''May Night'' ( rus, Майская ночь, Mayskaya noch ) is a comic
opera
Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a librett ...
in three acts, four scenes, by
Nikolai 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 ...
from a
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 ...
by the composer and is based on
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, ...
's story "
May Night, or the Drowned Maiden", from his 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 ...
'' (1829-1832).
The work was composed between 1878 and 1879 and first performed in 1880 at the
Mariinsky Theatre
The Mariinsky Theatre ( rus, Мариинский театр, Mariinskiy teatr, also transcribed as Maryinsky or Mariyinsky) is a historic theatre of opera and ballet in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Opened in 1860, it became the preeminent music th ...
in
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg ( rus, links=no, Санкт-Петербург, a=Ru-Sankt Peterburg Leningrad Petrograd Piter.ogg, r=Sankt-Peterburg, p=ˈsankt pʲɪtʲɪrˈburk), formerly known as Petrograd (1914–1924) and later Leningrad (1924–1991), i ...
in
Russia
Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...
.
''May Night'' is not part of the standard operatic repertoire in the West.
Performance history
The St. Petersburg premiere took place on 21 January (
O.S. 9 January) 1880 at the
Mariinsky Theatre
The Mariinsky Theatre ( rus, Мариинский театр, Mariinskiy teatr, also transcribed as Maryinsky or Mariyinsky) is a historic theatre of opera and ballet in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Opened in 1860, it became the preeminent music th ...
. It was conducted by
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 Rus ...
.
Other notable performances followed. In 1892 in
Moscow
Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million ...
, the
Russian Private Opera's performance at the Shelaputin's Theatre was conducted by
Iosif Pribik Iosif may refer to:
People
*Iosif Amusin, Soviet historian
*Iosif Anisim, Romanian sprint canoer
* Iosif Blaga, Romanian literary theorist and politician
* Iosif Bobulescu, Romanian bishop
* Iosif Capotă, Romanian anti-communist resistance fight ...
. Another Russian Private Opera production in 1898 was conducted by
Sergei Rachmaninoff
Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninoff; in Russian pre-revolutionary script. (28 March 1943) was a Russian composer, virtuoso pianist, and conductor. Rachmaninoff is widely considered one of the finest pianists of his day and, as a composer, one o ...
, while 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 ...
presented the opera in 1909 conducted by
Vyacheslav Suk Vyacheslav, also transliterated Viacheslav or Viatcheslav (russian: Вячеслав, Vjačeslav ; uk, В'ячеслав, V"jačeslav ), is a Russian and Ukrainian masculine given name. It is the equivalent of Belarusian Вячаслаў/Вацл ...
.
Roles
''Note'': The Village-Head (Голова, ''Golova'') is usually translated "Mayor". "Pannochka" is a
diminutive
A diminutive is a root word that has been modified to convey a slighter degree of its root meaning, either to convey the smallness of the object or quality named, or to convey a sense of intimacy or endearment. A (abbreviated ) is a word-formati ...
of "
Panna", a title in
Polish
Polish may refer to:
* Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe
* Polish language
* Poles
Poles,, ; singular masculine: ''Polak'', singular feminine: ''Polka'' or Polish people, are a West Slavic nation and ethnic group, w ...
and
Ukrainian
Ukrainian may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to Ukraine
* Something relating to Ukrainians, an East Slavic people from Eastern Europe
* Something relating to demographics of Ukraine in terms of demography and population of Ukraine
* So ...
for an unmarried lady.
Synopsis
: ''Time'':
Whitsuntide
Whitsun (also Whitsunday or Whit Sunday) is the name used in Britain, and other countries among Anglicans and Methodists, for the Christian High Holy Day of Pentecost. It is the seventh Sunday after Easter, which commemorates the descent of the H ...
or "Rusalka week", beginning of the 19th century
: ''Place'': Near the village of
Dikanka,
Ukraine
Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inv ...
