<Translated from Russian automatically>
«The Legend of Kitezh» — an inspiring, titanic challenge
Gabriele BALLOI, La Nuova Sardegna, April 24, 2008
It is a real challenge. And one can say that it achieves its goal. Although, it is possible that the opera will not be perceived in its entirety. But after all, it has four whole acts, and each lasts about an hour. The viewer's attention simply cannot be focused solely on the opera for so long. It is also worth noting that "The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh and the Maiden Fevronia" (its duration is even reflected in the title!) is not a widely known opera, at least among the Italian public. Therefore, everyone who is able to come to the Cagliari Theatre for this performance will surely return home with the feeling that they have witnessed something unusual, authentic, and exquisite. This is a subtle and poetic performance, in which the genius of the Lithuanian director Eimuntas Nekrošius miraculously combines with the music of Rimsky-Korsakov, performed under the direction of Alexander Vedernikov, the musical director of the Bolshoi Theatre, in collaboration with whom the Cagliari Theatre staged this production (it will be broadcast on RAI 3 radio at the premiere).
What is the peculiarity of this work? First of all, in the complex combination of numerous themes, metaphors, symbols, all kinds of characters (people and animals, mythological and supernatural beings). In this opera there are many of the most incredible scenes: here is the magically disappearing city, and prophetic birds, as well as celebrations, battles, wedding processions, and mysterious transformations, and, in addition to all that, a lake, a steppe, and a forest appear on the stage. In general, this opera is simply overflowing with "content".
So the main thing in the work of Nekrošius and Vedernikov was to avoid any excesses—so as not to fall into the mannerisms of Russian melodrama. And they successfully managed to overcome this danger. Nekrošius, whom one can hardly accuse of a lack of imagination, builds the mise-en-scènes extremely elegantly, but without excessive pathos, gracefully, but without pomposity. The action remains within the framework of a fairy tale—the broad sweep of the legendary epic dissolves, at least partially, into warm lyricism. This opera presents the director with an extremely difficult task, especially considering the abundance of pantheistic, pagan, and Orthodox semantic subtexts in it, the combination of the historical and the fantastic, and the material itself is conducive to stage exaggerations. Nekrošius’s production turned out to be colorful, fantastic, but—strict, which is also due to the merit of his son Marius, who created picturesque scenery that evokes a rich range of associations, and the director’s wife Nadezhda Gultyaeva, who designed traditional yet fairytale-like costumes, as well as the lighting designer Audrius Jankauskas. Rimsky-Korsakov's Kitezh is an opera in whose stage embodiment the visual aspect is especially important, and Nekrošius understands this perfectly. The characters in his performance have special facial expressions and strange, inexplicable gestures, as if they are communicating with each other in an archaic, "surrealistic" language, which combines very subtly with the singing in Russian (subtitles in Italian) and with the enchanting "multicolored" music of Rimsky-Korsakov. This is to the credit of Vedernikov, who magnificenty manages the Cagliari Theatre orchestra and chorus (choirmaster Fulvio Fogliazza). The theatre orchestra demonstrated a richness of timbre and beautiful sound (especially the brass section), and the Russian conductor managed to balance the sound of the entire orchestra and present a worthy sound palette to the public.
As the opera's title suggests, its plot (libretto by Vladimir Belsky) revolves around the city and the young Fevronia. The charming Tatiana Monogarova (soprano) performed in this role, captivating with her exciting, emotional, yet precisely calibrated vocals, as well as with a deep, nuanced interpretation of the complex and multifaceted character. Grishka, performed by the tenor Mikhail Gubsky (who has a voice that is not the largest, but is perfectly expressive), is another central character of the opera, a complete opposite to the gentle and virtuous Fevronia. The tenor Vitaly Panfilov (Prince Vsevolod) has a beautiful voice—even and strong throughout the range, with a noble timbre—as does the mezzo-soprano Marika Gulordava (The Youth), with a light, sparkling, and incredibly pure and bright timbre. The basses Valery Gilmanov (Bedyai) and Alexander Naumenko (Burundai) performed the parts of the Tatar warriors well, although they were not always as menacing and cruel as these characters could have been. The bass Mikhail Kazakov (almost a basso profondo) was not bad in the role of Prince Yuri. The performance of the chorus, which demonstrated a strong and lively sound, was worthy of praise. Under the direction of Fulvio Fogliazza, it continues to show good results.
«Kitezh» in Cagliari
Antonio TRUDU, www.giornaledellamusica.it, April 25, 2008
This not-very-well-known opera by Rimsky-Korsakov is very interesting from a musical point of view. Along with "The Golden Cockerel", it can be safely classified as one of the composer's operatic masterpieces. This phantasmagorical opera, based on a legend—in terms of the dramatic expressiveness of its recitatives and its emphasized lyricism—can be placed on a par with Mussorgsky's operas. But it is also related to Borodin's "Prince Igor" in its melodiousness (especially beautiful melodies characterize the mysterious heroine of the opera, Fevronia; they abound in the apotheosis of the last act—the conclusion of the eternal union of the prince and the maiden). This opera is often called the "Russian Parsifal"; Wagner's influence is also traceable in it: in the use of leitmotifs, orchestration, and harmonic structure.
