''Cherevichki'' (russian: Черевички , ua, Черевички, ''Cherevichki'', ''Čerevički'', ''The Slippers''; alternative renderings are ''The Little Shoes'', ''The Tsarina's Slippers'', ''The Empress's Slippers'', ''The Golden Slippers'', ''The Little Slippers'', ''Les caprices d'Oxane'', and ''Gli stivaletti'') is a comic-fantastic opera in 4 acts, 8 scenes, by

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky , group=n ( ; 7 May 1840 – 6 November 1893) was a Russian composer of the Romantic period. He was the first Russian composer whose music would make a lasting impression internationally. He wrote some of the most popu ...

. It was composed in 1885 in Maidanovo, Russia. The

libretto A libretto (Italian for "booklet") is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata or Musical theatre, musical. The term ''libretto'' is also sometimes used to refer to the t ...

was written by

Yakov Polonsky Yakov Petrovich Polonsky (russian: Яков Петрович Полонский; ) was a leading Pushkinist poet who tried to uphold the waning traditions of Russian Romantic poetry during the heyday of realistic prose. Of noble birth, Polonsky ...

, and is based on the story "

Christmas Eve Christmas Eve is the evening or entire day before Christmas Day, the festival commemorating the birth of Jesus. Christmas Day is observed around the world, and Christmas Eve is widely observed as a full or partial holiday in anticipation ...

", part of the 1832 collection ''

Evenings on a Farm Near Dikanka ''Evenings on a Farm Near Dikanka'' (russian: «Вечера на хуторе близ Диканьки») is a collection of short stories by Nikolai Gogol, written in 1829–1832. They appeared in various magazines and were published in book f ...

'', by

Nikolai Gogol Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol; uk, link=no, Мико́ла Васи́льович Го́голь, translit=Mykola Vasyliovych Hohol; (russian: Яновский; uk, Яновський, translit=Yanovskyi) ( – ) was a Russian novelist, ...

. The opera is a revision of Tchaikovsky's earlier opera ''

Vakula the Smith ''Vakula the Smith'' (russian: Кузнец Вакула, Kuznéts Vakúla, Smith Vakula ), Op. 14, is a Ukrainian-themed opera in 3 acts, 8 scenes, by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The libretto was written by Yakov Polonsky and is based on Nikolai G ...

''. The work was first performed in 1887 in Moscow.

Composition history

The opera was composed between February and April 1885 at Maidanovo. Both ''Vakula the Smith'' and ''Cherevichki'' were set to Polonsky's libretto, which was originally intended for

Alexander Serov Alexander Nikolayevich Serov (russian: Алекса́ндр Никола́евич Серо́в, Saint Petersburg, – Saint Petersburg, ) was a Russian composer and music critic. He is notable as one of the most important music critics in ...

, but had remained unused on account of his death. Additions and revisions for this second version were made by the composer and Nikolay Chayev. The main thematic material of the second version of the opera is the same as in ''

''. The alterations were caused by a wish to help the opera "out of the river of oblivion" (letter by Tchaikovsky of 4 March 1885). The editing primarily simplified some elements of musical texture. The lyric sphere of the opera was deepened by the introduction of a new aria inserted for Vakula: ... (Who knows, my girl, if your heart can feel my pain...). But the addition of the song of the School Teacher and the verses of His Highness enrich the genre part of the opera. Tchaikovsky also changed the cast of the chorus scenes, as in No. 13 (''Kolyadka'').

Performance history

The premiere was given on 31 January 1887 S January 19at the

Bolshoi Theatre The Bolshoi Theatre ( rus, Большо́й теа́тр, r=Bol'shoy teatr, literally "Big Theater", p=bɐlʲˈʂoj tʲɪˈatər) is a historic theatre in Moscow, Russia, originally designed by architect Joseph Bové, which holds ballet and ope ...

in Moscow conducted by Tchaikovsky (it was his debut as a conductor) with stage direction by A. I. Bartsal and scenic design by K. F. Valts. During the 20th century the opera was performed very rarely, revived almost exclusively within Russia and the

USSR The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen nationa ...

. It received its Polish premiere in the

Baltic Opera Baltic State Opera Foyer Baltic Opera (formerly Baltic State Opera) is an opera company located in Gdańsk, Poland. History It began in February 1949 as the Music and Drama Studio (in Polish: Studio Muzyczno-Dramatyczne) set up by Iwo Gall. In ...

