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The work of Glinka Ruslan and Lyudmila. Opera Ruslan and Lyudmila

; libretto by the composer and V. Shirkov based on the poem of the same name by A. S. Pushkin. First production: Petersburg, November 27, 1842.

Characters: Lyudmila (soprano), Ruslan (baritone), Svetozar (bass), Ratmir (contralto), Farlaf (bass), Gorislava (soprano), Finn (tenor), Naina (mezzo-soprano), Bayan (tenor), Chernomor (mute) role), the sons of Svetozar, knights, boyars and boyars, hay girls and mothers, youths, grids, bowlers, stolniks, squads and people; the maidens of the magic castle, the araps, the dwarfs, the slaves of Chernomor, the nymphs, the undines.

The action takes place in Kyiv and fairy lands during the time of Kievan Rus.

Act one

The wedding feast in the gridnitsa of the great Kyiv prince Svetozar is noisy with merriment. Svetozar gives his daughter Lyudmila to the brave knight Ruslan. The guests praise the prince and the young couple. Only two rejected rivals of Ruslan are sad - the boastful and cowardly Farlaf and the ardent, dreamy Ratmir. But then the noisy fun ceases: everyone listens to the singer-gusler Bayan. Prophetic Bayan predicts the fate of Ruslan and Lyudmila. Grief and disasters await them, but the power of love will crush all barriers to happiness: “Sorrows follow good, but sadness is a pledge of joy.” In another song, Bayan refers to the distant future. Through the darkness of the coming centuries, he sees a singer who will sing Ruslan and Lyudmila and glorify his homeland with his songs.

It is sad to leave Lyudmila with her father, with her native Kiev. She jokingly consoles the unfortunate suitors Farlaf and Ratmir, with the words of greeting she addresses the chosen one of her heart Ruslan. Svetozar blesses the young. Suddenly, thunder rumbles, the lights dim, and everyone is plunged into a strange magical stupor:

“What a wonderful moment! What does this wonderful dream mean? And this numbness of feelings? And mysterious darkness all around?

Gradually, the darkness dissipates, but Lyudmila is not there: she has been kidnapped by an evil mysterious force. Svetozar promises to give his daughter's hand and half of his kingdom to the one who returns her. All three knights are ready to go in search of the princess.

Action two

Picture one. In search of Lyudmila, Ruslan comes to the cave of the wise old man Finn. Finn reveals to the knight that Lyudmila was kidnapped by the evil wizard Chernomor. Ruslan is destined to defeat him. In response to the knight's question, Finn tells him a sad story. Once he pastured herds in the spacious fields of his distant homeland. The young shepherd fell in love with the beautiful Naina. But the proud maiden turned away from him. With feats of arms, fame and fortune, Finn decided to win Naina's love. He went to fight with his squad. But, returning as a hero, he was again rejected. Then Finn began to study the art of witchcraft in order to force the impregnable maiden to love himself with the power of magic spells. But fate laughed at him. When, after languidly long years, the desired moment came, before Finn appeared, blazing with passion, "an old woman decrepit, gray-haired, with a hump, with a shaking head." Finn was running from her. Naina, who also became a sorceress, is now constantly taking revenge on Finn. Of course, she will hate Ruslan too. Finn warns the knight against the spell of the evil witch.

Picture two. The cowardly Farlaf is already quite ready to abandon the search for Lyudmila, but then he meets a decrepit old woman. This is the evil sorceress Naina. She promises to help find the princess. It is only necessary that Farlaf return home and await her instructions there. Cheered up, Farlaf is looking forward to victory: "The hour of my triumph is near: the hated rival will go far from us!"

Picture three. Farther and farther north Ruslan continues his journey. But here is a deserted field in front of him, keeping traces of battles. Everything here reminds us of the transience of life, the futility of earthly things. Armored armor, bones and skulls of fallen warriors lie here and there. Ruslan stands in deep thought. "O field, field, who dotted you with dead bones?" he asks. However, the knight must not forget about the upcoming battles, and he is looking for swords and shields to replace those broken in the last battle. Meanwhile, the fog dissipates, and a huge living head appears before the astonished Ruslan. Seeing the knight, the monster begins to blow, raising a whole storm. Ruslan boldly throws himself on his head and pierces it with a spear Under it is a sword. Ruslan is happy - the sword fell on his hand.

The head confides its amazing story to Ruslan. Once there were two brothers - the giant and Charles Chernomor. The brothers were foretold that they would die by one sword. Having obtained a wonderful sword with the help of his brother, the insidious dwarf cut off the giant's head and, by the power of his sorcery, forced this head to guard the sword in the distant desert. Now the wonderful sword belongs to Ruslan, and in his hands it will "put an end to the evil of the insidious."