The performance, which was the result of a joint effort between two theatres—Cagliari and the Bolshoi—was ideal both from a musical and a scenic point of view. A stunning ensemble of singers (Fevronia performed by Tatiana Monogarova and Grishka by Mikhail Gubsky were beyond praise; Marika Gulordava also impressed in the role of The Youth), the orchestra and chorus, who play a leading role in this opera by Rimsky-Korsakov, performed definitely successfully, not for nothing is it called a religious and even liturgical opera. Alexander Vedernikov managed to balance the heterogeneous musical elements while emphasizing the constant "confrontation" of the human voice and the instrument.
The visual side of the performance is truly impressive, even hypnotic. The incredibly musical direction of Eimuntas Nekrošius very subtly connects all the scenic elements. The director makes the viewer believe in the most incredible events of the opera and imparts extraordinary dynamism even to the most static scenes.
A Stunning Performance at the Opera House
A bold choice of Rimsky-Korsakov’s opera culminated in a fairytale performance
Nanni SPISSU, Altra Voce, April 26, 2008
The four-act opera "The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh and the Maiden Fevronia" by N. Rimsky-Korsakov opened the 2008 season at the Cagliari Opera House.
This opera tells the story of Kitezh, a small town which, thanks to divine intervention, is enveloped in a thick fog and thus saved from foreign invaders—in this case, the Tatars. The fate of this mysterious and unreachable city intertwines with the fate of the maiden Fevronia, who lives in the forest among animals. Fevronia meets Prince Vsevolod. The young people fall in love with each other, but their marriage is not destined to happen: the prince will die fighting for Kitezh. And they will only be able to unite after death, in another life...
This whole story raises some doubts. But I declare with confidence that the performance seen this Thursday leaves no room for them...
The director Eimuntas Nekrošius impressed with a unique, charming, and consistently sustained style, tireless invention, and boundless imagination.
This is an extraordinary performance, in which gesture acquires a ritual, even esoteric essence. In this opera, divine will reigns supreme. It is accepted by the people and the rulers; they await a miracle from it, which happens in the finale. The director (not least thanks to the original scenographic solution) managed to combine the two myths—of the city and the girl—into a single picture, which, for example, do not seem so connected in the opera itself to this author.
From a musical point of view, the performance was impeccable—thanks to our musicians (a very well-prepared orchestra and chorus), as well as an ideal cast of singers (among whom I would especially like to mention Tatiana Monogarova) and Vedernikov's confident leadership.
One can only thank our theatre for opening another great opera to the public, and for this truly magnificent performance. The bold step, which the Cagliari theatre has taken repeatedly, testifies to the recognition of the educational function that our theatres assume, constantly enriching and expanding the repertoire. The audience followed the performance attentively, received it very favorably, and warmly expressed their approval.
Opera — Choral
Lorenzo Piras, L'Unione Sarda, April 26, 2008
The director Eimuntas Nekrošius gives free rein to his imagination, mastering the fairytale space of this opera: silhouettes of deer cross the stage, the director "humanizes" the bear and forest creatures, while the orchestra of the Cagliari theatre under the baton of Alexander Vedernikov, the musical director of the Bolshoi Theatre, captivates with a vibrant sound palette. The Cagliari Theatre, following an already established tradition, opens its opera season with a rarely performed work, and this time it turned to Rimsky-Korsakov's opera "The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh and the Maiden Fevronia". This is a joint production with the great Russian theatre, on whose posters it will appear next autumn.
This opera is the culmination of the most original aspects of Rimsky-Korsakov’s work, rooted in the traditions of Russian soil, in the lessons of Glinka, and expressing the principles that the musician developed with his friends from "The Mighty Handful", providing a theoretical base for the national Russian school.
The performance that opened the current season at the Cagliari theatre is unusually sophisticated and fantastic, and its merits overcome the difficulties of perceiving this opera. These difficulties include numerous references to ancient rituals, to traditions distant from ours, cultural reminiscences that make the reading of the opera not always linear—it is difficult for the viewer to perceive so many symbols and reminiscences. In addition, if we recognize a certain insularity of Italian culture, we cannot help but note that the viewer’s attention begins to wander precisely when the difference from the Italian opera tradition becomes most noticeable. The most striking example of this is the finale.
The viewer's attention wanes when Fevronia finds her beloved in the invisible city. Where Verdi would have composed a jubilant finale, Rimsky-Korsakov's action drags on for another forty minutes. And yet, despite the cultural realities that were incomprehensible to the Italian audience, the colorful, vibrant music delighted and captivated them. Rimsky-Korsakov's music's ability to speak a direct language is impressive.
The sonic variety of the orchestration was emphasized by the Cagliari orchestra (under the wise and sensitive guidance of Alexander Vedernikov), which treated the sound of the wind, string, and especially percussion instruments with care and attention. The music was performed with the stylistic originality of Art Nouveau, which is especially true for the wedding procession. The originality of the music, with its stylistic heterogeneity, lies in the close connection of the choral and solo parts, in the combination of spontaneity derived from folk music with the rigor of the Central European opera school, which shows a strong influence of Wagner.
