Strauss the rose cavalier summary. The path to yourself: "The Rosenkavalier" by Richard Strauss at the Bolshoi Theater (06/17/2015)

Alexander Gusev
Let's start with the fact that the composer Richard Strauss, a German, has nothing to do with Johann Strauss, a crown with an admixture of Jewish blood. He was born in the 19th century, but his work belongs to the 20th century, one of the most famous composers which he is. He wrote his first operas - "Salome" and "Electra" in a pronounced expressive manner: a huge orchestra is the legacy of Wagner. Both operas managed to arrive on the Russian stage before 1914. You can read more about this in the memoirs of the director of the Imperial Theaters Telyakovsky. Further in the work of Strauss, some changes took place, and as a result, an opera appeared. Rosenkavalier which can be translated in different ways. The commonly accepted translation is "The Rosenkavalier". Actually, it’s more correct - “Cavalier with a Rose”. But this is not quite harmonious and causes a stream of allusions and jokes. IN Lately The Rosenkavalier became more popular.

According to the plot, her hero is a young man, the messenger of the groom, who must come to the named bride and present a symbolic silver rose. The idea of ​​this work was born from the Austrian poet Hofmannsthal, who was fascinated by the idea of ​​stylization of the 18th century. He also interested Strauss in his idea, who, however, in musically did not follow him. He did not contact music XVIII centuries, on the contrary, saturate the opera with music late XIX century - namely the waltz.

The opera immediately received great acclaim. Telyakovsky wanted to stage it, but did not have time: in 1914, an imperial decree was issued prohibiting all works by German authors on the Russian stage. And then this aesthetic story, of course, did not suit the Soviet audience at all. Although no one has ever denied that the music is lovely.

It must be said that, despite the fact that Richard Strauss was far from social and political life, in the late 30s he became something of a minister of culture in Hitler's government. That greatly influenced the performance of his music in subsequent years. In particular, in the USSR and in Israel.

True, there is an opinion that Strauss used his post to help Jewish musicians. He had a skirmish with the Nazi ideological apparatus about his colleague, the writer Stefan Zweig. And some of his works, written already in the 30s, were not very happy life. So the figure is ambiguous.

There is a curious sketch of an American musicologist who entered Germany along with parts of the American army. Coincidentally, part of it was part of the town where, as it was known, already elderly Richard Strauss lives with his family. The American musicologist contrived, met with the composer and tried to interview him - precisely in order to confirm Strauss' apathy. Or even see his anti-Nazi sentiments. In particular, he asked the question - did the composer ever think of emigrating from Nazi Germany? The answer was: “Yes, you know, lately we have been thinking about it. The food has gone bad."

If we talk about music, Richard Strauss was one of those people who are engaged, as they say, pure art. As it was written in Soviet textbooks, he was far from the people, but he created for the stratum of wealthy people that existed then and still exists in Europe, to whom the state and lifestyle allow them to enjoy art and be away from pressing problems.

In our country, The Rosenkavalier was completely unknown until the Vienna State Opera arrived in Moscow in 1971 and performed its outstanding performance three times. Oddly enough, he still goes on her stage. There was a wonderful line-up, great artists, Leonia Rizanek as the Marshall, Krista Ludwig as Octavian! There was a first discovery. Then people began to travel, listen to CDs. And now a certain number, of course, know about the existence of this opera.

In a sense, The Rosenkavalier refers to Mozart's Marriage of Figaro, too. landmark work for Viennese and world culture. Some of the characters can be recognized as Mozart's predecessors. In the Marshall - the Countess. And even more so in Octavian - Cherubino. But if Cherubino is a boy who is tormented by a common love for all women, then Octavian, who is almost the same age, is already a young man who has tasted the delights of love. And here is another, more sensual shade.

Although domestic directors did not stage this opera, they thought and reasoned about it. And many people were very repulsed by the first scene in which two women are in bed. One of them is a travesty in the role of a young man. And about 30 years, especially 40 years ago, quite often these characters were performed by rather large prima donnas. And indeed, for a person who is not part of this aesthetic world, watching two middle-aged, large women performing a love duet on a wide bed did not make the best impression.

Although in reality the Marshall is about 35 years old, Octavian is 16-17. And now these roles are played, of course, by artists who are more suitable in terms of age and physical data. And in life we ​​now meet much more striking age differences.

Unlike Russia, in the world "The Rosenkavalier" is one of the most popular operas, in the work of Richard Strauss - of course, the most popular and most Viennese. For the Viennese public, not only this opera, but also this performance is a cult thing. This production is also underway in Vienna this season, Elina Garancha will play the role of Octavian.

The opera is permeated with lyricism and humor. Despite the fact that this great work, it is very light - for those who have German native. I know Russian listeners who experience the same thing when they listen to Rimsky-Korsakov's operas. But now they almost never go. And there are very few such people. And there are many of them in Vienna.

Firstly, this is a very cultured audience, it is impossible to imagine that phones are turned on in the hall - not only that calls are impossible, but also the light from the phones. People understand that it also interferes with perception. And if some tourists from Eastern countries try to do it, then the attendant immediately appears, who unobtrusively explains that this is not necessary.

Secondly, this is an audience that already knows the work and goes specifically to it, maybe even to this particular production and these particular singers. And they do not discover this opera for themselves, but come to get more or less pleasure from it, well known to them.

