Sadko (opera)
| Work data | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Sadko |
| Original title: | Садко |
Production of the first picture at the Bolshoi Theater (1952) |
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| Shape: | Opera byline in seven pictures |
| Original language: | Russian |
| Music: | Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov |
| Libretto : | Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov |
| Literary source: | the Sadko saga |
| Premiere: | January 7, 1898 |
| Place of premiere: | Moscow Solodownikov Theater |
| Playing time: | about 3 hours |
| Place and time of the action: | Novgorod, in the 12th century |
| people | |
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Sadko is an opera byline ( Opera-bylina ) in seven pictures by Nikolai Andrejewitsch Rimski-Korsakow , which premiered on January 7, 1898 in Moscow's Solodownikow Theater. The basis of the plot is the medieval Russian folk tale of the fairytale experiences of the musician and later merchant Sadko , whose real model is said to have lived in the 12th century.
The plot
First picture
In the rich rooms of the Novgorod Merchants' Guild .
The merchants of Novgorod celebrate a festival and praise the wealth and freedom of their trading city, which can do without the reign of terror of boyars and princes. The young gusli player from Kiev, Neschata, recites a heroic song from ancient times. Sadko also takes up the gusli and sings about his dream of a long sea voyage to distant countries, which the merchants are supposed to help him to by equipping a merchant fleet, also speaks of the benefit that a connection to the sea would have for Novgorod. But he is only ridiculed for his arrogance and is driven out of the city.
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Second picture
On the shores of Lake Ilmen on a bright summer night.
Sadko complains of nature when some white swans appear and transform into mermaids. Volkhova, the daughter of the Tsar of the Sea, is one of them. Sadko sings her a song and they both fall in love. As a farewell, the sea princess Sadko gives three golden fish that swim in the lake and will make him rich. Before the sun rises again, the sea king calls his entourage back into the water.
Third picture
Bright women's chamber in Sadko's house, early in the morning.
Sadko's wife Ljubawa has been waiting for her husband in vain. When he finally appears, he does not want to know anything about her complaints, but thinks only of distant countries and no longer seems to love them. In vain does she ask her husband to stay.
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Fourth picture
Wharf of the landing site in Novgorod on Lake Ilmen, ships at the landing stage.
Sadko is mocked when he tells that the Ilmen Lake holds golden fish. However, he bets his head that it is so, the merchants put all their goods against it and go out onto the lake with the singer. He catches the three golden fish under the gaze of the witnesses, wins the bet and turns the traders into beggars. However, when a few lumps of gold were found in his network, he generously gave the merchants their goods. With his winnings he can equip a fleet of 31 ships including bodyguards to travel across the sea as a trader. Three traders from Scandinavia, India and Venice are now performing characteristic songs about their home countries to make it easier for Sadko to decide where to go. The people advise against a trip to the pirating Northmen as well as from the all too wondrous Indian South Pacific and recommend Sadko a trade trip to rich Venice. Sadko says goodbye to his inconsolable wife and the people and sets sail.
Fifth picture
On the ocean with a smooth sea and sunset, later moonlight.
Twelve years have passed since Sadko left his home. As his merchant fleet, laden with treasures, rushes home, Sadko's ship alone is stopped by a sudden calm: the sea tsar takes his toll. Sadko has silver and gold thrown into the sea, but the water being demands a human sacrifice. The lot he lets the sailors throw falls on Sadko himself, who has already realized that the princess is asking for him. He leaves the ship, which immediately sails away, and sinks, standing on a plank, in the sea.
Sixth picture
Transparent, bluish shimmering undersea palace of the sea tsar, in the middle a dense laburnum.
The angry sea tsar receives Sadko and complains about the lack of tribute. Volkhova mediates between the two and suggests that Sadko cheer up the ocean with a song. The Gusli song that Sadko intoned was so appealing to the sea tsar that he agreed to marry his favorite daughter to Sadko and immediately called all rivers, seas, fish and sea wonders together. At the subsequent wedding celebration, the king and his wife Vodjanitsa begin to dance, so that a storm breaks out and some ships go down. There appears the hieratic figure of an old pilgrim - it is the holy Mikola , patron saint of farmers and sailors - who suddenly ends the festival, announces the fall of his empire to the Tsar of the Sea and orders Volkhova to become a river, the Novgorod with the Sea connects. While the kingdom of the sea lord sinks into darkness, Sadko and Volkhova retreat on a shell.
