Aleko

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Opera dates
Title: Aleko
Original title: Алеко / Aleko
Production design for the premiere in 1893

Production design for the premiere in 1893

Shape: Opera in one act and 13 numbers
Original language: Russian
Music: Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninoff
Libretto : Vladimir Nemirovich-Danchenko
Literary source: Alexander Pushkin : Цыганы / Zygany
Premiere: April 27th July / May 9, 1893 greg.
Place of premiere: Bolshoi Theater , Moscow
Playing time: Around 1 hour
Place and time of the action: A gypsy camp in Russia, 19th century
people
  • Алеко / Aleko ( baritone )
  • Молодой цыган / a young gypsy ( tenor )
  • Старик / the old man, Semfira's father ( bass )
  • Земфира / Semfira, a young gypsy ( soprano )
  • Старая цыганка / an old gypsy ( old )
  • Цыгане / Gypsies ( choir , ballet)

Aleko (TN ii / 70, Russian: Алеко) is the first of Sergei Rachmaninov's four operas , which he wrote at the Moscow Conservatory . The Russian libretto was written by Vladimir Nemirowitsch-Danchenko . It is an adaptation of the poem Цыганы ( Zygany - The Gypsies, 1825) by Alexander Pushkin . The premiere took place on April 27th . / May 9, 1893 greg. held in the Bolshoi Theater .

action

In a gypsy camp in Russia, the gypsies celebrate their freedom (No. 2). The old man tells the story of his childhood love for Mariula (No. 3), which lasted only one year. His group had once met another group of gypsies by the waters of Kagul. When they moved on the third night, Mariula had gone with them, but had left their little daughter Semfira behind. Since then the old man has had nothing but contempt for all girls. Aleko notes that under such circumstances he would not have waived vengeance.

While the gypsies dance and sing (Nos. 5–7), Semfira withdraws with a young man. Although Semfira fears her husband Aleko's jealousy, the two arrange to meet for a night of love (No. 8). Semfira then sings her child to sleep with a lullaby about her love for another man (No. 9). Aleko listens in alarm.

Aleko, a former city resident, recalls how he had given up his former life for Semfira and joined the Gypsies (No. 10).

In a romance (No. 12), Semfira's new lover compares the unstoppable sliding of the moon with the heart of a girl whom no one can command love.

Shortly before dawn, Semfira urges the young gypsy to hurry because she is afraid that her husband might wake up (No. 13). But he hesitates and Aleko catches the two of them. He begs Semfira in vain to return to him. Semfira and the young gypsy make fun of him. Aleko then stabs the young gypsy to death. Weeping, Semfira begs her dead lover for forgiveness and curses Aleko. He's stabbing her too.

Startled by the noise, the other gypsies join them. The old man finds his dying daughter lying on the floor covered in blood. The other gypsies complain. An old gypsy requests people to prepare graves near the river and to kiss the eyes of the deceased. The old man and the other gypsies explain to Aleko that they have no laws, do not torture or kill anyone - but they will not live with a murderer. Aleko has no choice but to complain about his renewed loneliness.

layout

Instrumentation

The orchestral line-up for the opera includes the following instruments:

Music numbers

The following numbers are given in the piano reduction and the score of the opera:

  • No. 1. Introduction / Интродукция (Introdukzija)
  • No. 2. Choir / Хор (choir)
  • No. 3. Tale of the old man / Рассказ Старика (Rasskas Starika)
  • No. 4. Scene and choir / Сцена и хор (Szena i chor)
  • No. 5. Dance of women / Пляска женщин (Pljaska schenschtschin)
  • No. 6. Men's dance / Пляска мужчин (Pljaska muschtschin)
  • No. 7. Choir / Хор (choir)
  • No. 8. Duettino / Дуэттино (Duettino)
  • No. 9. Scene and Lullaby / Сцена у люльки (Szena u ljulki)
  • No. 10. Alekos Cavatine / Каватина Алеко (Kawatina Aleko)
  • No. 11. Intermezzo / Интермеццо (Intermezzo)
  • No. 12. Romance of the Young Gypsy / Романс Молодого Цыгана (Romans Molodowo Zygana)
  • No. 13. Duet and Finale / Дуэт и Финал (Duet i Final)