The work of the musicians in this opera is simply wonderful. The orchestra and chorus play a crucial role in creating this grand musical fresco, built on contrasts. One cannot help but admire this sound palette — diverse like no other.
On this canvas, the voices of the soloists bloom, using the full range of vocal colors. Starting with Fevronia performed by Tatiana Monogarova, with her melodic freshness and simplicity, and Vitaly Panfilov, who remarkably performs the role of the strong-willed Prince Vsevolod. But the overall picture is created by all the performers. The solemn, deep voice of Prince Yuri (Mikhail Kazakov) is important here, and — especially — the nervous, sharp voice of the traitor Grishka Kuterma (Mikhail Gubsky), who transforms from aggressive and cruel at the beginning of the opera into tormented and suffering in the finale.
"Nekrošius in the Space of the Legend of True Love
Paolo Petazzi, Unita, 27 April 2008
Rimsky-Korsakov’s penultimate opera, captivating and enchanting with just its title, "The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh and the Maiden Fevronia," opened the opera season at the Cagliari theatre. Once again, the theatre chose a rare and refined work for its opening.
The opera was written in 1903-04 and first presented to the public in 1907. It is based on two legends that are mentioned in its title. The maiden Fevronia lives in the forests in harmony with nature and all living things, and Prince Vsevolod, the son of the prince of the wondrous city of Kitezh, falls in love with her at first sight. The mystical idyll is interrupted by the invasion of the Tatars, who kill Vsevolod and the city's defenders but cannot conquer it, because a supernatural force makes the city invisible, thereby saving it from the conquerors. But the city's bells can still be heard, and its reflection can still be seen in the lake. In the invisible city, Vsevolod and Fevronia are reunited.
This opera combines many trends. It traces features of the Russian national school from Glinka to Borodin and Mussorgsky, whose Boris brings to mind the image of the drunkard Kuteryma — a traitor who shows the Tatars the way to the city, is tormented by pangs of conscience, and goes mad. However, echoes of "Parsifal" are also audible in this opera. "Kitezh's" music features bright, vivid contrasts and light, ethereal, sunny colors, and these captivating sounds make one forget a certain unevenness in the generally very artful orchestration.
In Cagliari, the charm of Rimsky-Korsakov's music became evident thanks to the confident, intelligent, and subtle conducting of Alexander Vedernikov, the musical director of the Bolshoi Theatre, with whom the theatre co-produced the performance.
The director Nekrošius, together with his son, set designer Marius Nekrošius, created a production long awaited by the Italian public, one that was convincing, impressive, and perhaps less extravagant than expected. The creators succeeded in forming memorable images of incredible poetic power. In the first act, a hut in the forest is depicted using a frame, several beehives, and two mysterious pillars, while the animals become wonderfully fairy-tale-like (deer are represented by wooden silhouettes held by extras).
Russian local color is most represented in the wedding procession. The miracle that occurred on the lake is brought to life on stage with the help of blue cushions and lighting effects. And in the invisible city, we see many icons painted in wooden niches.
In such an opera, the singers' acting is inevitably static. The ensemble of performers was quite balanced; among them, the bass Mikhail Kazakov, the tenor Mikhail Gubsky (Kuteryma), the mezzo-soprano Marika Gulordava, and the lead performer Tatiana Monogarova, who faced some difficulties in this most complex role, particularly stood out.
Nekrošius, Holy Rus' and the Funereal Paradise
Paolo Gallarati, Stampa, 27 April 2008
The Cagliari Opera House presents a new rarity to the public and opens the Festival of Saint Efisio with the opera "The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh and the Maiden Fevroniya," which Rimsky-Korsakov wrote in 1903-04.
Vladimir Belsky's phantasmagorical, poetic libretto tells the story of a legendary city that submerged in a golden mist and became invisible, thus saving it from the Tatar invasion. The maiden Fevroniya, the opera's main character, travels a long path from a humble peasant girl to a princess, but she is only allowed to be reunited with her fiancé in the invisible city, which exists outside of time, in eternal life.
The magical elements come across very well for Rimsky-Korsakov, while the mystical ones, perhaps, a little less so. The composer animates nature: the whispers of the forest and water, the singing of birds, the life of the earth, flowers, and animals pour into the most captivating pages of the score. Here, the orchestral sound is light, soaring, shimmering; it resembles the impressionism that Debussy was establishing in France around the same time and anticipates Stravinsky and Janáček. This magic culminates in the third act, when the city, enveloped in golden dust, vanishes.
The opera's lyrically detached moments are also beautiful: the choral scenes preceding the city's miraculous disappearance, and Otrok's lament over its fate. The entire first scene of the third act, with the choir's prayers and pleas, is very interesting from the perspective of how Russian folk melody is refracted in the opera. However, another layer of folk songs is also used in the score—noisy, cheerful ones. Here, the music is reminiscent of Mussorgsky and Borodin. In the depiction of the folk festival, Rimsky-Korsakov seems less original, but the precise stylistic calculation makes the music of such scenes lively and varied. But there is a certain decline in the final scene. The disproportionately long scene of heavenly life, which the bride and groom enter, develops very slowly.
