''Rogneda'' (russian: Рогнеда) is an opera in five acts, composed by
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 ...
between 1863 and 1865. The scenario, by the composer, was based on the novel ''
Askold's Grave'' (''Аскольдова могила'', 1833) by
Mikhail Zagoskin
Mikhail Nikolayevich Zagoskin (russian: Михаил Николаевич Загоскин; July 25, 1789 – July 5, 1852) was a Russian writer of social comedies and historical novels.
Zagoskin was born in the village of Ramzay in Penza Oblast. ...
and the poem ''Rogneda'' (ca. 1825) by
Kondraty Ryleyev
Kondraty Fyodorovich Ryleyev, also spelled Kondraty Feodorovich Ryleev (, September 29 (September 18 Julian calendar, O.S.), 1795 – July 25 (July 13 Julian calendar, O.S.), 1826) was a Russians, Russian poet, publisher, and a leader of the D ...
. The actual
Russian
Russian(s) refers to anything related to Russia, including:
*Russians (, ''russkiye''), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries
*Rossiyane (), Russian language term for all citizens and peo ...
libretto was created by
Dmitry Averkiev in the same manner as with the composer's previous opera, ''
Judith'', with the words written to fit the vocal lines ''after'' the music had been composed.
This opera forms a sequel of sorts to
Alexey Verstovsky
Alexey Nikolayevich Verstovsky (russian: Алексéй Никола́евич Верстóвский) () was a Russian composer, musical bureaucrat and rival of Mikhail Glinka.
Biography
Alexey Verstovsky was born at Seliverstovo Estate, Kozlo ...
's highly successful
singspiel
A Singspiel (; plural: ; ) is a form of German-language music drama, now regarded as a genre of opera. It is characterized by spoken dialogue, which is alternated with ensembles, songs, ballads, and arias which were often strophic, or folk-like ...
, ''
Askold's Grave
Askold's Grave ( uk, Аскольдова могила, translit=Askoldova Mohyla) is a historical park on the steep right bank of the Dnipro River in Kyiv between Mariinskyi Park and the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra complex.
Overview
The park was crea ...
'', which premiered in 1835, just the year before
Glinka's ''
A Life for the Tsar
''A Life for the Tsar'' ( rus, "Жизнь за царя", italic=yes, Zhizn za tsarya ) is a "patriotic-heroic tragic opera" in four acts with an epilogue by Mikhail Glinka. During the Soviet era the opera was known under the name ''Ivan Susanin' ...
'' reached the stage. No less a patriotic opera than those two, ''Rogneda'' in its plot combines elements of the life of
the title character with the Christianization of Russia, dated in 988 with the conversion of
Vladimir I of Kiev
Vladimir I Sviatoslavich or Volodymyr I Sviatoslavych ( orv, Володимѣръ Свѧтославичь, ''Volodiměrъ Svętoslavičь'';, ''Uladzimir'', russian: Владимир, ''Vladimir'', uk, Володимир, ''Volodymyr''. Se ...
. With its huge cast and sprawling plot, the opera demands spectacle of a
Meyerbeerian order.
Performance history
The premiere performance took place on 27 October 1865 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 ...
, conducted by
Konstantin Lyadov
The first name Konstantin () is a derivation from the Latin name ''Constantinus'' (Constantine) in some European languages, such as Russian and German. As a Christian given name, it refers to the memory of the Roman emperor Constantine the Great. ...
(the singer
Mikhail Sariotti
Mikhail Sariotti (russian: Михаил Иванович (or Яковлевич)Bolshoy 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
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 ...
conducted by Shramek.
The premiere of the opera proved to be a resounding hit, and the work remained extremely popular through the end of the
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War. ...
.
Roles
* (
Vladimir
Vladimir may refer to:
Names
* Vladimir (name) for the Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Macedonian, Romanian, Russian, Serbian, Slovak and Slovenian spellings of a Slavic name
* Uladzimir for the Belarusian version of the name
* Volodymyr for the Ukr ...
) Krasnoye Solnyshko
.e., ''Bright Sun'' prince of the capital Kiev: ''
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 r ...
''
*
Rogneda
Rogneda of Polotsk (962–1002) is the Slavic name for Ragnheiðr, a Princess consort of Rus'. She was the daughter of Ragnvald (Slavic: Rogvolod) who came from Scandinavia and established himself at Polotsk in the mid-10th century.
Life
It ...
