar’s will — Marfa
is to be his wife.
Scene four Ivan
the Terrible is going round his palace. Bitter fears for his daughter
give Vassily Sobakin no peace: Marfa, who is to become the Tsar’s
wife, has suddenly fallen ill. Gryaznoy appears with terrible news: Ivan Lykov
under tortures confessed to having poisoned the Tsar’s bride and was
executed. Having heard the terrible news, Marfa goes mad. She sees herself
in the garden and recalls being chosen the Tsar’s bride. Gryaznoy admits
that he had slandered Lykov and that he, himself, and given Marfa the
love potion. Gryaznoy is in despair. But before giving himself
up into the hands of the oprichniks, he wants to have things
out with Bomelius who deceived him. Lyubasha appears in the room. She tells
Grigory, she had substituted poison for the love potion Bomelius had given
Grigory and which Grigory had then given Marfa. Grigory kills Lyubasha
by plunging his knife into her heart and bids farewell to Marfa.
Schedule for The Tsar`s Bride (Opera in 2 Acts) 2022
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