Act Three

Naina, wanting to destroy the knights, decided to lure them into her magical castle. Beautiful maidens call the traveler to rest in the chambers full of luxury and bliss. In search of a loved one, Gorislava, abandoned by Ratmir, comes to Naina's castle. And here is Ratmir himself. But the calls and prayers of Gorislav are in vain. Ratmir is seduced by insidious magical maidens. Naina also lured Ruslan to her castle. Blinded by wonderful visions, the brave knight is already ready to forget Lyudmila, when suddenly the good Finn appears. At the wave of his magic wand, the castle of lies and deceit disappears, Finn proclaims to the knights their fate:

“False hope, Ratmir, do not be captivated, you will find happiness in Gorislav alone! Lyudmila will be Ruslan's girlfriend: it was decided by an unchanging fate!

act four

Lyudmila languishes in the magical gardens of Chernomor. Nothing can dispel her sad thoughts, her yearning for the sweet. The proud princess is ready to die rather than submit to the evil dwarf. Meanwhile, Chernomor with his retinue comes to visit the captive. To dispel her sadness, he orders the dancing to begin. Suddenly a horn blows: it is Ruslan who challenges Chernomor to a duel. He plunges Lyudmila into a magical dream, and he runs away towards the knight. And Ruslan comes with victory; his helmet is entwined with the beard of a defeated dwarf. Ratmir and Gorislava are with him. Ruslan rushes to Lyudmila, but the princess is under the power of magic spells. Ruslan is in despair. More like hell! Wizards will help break the spell and wake up Lyudmila.

Act Five

Picture one. Moonlight night. In the valley, on the way to Kyiv, Ruslan settled down for the night with the sleeping princess, Ratmir with Gorislava and the former slaves of Chernomor. Ratmir stands guard. Unexpectedly, the slaves of Chernomor bring disturbing news: Lyudmila has been kidnapped again, Ruslan has rushed in search of his wife. Finn appears to the saddened Ratmir. He gives the knight a magic ring that will wake Lyudmila. Ratmir goes to Kyiv.

Picture two. Lyudmila, brought to Kyiv by Farlaf, sleeps in an enchanted dream in the prince's gridiron. Having kidnapped Lyudmila with the help of Naina, the Varangian knight, however, is unable to wake her up. In vain are the groans of the father, the lamentations of the prince's servants: Lyudmila does not wake up. But now the clatter of horses is heard: Ruslan is riding with Ratmir and Gorislava. In the hands of the hero is a magic ring, which Ratmir gave him. When Ruslan approaches with a ring, Lyudmila wakes up. The long-awaited moment of goodbye has come. Everything is full of jubilation and fun. The people praise their gods, their homeland and Ruslan and Lyudmila.

V. Pankratova, L. Polyakova

RUSLAN AND LYUDMILA - a magical opera by M. Glinka in 5 days (8 k.), libretto by V. Shirkov and the composer with the participation of N. Markevich, N. Kukolnik and M. Gedeonov based on the poem of the same name by A. Pushkin (with the preservation of many of the original verses ). Premiere: St. Petersburg, Bolshoi Theatre, November 27, 1842, conducted by C. Albrecht.

As usual, Glinka speaks very sparingly about the idea of Ruslan in his Notes, referring to the fact that A. Shakhovskoy gave him the idea to turn to Pushkin's poem; he also mentions his conversations with the great poet. Having conceived the opera during Pushkin's lifetime and counting on his help (of course, an adviser, not a librettist), the composer began composing after the tragic death of the great poet. The work dragged on for five years, the concept was getting deeper and richer. The content and images of Pushkin's youthful poem have changed significantly. This is natural, since Glinka perceived the poem in the context of Pushkin's work and the entire path traversed by Russian art since 1820, when Ruslan appeared in print. Glinka translated the poem into a different stylistic and ideological plane. In the center were not the adventures of the heroes, but the search for the meaning of life, the ethical principle, the affirmation of an active deed that serves the triumph of good. Glinka is close to Pushkin with life-affirming optimism. According to the figurative content, Bayan's first song is the key to understanding life as the alternation and struggle of light and dark principles: "Sorrows follow the good, sadness is the pledge of joy." Bayan's song not only anticipates the coming course of events, but also proclaims the victory of good. Does this mean that it will win by itself, without a struggle? Music affirms the need for active resistance. The grain of musical drama is Finn's ballad, which affirms the act as the meaning of life. The heroes have different roads, they have to make a choice. Some, like Ruslan, choose the path of good, others become, albeit passively, servants of evil (Farlaf); still others refuse to fight in the name of thoughtless pleasure (Ratmir). Purified in the font of Gorislava's love, freed by the wise Finn from the spell of Naina, Ratmir returns to the path of light, Farlaf is disgraced and deceived in his hopes. The intrigues of the dark forces have been defeated.