The basis of this audience is middle-aged people who can afford a ticket for 60-70 euros. Although Vienna has a large number of standing places. There are not so well-to-do operomaniacs, young people and student tourists. There are performances with the participation of certain soloists, when these standing places are not crowded.

My personal opinion is that there is currently no public for this work in our country. Because we don’t have a middle class, and in general with an opera audience serious problem- especially at the Bolshoi Theatre. Maybe this opera should have been staged here a little earlier or a little later.

Tannhäuser: In addition to the special section on the Great Operas, I place the operas of Richard Strauss separately. I'm not sure that many PCs will come to listen to his work ...) The operas of Richard the Third are works for true opera gourmets who may be fed up with "repertory" operas .. .R. Strauss is not so often addressed modern leaders opera theaters. The production that I offer you today is just super wonderful! ... The quality is excellent! Try to listen to the music of the German Strauss and ... I assure you, your patience will be rewarded ...) that the plot itself will immediately be clear ... It is not too complicated and quite funny ...) If you want (or someone you know asks you) to briefly retell the content of the opera, then I suggest using the answer of librettist G. Hoffmannsthal to R. Strauss on fears that the work will turn out to be unnecessarily difficult for the audience ... "I'm not worried about your fears about the excessive sophistication of the libretto. The action itself develops very simply and is understandable even to the most naive public. A fat elderly contender for the duchess's hand, encouraged by her father, is defeated young handsome man - what could be thicker? However, the interpretation, in my opinion, should remain the same as mine - that is, take away from the usual and trivial. ."

Well, if you don’t like this opera ... Well ... This Richard Strauss, a not D. Puccini ...)) Enjoy watching and until new meeting in this section...)

Opera "Der Rosenkavalier" by Richard Strauss

Opera in three acts by Richard Strauss to a libretto (in German) by Hugo von Hofmannsthal.

CHARACTERS:

PRINCESS VERDENBERG, Marshal (soprano)
BARON OKS AUF LERCHENAU (bass)
OCTAVIAN, her lover (mezzo-soprano)
MR VON FANINAL, wealthy new nobleman (baritone)
SOPHIE, his daughter (soprano)
MARIANNA, her chaperone (soprano)
VALZACCHI, Italian intriguer (tenor)
ANNINA, his accomplice (contralto) COMMISSIONER OF POLICE (bass)
MAJORDOM OF THE MARCHALL (tenor)
MAJORDOM FANINAL (tenor)
NOTARY (bass)
HOTEL OWNER (tenor)
SINGER (tenor)
FLUTIST (silent role)
HAIRDRESSER (silent role)
SCIENTIST (silent role)
NOBLE WIDOW MAHOMET, page (silent role)
THREE NOBLE ORPHANS: soprano, mezzo-soprano, contralto
MODERNIST (soprano)
ANIMAL SELLER (tenor)

Time of action: the middle of the 18th century.
Location: Vienna.
First performance: Dresden, 26 January 1911.

Exists funny story about The Rose Cavalier and the author of this opera - a story that, as the Italians say, si non e vero, e ben trovato (Italian - if this is not true, then it is well invented). The opera was staged in 1911. A few years later, the composer himself - and this was the first time for him - conducted its performance. In the last act, he leaned over to the violin accompanist and whispered in his ear (without interrupting the performance): "How terribly long, isn't it?" “But, maestro,” the accompanist objected, “you wrote it yourself.” “I know,” Strauss said sadly, “but I never imagined that I would have to conduct it myself.”

The full, uncut version of the opera, excluding intermissions, lasts almost four hours. But the most striking thing is that the light comedic character is invariably preserved throughout the entire action of the opera. It is also surprising that, despite the length of the performance, this opera has become the most popular of all the operas of Richard Strauss. It forms the basis of the repertoire of all the great opera houses in England, the United States of America and Central Europe(in Latin countries she received a somewhat less enthusiastic reception); and together with Wagner's "Meistersinger" it is considered the best comic opera born on German soil after Mozart. Like the "Meistersingers" - there are such coincidences - it was at first conceived as a rather short work, but the composer was so carried away by the idea of ​​​​creating a full-scale portrait of a certain phase in social history that, in the course of work, he went deep into unusual details. No one who loves this work will refuse any of these details.

ACT I

One of those "details" that librettist Hugo von Hofmannsthal did not attach much importance at first turned into the main character of the work. This is Princess von Werdenberg, the wife of a field marshal, and therefore she is called the Marshall. Strauss and Hoffmannsthal conceived her as a very attractive young woman in her early thirties (on stage, unfortunately, she is often played by overripe sopranos). When the curtain rises, we see the princess's room. Early morning. In the absence of her husband, who went hunting, the hostess listens to the love confessions of her current young lover. This is an aristocrat named Octavian; he is only seventeen. Marshall is still in bed. Their parting is filled with pathos, since the princess is aware that the difference in their age must inevitably end their relationship.

The voice of Baron Oks auf Lerchenau is heard. This is the cousin of the princess, rather dull and rude. No one was waiting for him, and before he bursts into the room, Octavian manages to put on a maid's dress. Since his part is written for a very light soprano (Hofmannsthal meant Geraldine Ferrar or Maria Garden), Ox is misled: he takes Octavian for a maid and throughout the scene tries to woo her. In essence, he came to ask his cousin (Marshall) to recommend him a noble aristocrat as a matchmaker (Knight (Knight) of the Rose) in order to fulfill the traditional custom, that is, to give a silver rose to his bride, who turns out to be Sophie, daughter of the wealthy nouveau riche von Faninal. Oks also needs a notary, and his famous cousin suggests that he wait, because her own notary, whom she summoned to her in the morning, is about to appear here, and then her cousin can use him.