Act 1
''Village street outside Hanna's hut; evening''
The people sing a folksong-game. After they disperse, Levko plays the bandura and sings outside Hanna's window. When she steps outside, she's afraid that people will be watching them. After some endearing exchanges, she asks about the old house across the way, over the pond. He tells her that a widower used to live there; his daughter (Pannochka), lived with him, and he decided to marry again. The new stepmother turned out to be a witch, and caused the father to banish his daughter from the house. In sorrow she drowned herself in the pond and became leader of the other rusalki (drowned maidens). One night, while they were all dancing in the moonlight, they saw the witch walking by, grabbed her, and pulled her into the water. The story goes that, now, when someone comes by the pond, Pannochka asks the person to point out which of them is the stepmother.
The story over, Hanna goes inside, and some maidens come around singing a sad "rusalka" song. In stumbles the drunken Kalenik on his way home; he tries dance the hopak and to kiss the girls, but they send him away to the Mayor's house, tricking him into thinking that it's his own.
When all is clear, the Mayor sneaks in, calling for Hanna; from the side, Levko notices that someone is there, and watches. The Mayor, who has his eyes on marrying Hanna, tries to impress her with his oft-repeated story about being a guide for
Catherine the Great
, en, Catherine Alexeievna Romanova, link=yes
, house =
, father = Christian August, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst
, mother = Joanna Elisabeth of Holstein-Gottorp
, birth_date =
, birth_name = Princess Sophie of Anhal ...
, but Hanna rebuffs him, sends him off, and goes inside. Levko calls the village lads together and teaches them a song to mock the Mayor and use in playing a trick on him.
Act 2
''Scene 1: Interior of the Mayor's hut; late evening''
The Mayor and his sister-in-law are entertaining the Distiller at dinner. The Distiller will soon be tearing down the old house by the pond to build a distillery. Kalenik mistakenly bursts in and causes a mild disturbance; then a rock breaks through a window, causing the Mayor to curse the unseen perpetrator outside. In superstitious alarm the Distiller warns the Mayor against such language, relating the story of his late mother-in-law and the ghost that haunted her because of her cursing at him in life. Suddenly, outside, the village lads start singing the taunting song that Levko taught them. The wind blows out the lights, and in the commotion the Mayor captures someone he thinks is the perpetrator, and locks "him" up in a side room. The Clerk enters to report that the lads are running about the village and that he has captured their leader. The Mayor, in disbelief, calls for a light, and they open the locked room. Out comes the Sister-in-Law, sobbing and not a little enraged. She goes outside. The Clerk, the Distiller, and the Mayor set off to find the scoundrel once and for all.
''Scene 2: Village street outside the Clerk's hut; moonlit night''
Outside the Clerk's hut, where the alleged true perpetrator is locked up, the three approach in trepidation. Crossing themselves against
Satan
Satan,, ; grc, ὁ σατανᾶς or , ; ar, شيطانالخَنَّاس , also known as Devil in Christianity, the Devil, and sometimes also called Lucifer in Christianity, is an non-physical entity, entity in the Abrahamic religions ...
, they open the door, and again out comes the Sister-in-Law, infinitely more angry than before. Then the village police arrive, holding Kalenik mistakenly as prisoner. With the police afraid to proceed, the Mayor threatens them with the wrath of the
commissar
Commissar (or sometimes ''Kommissar'') is an English transliteration of the Russian (''komissar''), which means 'commissary'. In English, the transliteration ''commissar'' often refers specifically to the political commissars of Soviet and Eas ...
, and they run off in obedience.
Act 3
'' Shore of the lake near the old gentleman's house; luminous moonlit night''
Beside the pond, Levko sings to his absent beloved, then asks the moon to shine its light on the path to her abode. A window opens in the old house, and Pannochka appears, begging Levko to sing further. He doesn't seem to notice her at first, but a strange feeling comes over him, and he sings again. Then the rusalki appear on the shore and dance. Overcoming his astonishment, Levko joins in singing their
round-dance, while Pannochka begs Levko to find the stepmother-witch.