House in

Gdańsk Gdańsk ( , also ; ; csb, Gduńsk;Stefan Ramułt, ''Słownik języka pomorskiego, czyli kaszubskiego'', Kraków 1893, Gdańsk 2003, ISBN 83-87408-64-6. , Johann Georg Theodor Grässe, ''Orbis latinus oder Verzeichniss der lateinischen Benen ...

on 28 June 1952.

Wexford Festival Opera Wexford Festival Opera () is an opera festival that takes place in the town of Wexford in south-eastern Ireland during the months of October and November. The festival began in 1951 under Tom Walsh and a group of opera lovers who quickly gener ...

presented five performances of a new production in October 1993. It was shown in the United Kingdom for the first time at

Garsington Opera Garsington Opera is an annual summer opera festival founded in 1989 by Leonard Ingrams. The Philharmonia Orchestra and The English Concert are its two resident orchestras. For 21 years it was held in the gardens of Ingrams's home at Garsington ...

on 26 June 2004, and then at The

Royal Opera House The Royal Opera House (ROH) is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply Covent Garden, after a previous use of the site. It is the home of The Royal Op ...

Covent Garden on 20 November 2009 (one of the later performances was broadcast).''Cherevichki'' at the Royal Opera House
/ref>

Roles

Instrumentation

Source
Tchaikovsky Research
*''Strings'': Violins I, Violins II, Violas, Cellos, Double Basses *''Woodwinds'': Piccolo, 2 Flutes, 2 Oboes, 2 Clarinets (B-flat and A), 2 Bassoons *''Brass'': 4 Horns (all F), 2 Trumpets (F and E), 3 Trombones, Tuba *''Percussion'': Timpani, Triangle, Tambourine, Cymbals, Bass Drum, *''Other'': Harp *''On/Offstage'': Wind Band (off) Some numbers were also arranged for voices with piano or for piano duet (4 hands) by Tchaikovsky in 1885.

Synopsis

''Time'': The end of the 18th century ''Place'': In the village of Dikanka, Ukraine; St. Petersburg

Act 1

The widow Solokha agrees to help the Devil steal the Moon. The Devil is annoyed with Solokha's son Vakula who painted an icon mocking him. The Devil decides to create a snowstorm to prevent Vakula from seeing his beloved Oxana. While the storm rages, Solokha rides up to the sky and steals the Moon, while Oxana's father Chub and the Deacon are unable to find their way. Oxana is alone and lonely at home. She passes through several moods and the music follows her with gradually accelerating tempos. At one point, Vakula enters and watches her admiring herself. She teases him, and he says he loves her. Chub comes back out of the storm, and Vakula, not recognizing him, chases him out by striking him. Seeing what he has done, Oxana sends Vakula away in a miserable state. Young people from the village come around singing Ukrainian Christmas carols. Oxana realizes she still loves Vakula.

Act 2

In a peculiar and amusing first scene three men and the Devil wind up in three sacks at Solokha's hut after successively trying to seduce her, and Vakula winds up hauling the heavy sacks away. Outside three groups of carollers contend. Oxana shames Vakula into getting her the Tsaritsa's boots or else she won't marry him. He runs threatening suicide, leaving two bags which turn out to have the Deacon and Chub.

Act 3

A forest sprite warns water nymphs that Vakula is coming and that he wants to commit suicide. The Devil jumps out of Vakula's sack and tries to get his soul in exchange for Oxana but Vakula instead climbs on the Devil's back. Vakula forces the Devil to take him to St. Petersburg. The Devil puts down Vakula in the tsaritsa's court and disappears into the fireplace. Vakula joins a group of cossacks who are going to see the tsaritsa. In the hall of columns, a chorus sings the tsaritsa's praises, a polonaise. Vakula requests the tsaritsa's boots in a minuet, and it is granted because it is an unusual and amusing thing to ask. The Devil takes Vakula away as Russian and Cossack dances commence.

Act 4

The Act opens in the town square on a bright Christmas morning. Solokha and Oxana think Vakula has drowned himself, and mourn for him. Oxana runs off weeping when villagers invite her to the Christmas feast. Vakula returns with the boots, asks Chub to forgive him for the beating and asks for Oxana's hand in marriage. She enters, tells Vakula that she wants him, not the silly boots. Chub calls for the kobzari (the lutenists), and everyone celebrates.