, one of his wives: ''
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 ...
''
*
Izyaslav
Iziaslav ( uk, Ізя́слав, ) or Zaslav ( uk, Заслав, links=no, ; pl, Zasław) is one of the List of cities by time of continuous habitation, oldest cities in Volhynia. Situated on the Horyn River, Horyn river ( uk, Горинь, links ...
, her 13-year-old son: ''
contralto
A contralto () is a type of classical female singing voice whose vocal range is the lowest female voice type.
The contralto's vocal range is fairly rare; similar to the mezzo-soprano, and almost identical to that of a countertenor, typically b ...
''
*
Dobrynya Nikitich
Dobrynya Nikitich (russian: Добрыня Никитич) is one of the most popular bogatyrs (epic knights) from Russian folklore. Albeit fictional, this character is based on a real warlord Dobrynya, who led the armies of Svyatoslav the Grea ...
, the prince's uncle: ''
bass
Bass or Basses may refer to:
Fish
* Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species
Music
* Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in the bass range:
** Bass (instrument), including:
** Acoustic bass gui ...
''
* Rual'd, a young
Varangian
The Varangians (; non, Væringjar; gkm, Βάραγγοι, ''Várangoi'';[Varangian]
" Online Etymo ...
, a Christian: ''
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 lo ...
''
* Ingerd: ''tenor''
* Drulav: ''bass''
* Old Man Wanderer: ''bass''
* Supreme Priest of
Perun
In Slavic mythology, Perun (Cyrillic: Перýн) is the highest god of the pantheon and the god of sky, thunder, lightning, storms, rain, law, war, fertility and oak trees. His other attributes were fire, mountains, wind, iris, eagle, firmam ...
: ''bass''
* The Prince's Jester, a merry
skomorokh
A skomorokh ( in Russian, in Old East Slavic, in Church Slavonic. Compare with the Old Polish , ) was a medieval East Slavic harlequin, or actor, who could also sing, dance, play musical instruments and compose for oral/musical and dramatic pe ...
: ''tenor''
* Skul'da, a Varangian witch: ''mezzo-soprano''
* Mal'frida, one of Rogneda's slaves: ''soprano''
* Izyaslav's Nurse: ''soprano''
* Master of Hounds: ''baritone''
* 1st Hunter: ''tenor''
* 2nd Hunter: ''bass''
*
Bogatyr
A bogatyr ( rus, богатырь, p=bəɡɐˈtɨrʲ, a=Ru-богатырь.ogg) or vityaz ( rus, витязь, p=ˈvʲitʲɪsʲ) is a stock character in medieval East Slavic legends, akin to a Western European knight-errant. Bogatyrs appear ma ...
s; members of the prince's armed forces; city elders; guests at table; cupbearers; huntsmen; falconers; huntsmen in charge of hounds; hunters on horse and on foot; priests of Perun and immolators of sacrifices; wanderer-pilgrims; women at the feast; female slaves of Rogneda;
skomorokh
A skomorokh ( in Russian, in Old East Slavic, in Church Slavonic. Compare with the Old Polish , ) was a medieval East Slavic harlequin, or actor, who could also sing, dance, play musical instruments and compose for oral/musical and dramatic pe ...
i; male and female dancers; warriors; captive
Pecheneg
The Pechenegs () or Patzinaks tr, Peçenek(ler), Middle Turkic: , ro, Pecenegi, russian: Печенег(и), uk, Печеніг(и), hu, Besenyő(k), gr, Πατζινάκοι, Πετσενέγοι, Πατζινακίται, ka, პა ...
s,
Varangians
The Varangians (; non, Væringjar; gkm, Βάραγγοι, ''Várangoi'';[Varangian]
" Online Etymo ...
; people.
Synopsis
:Time: The end of the 10th century
:Place: In and around
Kiev
Kyiv, also spelled Kiev, is the capital and most populous city of Ukraine. It is in north-central Ukraine along the Dnieper, Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2021, its population was 2,962,180, making Kyiv the List of European cities by populat ...
''Note: Acts 1 and 5 may contain more than one set of stage decor''
Act 1
Inside Skul'da's cave, the Supreme Priest of Perun, concerned about Prince Vladimir's failure to protect the native religion from encroaching Christianity, has decided that Rogneda -- upon Skul'da's influence -- must kill him. Rogneda enters, already prepared to avenge her father's death at Vladimir's hands. Skul'da's sorcery produces a knife with which Rogneda can perform the deed. The scene changes to a public rite of human sacrifice to the god Perun. When Rual'd, a Christian, prevents the priest from killing the first victim, he is at first threatened with death by the priests; but, after the Supreme Priest finds out that Rual'd, too, has a grievance with Vladimir, Rual'd is spared. (Vladimir kidnapped Rual'd's bride, Olava.)