Then the rusalki begin to play the game called "Raven." The first raven-maiden finds that she cannot continue, and Levko realizes that she can't be the witch. But the second player of that role – the stepmother – exposes her true self; Levko points her out, and the other rusalki jump on her and drag her down to the depths of the pond. In gratitude, Pannochka gives Levko a letter to show to his father, and disappears as dawn breaks. Given that he cannot read, he does not know what the letter contains.
The Mayor and the policemen arrive and grab Levko. The Mayor is surprised to find that the disguised miscreant is his own son. Levko shows his father the letter, which is passed on to the Clerk to read out loud. The letter turns out to be from the commissar, and instructs the Mayor to allow his son to marry Hanna. As the villagers come on the scene to greet the new day, Levko invents the story that the commissar will be coming for dinner, and the Mayor, puffed up with his own importance, gives in to the marriage. Levko and Hanna say a prayer for Pannochka, Kalenik stumbles in again, and the Sister-in-Law gives the Mayor another verbal brow-beating, as the people celebrate.
Principal arias and numbers
:Overture
Act 1
:Song: "The sun is down, evening is near" (Levko)
:Duet: (Hanna, Levko)
:Trio: "Love me, love me, beautiful maiden" (Hanna, Levko, Village-Head)
:Song: "Song about the Mayor" (Levko, Lads)
Act 2
:Scene: The Distiller's Narrative (Distiller)
Act 3
:Song: "Sleep my beauty, sleep sweetly!" (Levko)
:Duettino: (Pannochka, Levko)
Structure
:Overture
Act 1
:No.1 — Khorovod "Proso" (Chorus)
:No.2 — Song (Levko)
:No.3 — Duet (Levko, Hanna)
:No.4 — Tale (Levko)
:No.5 — Recitative and Song (Levko, Hanna, Chorus)
:No.6 — Hopak (Kalenik, Maidens)
:No.7 — Trio and Chorus (Mayor, Levko, Hanna, Lads)
:No.8 — Recitative and Chorus "Song about the Mayor" (Levko, Lads)
Act 2
''Scene 1''
:No.9 — Trio (Mayor, Sister-in-Law, Distiller)
:No.10 — Scene with Kalenik and the Distiller's Tale (Kalenik, Mayor, Sister-in-Law, Distiller)
:No.11 — Scene and Trio "Song about the Mayor" (Mayor, Sister-in-Law, Distiller, Levko, Lads, Clerk, Police)
''Scene 2''
:No.12 — Finale (Mayor, Clerk, Distiller)
Act 3
:No.13 — Scene of the Rusalki (Levko, Pannochka, Rusalki)
::a) Ukrainian Night and Levko's Song
::b) Chorus of the Rusalki
::c) Khorovod of the Rusalki
::d) Dances and Games of the Rusalki
::e) Duettino
::f) Sunrise
:No.14 — Scene and Song (Mayor, Levko, Clerk, Distiller, Chorus, Hanna)
:No.15 — Finale (All)
Related works
*
Alexander Dargomyzhsky
Alexander Sergeyevich Dargomyzhsky ( rus, link=no, Александр Сергеевич Даргомыжский, Aleksandr Sergeyevich Dargomyzhskiy., ɐlʲɪkˈsandr sʲɪrˈɡʲe(j)ɪvʲɪdʑ dərɡɐˈmɨʂskʲɪj, Ru-Aleksandr-Sergeevich- ...
:
''Rusalka'' (1855)
*
Mykola Lysenko
Mykola Vitaliyovych Lysenko ( uk, Мико́ла Віта́лійович Ли́сенко; 22 March 1842 – 6 November 1912) was a List of Ukrainian composers, Ukrainian composer, pianist, conductor and ethnomusicologist of the late Romantic mus ...
: ''
The Drowned Woman'' (1883)
*
Antonín Dvořák
Antonín Leopold Dvořák ( ; ; 8 September 1841 – 1 May 1904) was a Czechs, Czech composer. Dvořák frequently employed rhythms and other aspects of the folk music of Moravian traditional music, Moravia and his native Bohemia, following t ...