Structure

:Overture Act 1
''Scene 1''
:No. 1 Scene and Duet (Solokha, Devil) :No. 2 Snowstorm ''Scene 2''
:No. 3 Aria (Oksana) :No. 4 Scene and Arioso (Oksana, Vakula) :No. 5 Scene (Oksana, Chub, Vakula) :No. 6 Scene and Duet (Vakula, Oksana) :No. 7 Final Scene (Oksana, Vakula, Choir) Act 2
''Scene 1''
:Entr’acte :No. 8 Scene (Solokha, Devil) :No. 9 Scene (Pan Golova, Solokha) :No. 10 Scene (Deacon, Solokha) :No. 11 Scene and Quintet (Chub, Solokha, Vakula, Deacon, Devil) :No. 12 Arioso (Vakula) ''Scene 2''
:No. 13 Choral Scene :No. 14 Scene and Cherevichki Song :No. 15 Finale (Oksana, Vakula, Chub, Choir) Act 3
''Scene 1''
:Entr’acte :No. 16 Chorus of Rusalkas :No. 17 Scene and Vakula's Song (Vakula, Devil) ''Scene 2''
:No. 18 Scene (Devil, Vakula, an Old Zaporozhian Cossack, Choir) ''Scene 3''
:No. 19 Polonaise (Vakula, Master of Ceremonies, His Highness, Choir) :No. 20 Couplets (His Highness, Choir) :No. 21 Minuet and Scene (Vakula, Catherine II, His Highness, Choir) :No. 22 Russian dance and Cossack dance :No. 23 Scene (Master of Ceremonies, Devil, Vakula Act 4
:No. 24 Duet (Solokha, Oksana) :No. 25 Finale (Oksana, Chub, Pan Golova, Panas, Solokha, Vakula, Choir)

Related works

* Lysenko: the opera ''Christmas Eve'' (1872) *

Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky , group=n ( ; 7 May 1840 – 6 November 1893) was a Russian composer of the Romantic period. He was the first Russian composer whose music would make a lasting impression internationally. He wrote some of the most popu ...

: The opera ''

'' (1874, the earlier version of ''Cherevichki'') *

Rimsky-Korsakov Nikolai Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov . At the time, his name was spelled Николай Андреевичъ Римскій-Корсаковъ. la, Nicolaus Andreae filius Rimskij-Korsakov. The composer romanized his name as ''Nicolas Rimsk ...

: The opera ''

'' (1895) Lysenko's and Rimsky-Korsakov's ''Christmas Eve'' operas and Tchaikovsky's ''Vakula the Smith''/''Cherevichki'' are all based on the same story by Gogol.

Recordings

Image:Cherevichki-Album cover Melik-Pashayev.jpg, 1948 Bolshoy Theatre Image:Cherevichki-Album cover.jpg, 2000 Cagliari Lyric Theatre *1948, Aleksandr Melik-Pashayev, Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra and Chorus, G. Nelepp (Vakula), E. Antonova (Solokha), Al. Ivanov (Devil), M. Mikhailov (Chub), E. Kruglikova (Oksana), S. Krasnovsky (Village-head), F. Godovkin (Panas), A. Peregudov (Deacon), An. Ivanov (His Highness), O. Insarova (Yekaterina II), I. Ionov (Master of ceremonies), V. Shvetsov (Sentry), I. Sipaev (Zaporozhian Cossack), M. Skazin (Forest Sprite) *1973, Fedoseyev/Fomina/Simonova/Lisovsky/Krivchenia/Klenov (Melodiya) *2000, Gennady Rozhdestvensky, Cagliari Lyric Theater Orchestra and Chorus, Fabio Bonavita, Pavel Cernoch, Ekaterina Morosova, Vladimir Ognovenko, Vladimir Okenko, Grigory Osipov, Valeri Popov, Valentin Prolat, Albert Schagidullin, Ludmila Semciuk, Barseg Tumanyan, Frantisek Zahradnicek *2004, Howarth/Duprels/McCafferty/Dwyer/Zimnenko/Earle (Garsington label) *2009, Polianichko/Guryakova/Diadkova/Grivnov/Matorin/Mikhailov (Royal Opera House staging; DVD, Opus Arte label) * An Orchestral Suite entitled "Les Caprices d'Oxane" was arranged from the opera by Constantine Saradjeff (1877-1954) and recorded in 1953 by the Philharmonia Orchestra, conductor Anatole Fistoulari, for the Parlophone label. The title used on the LP was "The Slippers" but when reissued on the Guild CD label in 2014 it became "The Tsarina's Slippers."

References

Notes

External links

*
Information on ''Cherevichki'' (English)

Tchaikovsky Research on ''Cherevichki'' (English)AnswersGennady Rozhdestvensky performance CD album 1On ''Cherevichki'' at Google Books (''An Introduction to Tchaikovsky's Operas'')
{{Authority control Russian-language operas Operas by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Operas Operas based on works by Nikolai Gogol 1887 operas Operas set in Ukraine Christmas operas The Devil in opera Works based on Christmas Eve (Gogol)