music

The vocal parts of the young Rachmaninoff are based on the “typology of expression of urban romances”. Only in the songs and dances did he fall back on "eastern modes", which can be recognized in frequent melisms . However, these passages are more reminiscent of Bizet's pearl fisherman than his Carmen, who is also playing in a gypsy milieu . The rest of the music critic Ulrich Schreiber described as “technically solid Tchaikovsky reverberation”. The orchestra psychologically traces the course of the tragedy, with a so-called “fate theme” predominating. Rachmaninoff tried to “project mental states into external processes” and not only use the music for illustration. Keys, instrumental colors, rhythm and the different vocal styles have the same coherent meaning for him as individual motifs or themes.

With his three operas Aleko , Skupoi ryzar ( The Stingy Knight ) and Francesca da Rimini (both 1906) Rachmaninoff found his own way. He combined symphonic elements, structures of number opera, Italian melos and the "melodic recitative" of Alexander Dargomyschski . Although these operas were of great theoretical importance for the further development of musical drama, they did not find their way into the repertoire.

Work history

Aleko is the first of Rachmaninoff's three operas. He wrote it at the age of nineteen as a thesis at the Moscow Conservatory. He received the task on March 27, 1892. His work was completed on April 13. The first partial performance took place there on May 31, 1892.

The libretto comes from Vladimir Nemirowitsch-Danchenko . It is based on the poem Цыганы ( Zygany - The Gypsies ) by Alexander Pushkin , written in 1825 and published in 1827 . As early as 1829, Mikhail Lermontov made the first attempt at a libretto version. The first version of the opera is by Vladimir Kaschperow ( Zygany from 1850, libretto: Nikolai Ogarjow ). Since then, many other settings have appeared, including Ruggero Leoncavallo's opera Zingari from 1912. Dmitri Shostakovich had also composed an opera on this subject during his studies, but to his later regret burned the notation . “Semfira's Lullaby” (No. 9) was often set to music as a song.

The first performance of the complete work took place on April 27th July. / May 9, 1893 greg. held at the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow. It sang Bogomir Korsow (Aleko) Lew Klementyev (young gypsies), Stepan Vlasov (the old man), Marija Deisha-Sionizkaja (Zemfira) and EA Sciubina (old gypsy). Ippolit Altani was the musical director. Rachmaninov's colleague Peter Tchaikovsky was also present at the premiere .

In the same year, 1893, Rachmaninov conducted Aleko in Kiev. However, the opera only gained greater fame a few years later, when Fyodor Chaliapin , a friend of the composer, accepted the work. He sang the title role in 1897 in an amateur performance in 1897 at the Tauride Palace in Petersburg and in 1903 at the New Theater in Moscow. There were further productions in Petersburg / Petrograd in 1914 at the Mariinsky Theater and in 1923 at the Maly Theater . It was played in Rostov-on-Don in 1902, in Gorki in 1943, in Tbilisi in 1956 and in Ulan-Ude in 1953. It was first performed outside of Russia in London in 1915. Notable recent performances include an amateur production in Wladimir 1964, the English Camden Festival 1972, a guest performance by the Nemirowitsch-Danchenko Music Theater in Tokyo in 1977, and productions in Turin in 1980 (direction: Juri Aronowitsch , Aleko: Ferruccio Furlanetto ), Oldenburg 2001 and Kiel 2018.

A revised version and instrumentation comes from the composer Nikolai Golowanow.