Glinka, formally remaining faithful to the script principles of the traditional magic opera, in essence, blows them up from the inside. What in it was the goal - the change of theatrical adventures, magical transformations - becomes a means that serves a higher goal. The principles of Ruslan's musical dramaturgy are epic, not outward-event. The heroic-epic beginning determines the main course of the musical action, and within its limits lies the world of lyrical, grotesque, buffoonish, philosophical-meditative, but always poetic images. Comparing and contrasting Ancient Rus' and the fabulous East, majestic and fantastic images, Glinka seeks to convey the living movement of life, the inner world of his characters. In the works of the epic warehouse, the characters usually do not change, but act as originally given characters. In Glinka's opera, the images develop: their psychological structure deepens, the endured trials enrich the characters. Ruslan and Lyudmila go this way - from thoughtless fun to joy won by suffering. But even where the composer does not give a gradual disclosure of the image, his characters act as carriers of complex and deep feelings. Such, for example, is Gorislava, whose intonations, according to the just remark of B. Asafiev, anticipate the intonations of Tatiana in Tchaikovsky.

Features of musical dramaturgy, inexhaustible richness of colors have posed and continue to pose a difficult task for the theater. The first acquaintance with Glinka's masterpiece in 1842 took the listeners by surprise: the usual scenario schemes were filled with new content. The music of the old magic operas only illustrated the change of situations - here it acquired an independent meaning. Ruslan was met with hostility by the conservative press headed by F. Bulgarin. As before, V. Odoevsky supported Glinka, O. Senkovsky, F. Koni joined him. The first two performances, due to a number of unfavorable circumstances, were not successful, starting from the third, the opera conquered the audience more and more powerfully (A. Petrova-Vorobeva - Ratmir, S. Artemovsky - Ruslan). However, the judgment about it as a non-stage work did not fade away. The score was subjected to cuts and cuts that violated the logic of musical development. V. Stasov, speaking in defense of the opera, later called it "a martyr of our time." The traditional false view of "Ruslan" as a work that was the result of chance, and not a well-thought-out concept, was refuted only by Soviet musicology, and above all by B. Asafiev.

The Russian theater has repeatedly turned to the great opera. Outstanding events were her productions at the St. Petersburg Mariinsky Theater in 1871 under the direction of E. Napravnik (premier - October 22), as well as at the Moscow Bolshoi in 1882 and 1897, and especially the performance of the Mariinsky Theater in 1904 on the centenary of the birth of Glinka, with the participation of F. Chaliapin, I. Ershov, V. Kastorsky, M. Slavina, I. Alchevsky, M. Cherkasskaya and others. Then for the first time "Ruslan" was performed without abbreviations. No less important was the performance of the Bolshoi Theater in 1907 (premiered on November 27), with the participation of A. Nezhdanova, G. Baklanov and L. Sobinov, in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the composer's death, and the production of the Mariinsky Theater conducted by N. Malko in 1917 for the 75th anniversary of the premiere of the opera. In 1867 "Ruslan" was performed with great success in Prague conducted by M. Balakirev.

Glinka's opera is an adornment of the national repertoire; in the best productions (for example, the Bolshoi Theater in 1948) they managed to overcome the widespread "enchanting" approach, characteristic, in particular, of the Bolshoi Theater performance in 1937, where a live elephant appeared on the stage! For many years in the repertoire of the Leningrad Theater. Kirov, the production of 1947 (conductor B. Khaikin) was preserved. On May 2, 1994, the premiere of a joint production with the San Francisco Opera took place at the Mariinsky Theater in the renewed scenery of A. Golovin and K. Korovin (conductor V. Gergiev, director L. Mansuri), in 2003 the Bolshoi Theater turned to Ruslan (conductor A. Vedernikov, director V. Kramer).