Act 2
At a banquet there is celebration with Vladimir, who has returned from his successful campaign. News arrives of a failed attempt by Rual'd to rescue Olava, and Vladimir commands that Rual'd be apprehended and killed. When Dobrynya Nikitich defends Rual'd's honorable devotion to his bride, Vladimir at first threatens Dobrynya with banishment, but the court jester manages to calm the situation.
Act 3
In a forest, Rual'd comes upon some itinerant Christians. An Old Man dissuades him from taking revenge on the Prince -- who, by chance, comes on the scene with his retinue on a hunting expedition from Kiev. When Vladimir is attacked by a bear, Rual'd saves his life at the expense of his own. This sacrifice, as well as the words of the Old Man -- which mention a miracle of salvation during the coming night -- makes a deep impression on the Prince. Due to the late hour, Vladimir decides to stay with Rogneda, whose abode stands nearby.
Act 4
In her tower, Rogneda is disconsolate until she hears that Vladimir is arriving. After he settles in, the Prince dismisses his retinue and falls asleep. Rogneda, knife in hand, approaches him, but Vladimir suddenly awakens (he has had a dream of danger) and stops her, threatening with execution the next day.
Act 5
Back at Skul'da's cave, the Supreme Priest in distress consults the sorceress again. Skul'da shows him a vision in which Vladimir commands the people to drown the idol of Perun into the river. Meanwhile, in Rogneda's tower, Izyaslav (Vladimir and Rogneda's young son) intercedes for his mother, causing the Prince to leave his wife's fate in the hands of the people. Called to a ''
veche
Veche ( rus, вече, véče, ˈvʲet͡ɕe; pl, wiec; uk, ві́че, víče, ; be, ве́ча, viéča, ; cu, вѣще, věšte) was a popular assembly in medieval Slavic countries.
In Novgorod and in Pskov, where the veche acquired gre ...
'', the people demand Rogneda's death. Izyaslav's further entreaties persuade Vladimir to forgive Rogneda, whereupon the wandering Christians appear and thank God for Vladimir's conversion.
Publication history
*1866, Piano-vocal score, Stellovsky, St. Petersburg
Important excerpts
* Varangian Ballad (Act 4): the basis for the Viking song in
Sadko (opera)
''Sadko'' ( rus, Садко, link=no, Sadkó , the name of the main character) is an 1898 opera in seven scenes by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. The libretto was written by the composer, with assistance from Vladimir Belsky, Vladimir Stasov, and others. ...
Recordings
*
Sofia Kiseleva (mezzo-soprano) extracts
See also
* ''
Judith'' (1863)
* ''
The Power of the Fiend
''The Power of the Fiend'' (russian: Вражья сила, ''Vrazhya sila'') is an opera in five acts by Alexander Serov, composed during 1867-1871. The libretto is derived from a drama by Alexander Ostrovsky from 1854 entitled '' Live Not As You ...
'' (1871)
References
;Notes
;Sources
*Bernandt, G.B. ''Словарь опер впервые поставленных или изданных в дореволюционной России и в СССР, 1736-1959''
'Dictionary of Operas First Performed or Published in Pre-Revolutionary Russia and in the USSR, 1836–1959''(Moscow: Советский композитор, 1962), pp. 246–247.
*
Serov, Alexander. ''Рогнеда'': опера в пяти действиях. Арранжированная для пения с фортепиано.
'Rogneda'': opera in five acts. Arranged for voice and piano.Moscow: у П.Ю Юргенсона, дозволено цензурою, 22 July 1881.
*
Taruskin, Richard. ''Opera and Drama in Russia As Preached and Practiced in the 1860s''. New ed. Rochester: University of Rochester Press, 1993.
*_______. "Serov, Alexander Nikolayevich", Grove Music Online (accessed 11 January 2006),
*_______. "Rogneda", Grove Music Online (accessed 11 January 2006),
External links
{{commons category, Rogneda (opera)
Russian-language operas
Operas by Alexander Serov
Operas
1865 operas
Operas based on novels
Operas set in Ukraine