''Monna Vanna'' (russian: Монна Ванна) is an unfinished opera 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 ...

after a play by Maurice Maeterlinck. Rachmaninoff had completed Act I in short vocal score, with piano accompaniment, and then he went to ask for permission to set the text in a full three-act treatment. However, another composer,

Henry Février Henry Février (2 October 18756 July 1957) was a French composer. Biography Henry Février was born in Paris, France, on 2 October 1875. He married and had a son, the pianist Jacques Février. He studied at the Paris Conservatoire, where his ...

, had by then received the rights to an operatic setting of the text. Had Rachmaninoff proceeded to a complete operatic setting, such a work could not have been produced in European countries that were signatories to copyright laws that covered the work of Maeterlinck. This opera could only have been produced in countries that at the time were not signatories to European copyright law, such as Russia. Ultimately, Rachmaninoff abandoned further work on this opera and never wrote a complete setting. Years later, at the request of Sophie Satin, Rachmaninoff's sister-in-law, Igor Buketoff prepared a performing orchestrated edition of Act I, which he conducted in its world premiere with the

Philadelphia Orchestra The Philadelphia Orchestra is an American symphony orchestra, based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. One of the " Big Five" American orchestras, the orchestra is based at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, where it performs its subscription ...

on 11 August 1984 at Saratoga Springs, New York with Tatiana Troyanos in the title role,

Sherrill Milnes Sherrill Milnes (born January 10, 1935) is an American dramatic baritone most famous for his Verdi roles. From 1965 until 1997 he was associated with the Metropolitan Opera. His voice is a high dramatic baritone, combining good legato with an inc ...

as Guido, and John Alexander as Guido's father. He also made the premiere recording of the work, with the

Iceland Symphony Orchestra Sinfóníuhljómsveit Íslands (Iceland Symphony Orchestra) (ISO) is an Icelandic orchestra based in Reykjavík, Iceland. Its primary concert venue is the Harpa Concert Hall. The Iceland Symphony is an autonomous public institution under the aus ...

Roles

Synopsis

:Time: 15th-century :Place:

Pisa Pisa ( , or ) is a city and ''comune'' in Tuscany, central Italy, straddling the Arno just before it empties into the Ligurian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Pisa. Although Pisa is known worldwide for its leaning tower, the cit ...

, Italy, during an armed conflict with the city under siege. Act I is divided into three scenes. Guido, the military commander in Pisa, learns from his father that the enemy will cease conflict if Monna Vanna, wife of Guido, goes to the enemy's camp, but dressed only in a mantle. Monna Vanna agrees to this demand.

Recordings

* Chandos CHAN 8987 (1991):

(Guido), Seth McCoy (Marco), Blythe Walker (Monna Vanna), Nickolas Karousatos (Torello), Jon Thorsteinsson (Borso); Icelandic Opera Chorus;

, Igor Buketoff, conductor and arranger (sung in English)John Webb, "Record Review" (issues of Prokofiev and Rachmaninoff). ''Tempo'' (New Ser.), 181, pp. 40-41 (June 1992). * Ondine ODE12492: Moscow Conservatory Opera Soloists: Evgeniya Dushina, Vladimir Avtomonov, Dmitry Ivanchey, Edward Arutyunyan, Mikhail Golovushkin Moscow Conservatory Students Choir, Moscow Conservatory Students Symphony Orchestra, Vladimir Ashkenazy conductor, piano; orchestrated by Gennadi Belov. June 2014 (sung in Russian).

References

{{Authority control Russian-language operas Operas by Sergei Rachmaninoff Unfinished operas Operas completed by others Operas based on plays Operas based on works by Maurice Maeterlinck Operas Operas set in Italy 1984 operas