Seventh picture
Initially closed curtain; then green meadow with a view of the Ilmensee at dawn.
Sadko and Volkhova go on their honeymoon in the mussel shell covered with seagulls and swans. On the shore of Lake Ilmen, the princess sings a slumber song for her husband. Sadko falls into a deep sleep, while Volkhova transforms into the Volkhov River , which gives the Novgorodians direct access to the sea. When Sadko wakes up, he is not sure whether he has dreamed all this or not and initially considers the song of the abandoned Lyubawa to be the lamentation of a river. He assures his soon-to-be recognized wife of his love. At the same time, Sadko's richly loaded fleet is approaching on the new waterway, which Sadko celebrates as the "miracle of miracles". Sadko promises Ljubawa never to leave her again. The people celebrate him as a great hero, he tunes the gusli again and refers in a song to the mythical appearance, to which all thanks are due. Everyone joins the cheers for the glorious city and its new river.
Instrumentation
The orchestral line-up for the opera includes the following instruments:
- Woodwinds : three flutes (3rd also piccolo ), two oboes , English horn , three clarinets (2nd also small clarinet, 3rd also bass clarinet ), two bassoons , contrabassoon
- Brass : four horns , two trumpets , alto trumpet in F, three trombones , tuba
- Timpani , percussion (three players): bass drum , cymbals , triangle , glockenspiel , tambourine , tam-tam
- two harps
- Strings
- Incidental music behind the scene: organ , bells in f ', g', g '' and as '', glockenspiel, harp, trumpet, alto trumpet
Origin, performances and reception
Rimsky-Korsakov dealt early with the material of the old Russian folk tale from the treasure of the Bylinen . His orchestral work Sadko , a tone painting for orchestra bears the opus number 5 and dates from 1867. The composer revised it twice and also adopted some elements from this work in the opera of the same name.
Regardless of its musical beauties and melodies that have become popular, the opera Sadko is rarely performed. In 1906 it was shown at the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow . The first performance in the United States followed on January 25, 1930 at the Metropolitan Opera . It premiered in London in June 1931. A performance in 1947 at the Berlin State Opera attracted more attention .
The “Song of the Indian Guest” (Песня Индийского гостя) formed the basis of numerous arrangements, including Fritz Kreisler's Chanson indoue for violin and piano (1919). An English text version under the title Song of India , which was first published in 1921 and soon became known through sound recordings by Paul Whiteman , Tommy Dorsey and Bunny Berigan , was to gain particular popularity .
Web links
- Sadko (opera) : Sheet music and audio files in the International Music Score Library Project
- Libretto (PDF, Italian / Russian) on dicoseunpo.it
- Work information and libretto (Russian) as full text on operalib.eu
- Action by Sadko (Opera) on Opera-Guide landing page due to URL change currently not available
- Discography of Sadko (opera) at Operadis
- Information about the opera and the composer at Klassika.info
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d Dorothea Redepenning : Article Sadko. In: Piper's Encyclopedia of Music Theater , ed. by Carl Dahlhaus and the Research Institute for Music Theater at the University of Bayreuth under the direction of Sieghart Döhring , Volume 5. Piper, Munich 1994, pp. 266–269.
- ^ Entry " Sadko " in the Opera guide (online resource).
- ↑ Kurt Westphal: "The Sadko Fairy Tale Opera in Berlin" , in Die Zeit , No. 20, 1947.
Pskovitjanka (The Pskov Girl, 1873) | Boyarynja Wera Scheloga (The Boyarin Wera Scheloga, 1898) | Maiskaja notsch (The May Night, 1880) | Snegurochka (Snow Maiden, 1882) | Mlada (1892) | Notsch pered Roshdestwom (The Night Before Christmas, 1895) | Sadko (1898) | Mozart i Saljeri (Mozart and Salieri, 1898) | Tsarskaya Nevesta (The Tsar's Bride, 1899) | Skaska o zare Saltane (The tale of Tsar Saltan, 1900 | Servilia (1902) | Kashchei bessmertny ( Kashchei the Immortal, 1902) | Pan Wojewoda (1904) | Skasanije o newidimom grade Kitesche i dewe Fewronii (The legend of the invisible city of Kitez and of the virgin Fevronija, 1907) | Solotoi petuschok (The golden rooster, 1909)