Recordings

  • 1951 (studio recording): Nikolai Golovanov (conductor), orchestra and choir of the Bolshoi Theater Moscow. Ivan Petrow (Aleko), Anatoly Orfenov (young gypsy), Alexander Ognitzew (the old man), Nina Pokrovskaja (Semfira), Bronislava Zlatogorova (old gypsy). Arlecchino CD: ARL 146/147, Cantus Classics 500784 (2 CD).
  • 1987 (studio recording): Dmitri Kitajenko (conductor), Moscow State Philharmonic Orchestra. Yevgeny Nesterenko (Aleko), Alexander Fedin (young gypsy), Vladimir Matorin (the old one), Svetlana Volkova (Semfira), Raisa Kotova (old gypsy). Melodiya CD: 1000490 (1 CD).
  • 1993 (studio recording): Rouslan Raichev (conductor), Plovdiv Symphony Orchestra, Bulgarian Radio Chorus Sofia. Nikola Gjusselew (Aleko), Pavel Kurschumow (young gypsy), Dimiter Petkov (the old man), Blagovesta Karnobatlova-Dobreva (Semfira), Tony Christova (old gypsy). Capriccio CD: 10 782 (1 CD).
  • 1993 (studio recording): Andrei Tschistjakow (conductor), Russian state choir. Vladimir Matorin (Aleko), Vitalij Tarashchenko (young gypsy), Viacheslav Potschapski (the old one), Natalia Erassova (Semfira), Galina Borisowa (old gypsy). CDM CD: LDC 288 079 (1 CD).
  • 1995 (studio recording): Roman Kofman (conductor), Donjetzk Philharmonic Orchestra. Marina Lapina (Semfira). Verdi Classics VMS 6803 (1 CD).
  • August 1996 (studio recording): Neeme Järvi (conductor), Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra , Chorus of the Opera Gothenburg. Sergei Leiferkus (Aleko), Ilya Levinsky (young gypsy), Anatoli Kotscherga (the old man), Maria Guleghina (Semfira), Anne Sofie von Otter (old gypsy). DGG 453 452-2 (1 CD), DGG 477 041-2 (3 CD).
  • June 1996 (studio recording): Alexei Ludmilin (conductor), orchestra and choir of the Novosibirsk State Opera . Vladimir Urbanovitch (Aleko), Igor Borissow (young gypsy), Vitaly Jefanow (the old one), Olga Babkins (Semfira), Tatyana Gorbunova (old gypsy). Arte Nova 74321 39119-2 (1 CD).
  • May 2000 (studio recording): Konstantin Orbelian (conductor), Moscow Chamber Orchestra, State Cappella Accademica "Aleksandr Jurlov". Vassilij Gerello (Aleko), Vsevolod Grivnov (young gypsy), Mikhail Kit (the old one), Olga Guriakova (Semfira), Elena Manikhina (old gypsy). Delos DE 3269 (2 CD).
  • May 2005 (studio recording; excerpts): Najden Todorow (conductor), orchestra and choir of the Bulgarian National Opera Sofia . Alexander Tekeliev (Aleko), Boiko Tsvetanow (young gypsy), Peter Naydenov (the old man), Mariana Zvetkova (Semfira), Andreana Nikolova (old gypsy). Naxos 8.557817 (1 CD).
  • November 24, 2006 (live, in concert from the Salle Pleyel in Paris): Wladimir Fedossejew (conductor), Orchester Philharmonique de Radio France , Chœurs du Radio France. Viacheslav Potchapski (Aleko), Andrei Dunayev (young gypsy), Egils Silins (the old one), Maria Gavrilova (Semfira), Alexandra Durseneva (old gypsy). Premiere Opera 2546-1 (1 CD).

Web links

Commons : Aleko  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Remarks

  1. ↑ Occasionally also written “Zemfira”

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d e f g h i Sigrid Neef: Aleko. In: Piper's Encyclopedia of Musical Theater . Volume 5: Works. Piccinni - Spontini. Piper, Munich and Zurich 1994, ISBN 3-492-02415-7 .
  2. ↑ a b c d e Aleko. In: Sigrid Neef : Handbook of Russian and Soviet Opera. Henschelverlag Art and Society, Bärenreiter 1989. ISBN 3-7618-0925-5 , pp. 382–384.
  3. ↑ a b c Ulrich Schreiber : Opera guide for advanced learners. The 20th century III. Eastern and Northern Europe, branch lines on the main route, intercontinental distribution. Bärenreiter, Kassel 2006, ISBN 3-7618-1859-9 , pp. 22-23.
  4. ^ A b Kurt Pahlen : The new opera lexicon. Seehamer, Weyarn 2000, ISBN 3-934058-58-2 , p. 559.
  5. ↑ May 9, 1893: "Aleko". In: L'Almanacco di Gherardo Casaglia ..
  6. ^ Die Deutsche Bühne, review of April 29, 2018.
  7. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j Sergej Vasil'evic Rachmaninov. In: Andreas Ommer: Directory of all opera complete recordings. Zeno.org , volume 20.