At the Marshal's reception of visitors begins. Not only a notary comes, but also a hairdresser, a widow from a noble family with large offspring, a French milliner, a monkey dealer, nosy Italians Valzacchi and Annina, italian tenor and many others strange characters- they all want something from the Marshall. The tenor demonstrates his mellifluous voice in a delightful Italian aria, which at its very climax is interrupted by a loud discussion between Baron Ochs and a notary about a dowry.

Finally, Marshalsha is left alone again and in “Aria with a Mirror” (“Kann mich auch an ein Miidel erinnern” - “Can I remember the girl?”) She sadly reflects on what changes for the worse have occurred in her since then how she was a young blooming girl like Sophie von Faninal. The return of Octavian, this time dressed for riding, does not change her sad nostalgic mood. He convinces her of his eternal devotion, but the Marshall knows better how it all will turn out ("Die Zeit, die ist ein sonderbar" Ding "-" Time, this strange thing "). She says that soon everything will have to end. And with these words she sends Octavian away. Perhaps she will see him later today, during a ride in the park, or maybe not. Octavian leaves. Suddenly she remembers: he did not even kiss her goodbye. But too late: the door is behind him She is very sad, but she is a smart woman.

ACT II

The second act takes us to von Faninal's house. He and his maid Marianne are excited about the prospect of his daughter marrying an aristocrat, but his reputation may suffer. Today is the day Octavian is expected to bring a silver rose in the name of Baron Ox. And soon after the action begins, a formal ceremony takes place. This is one of the most beautiful episodes of the opera. Octavian is dressed unusually magnificently, according to the circumstances - in a white and silver suit. In his hand is a silver rose. He and Sophie suddenly fall in love at first sight. Looking at the girl, the young count asks himself the question: how could he have lived without her before (“Mir ist die Ehre wiederfahren” - “This is an honor for me”). Soon the groom himself arrives - Baron Oks with his retinue. His behavior is really very rude. He tries to hug and kiss his fiancee, but each time she manages to dodge him. It only amuses the old rake. He goes into another room to discuss the terms of the marriage contract with his future father-in-law. He is so confident that he even advises that Octavian should teach Sophie something about love while he is away. This training hasn't progressed all that much when they are suddenly interrupted by angry servants. It turns out that the people of the baron, who appeared with their master, tried to flirt with von Faninal's maids, who did not like all this at all.

Octavian and Sophie have a very serious conversation, because both of them know that the baron intends to marry Sophie, which is completely impossible for her. Meanwhile, as both of them become more and more infatuated with each other, Octavian promises to save Sophie. In a fit of feelings, they embrace ("Mit ihren Augen voll Tranen" - "With eyes full of tears"). Two Italians whom we met in passing in the first act - Valzacchi and Annina - unexpectedly appear from behind a decorative stove just at the moment when the lovers embrace passionately; they see it all. They loudly call on Baron Oks, hoping that he will reward them for espionage (after all, they entered his service).

A very colorful and hectic scene follows. Sophie flatly refuses to marry Oks; Ox is amazed at this turn of affairs; Faninal and his housekeeper demand that Sophie get married, and Octavian is getting more and more angry. In the end, Octavian throws an insult in the baron's face, draws his sword and rushes at him. The Baron, in a panic, calls his servants for help. He is slightly wounded in the arm, terribly frightened by this and loudly demands a doctor. The doctor who appeared states that the wound is trifling.

Finally the baron is left alone. At first he thinks about death, then he seeks solace in wine and gradually forgets about all the misfortunes, especially when he discovers a note signed "Mariandle". This, he thinks, is the servant girl he met in the first act at the Marshall's house; this note confirms the date of the meeting. "Mariandle" is none other than Octavian himself, who sent it to Ox out of mischief. In the meantime, the news that he was so definitely appointed a date with new girl encourages the baron. With that thought - not to mention the wine he's drunk - he sings a waltz. Separate fragments of this famous waltz from "The Rosenkavalier" have already slipped in the course of the action, but now, at the end of the second act, it sounds in all its splendor.

ACT III

Two of the baron's servants, Valzacchi and Annina, are making some mysterious preparations. The baron did not pay them properly, and now they have switched to the service of Octavian, watching the preparations of chambre separee (French - separate chambers) in a hotel somewhere on the outskirts of Vienna. The apartments have a bedroom. The baron is to come here on a date with Mariandl (that is, Octavian in disguise), and a terrible surprise is in store for him. There are two windows in the room, they suddenly swing open, strange heads appear in them, a rope ladder and a lot of all kinds of devilry, which is why the old man, according to the plan of his enemies, should completely lose his mind.