Masterful execution of the opera under the baton of Alexander Vedernikov further enhanced the score's merits. The conductor managed to raise the orchestra and chorus (led by Fulvio Fogliazza) to a new level. The singers were also magnificent, especially the performer of the main character's role, Tatiana Monogarova, the tenor Vitaly Panfilov (Prince Vsevolod), the bass Mikhail Kazakov (Prince Yury), and the baritone Albert Shagidullin (Poyarok).
Eimuntas Nekrošius's production is magnificent for the first three acts. Nadezhda Gultyaeva came up with stunning costumes. The lighting designer's work is interesting: the stage, all filled with golden light, is sometimes intersected by blue beams, creating a magical impression. Marius Nekrošius's set designs are symbolic: there are large beehives, and stylized curtains on pillars, and wooden silhouettes of animals. The entire visual range immediately lends a fairy-tale quality to the peasant and forest life. It's a shame that the last scene didn't work out. Here the music doesn't maintain tension, and Nekrošius tried to fix this by building a gloomy paradise on stage in a black and gold palette, with incredible costumes and confusing details that weighed down what is already difficult to perceive aurally.
Mystical Russian Tale
Carla MORENI, Il Sole 24 Ore, 27 April 2008
The delightful opera "The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh" in the deliberately "archaic" direction of Nekrošius. Among the singers, Monogarova and Kazakov stand out.
To start, let's simplify everything: we will shorten the name of the opera "The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh and the Maiden Fevroniya" to "Kitezh". The Russian composer Rimsky-Korsakov, who finished his penultimate opera in 1904 (there are a huge number of them—an inexhaustible source of rarely performed treasures), will become simply "Rimsky" for us. We will not shorten the name of the conductor Alexander Vedernikov—nor the name of Nekrošius—the mythical, mysterious, roughly primitive, charming Eimuntas, the Lithuanian director already quite praised by Italian critics. He debuted in Cagliari with the production of "Kitezh", which opened the opera season.
The result of his fourth "coming" into the world of opera is distinguished by a unique style: abstract ritualistic gestures, luxurious design. This is especially true in the triumphant finale, which blossomed with huge blue cornflowers all the way to the orchestra pit. This is the result of the stunning imagination of the director's son, Marius Nekrošius, an original and talented set designer, as well as his mother, costume designer Nadezhda Gultyaeva. The characters' costumes are less "trashy"—fine and delicate fabrics are used here.
Nekrošius strives for a primitivist theatre—a theatre that reclaims the archaic, a certain "childishness." Hence the "authentic" language the director speaks. The maiden-angel Fevroniya, the main heroine of the opera, a fair-haired creature who has lived her entire life in the forest, treats Prince Vsevolod to honey right from her palms. He eats. Then kisses her, stealthily, like an animal. The lake, where Kitezh miraculously disappears, acquires a clear visual appearance on stage: a few small silk cushions, shimmering, form a "water" mosaic. And the boats, when turned over, become niches for icons—such is the mystical "setting" of the opera.
The directors do not always literally execute what is happening in the opera. On the contrary, they often distract us with a parallel reality. And from this mirror game, probable truth is born. For example, the ambiguous finale where the young people are united in a mystical marriage: Nekrošius precedes this scene with a black curtain on which two stars are depicted (archaic and stylized, of course). By that point, we know that the prince is already dead, and Fevroniya is captive to the Tatars, who are already deciding who will take her. Therefore, the long and idyllic wedding scene, the music of which is very far from the folk rhythms and melodies so obvious in the first act, could sound ridiculous. Like a farce. But we see two stars. And what unfolds becomes reality.
Tatiana Monogarova performed the tender Fevroniya: with a delicate thread of a voice, wrapped in the orchestral sound, in the brilliant first act, a complete immersion into characteristically Russian aromas and colors (which quite justifiably drove the Parisians crazy at the time), and a liberation in the finale, where, carrying the scene alone, she effortlessly transitions from broad melodic phrases to the monotony of Orthodox chants, right up to the ecstatic conclusion. She is a slightly mad, otherworldly character, existing somewhere between the chirping of birds and ecstatic religious choruses.
The polished and powerful bass vocals of Mikhail Kazakov in the role of the Russian prince were magnificent, and the tenor Vitaly Panfilov, as his heir, was impressive. The audience (who, however, did not all stay for the opera's finale, which is strange, because Cagliari theatre-goers are usually quite resilient) gave the warmest reception to the "villain" Grishka Kuteryma, performed nervously and sharply by Mikhail Gubsky. Overall, the entire large cast performed well, with special mention to the 25-year-old mezzo-soprano Marika Gulordava with her distinctive timbre. The chorus and orchestra, under the baton of Alexander Vedernikov, sounded good, even magical—in those scenes where Rimsky-Korsakov knows how to be magical: these are the "miracles," the bells, that new and unusual sound that makes "Kitezh" unforgettable.
Source.
