Mavra
| Work data | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Mavra |
| Original title: |
Мавра (Mawra) |
| Shape: | Weird opera |
| Original language: | Russian |
| Music: | Igor Stravinsky |
| Libretto : | Boris Kochno |
| Literary source: | Story by Pushkin |
| Premiere: | June 3, 1922 |
| Place of premiere: | Paris |
| Playing time: | approx. 25 minutes |
| Place and time of the action: | Russian village around 1800 |
| people | |
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Mavra is a one-act comic opera by Igor Stravinsky based on a libretto by Boris Kochno . This, in turn, is based on the verse story " The House in Kolomna " by Alexander Pushkin . The work premiered on June 3, 1922 at the Paris Opera . The German premiere took place on November 7, 1925 in Kiel.
action
The opera takes place in a small Russian village at the beginning of the 19th century.
Parasha is in love with her neighbor Basil, who is with the hussars. Her mother's great care does not make it easy for her to meet him. The two lovers benefit from a fortunate circumstance: Parasha's mother's cook has suddenly blessed the time, and Mamuschka is deadly unhappy. She breaks out in great wailing. She orders the daughter to quickly look for a new cook. It doesn't take long for Parasha to finish the job. The new cook is actually a cook, Basil disguised as "Mavra". He and Parasha indulge in happiness. They can hardly believe that from now on they will live under the same roof.
But the happy times don't last long. Parasha's mother has to watch her new cook shave. She gives a loud scream and faints. Fortunately, the neighbor heard the scream. When she wants to rush to help and notices the woman lying on the ground, she is also startled and calls out loudly for help. Basil doesn't know what to do other than jump out the window and run aimlessly away. Now it is Parasha's turn to scream - after her lover!
music
Mavra was created during Stravinski's neoclassical creative period. The work contains two arias, a duet and a quartet. It is both a homage to Russian Romantic composers and a satire on the wealthy middle class. On the original score, Pyotr Tchaikovsky is named as the dedicatee.
Sound carrier
- Columbia 72609: With Susan Belinck, Mary Simmons, Patricia Rideout, Stanley Kolk, and the CBC Symphony Orchestra under the composer's direction
- Decca: With Joan Carlyle, Helen Watts, Monica Sinclair, Kenneth Macdonald and the Orchester de la Suisse Romande under the direction of Ernest Ansermet
- Chandos CHA 9488: With Tatyana Kravtsova, Olga Korzhenskaya, Olga Markova-Mikhailenko, Alexei Martynov and the Netherlands Wind Ensemble under the direction of Thierry Fischer
Web links
- Action by Mavra on Opera-Guide landing page due to URL change currently unavailable