:
''Rusalka'' (1900)
''May Night'' features the folk character the ''
rusalka'', but the work should not be confused with either of the two operas named ''Rusalka'', by Dargomyzhsky (based on
Pushkin
Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin (; rus, links=no, Александр Сергеевич ПушкинIn pre-Revolutionary script, his name was written ., r=Aleksandr Sergeyevich Pushkin, p=ɐlʲɪkˈsandr sʲɪrˈɡʲe(j)ɪvʲɪtɕ ˈpuʂkʲɪn, ...
) and Dvořák (based on
Erben and
Němcová). Lysenko's opera, on the other hand, is also based on Gogol's story.
Recordings
Audio Recordings (''Mainly studio recordings'')
*1946,
Nikolay Golovanov (conductor), Moscow Radio Choir and Orchestra, Moscow Radio Chorus, Sergey Krasovsky (Village-Head), Pyotr Malyutenko (Levko), Mariya Maksakova (Hanna), Georgiy Abramov (Village Clerk), Sergey Streltsov (Distiller), Yelizaveta Antonova (Sister-in-law), Yelizaveta Shumskaya (Pannochka)
*1948,
Vasiliy Nebolsin (conductor), Bolshoy Theater Orchestra and Chorus, Sergey Krasovsky (Village-Head), Sergey Lemeshev (Levko), Vera Borisenko (Hanna), Pavel Volovov (Kalenik), Vsevolod Tyutyunnik (Village Clerk), Venyamin Shevtsov (Distiller), Yevgeniya Verbitskaya (Sister-in-law), Irina Maslennikova (Pannochka)
*1974,
Vladimir Fedoseyev
Vladimir Ivanovich Fedoseyev ( rus, Владимир Иванович Федосе́ев, p=, links=no; born 5 August 1932, in Leningrad, Soviet Union) is a Soviet and Russian conductor, accordionist, teacher. People's Artist of the USSR (1980). ...
(conductor), Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra, Moscow Radio Chorus, Aleksey Krivchenya (Village-Head), Konstantin Lisovsky (Levko), Lyudmila Sapegina (Hanna), Ivan Budrin (Kalenik), Gennadiy Troitsky (Clerk), Yuriy Yelnikov (Distiller), Anna Matyushina (Sister-in-law), Olga Pastusenko (Pannochka)
*1994,
Andrey Chistyakov (conductor), Bolshoy Theater Orchestra, Sveshnikov Academic Choir, Vyacheslav Pochapsky (Village-Head), Vitaly Taraschenko (Levko), Nataliya Erasova (Hanna), Pyotr Glubokiy (Clerk), Aleksandr Arkhipov (Distiller), Nikolay Reshetnyak (Kalenik), Yelena Okolycheva (Sister-in-law), Marina Lapina (Pannochka)
*1994,
Aleksandr Lazarev (conductor),
Kölner Rundfunk Sinfonie-Orchester,
Kölner Rundfunkchor, Vladimir Matorin (Village-Head), Vladimir Bogachov (Levko), Tatyana Erastova (Hanna), Maksim Mikhailov (Village Clerk), Vladimir Kudryashov (Distiller), Galina Borisova (Sister-in-law), Yelena Brilova (Pannochka), Mikhail Krutikov (Kalenik)
Source
www.operadis-opera-discography.org.ukh2>
Video
* 2008 Live performance. Dmitry Ulyanov (Mayor), Oleg Polpudin (Levko), Natalia Vladimirskaya (Hanna), Irina Chistyakova (Mayor’s sister-in-Law), Roman Ulybin (clerk), Vyacheslav Voynarovsky (distiller), Anatoly Loshak (Kalenik), Valeria Zaytseva (Pannochka), Maria Lobanova, Maria Suvorova, Ella Feyginova (three mermaids). Orchestra, Chorus, Soloists, Dancers and Actors of the
Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Moscow Academic Music Theatre,
Felix Korobov (conductor). Stage Director, Alexander Titel.
References
*
External links
The libretto coded in KOI-8 Cyrillic
{{authority control
Operas by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
Russian-language operas
Operas
1880 operas
Operas set in Ukraine
Operas based on works by Nikolai Gogol