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The Stone Guest (Dargomyzhsky)
''The Stone Guest'' (''Каменный гость'' in Cyrillic script, Cyrillic, ''Kamennyj gost' '' in transliteration) is an opera in three acts by Alexander Dargomyzhsky from a libretto taken almost verbatim from Alexander Pushkin's 1830 The Stone Guest (play), play of the same name which had been written in blank verse and which forms part of his collection ''Little Tragedies''. It was first performed at the Mariinsky Theatre, Saint Petersburg, 16 February 1872 (Old Style and New Style dates, Old Style). According to the composer's wishes, the last few lines of tableau 1 were composed by César Cui, and the whole was orchestrated by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. Many years later, Rimsky-Korsakov revised his own orchestration of the opera, rewrote a few of Dargomyzhsky's own original passages, and added an orchestral prelude. This version, completed in 1903 and first performed in 1907 at the Bolshoi Theatre, is now considered the standard version. Performance History The Austrian ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chamber Opera Theater Of New York
The Chamber Opera Theater of New York was an American opera company located in New York City that operated from 1980 to 1986. The company mainly staged its works at the Marymount Manhattan Theater, but occasionally used other venues like the Brooklyn Academy of Music. Music critic Allan Kozinn stated in ''The New York Times'' that the company "built a reputation for intimately staged productions, mostly of works that are rarely heard in the larger houses; and earned both a steady following and enthusiastic reviews." Founded by Thaddeus Motyka, the company's inaugural performance was on March 21, 1980, with a double bill of Jacques Ibert's ''Angélique'' and William Walton's '' The Bear'' with Ainslee Cox conducting the Endymion Ensemble. While a consistent critical success, the company experienced financial problems through much of its history. Some of the company's financial problems were temporarily relieved through money generated by a benefit concert led by tenor Nicolai Gedda, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mezzo-soprano
A mezzo-soprano or mezzo (; ; meaning "half soprano") is a type of classical female singing voice whose vocal range lies between the soprano and the contralto voice types. The mezzo-soprano's vocal range usually extends from the A below middle C to the A two octaves above (i.e. A3–A5 in scientific pitch notation, where middle C = C4; 220–880 Hz). In the lower and upper extremes, some mezzo-sopranos may extend down to the F below middle C (F3, 175 Hz) and as high as "high C" (C6, 1047 Hz). The mezzo-soprano voice type is generally divided into the coloratura, lyric, and dramatic mezzo-soprano. History While mezzo-sopranos typically sing secondary roles in operas, notable exceptions include the title role in Bizet's '' Carmen'', Angelina (Cinderella) in Rossini's ''La Cenerentola'', and Rosina in Rossini's ''Barber of Seville'' (all of which are also sung by sopranos and contraltos). Many 19th-century French-language operas give the leading female role to mezzos, includin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ivan Melnikov (singer)
Ivan Aleksandrovich Melnikov (russian: Иван Александрович Мельников, links=no) (March 4, 1832 – July 8, 1906) was a Russian baritone opera singer. Early years and training Melnikov was trained as a choirboy in his youth. In 1861, he began studying with Gavriil Lomakin, and participated from 1862 until 1866 in the Free Music School concerts conducted by Lomakin. Melnikov continued his studies in Milan with a master of bel canto, E. Repetto.Macy, Laura Williams. ''The Grove Book of Opera Singers'' pp. 316-317. Oxford University Press: New York, 2008 Career In 1867, Melnikov made a triumphant St. Petersburg debut at Mariinsky Theatre, performing the role of Riccardo in Bellini's ''I puritani''. Melnikov appeared regularly at the Mariinsky, in both foreign and Russian roles, and was the first interpreter of more than dozen roles in Russian opera. Melnikov sang in every opera by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky except for '' Iolanta'', creating roles in four ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Baritone
A baritone is a type of classical male singing voice whose vocal range lies between the bass and the tenor voice-types. The term originates from the Greek (), meaning "heavy sounding". Composers typically write music for this voice in the range from the second F below middle C to the F above middle C (i.e. F2–F4) in choral music, and from the second A below middle C to the A above middle C (A2 to A4) in operatic music, but the range can extend at either end. Subtypes of baritone include the baryton-Martin baritone (light baritone), lyric baritone, ''Kavalierbariton'', Verdi baritone, dramatic baritone, ''baryton-noble'' baritone, and the bass-baritone. History The first use of the term "baritone" emerged as ''baritonans'', late in the 15th century, usually in French sacred polyphonic music. At this early stage it was frequently used as the lowest of the voices (including the bass), but in 17th-century Italy the term was all-encompassing and used to describe the averag ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Yuliya Platonova
Yuliya Feodorovna Platonova or Julia Platonova ( rus, Юлия Фёдоровна Платонова, Yuliya Feodorovna Platonova, née Garder, 1841—1892) was a Russian soprano, known for performances at Imperial Theatres in St. Petersburg. She is considered as one of the most important figures that created Russian opera, at a whole. Music teacher. Repertory Among more than 50 of her roles, the most notable were the following: * Antonida ('' A Life for the Tsar''), * Elvira (''I puritani''), * Natasha ('' Rusalka''), * Lyudmila ('' Ruslan and Lyudmila''), * Katerina ('' The Storm'', by , 1867), * Adalgisa (''Norma''), * Elsa (''Lohengrin''), * Maria ('' William Ratcliff''), * Berthe (''Le prophète''), * Halka (''Halka''), * Mařenka (''The Bartered Bride''), * Dasha (''The Power of the Fiend''), * Valentine (''Les Huguenots''), * Donna Anna ('' The Stone Guest''), * Donna Anna ('' Don Giovanni''), * Olga (''The Maid of Pskov''), * Marina Mnishek ('' Boris Godunov'') ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Soprano