And finally here is the baron himself. At first, everything seems to start off pretty well. Offstage, a Viennese waltz is heard, and Mariandl (Octavian) portrays excitement and shyness. Soon something strange begins to happen. The doors swing open, and - as planned - Annina bursts into the room in disguise with four children. She claims that the Baron is her husband, and the children refer to him as "dad". In complete dismay, the baron calls the police, and Octavian, in disguise, quietly sends Valzacchi for Faninal. Is the Commissioner of Police. The pathetic baron makes no impression on him, besides, the baron has managed to lose his wig somewhere. Faninal comes next; he is shocked by the behavior of the future son-in-law, who ended up in the same room with an outside girl. Sophie is also here; with her arrival, the scandal grows even more. The last is in all its dignity the Marshall; she sternly reprimands her relative.

Finally, morally shattered, moreover, under the threat of paying a huge bill for the party, Oks, glad that he finally got rid of all this nightmare, leaves ("Mit dieser Stund vorbei" - "There is no more point in staying"). The others follow him. This is where the denouement and climax of the opera comes.

In the miraculous tercete, the Marshalsha finally renounces her former lover, Octavian, and gives it - sadly, but with dignity and grace - to his young charming rival, Sophie ("Hab "mir" s gelobt" - "I swore to love him"). Then she leaves them alone, and the final love duet is interrupted only for a short moment, when the Marchalsha brings Faninal back to say parting words to the young.

"It's a dream... it can hardly be true... but let it go on forever." This last words, which are pronounced by young lovers, but the opera does not end there. When they leave, a little Negro page Mohammed runs in. He finds the handkerchief that Sophie dropped, picks it up and quickly disappears.

Henry W. Simon (translated by A. Maykapar)

In one of Hoffmannsthal's letters to Strauss (February 11, 1909) we find the following joyful message: "In the course of three calm days I have completely completed a very lively libretto of a semi-serious opera with brightly comic figures and situations, a colorful, almost transparent action, in which there is an occasion for poetry, jokes, humor and even a little dancing." The action of the opera takes place at the height of the 18th century (the resurrection of an era is similar to what takes place with Mozart in Le nozze di Figaro, according to the same Hofmannsthal).

But in Strauss's music over recreation historical background the recreation of things much more attractive from a musical point of view takes over: rationally ordered feelings and passions, a sense of life balance, happiness, light humor even in the most delicate situations - features that distinguished the refined society of that time, acting against a folk background, merging with it and therefore whole. These qualities seemed irretrievably lost in Elektra and Salome, with their fiery but tragic plots, where passion was tantamount to death.

The flow of events in The Cavalier of the Roses is based on the 19th-century dance form, the waltz, which becomes an element of the stylistic unity of the entire opera - an opera deeply European, in the spirit of that old Europe that came unscathed to the threshold of the First World War: this is Europe, of course, the lucky few, where, in spite of everything, the joy of life is still preserved, even in the midst of empty propriety and ostentatious gallantry. Before us is entertainment in its purest form, the sensuality of brilliant eroticism, immersion in a cute pristine nature, playful comedy and at the same time magic. The latter is personified by a rose that glorifies youth (the future) in a kind of congratulatory ritual. Flute chords, violin solos, celestas and harps sound like a crystal sound, like a light, weightless silver fabric, a flowing magical light that has nothing equal to itself.

In the final trio, when all the action is interrupted, the charm takes on a lyrical character: Strauss takes the speech of the characters beyond the comedy purely musical means, without which the text itself could not convey this intertwining of dumb questions. The thoughts and feelings of the three characters merge, and if the words separate them, depicting hesitation and confusion, then the musical fabric unites, representing an amazing combination of harmonies.

Ernst von Schuck conducts the Strauss Opera

The parties of heroes, dedicated to every riddle of life, are reconciled in a kind of higher contemplation, although they remain unanswered. Marshalsha and Octavian ponder the fate of love, its birth and death, while Sophie tries in vain to unravel human nature. Their questions hang in the air, for inconsistency is the law of life. Modulations, collisions and rhythmic dissonance, chromaticisms and complex paths of development turn into an emotionally intense crescendo, remaining parallel and not intersecting at one point. The mystery of human relationships remains unsolved.

G. Marchesi (translated by E. Greceanii)

Bedroom of Marshal Werdenberg's wife. Count Octavian (a seventeen-year-old boy) is on his knees before the marshal, ardently declaring his love for her. Suddenly, there is noise outside. This is the Marshal's cousin, Baron Ochs auf Lerchenau. She begs the count to run. Octavian barely has time to change into his maid's dress before the door swings open. Baron Oks asks the princess to recommend him a young aristocrat, who, according to custom, should take a silver rose to Oks' fiancee Sophie, daughter of the rich Faninal, who has recently become a nobleman. In the meantime, the baron pays attention to the maid, as it turns out, by the name of Mariandl, who did not have time to hide, whom he really likes. The princess recommends Octavian as a matchmaker. It's time for the morning visitors. Among them are the adventurers Valzacchi and Annina. A noble widow and her three sons ask for help. While the flutist plays and the singer sings, the hairdresser combs the marshal's hair.
Left alone, the mistress of the house sadly looks at herself in the mirror, remembering her youth. Octavian returns. He wants to console his sad lover, but she evades his embrace: time is running out, and she knows that Octavian will soon leave her. The young man does not want to hear about it. But the princess asks him to leave. Remembering that she did not fulfill Oxus' instructions, she gives a silver rose to Octavian with a negro.