«The Legend of Kitezh» — an inspiring, titanic challenge
Gabriele BALLOI, La Nuova Sardegna, April 24, 2008
It is a real challenge. And one can say that it achieves its goal. Although, it is possible that the opera will not be perceived in its entirety. But after all, it has four whole acts, and each lasts about an hour. The viewer's attention simply cannot be focused solely on the opera for so long. It is also worth noting that "The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh and the Maiden Fevronia" (its duration is even reflected in the title!) is not a widely known opera, at least among the Italian public. Therefore, everyone who is able to come to the Cagliari Theatre for this performance will surely return home with the feeling that they have witnessed something unusual, authentic, and exquisite. This is a subtle and poetic performance, in which the genius of the Lithuanian director Eimuntas Nekrošius miraculously combines with the music of Rimsky-Korsakov, performed under the direction of Alexander Vedernikov, the musical director of the Bolshoi Theatre, in collaboration with whom the Cagliari Theatre staged this production (it will be broadcast on RAI 3 radio at the premiere).
What is the peculiarity of this work? First of all, in the complex combination of numerous themes, metaphors, symbols, all kinds of characters (people and animals, mythological and supernatural beings). In this opera there are many of the most incredible scenes: here is the magically disappearing city, and prophetic birds, as well as celebrations, battles, wedding processions, and mysterious transformations, and, in addition to all that, a lake, a steppe, and a forest appear on the stage. In general, this opera is simply overflowing with "content".
So the main thing in the work of Nekrošius and Vedernikov was to avoid any excesses—so as not to fall into the mannerisms of Russian melodrama. And they successfully managed to overcome this danger. Nekrošius, whom one can hardly accuse of a lack of imagination, builds the mise-en-scènes extremely elegantly, but without excessive pathos, gracefully, but without pomposity. The action remains within the framework of a fairy tale—the broad sweep of the legendary epic dissolves, at least partially, into warm lyricism. This opera presents the director with an extremely difficult task, especially considering the abundance of pantheistic, pagan, and Orthodox semantic subtexts in it, the combination of the historical and the fantastic, and the material itself is conducive to stage exaggerations. Nekrošius’s production turned out to be colorful, fantastic, but—strict, which is also due to the merit of his son Marius, who created picturesque scenery that evokes a rich range of associations, and the director’s wife Nadezhda Gultyaeva, who designed traditional yet fairytale-like costumes, as well as the lighting designer Audrius Jankauskas. Rimsky-Korsakov's Kitezh is an opera in whose stage embodiment the visual aspect is especially important, and Nekrošius understands this perfectly. The characters in his performance have special facial expressions and strange, inexplicable gestures, as if they are communicating with each other in an archaic, "surrealistic" language, which combines very subtly with the singing in Russian (subtitles in Italian) and with the enchanting "multicolored" music of Rimsky-Korsakov. This is to the credit of Vedernikov, who magnificenty manages the Cagliari Theatre orchestra and chorus (choirmaster Fulvio Fogliazza). The theatre orchestra demonstrated a richness of timbre and beautiful sound (especially the brass section), and the Russian conductor managed to balance the sound of the entire orchestra and present a worthy sound palette to the public.
As the opera's title suggests, its plot (libretto by Vladimir Belsky) revolves around the city and the young Fevronia. The charming Tatiana Monogarova (soprano) performed in this role, captivating with her exciting, emotional, yet precisely calibrated vocals, as well as with a deep, nuanced interpretation of the complex and multifaceted character. Grishka, performed by the tenor Mikhail Gubsky (who has a voice that is not the largest, but is perfectly expressive), is another central character of the opera, a complete opposite to the gentle and virtuous Fevronia. The tenor Vitaly Panfilov (Prince Vsevolod) has a beautiful voice—even and strong throughout the range, with a noble timbre—as does the mezzo-soprano Marika Gulordava (The Youth), with a light, sparkling, and incredibly pure and bright timbre. The basses Valery Gilmanov (Bedyai) and Alexander Naumenko (Burundai) performed the parts of the Tatar warriors well, although they were not always as menacing and cruel as these characters could have been. The bass Mikhail Kazakov (almost a basso profondo) was not bad in the role of Prince Yuri. The performance of the chorus, which demonstrated a strong and lively sound, was worthy of praise. Under the direction of Fulvio Fogliazza, it continues to show good results.
«Kitezh» in Cagliari
Antonio TRUDU, www.giornaledellamusica.it, April 25, 2008
This not-very-well-known opera by Rimsky-Korsakov is very interesting from a musical point of view. Along with "The Golden Cockerel", it can be safely classified as one of the composer's operatic masterpieces. This phantasmagorical opera, based on a legend—in terms of the dramatic expressiveness of its recitatives and its emphasized lyricism—can be placed on a par with Mussorgsky's operas. But it is also related to Borodin's "Prince Igor" in its melodiousness (especially beautiful melodies characterize the mysterious heroine of the opera, Fevronia; they abound in the apotheosis of the last act—the conclusion of the eternal union of the prince and the maiden). This opera is often called the "Russian Parsifal"; Wagner's influence is also traceable in it: in the use of leitmotifs, orchestration, and harmonic structure.
