Name: The Tale of Tsar Saltan
Start: 2022-03-27T00:00:00.000Z
End: 2022-08-28T00:00:00.000Z
Location: Primorsky Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre

Organization

Admin

Mariinsky Theatre

Conductor

Pavel Smelkov

Stage director

Ekaterina Malaya

Set designer

Pyotr Okunev

Lighting designer

Alexander Rudakov

Video designer

Vadim Dulenko

Chorus master

Anna Pipiya

Larisa Shveikovskaya

Repetiteur

Marina Repina

Yevgenia Akishina

Choreographer

Alena Umanetc

Singer

Bass

Sergei Sevastyanov

Tsar Saltan

Soprano

Elena Razguļajeva

Militrisa

Tenor

Mingiyan Odzhaev

Prince Gvidon

Olga Zharikova

Swan-Princess

Mezzo-soprano

Tatiana Makarchuk

The weaver

Olga Maslova

Cook

Contralto

Irina Kolodyazhnaya

Matchmaker-Crone

Waleriy Trubin-Leonoff

Alena Diyanova

Laura Bustamante

Alina Mikhailik

Russian

The Tale of Tsar Saltan

Vladivostok

Russia

Primorsky Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre

Public

Santiago Martin Bermejo

English

Approved

Accordionist

Instrumentalist

Archlutenist

Baroque Flutist

Baroque Oboist

Baroque Trumpetist

Bassist

Bassoonist

Cellist

Clarinetist

Contrabassist

Cornettist

Flutist

Guitarist

Harper

Harpsichordist

Hornist

Lutenist

Mandoline Player

Musette de cour Player

Oboist

Organist

Percussionist

Pianist

Recorder Player

Saxophonist

Tenor Violinist

Theorbist

Timpani

Trombonist

Trumpeter

Tuba Player

Vibraphonist

Viola Pomposa Player

Viola da gamba

Viola d’amore Player

Violinist

Violino Piccolo Player

Violist

Actor

Broadcasting

Choir

Chorus Director

Composer

Costume designer

Dancer

Dramaturge

Executive producer

Extra

Hairstylist

Illustrator

Librettist

Makeup artist

Orchestra

Orchestra Operations

Other

Photographer

Poet

Sound designer

Stage Manager

Teacher

Translator

Vocal coach

Wig & Makeup Designer

Writer

Writing and performance

Baritone

Bass-baritone

Countertenor

Alto

Child vocalist

Continuo

Silent

Spoken

Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov is called the greatest storyteller in the history of Russian music and The Tale of Tsar Saltan – his most joyful opera. Based on Pushkin’s theme, it was composed to coincide with the centenary of the genius of Russian poetry, so the composer tried to follow the original Pushkin’s text as closely as possible. And, indeed, the poetic lines of the immortal fairy tale literally tickle one’s imagination, prompting the musical solution: the magical squirrel sings: “In the grove or in the garden…” and the Swan Princess “speaks the Russian language.”

Rimsky-Korsakov wanted to compose music which would match Pushkin’s fairy tale – something Russian, lubok- and fair-like. The composer was so successful in incarnating this vision that after the opera premiere he became known as “the musical Pushkin”. Rimsky-Korsakov preserved both long, bylina-like name of the poem and Saltan’s peculiar features, such as naivety, good-natured humour, fast “dancing” rhythm, folklore storytelling techniques and national ethnic flavour.

The compositional method itself, which the author perceived as “grid drawing,” is a detailed artistic illustration akin to the art of ethnic embroidery or craftsmen’s palekh miniatures. Here, indeed, Rimsky-Korsakov could give rein to his love for filigree precision and careful drawing of “tasty bits,” his talent for colourful and inventive instrumentation. Apt description of the characters creates folklore-like rich and vivid images. The symphonic fragments, which brought Rimsky-Korsakov a resounding success before the opera had even premiered, are magnificent: the orchestra intermezzo Three Wonders, depicting wonders found in the City of Ledenets (a squirrel cracking golden nuts, thirty-three sea-knights (bogatyrs) headed by Chernomor and the beautiful Swan Princess), as well as the famous Bumblebee Flight which has become one of the main “hits” of music classics.

The producers who staged “The Tale About Tsar Saltan” on the Primorsky Stage – director Daria Panteleeva and designer Piotr Okunev – have created the performance with a thorough knowledge and respect for Russian fairy-tale traditions. On the stage, we can see accurately reconstructed signs of Russian life: delicate lace of wooden architecture and bright national class- and character-specific costumes seem to have stepped out of classical illustrations of folk tales.

Nadezhda Koulygina

Николая Римского-Корсакова называют величайшим сказочником в истории русской музыки, а «Сказку о царе Салтане» — самой жизнерадостной из его опер. Написанная на сюжет Пушкина, она создавалась к 100-летнему юбилею со дня рождения гениального русского поэта, и композитор стремился как можно точнее следовать тексту пушкинского оригинала. Действительно, поэтические строки бессмертной сказки буквально дразнят воображение, подсказывая музыкальное решение: чудесная белка поёт «Во саду ли, в огороде», а Царевна-Лебедь «молвит русским языком». Римский-Корсаков хотел сочинить музыку под стать пушкинской сказке — нечто русское, лубочное, ярмарочное. Композитору удалось настолько блестяще осуществить этот замысел, что после премьеры оперы его величали не иначе как «музыкальным Пушкиным». Римский-Корсаков сохранил не только длинное, под стать былинам, название поэмы, но и такие своеобразные черты «Салтана», как наивность, добродушный юмор, быстрый «плясовой» ритм, приёмы народного повествования и национальный колорит.

Сам метод сочинения — подробная художественная иллюстрация, которую композитор представлял «рисунком по клеточкам» — сродни искусству народной вышивки или мастеров палехской росписи. Здесь поистине было где разгуляться любви Римского-Корсакова к ювелирной отделке и тщательному выписыванию «вкусных» деталей, его таланту красочной и изобретательной инструментовки. Меткие характеристики персонажей создают по-народному сочные и живописные образы. Совершенно великолепны симфонические фрагменты, принёсшие Римскому-Корсакову оглушительный успех ещё до премьеры оперы: оркестровый антракт «Три чуда», рисующий волшебства града Леденца (белку, грызущую золотые орешки, тридцать три морских витязя во главе с Черномором и прекрасную Царевну-Лебедь), и знаменитый «Полёт шмеля», ставший одним из главных «хитов» музыкальной классики.

Надежда Кулыгина

русский

The Tale of Tsar Saltan by Rimsky-Korsakov, From (2022/2022), Directed by Ekaterina Malaya,, Conductor Pavel Smelkov, Waleriy Trubin-Leonoff, Primorsky Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre, Vladivostok, Russia

Performance credits (Cast & Crew )

Cast

Crew

Programme, About & Synopsis

Further reading

Performance Dates & Venues

Venues