Act II

The living room in Faninal's house, where excitement reigns: they are waiting for the cavalier of the rose, and then the groom. Octavian enters, dressed in a white and silver suit. He has a silver rose in his hand. Sophie is excited. Looking at the girl, the young count asks himself how he could live without her before. Young people are talking tenderly. But here is the groom, Baron Ox. He lavishes vulgar compliments on Sophie, sings an obscene song, and completely turns his bride away from him. Octavian and Sophie are left alone, the girl asks to help her: she does not want to marry a stupid baron at all. Young people embrace in a fit of love. Valzakki and Annina, who entered the service of Oks, spy on them and call the master. The Baron pretends not to care what happened and asks Sophie to sign the marriage contract. Octavian throws insults in his face, draws his sword and lightly wounds him in the arm. The Baron considers the wound mortal. Everyone is alarmed, Faninal banishes the Knight of the Rose and threatens to imprison Sophie in a convent. The baron is laid to bed. Wine gives him strength, and even more - a note from the maid, Marshal Mariandl: she appoints him a date.

Act III

Outskirts of Vienna. The baron's prank is being prepared. Valzacchi and Annina went to Octavian's service. He himself dressed in a woman's dress and portrays Mariandle, with him five more suspicious personalities. The Baron enters with his arm in a sling. He hurries to be alone with the imaginary maid. Disguised Octavian depicts excitement, shyness. His companions, hidden in the room, periodically appear in dark corners, frightening the baron. Suddenly, a lady in mourning (Annina) enters with four children who rush to him with cries of “daddy, daddy”, the lady calls him her husband. The baron calls the police, but suddenly he finds himself in the role of the interrogated.
At that moment, Faninal and Sophie appear, summoned by Octavian. The room is filled with hotel staff, musicians and various rabble. Octavian discreetly changes into men's clothing. Everything is clearing up. But here a new circumstance arises: the marshal arrives. The Baron, pursued by money-hungry servants, leaves, followed by the rest. Marshalsha, Octavian and Sophie are left alone. The princess advises Octavian to follow the dictates of his heart. All three are excited, Octavian and Sophie again swear to eternal love.

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The original name is Der Rosenkavalier.

Opera in three acts by Richard Strauss to a libretto (in German) by Hugo von Hofmannsthal.

CHARACTERS:

PRINCESS VERDENBERG, Marshal (soprano)
BARON OKS AUF LERCHENAU (bass)
OCTAVIAN, her lover (mezzo-soprano)
MR VON FANINAL, wealthy new nobleman (baritone)
SOPHIE, his daughter (soprano)
MARIANNA, her chaperone (soprano)
VALZACCHI, Italian intriguer (tenor)
ANNINA, his accomplice (contralto) COMMISSIONER OF POLICE (bass)
MAJORDOM OF THE MARCHALL (tenor)
MAJORDOM FANINAL (tenor)
NOTARY (bass)
HOTEL OWNER (tenor)
SINGER (tenor)
FLUTIST (silent role)
HAIRDRESSER (silent role)
SCIENTIST (silent role)
NOBLE WIDOW MAHOMET, page (silent role)
THREE NOBLE ORPHANS: soprano, mezzo-soprano, contralto
MODERNIST (soprano)
ANIMAL SELLER (tenor)

Time of action: the middle of the 18th century.
Location: Vienna.
First performance: Dresden, 26 January 1911.

There is a funny story about The Rosenkavalier and the author of this opera - a story that, as the Italians say, si non e vero, e ben trovato (Italian - if not true, then well invented). The opera was staged in 1911. A few years later, the composer himself - and this was the first time for him - conducted its performance. In the last act, he leaned over to the violin accompanist and whispered in his ear (without interrupting the performance): "How terribly long, isn't it?" “But, maestro,” the accompanist objected, “you wrote it yourself.” "I know," Strauss said sadly, "but I never imagined that I would have to conduct it myself."

The full, uncut version of the opera, excluding intermissions, lasts almost four hours. But the most striking thing is that the light comedic character is invariably preserved throughout the entire action of the opera. It is also surprising that, despite the length of the performance, this opera has become the most popular of all the operas of Richard Strauss. It forms the basis of the repertoire of all the great opera houses in England, the United States of America and Central Europe (in Latin countries it received a somewhat less enthusiastic reception); and, together with Wagner's Die Meistersinger, it is considered the best comic opera to have been born on German soil since Mozart. Like The Meistersingers - there are such coincidences - it was initially conceived as a rather short work, but the composer was so carried away by the idea of ​​​​creating a full-scale portrait of a certain phase in social history that he delved extraordinarily into details in the course of work. No one who loves this work will refuse any of these details.

ACT I

One of those "details" that librettist Hugo von Hofmannsthal did not attach much importance at first turned into the main character of the work. This is Princess von Werdenberg, the wife of a field marshal, and therefore she is called the Marshall. Strauss and Hoffmannsthal conceived her as a very attractive young woman in her early thirties (on stage, unfortunately, she is often played by overripe sopranos). When the curtain rises, we see the princess's room. Early morning. In the absence of her husband, who went hunting, the hostess listens to the love confessions of her current young lover. This is an aristocrat named Octavian; he is only seventeen. Marshall is still in bed. Their parting is filled with pathos, since the princess is aware that the difference in their age must inevitably end their relationship.