The performance, which was the result of a joint effort between two theatres—Cagliari and the Bolshoi—was ideal both from a musical and a scenic point of view. A stunning ensemble of singers (Fevronia performed by Tatiana Monogarova and Grishka by Mikhail Gubsky were beyond praise; Marika Gulordava also impressed in the role of The Youth), the orchestra and chorus, who play a leading role in this opera by Rimsky-Korsakov, performed definitely successfully, not for nothing is it called a religious and even liturgical opera. Alexander Vedernikov managed to balance the heterogeneous musical elements while emphasizing the constant "confrontation" of the human voice and the instrument.
The visual side of the performance is truly impressive, even hypnotic. The incredibly musical direction of Eimuntas Nekrošius very subtly connects all the scenic elements. The director makes the viewer believe in the most incredible events of the opera and imparts extraordinary dynamism even to the most static scenes.
A Stunning Performance at the Opera House
A bold choice of Rimsky-Korsakov’s opera culminated in a fairytale performance
Nanni SPISSU, Altra Voce, April 26, 2008
The four-act opera "The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh and the Maiden Fevronia" by N. Rimsky-Korsakov opened the 2008 season at the Cagliari Opera House.
This opera tells the story of Kitezh, a small town which, thanks to divine intervention, is enveloped in a thick fog and thus saved from foreign invaders—in this case, the Tatars. The fate of this mysterious and unreachable city intertwines with the fate of the maiden Fevronia, who lives in the forest among animals. Fevronia meets Prince Vsevolod. The young people fall in love with each other, but their marriage is not destined to happen: the prince will die fighting for Kitezh. And they will only be able to unite after death, in another life...
This whole story raises some doubts. But I declare with confidence that the performance seen this Thursday leaves no room for them...
The director Eimuntas Nekrošius impressed with a unique, charming, and consistently sustained style, tireless invention, and boundless imagination.
This is an extraordinary performance, in which gesture acquires a ritual, even esoteric essence. In this opera, divine will reigns supreme. It is accepted by the people and the rulers; they await a miracle from it, which happens in the finale. The director (not least thanks to the original scenographic solution) managed to combine the two myths—of the city and the girl—into a single picture, which, for example, do not seem so connected in the opera itself to this author.
From a musical point of view, the performance was impeccable—thanks to our musicians (a very well-prepared orchestra and chorus), as well as an ideal cast of singers (among whom I would especially like to mention Tatiana Monogarova) and Vedernikov's confident leadership.
One can only thank our theatre for opening another great opera to the public, and for this truly magnificent performance. The bold step, which the Cagliari theatre has taken repeatedly, testifies to the recognition of the educational function that our theatres assume, constantly enriching and expanding the repertoire. The audience followed the performance attentively, received it very favorably, and warmly expressed their approval.
Opera — Choral
Lorenzo Piras, L'Unione Sarda, April 26, 2008
The director Eimuntas Nekrošius gives free rein to his imagination, mastering the fairytale space of this opera: silhouettes of deer cross the stage, the director "humanizes" the bear and forest creatures, while the orchestra of the Cagliari theatre under the baton of Alexander Vedernikov, the musical director of the Bolshoi Theatre, captivates with a vibrant sound palette. The Cagliari Theatre, following an already established tradition, opens its opera season with a rarely performed work, and this time it turned to Rimsky-Korsakov's opera "The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh and the Maiden Fevronia". This is a joint production with the great Russian theatre, on whose posters it will appear next autumn.
This opera is the culmination of the most original aspects of Rimsky-Korsakov’s work, rooted in the traditions of Russian soil, in the lessons of Glinka, and expressing the principles that the musician developed with his friends from "The Mighty Handful", providing a theoretical base for the national Russian school.
The performance that opened the current season at the Cagliari theatre is unusually sophisticated and fantastic, and its merits overcome the difficulties of perceiving this opera. These difficulties include numerous references to ancient rituals, to traditions distant from ours, cultural reminiscences that make the reading of the opera not always linear—it is difficult for the viewer to perceive so many symbols and reminiscences. In addition, if we recognize a certain insularity of Italian culture, we cannot help but note that the viewer’s attention begins to wander precisely when the difference from the Italian opera tradition becomes most noticeable. The most striking example of this is the finale.
The viewer's attention wanes when Fevronia finds her beloved in the invisible city. Where Verdi would have composed a jubilant finale, Rimsky-Korsakov's action drags on for another forty minutes. And yet, despite the cultural realities that were incomprehensible to the Italian audience, the colorful, vibrant music delighted and captivated them. Rimsky-Korsakov's music's ability to speak a direct language is impressive.
The sonic variety of the orchestration was emphasized by the Cagliari orchestra (under the wise and sensitive guidance of Alexander Vedernikov), which treated the sound of the wind, string, and especially percussion instruments with care and attention. The music was performed with the stylistic originality of Art Nouveau, which is especially true for the wedding procession. The originality of the music, with its stylistic heterogeneity, lies in the close connection of the choral and solo parts, in the combination of spontaneity derived from folk music with the rigor of the Central European opera school, which shows a strong influence of Wagner.
