Ruslan and Lyudmila (Opera)
| Work data | |
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| Title: | Ruslan and Lyudmila |
| Original title: |
Руслан и Людмила (Ruslan i Lyudmila) |
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Title page of the edition of the score from 1885 |
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| Shape: | Opera in five acts |
| Original language: | Russian |
| Music: | Mikhail Glinka |
| Libretto : | Nestor Kukolnik , Michail Glinka u. a. |
| Premiere: | November 27th July / December 9, 1842 greg. |
| Place of premiere: | Bolshoi Theater , Saint Petersburg |
| Playing time: | approx. 3 ½ hours |
| Place and time of the action: | pagan Russia , fairytale time |
| people | |
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Ruslan and Lyudmila is a “fantastic opera ” in five acts (eight pictures) with music by Michail Glinka with a libretto by Nestor Kukolnik and others based on the poem of the same name by Alexander Sergejewitsch Pushkin . It was first performed on December 9, 1842 in the Bolshoi Theater in St. Petersburg.
action
first act
Splendid grand princely ballroom in Kiev
The wedding ceremony of Ruslan and Ljudmila takes place in Svetosar's ballroom in Kiev. The guests listen to Bajan, who in a song prophesies misfortune for the bride and groom, followed by the happiness of real love. Lyudmila, sad that she has to leave Swetosar, her father, comforts Farlaf and Ratmir, who unsuccessfully asked for her hand, and swears allegiance to Ruslan. Swetosar blesses the couple. Suddenly all the light goes out and there is a clap of thunder. All are frozen as if by magic, two monsters kidnap Lyudmila. When the light shines again and everyone comes to, everyone is dismayed by Lyudmila's disappearance. Svetosar promises whoever gives him back his daughter half of his kingdom and Lyudmila's hand. The three suitors agree to find Lyudmila.
Second act
First picture. Finn's cave
Ruslan comes to Finn's cave, a good wizard who tells him that the evil wizard Chernomor escaped with Lyudmila and that Ruslan is the one who will defeat him. Ruslan asks Finn why he lives in this deserted place, and Finn tells him a story that happened many years ago. When he was a young shepherd in his distant home (Finn = Finn), he fell in love with the beautiful young Naina. When she rejected his love, he went away to fight for fame and fortune. When he returned successfully after ten years, Naina rejected his love again. Finn devoted himself to the study of sorcery. After years of studying, he used his powers to summon Naina and make her fall in love with him. The magic worked, but Naina was now a hunchbacked old woman with a wobbling head. Horrified and sad about it, Finn left her on the spot. Since then, Naina has been pursuing him with her revenge, and she will certainly pass on her vengeance to Ruslan. Finn assures Ruslan of the loyalty and integrity of Lyudmila and advises him to look for her in the north. Ruslan moves on.
Second picture. Barren area
The fearful Farlaf meets Naina, who instructs him to return home and wait for her there. She would bring Lyudmila to him and lead Ruslan far away.
Third picture. Wide field
Ruslan comes to a fog-shrouded desert, the floor of which is strewn with weapons and bones from past battles, and wonders where they come from and whether he has a similar end. He takes a new shield and a new spear to replace his old, broken weapons, but all swords are too light for him. The fog clears and reveals a huge head. He blows at Ruslan with all his might to drive him away. Ruslan hits the head with the spear, the head falls, revealing a sword that Ruslan takes. Ruslan learns from the dying head that it was once a giant and that his brother is the evil wizard Chernomor. A sword was supposed to bring death to both brothers, but Chernomor tried to avoid fate. When the giant had obtained the sword, he cunningly beheaded his brother and brought his head into the remote desert to keep the sword under him. The head calls on Ruslan to take vengeance.
Third act
Naina's magic castle
Young girls lure travelers into Naina's falllock. Gorislawa comes looking for advice, who captured her and then left. As she moves away for a short while, Ratmir appears and immediately falls under the spell of the girls who seduce him with dance. Ruslan, who appears soon, forgets Lyudmila when he sees Gorislawa. Suddenly Finn appears, the girls disappear. He reminds Ratmir and Ruslan that fortune has made Gorislava and Lyudmila for them. At a wave of his wand, the castle turns into a forest.
Fourth act
Chernomor's magic gardens
Trapped in Chernomor's magic gardens, Lyudmila longs for Ruslan and opposes the enchanted surroundings. Chernomor appears with accompaniment, dances are performed. A trumpet sounds, calling on Chernomor to fight. Chernomor sinks Lyudmila into a magical sleep and hurries away. Shortly afterwards Ruslan appears, Chernomor's long beard wrapped around his helmet. Although Chernomor is dead, Lyudmila's sleep continues, so Ruslan, Ratmir, and Gorislawa decide to seek advice from Kiev's healing artists.
Fifth act
First picture. Night camp in a valley
In a moonlit valley Ruslan, Ratmir and Gorislawa (with Lyudmila) have settled for the night. Ratmir, on guard, is happy to be reunited with Gorislawa and worried that Ruslan will not be able to wake Lyudmila. Suddenly slaves report that Lyudmila has been kidnapped again and that Ruslan has gone to look for her. Finn appears and reveals to Ratmir that Lyudmila was kidnapped this time by Naina, and gives Ratmir a magic ring that Ruslan will use to awaken Lyudmila in Kiev.
Second picture. Ballroom in Kiev
Lyudmila lies asleep in Svetosar's ballroom. Farlaf took her to Kiev to be her savior, but was unable to wake her. Riders can be heard approaching, and Ruslan, Ratmir and Gorislawa appear immediately. Ruslan approaches Lyudmila and wakes her up with the help of the magic ring. The ballroom gives way to a view of old Kiev. The people praise the gods, the fatherland and the young couple.
Instrumentation
The orchestral line-up for the opera includes the following instruments:
- Woodwind : flute piccolo , two flutes , two oboes (2nd also English horn ), two clarinets , two bassoons , contrabassoon
- Brass : four horns , two trumpets , three trombones
- Timpani , percussion : bass drum , snare drum , tambourine , cymbal , glockenspiel , triangle
- Glass harmonica
- piano
- harp
- Strings
- Incidental music: piccolo, two flutes, two oboes, small clarinet, basset horn , bass clarinet , four horns, two alto horns, two tenor horns, bass horn, three cornets , four trumpets, three trombones, two tubas , bass tuba, percussion (large drum, small drum, Tambourine, cymbal, triangle)
Web links
- Ruslan and Lyudmila : Sheet Music and Audio Files in the International Music Score Library Project
- Work information and libretto (Russian) as full text on operalib.eu
- Action by Ruslan and Lyudmila (opera) on Opera-Guide landing page due to URL change currently not available
- Discography of Ruslan and Ludmilla at Operadis
Individual evidence
- ^ Sigrid Neef : Ruslan i Lyudmila. In: Piper's Encyclopedia of Musical Theater . Volume 2: Works. Donizetti - Henze. Piper, Munich / Zurich 1987, ISBN 3-492-02412-2 , p. 460.