The voice of Baron Oks auf Lerchenau is heard. This is the cousin of the princess, rather dull and rude. No one was waiting for him, and before he bursts into the room, Octavian manages to put on a maid's dress. Since his part is written for a very light soprano (Hofmannsthal meant Geraldine Ferrar or Maria Garden), Ox is misled: he takes Octavian for a maid and throughout the scene tries to woo her. In essence, he came to ask his cousin (Marshall) to recommend him a noble aristocrat as a matchmaker (Knight (Knight) of the Rose) in order to fulfill the traditional custom, that is, to give a silver rose to his bride, who turns out to be Sophie, daughter of the wealthy nouveau riche von Faninal. Oks also needs a notary, and his famous cousin suggests that he wait, because her own notary, whom she summoned to her in the morning, is about to appear here, and then her cousin can use him.

At the Marshal's reception of visitors begins. Not only a notary comes, but also a hairdresser, a widow from a noble family with a large offspring, a French milliner, a monkey dealer, nosy Italians Valzacchi and Annina, an Italian tenor and many other strange characters - they all want something from the Marshall. The tenor demonstrates his mellifluous voice in a delightful Italian aria, which at its very climax is interrupted by a loud discussion between Baron Ochs and a notary about a dowry.

Finally, the Marshall is left alone again and in “Aria with a Mirror” (“Kann mich auch an ein Miidel erinnern” - “Can I remember the girl?”), she sadly reflects on what changes for the worse have occurred in her since then how she was a young blooming girl like Sophie von Faninal. The return of Octavian, this time dressed for riding, does not change her sad nostalgic mood. He convinces her of his eternal devotion, but the Marshall knows better how it all will turn out ("Die Zeit, die ist ein sonderbar` Ding" - "Time, this strange thing"). She says that soon everything will have to end. And with these words he sends Octavian away. Perhaps she would see him later today, while riding in the park, or perhaps not. Octavian leaves. Suddenly she remembers: he didn't even kiss her goodbye. But it's too late: the door has already slammed shut behind him. She is very sad, but she is a smart woman.

ACT II

The second act takes us to von Faninal's house. He and his maid Marianne are excited about the prospect of his daughter marrying an aristocrat, but his reputation may suffer. Today is the day Octavian is expected to bring a silver rose in the name of Baron Ox. And soon after the action begins, a formal ceremony takes place. This is one of the most beautiful episodes of the opera. Octavian is dressed unusually magnificently, according to the circumstances - in a white and silver suit. In his hand is a silver rose. He and Sophie suddenly fall in love at first sight. Looking at the girl, the young count asks himself the question: how could he have lived without her before (“Mir ist die Ehre wiederfahren” - “This is an honor for me”). Soon the groom himself arrives - Baron Oks with his retinue. His behavior is really very rude. He tries to hug and kiss his fiancee, but each time she manages to dodge him. It only amuses the old rake. He goes into another room to discuss the terms of the marriage contract with his future father-in-law. He is so confident that he even advises that Octavian should teach Sophie something about love while he is away. This training hasn't progressed all that much when they are suddenly interrupted by angry servants. It turns out that the people of the baron, who appeared with their master, tried to flirt with von Faninal's maids, who did not like all this at all.

Octavian and Sophie have a very serious conversation, because both of them know that the baron intends to marry Sophie, which is completely impossible for her. Meanwhile, as both of them become more and more infatuated with each other, Octavian promises to save Sophie. In a fit of feelings, they embrace ("Mit ihren Augen voll Tranen" - "With eyes full of tears"). Two Italians whom we met in passing in the first act - Valzacchi and Annina - unexpectedly appear from behind a decorative stove just at the moment when the lovers embrace passionately; they see it all. They loudly call on Baron Oks, hoping that he will reward them for espionage (after all, they entered his service). A very colorful and hectic scene follows. Sophie flatly refuses to marry Oks; Ox is amazed at this turn of affairs; Faninal and his housekeeper demand that Sophie get married, and Octavian is getting more and more angry. In the end, Octavian throws an insult in the baron's face, draws his sword and rushes at him. The Baron, in a panic, calls his servants for help. He is slightly wounded in the arm, terribly frightened by this and loudly demands a doctor. The doctor who appeared states that the wound is trifling.

Finally the baron is left alone. At first he thinks about death, then he seeks solace in wine and gradually forgets about all the misfortunes, especially when he discovers a note signed "Mariandle". This, he thinks, is the servant girl he met in the first act at the Marshall's house; this note confirms the date of the meeting. "Mariandle" is none other than Octavian himself, who sent her to Ox out of mischief. Meanwhile, the news that he has such a definite appointment with a new girl encourages the baron. With this thought - not to mention the drunk wine - he hums a waltz. Separate fragments of this famous waltz from "The Rosenkavalier" have already slipped in the course of the action, but now, at the end of the second act, it sounds in all its splendor.

ACT III

Two of the baron's servants - Valtsakki and Annina - are making some mysterious preparations. The baron did not pay them properly, and now they have moved to the service of Octavian, watching the preparations of chambre separee (French - separate chambers) in a hotel somewhere on the outskirts of Vienna. The apartments have a bedroom. The baron is to come here on a date with Mariandl (that is, Octavian in disguise), and a terrible surprise is in store for him. There are two windows in the room, they suddenly swing open, strange heads appear in them, a rope ladder and a lot of all kinds of devilry, which is why the old man, according to the plan of his enemies, should completely lose his mind.