The work of the musicians in this opera is simply wonderful. The orchestra and chorus play a crucial role in creating this grand musical fresco, built on contrasts. One cannot help but admire this sound palette — diverse like no other.
On this canvas, the voices of the soloists bloom, using the full range of vocal colors. Starting with Fevronia performed by Tatiana Monogarova, with her melodic freshness and simplicity, and Vitaly Panfilov, who remarkably performs the role of the strong-willed Prince Vsevolod. But the overall picture is created by all the performers. The solemn, deep voice of Prince Yuri (Mikhail Kazakov) is important here, and — especially — the nervous, sharp voice of the traitor Grishka Kuterma (Mikhail Gubsky), who transforms from aggressive and cruel at the beginning of the opera into tormented and suffering in the finale.
"Nekrošius in the Space of the Legend of True Love
Paolo Petazzi, Unita, 27 April 2008
Rimsky-Korsakov’s penultimate opera, captivating and enchanting with just its title, "The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh and the Maiden Fevronia," opened the opera season at the Cagliari theatre. Once again, the theatre chose a rare and refined work for its opening.
The opera was written in 1903-04 and first presented to the public in 1907. It is based on two legends that are mentioned in its title. The maiden Fevronia lives in the forests in harmony with nature and all living things, and Prince Vsevolod, the son of the prince of the wondrous city of Kitezh, falls in love with her at first sight. The mystical idyll is interrupted by the invasion of the Tatars, who kill Vsevolod and the city's defenders but cannot conquer it, because a supernatural force makes the city invisible, thereby saving it from the conquerors. But the city's bells can still be heard, and its reflection can still be seen in the lake. In the invisible city, Vsevolod and Fevronia are reunited.
This opera combines many trends. It traces features of the Russian national school from Glinka to Borodin and Mussorgsky, whose Boris brings to mind the image of the drunkard Kuteryma — a traitor who shows the Tatars the way to the city, is tormented by pangs of conscience, and goes mad. However, echoes of "Parsifal" are also audible in this opera. "Kitezh's" music features bright, vivid contrasts and light, ethereal, sunny colors, and these captivating sounds make one forget a certain unevenness in the generally very artful orchestration.
In Cagliari, the charm of Rimsky-Korsakov's music became evident thanks to the confident, intelligent, and subtle conducting of Alexander Vedernikov, the musical director of the Bolshoi Theatre, with whom the theatre co-produced the performance.
The director Nekrošius, together with his son, set designer Marius Nekrošius, created a production long awaited by the Italian public, one that was convincing, impressive, and perhaps less extravagant than expected. The creators succeeded in forming memorable images of incredible poetic power. In the first act, a hut in the forest is depicted using a frame, several beehives, and two mysterious pillars, while the animals become wonderfully fairy-tale-like (deer are represented by wooden silhouettes held by extras).
Russian local color is most represented in the wedding procession. The miracle that occurred on the lake is brought to life on stage with the help of blue cushions and lighting effects. And in the invisible city, we see many icons painted in wooden niches.
In such an opera, the singers' acting is inevitably static. The ensemble of performers was quite balanced; among them, the bass Mikhail Kazakov, the tenor Mikhail Gubsky (Kuteryma), the mezzo-soprano Marika Gulordava, and the lead performer Tatiana Monogarova, who faced some difficulties in this most complex role, particularly stood out.
Nekrošius, Holy Rus' and the Funereal Paradise
Paolo Gallarati, Stampa, 27 April 2008
The Cagliari Opera House presents a new rarity to the public and opens the Festival of Saint Efisio with the opera "The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh and the Maiden Fevroniya," which Rimsky-Korsakov wrote in 1903-04.
Vladimir Belsky's phantasmagorical, poetic libretto tells the story of a legendary city that submerged in a golden mist and became invisible, thus saving it from the Tatar invasion. The maiden Fevroniya, the opera's main character, travels a long path from a humble peasant girl to a princess, but she is only allowed to be reunited with her fiancé in the invisible city, which exists outside of time, in eternal life.
The magical elements come across very well for Rimsky-Korsakov, while the mystical ones, perhaps, a little less so. The composer animates nature: the whispers of the forest and water, the singing of birds, the life of the earth, flowers, and animals pour into the most captivating pages of the score. Here, the orchestral sound is light, soaring, shimmering; it resembles the impressionism that Debussy was establishing in France around the same time and anticipates Stravinsky and Janáček. This magic culminates in the third act, when the city, enveloped in golden dust, vanishes.
The opera's lyrically detached moments are also beautiful: the choral scenes preceding the city's miraculous disappearance, and Otrok's lament over its fate. The entire first scene of the third act, with the choir's prayers and pleas, is very interesting from the perspective of how Russian folk melody is refracted in the opera. However, another layer of folk songs is also used in the score—noisy, cheerful ones. Here, the music is reminiscent of Mussorgsky and Borodin. In the depiction of the folk festival, Rimsky-Korsakov seems less original, but the precise stylistic calculation makes the music of such scenes lively and varied. But there is a certain decline in the final scene. The disproportionately long scene of heavenly life, which the bride and groom enter, develops very slowly.