A soprano () is a type of classical female singing voice and has the highest vocal range of all voice types. The soprano's vocal range (using scientific pitch notation) is from approximately middle C (C4) = 261 Hz to "high A" (A5) = 880 Hz in choral music, or to "soprano C" (C6, two octaves above middle C) = 1046 Hz or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which often encompasses the melody. The soprano voice type is generally divided into the coloratura, soubrette, lyric, spinto, and dramatic soprano. Etymology The word "soprano" comes from the Italian word '' sopra'' (above, over, on top of),"Soprano" '' |
Osip Petrov
Osip Afanasievich Petrov (russian: link=no, Осип Афанасиевич Петров, ) was a Russian operatic bass-baritone of great range and renown, whose career centred on St Petersburg. Biography Osip Petrov was born in Yelisavetgrad (now Kropyvnytskyi) in Ukraine, then part of Russia. He started his career by singing in a church chorus. Petrov then worked in Russian provincial theaters (including Poltava, where he worked together with Mikhail Shchepkin). From 1830 until his death in 1878 he worked for the Mariinsky Theatre, St Petersburg. His career was one triumph after another, and he created a number of important roles in Russian operas, by composers such as Dargomyzhsky, Glinka, Mussorgsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, Anton Rubinstein, Tchaikovsky and others. His 50th anniversary as a singer was the cause for national celebration. On 21 April 1876, on the stage of the Maryinsky Theatre, he was presented with a gold medal, the personal gift of Tsar Alexander II. The Pres ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bass (voice Type)
A bass is a type of classical male singing voice and has the lowest vocal range of all voice types. According to ''The New Grove Dictionary of Opera'', a bass is typically classified as having a vocal range extending from around the second E below middle C to the E above middle C (i.e., E2–E4).; ''The Oxford Dictionary of Music'' gives E2–E4/F4 Its tessitura, or comfortable range, is normally defined by the outermost lines of the bass clef. Categories of bass voices vary according to national style and classification system. Italians favour subdividing basses into the ''basso cantante'' (singing bass), ''basso buffo'' ("funny" bass), or the dramatic ''basso profondo'' (low bass). The American system identifies the bass-baritone, comic bass, lyric bass, and dramatic bass. The German ''Fach'' system offers further distinctions: Spielbass (Bassbuffo), Schwerer Spielbass (Schwerer Bassbuffo), Charakterbass (Bassbariton), and Seriöser Bass. These classification systems can ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fyodor Petrovich Komissarzhevsky
Fyodor Petrovich Komissarzhevsky (russian: Фёдор Петрович Комиссаржевский) (1832 – 14 March 1905) was a Russian opera singer and teacher of voice and stagecraft. A leading tenor at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, he created many roles in Russian operas, including the Pretender in Mussorgsky's ''Boris Godunov'' and the title role in Tchaikovsky's ''Vakula the Smith''. He had a voice described in the '' Grove Book of Opera Singers'' as small but with a "velvety timbre" and as a singer was known for not only for his clear diction and beautiful phrasing but also for his skill as an actor. He was the father of the actress Vera Komissarzhevskaya and the director Theodore Komisarjevsky. Biography Komissarzhevsky was born near Kiev and after studying law at St. Petersburg University worked in the Russian Department of Taxation. However, after three years and against the wishes of his father, he gave up his career as a lawyer to study singing in Ita ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tenor
A tenor is a type of classical music, classical male singing human voice, voice whose vocal range lies between the countertenor and baritone voice types. It is the highest male chest voice type. The tenor's vocal range extends up to C5. The low extreme for tenors is widely defined to be B2, though some roles include an A2 (two As below middle C). At the highest extreme, some tenors can sing up to the second F above middle C (F5). The tenor voice type is generally divided into the ''leggero'' tenor, lyric tenor, spinto tenor, dramatic tenor, heldentenor, and tenor buffo or . History The name "tenor" derives from the Latin word ''wikt:teneo#Latin, tenere'', which means "to hold". As Fallows, Jander, Forbes, Steane, Harris and Waldman note in the "Tenor" article at ''Grove Music Online'': In polyphony between about 1250 and 1500, the [tenor was the] structurally fundamental (or 'holding') voice, vocal or instrumental; by the 15th century it came to signify the male voice that ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Eduard Nápravník
Eduard Francevič Nápravník (Russian: Эдуа́рд Фра́нцевич Напра́вник; 24 August 1839 – 10 November 1916) was a Czech conductor and composer. Nápravník settled in Russia and is best known for his leading role in Russian musical life as the principal conductor of the Imperial Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg for many decades. In that capacity, he conducted the premieres of many operas by Russian composers, including those by Mussorgsky, Tchaikovsky and Rimsky-Korsakov. Biography Nápravník was born in Býšť, Bohemia, in 1839. His studies of music were precariously uneven as a child, being the son of a poor teacher. Orphaned in 1853 at the age of 14, he first worked as a local church organist. In 1854 he entered the Prague Organ School, where he studied under Jan Bedřich Kittl and others, eventually becoming an assistant teacher as Kittl's generosity allowed him to continue his studies. In 1861, he worked in Russia for the first time as con ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