And finally here is the baron himself. At first, everything seems to start off pretty well. Offstage, a Viennese waltz is heard, and Mariandl (Octavian) portrays excitement and shyness. Soon something strange begins to happen. The doors swing open, and - as planned - Annina in disguise bursts into the room with four children. She states that the Baron is her husband and the children refer to him as "dad". In complete dismay, the baron calls the police, and Octavian, in disguise, quietly sends Valzacchi for Faninal. Is the Commissioner of Police. The pathetic baron makes no impression on him, besides, the baron has managed to lose his wig somewhere. Faninal comes next; he is shocked by the behavior of the future son-in-law, who ended up in the same room with an outside girl. Sophie is also here; with her arrival, the scandal grows even more. The last is in all its dignity the Marshall; she sternly reprimands her relative.

Finally, morally shattered, moreover, under the threat of paying a huge bill for the party, Oks, glad that he finally got rid of this whole nightmare, leaves ("Mit dieser Stund vorbei" - "There is no more point in staying"). The others follow him. This is where the denouement and climax of the opera comes.

In a marvelous tercet, Marshalsha finally renounces her former lover, Octavian, and gives him - sadly, but with dignity and grace - to her charming young rival, Sophie ("Hab`mir`s gelobt" - "I swore to love him") . Then she leaves them alone, and the final love duet is interrupted only for a short moment, when the Marchalsha brings Faninal back to say parting words to the young.

"It's a dream... it can hardly be true... but let it go on forever." These are the last words spoken by the young lovers, but the opera does not end there. When they leave, a little Negro page Mohammed runs in. He finds the handkerchief that Sophie dropped, picks it up and quickly disappears.

Henry W. Simon (translated by A. Maykapar)

A scene from the opera "Der Rosenkavalier" at the Bolshoi Theatre. Photo -Damir Yusupov

Before moving on to the essence of the moment, I note that I didn’t hear SUCH a “Cavalier”: is it the guest maestro Stefan Soltes’ “fault” in this or something special happened to my own perception that evening, but with the exception of one kix in the third act, the orchestra of the Bolshoi sounded brilliant, the singing of the ensembles was beyond praise, and the voices ...

My adorable Marshall performed by Melanie Diener, inimitable and probably the best Ox of Stephen Richardson, amazing Michaela Zelinger! What a magical choir! And the kids in the third act sang fabulously! At least open the poster and in bulk, according to the list, put a low bow to everyone except the song performer Italian singer. No, I understand everything about the parody of this character, but even caricature vocals should not be helpless (after all, both Pavarotti and Kaufman sang this part). But - this is a word. And now - to business.

The Rosenkavalier by Richard Strauss and Hugo von Hofmannsthal clearest example the influence of art on the increase in the gross national product and the creation of new jobs. We are not talking about ticket speculators, although the Dresden premiere of this drama on January 26, 1911 did not leave this part of the sufferers for public education without income. We are talking about additional trains from Berlin to the capital of Saxony, which the Directorate of the Imperial railways was forced to organize in order to deliver to the place everyone who wanted to join a new look at the free mores of the neighboring "loose" Austrian Empire, and about the rise in demand for unique jewelry products: after all, after the "Cavalier", the exalted nobility suddenly realized that making a marriage proposal without silver flower as a gift - well, just the height of indecency.

And most of all, from the appearance of the melodrama of R. Strauss - H. Hofmannsthal, psychoanalysis was born at that time, the cornerstones of which to this day remain the Oedipus complex and the problems of infantile sexuality.

About why Richard Strauss did not like tenors in Richard Strauss, one can argue witty, long and useless. The main ideological breakthrough of this opera is about how Salome got old, is main image of this masterpiece is the image of Time.

A considerable number of formal anachronisms, deliberately allowed by the authors, only confirms the obvious fact that the central monologue of Marie-Therese Werdenberg (marshals) “Die Zeit”, in which the heroine tells how she gets up at night to stop all the clocks in the house, is a monologue , strictly speaking, software. I admit that someone may see in the "Cavaliere" only a comedic background, but the willingness to suspect two German geniuses of such superficial vulgarity is a degree of ignorance, even deeper than a misunderstanding of the reasons for the murder of Mozart.

At one time it seemed to me that the ideological center of The Knight of the Rose was reconciliation in the image of Octavian, male and feminine, which is clearly seen in the paradigm of this travesty-transsexual image, in which a woman portrays a man portraying a woman. Today, the metasexual background of the Cavalier is more interesting to me, so I would like to talk about it.

The composition of images in The Knight of the Rose is permeated with doubles: Baron von Ochs is the double of the Marshall, the mythical maid of the Marshal's Mirandl is the double of Octavian, Octavian himself is the double of Ox, Sophie is the double of the Marshal's and the mythical maid of the Marshal's Mirandl. But the creators of this melodrama would not be geniuses if they limited themselves to the banal “two ends, two rings”, and in the middle ...

By the way, who is in the middle in this composition of images? Could this plot (at least theoretically) do without Faninal - Sophie's dad? Faninal is really “between” (between Ox and Sophie, between Marshall and Octavian (after the fact already, but nonetheless), and since the carnival-doubling “pairing” of all characters, it is reasonable to think about which pair this character is in? What is in it has anything in common with any of the other characters? Not straining too much (there are few options, if Valzacchi and Annina are not considered), we will see that Faninal is Octavian's double! But - on what basis? But on this very "between"! And formally Octavian's hermaphroditic nature only emphasizes his “mediality.” Octavian is “between” Oxus and Sophie, between the Marshall and her semi-mythical husband, who once, apparently, already caught his wife at an early breakfast with a young man (not this, so another - not essence).