Masterful execution of the opera under the baton of Alexander Vedernikov further enhanced the score's merits. The conductor managed to raise the orchestra and chorus (led by Fulvio Fogliazza) to a new level. The singers were also magnificent, especially the performer of the main character's role, Tatiana Monogarova, the tenor Vitaly Panfilov (Prince Vsevolod), the bass Mikhail Kazakov (Prince Yury), and the baritone Albert Shagidullin (Poyarok).
Eimuntas Nekrošius's production is magnificent for the first three acts. Nadezhda Gultyaeva came up with stunning costumes. The lighting designer's work is interesting: the stage, all filled with golden light, is sometimes intersected by blue beams, creating a magical impression. Marius Nekrošius's set designs are symbolic: there are large beehives, and stylized curtains on pillars, and wooden silhouettes of animals. The entire visual range immediately lends a fairy-tale quality to the peasant and forest life. It's a shame that the last scene didn't work out. Here the music doesn't maintain tension, and Nekrošius tried to fix this by building a gloomy paradise on stage in a black and gold palette, with incredible costumes and confusing details that weighed down what is already difficult to perceive aurally.
Mystical Russian Tale
Carla MORENI, Il Sole 24 Ore, 27 April 2008
The delightful opera "The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh" in the deliberately "archaic" direction of Nekrošius. Among the singers, Monogarova and Kazakov stand out.
To start, let's simplify everything: we will shorten the name of the opera "The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh and the Maiden Fevroniya" to "Kitezh". The Russian composer Rimsky-Korsakov, who finished his penultimate opera in 1904 (there are a huge number of them—an inexhaustible source of rarely performed treasures), will become simply "Rimsky" for us. We will not shorten the name of the conductor Alexander Vedernikov—nor the name of Nekrošius—the mythical, mysterious, roughly primitive, charming Eimuntas, the Lithuanian director already quite praised by Italian critics. He debuted in Cagliari with the production of "Kitezh", which opened the opera season.
The result of his fourth "coming" into the world of opera is distinguished by a unique style: abstract ritualistic gestures, luxurious design. This is especially true in the triumphant finale, which blossomed with huge blue cornflowers all the way to the orchestra pit. This is the result of the stunning imagination of the director's son, Marius Nekrošius, an original and talented set designer, as well as his mother, costume designer Nadezhda Gultyaeva. The characters' costumes are less "trashy"—fine and delicate fabrics are used here.
Nekrošius strives for a primitivist theatre—a theatre that reclaims the archaic, a certain "childishness." Hence the "authentic" language the director speaks. The maiden-angel Fevroniya, the main heroine of the opera, a fair-haired creature who has lived her entire life in the forest, treats Prince Vsevolod to honey right from her palms. He eats. Then kisses her, stealthily, like an animal. The lake, where Kitezh miraculously disappears, acquires a clear visual appearance on stage: a few small silk cushions, shimmering, form a "water" mosaic. And the boats, when turned over, become niches for icons—such is the mystical "setting" of the opera.
The directors do not always literally execute what is happening in the opera. On the contrary, they often distract us with a parallel reality. And from this mirror game, probable truth is born. For example, the ambiguous finale where the young people are united in a mystical marriage: Nekrošius precedes this scene with a black curtain on which two stars are depicted (archaic and stylized, of course). By that point, we know that the prince is already dead, and Fevroniya is captive to the Tatars, who are already deciding who will take her. Therefore, the long and idyllic wedding scene, the music of which is very far from the folk rhythms and melodies so obvious in the first act, could sound ridiculous. Like a farce. But we see two stars. And what unfolds becomes reality.
Tatiana Monogarova performed the tender Fevroniya: with a delicate thread of a voice, wrapped in the orchestral sound, in the brilliant first act, a complete immersion into characteristically Russian aromas and colors (which quite justifiably drove the Parisians crazy at the time), and a liberation in the finale, where, carrying the scene alone, she effortlessly transitions from broad melodic phrases to the monotony of Orthodox chants, right up to the ecstatic conclusion. She is a slightly mad, otherworldly character, existing somewhere between the chirping of birds and ecstatic religious choruses.
The polished and powerful bass vocals of Mikhail Kazakov in the role of the Russian prince were magnificent, and the tenor Vitaly Panfilov, as his heir, was impressive. The audience (who, however, did not all stay for the opera's finale, which is strange, because Cagliari theatre-goers are usually quite resilient) gave the warmest reception to the "villain" Grishka Kuteryma, performed nervously and sharply by Mikhail Gubsky. Overall, the entire large cast performed well, with special mention to the 25-year-old mezzo-soprano Marika Gulordava with her distinctive timbre. The chorus and orchestra, under the baton of Alexander Vedernikov, sounded good, even magical—in those scenes where Rimsky-Korsakov knows how to be magical: these are the "miracles," the bells, that new and unusual sound that makes "Kitezh" unforgettable.
Source.
«Kitezh» by the Bolshoi and the Cagliari Theatre
Review of the Italian press, May 15, 2008