But my curiosity would not be mine if it were not focused on the brightest and most comical episode of the opera, when in the third act Octavian as a man finds himself, as it were, “between” the woman he portrays himself and Baron Ox. It is this outrageous surre that reveals the real meaning of the title character: after all, if the playwright had yielded to the composer, and the opera would have been called Baron Ox, it is unlikely that the meta-event meanings of this masterpiece would have been able to break into Eternity. But even this didactic complexity of the formal structure of the opera is still too primitive in relation to the main meaning of this melodrama mentioned above. And just because it was this meaning that was read and embodied in the production of Stephen Lawless, it allows us to talk about the performance going on today at the Bolshoi Theater, not just as an interesting reading, but as the world's best stage embodiment of this masterpiece.

Since I already analyzed the Lawless version three years ago, let me just list the key techniques used by Lawless to decipher the "root catalog" of this work: the arrangement of the three acts of the opera in three different eras(centuries), different design of watch dials, which are the central “spot” of scenography, the use of allusions from “ magic flute» Mozart (Ptitselov costume) and reminiscences from the painting of Giuseppe Arcimboldo, whose most significant collection is in the Kunsthistorisches Museum of Vienna just on the square where there is a monument to Empress Maria Theresa, who all her life combined the purely feminine duties of the mother of sixteen children with purely masculine responsibilities of government.

Well, and finally final chord- the little Marshashi, who first grows up in the course of the play, and then ... What happens on stage to the sounds that complete the score can drive a knowledgeable person crazy: a black youth in a cap turns into a teenager in a few moments, who, in turn, still after a couple of moments it turns into a child! But this visual collapse of a lived life from an adult guy to a baby is just an illustration of what the Marshall is sad about, refusing the love of a seventeen-year-old boy and passing it on to young Sophie. This is what Sophie worries about, who in the final trio says that Marie-Thérèse, giving Octavian to her, seems to be taking something in return. What?

To answer this question means to understand something priceless and boundless in this life - to understand what makes The Knight of the Rose a real revelation, and Strauss and Hofmannsthal - real geniuses. In the depths of my soul I hope that everyone will find their own answer to this question. But I, through the prism of the mass of plot allusions to the theories of Leibniz and Herbart - the forerunners of Freudianism as orthodox psychoanalysis - this answer is in a return to the state when the actions were sincere and the trees were big. At the heart of our today's absurdity, which is worse than transcendent stupidity, there is nothing but the desire to appear smarter and more significant. But what is behind this desire, if not the fear of one’s “non-involvement”, while wise man you should never be afraid of your ignorance. You should at least be aware of it and ask for guidance.

Immediately after birth, we are loaded correctly, and it is almost impossible to influence a child under 5 years old. And then... Then parents start to interfere, then strangers (school teachers, first of all), then friends, and then the cyclops of SOCIETY lean on the person with all the dope - with his stupid one-eyed morality, like his mythical prototype. And now I'm afraid to ask: what kind of creature can withstand such a long-term dictate of dope, vulgarity, perverted interests aimed at satisfying their sexual and social image needs? Nobody! We do not know anything about the life of Christ from 12 to 30 years old for a reason. From the age of 12 to 30 there is a murder in the child of God. And then - immediately the fourth decade, when a person has already learned to meet other people's expectations, and by the cycle of society, having completed the castration of the individual, he enters into boundless courage over the remnants of God's Creature, demanding from it constant confirmation of the right to be its member.

... And then I remembered that in one of the outstanding novels of one of the main thinkers modern Russia- Boris Akunin - was given a recipe for returning to oneself, a recipe for liberation from fears and suffering, a recipe whose value is as easy to understand as to see the truth: to become children! Not “by other children”, but by ourselves in childhood. To return to the very selves who sincerely loved and hated, not exchanging for “expediency”, who heard Voices and considered the parental ban on watching cartoons for torn pants and knocked knees to be the worst tragedy. For what?

Why, returning to our childhood feelings and experiences, should we free ourselves from the sticky scab of empty dependencies and petty goals? In order to loop the past years in today's experience, to see the happiest moments in it and to have time (TO MAKE IT!) to understand what we did wrong, causing pain to our childish “I”, in order to understand what we adults would be ashamed of before us children. Without this understanding, there is not and cannot be insight. But not everyone needs insight… But what does everyone need?

The power to be free. Free, first of all, from the mutilations received by our soul during growing up. Parents did not help us then to get rid of them, but today we are ready to become our own parents and honestly assess the years we have lived and punish ourselves for knocked down knees and torn pants? Punish precisely with the deprivation of cartoons, the deprivation of sweets, the deprivation of those very joys, the value of which we have long ceased to feel, having plunged into the world of wretched depreciation.

And the comic “form” of Richard Strauss and Hugo von Hofmannsthal’s The Rosenkavalier seems to cry out: “Lord, well, is it really so difficult?!”

And leafing through the past years, we try, but we can’t understand in any way that the most difficult path is not to Golgotha, but back. Where? To yourself.

Alexander Kurmachev