Over the long stage history of the opera, the largest masters of the Russian musical theater have performed in it: O. Petrov, S. Artemovsky, A. Vorobieva, I. Melnikov, Yu. Platonova, D. Leonova, E. Lavrovskaya, E. Mravina, P. Radonezhsky , S. Vlasov, E. Zbrueva, F. Stravinsky, F. Chaliapin, M. Slavina, A. Nezhdanova, M. Cherkasskaya, P. Andreev, I. Ershov, P. Zhuravlenke, E. Stepanova, V. Barsova, M Reizen, A. Pirogov, I. Petrov, S. Lemeshev, G. Kovaleva, B. Rudenko, E. Nesterenko and others. rare among basses. E. Stark writes: “Giving absolutely sufficient sonority in all those places where Ruslan’s heroism comes to the fore, he [Kastorsky] mastered with exceptional skill the music that draws a reflective and loving person in Ruslan. This sounded convincing even in Act I (“Oh, believe my love, Lyudmila”) and unfolded into a vivid figurative picture in the aria “On the field, field ...”, where there was so much concentrated mood and deep feeling. According to the complete comprehension of the style of music, one can say that here Glinka himself spoke through the mouth of Kastorsky. The performance of Ruslan B. Asafiev by Kastorsky was equally highly appreciated. He wrote: "Greeting and rejoicing - that's what remains for me to do in this note ... The skill of singing, especially in Ruslan's melos with its powerful expressiveness, attracts attention irrevocably and irresistibly."

Chaliapin also performed the part of Ruslan, but the brilliant artist reached the top in Farlaf, surpassing his two glorious predecessors - O. Petrov and F. Stravinsky. Stage tradition demanded that Farlaf run onto the stage in Act II. Farlaf - Chaliapin hid in a moat, he slowly sticks his head out of there, looks cowardly around. After meeting with Naina and her disappearance, Farlaf “... looks into empty space, and it was felt that he still sees a“ terrible old woman. ”Suddenly he was delighted: no! , he first felt with his foot the place of Naina's disappearance, then triumphantly stepped on him with the whole weight of Farlaf's figure, and then, triumphantly slapping his foot, began the rondo ... "Insolence, boasting, unbridled arrogance, intoxication with his own" courage ", envy and anger, cowardice, voluptuousness, all the baseness of Farlaf's nature were revealed by Chaliapin in the performance of the rondo without caricature exaggeration, without emphasizing and pressure.Here the singer reached the pinnacle of vocal performance, overcoming technical difficulties with virtuoso ease.

The opera was staged abroad in Ljubljana (1906), Helsingfors (1907), Paris (1909, 1930), London (1931), Berlin (1950), Boston (1977). Of particular note is the performance in Hamburg (1969, conductor C. Mackeras, artist N. Benois, choreographer J. Balanchine).

Its premiere took place exactly 6 years after the staging of Glinka's first opera A Life for the Tsar (November 27). After the folk-historical tragedy, the composer turned to the fairy tale, poetically retold in the youthful poem by A.S. Pushkin (1820).

The idea of creating an opera came to Glinka not by chance. In those years, many figures of Russian culture experienced a lively interest in the Russian epic, "traditions of the deep antiquity".

Without changing the canvas of Pushkin's text, the composer made some changes to it. So, for example, Pushkin sometimes shows a slight youthful irony in relation to his heroes, Glinka does not have this. Having endowed the positive characters with deep characters, he gave them great ethical significance.

The appeal to Pushkin further emphasized the bright, harmonious beginning inherent in Glinka's work. His "Ruslan" is perhaps the most "major" work in all opera classics, dedicated to the idea of the triumph of love, the victory of heroic strength over the dark forces of evil.

LibrettoValerian Shirkov, Konstantin Bakhturin and Mikhail Glinka.

Genre, features of epic dramaturgy

Pushkin's poem in the interpretation of Glinka is distinguished by an epic tone, it is, as it were, "sung in an epic way" (Asafiev). The composer titled his work "great magic opera". Genre is folk fabulously epic opera.

The new genre determined the features of Ruslan's dramaturgy. It is characterized by:

At the same time, the epic "Ruslan and Lyudmila" is fabulous. And every fairy tale correlates with the sacred myth as its decline. That is why Glinka does not deprive his "anti-heroes" who oppose bright characters with Pushkin's humor. They are more comical than terrible. "Black Sea" and magical in "Ruslan and Lyudmila", of course, is hostile, but as if for fun, in a fairy tale way.

Musically, positive and negative characters in Ruslan and Lyudmila are demarcated. The former are characterized by vocal music, the latter by instrumental. Chernomor does not sing at all, he is a mute character, and Naina sings on one or two notes in a dry patter. An important means of depicting fantastic heroes is harmony - the whole-toned “scale of Chernomor”, elements of a reduced mode (for example, a reduced triad in Naina’s characterization), sharp dissonances. The sophistication of Glinka's fantasy brings Ruslan closer to Weber's Oberon and Mozart's The Magic Flute.

In the characterization of positive characters, folk-song thematicism dominates. The composer recreates the most striking features of the Russian folk song, its melody, harmony, rhythm, without resorting to direct quotation. The most ancient layers of musical folklore are especially widely represented - ritual songs (wedding, laudatory), epics, lamentations and parables (in the choirs of the 5th act, partly in the part of Lyudmila in captivity at Chernomor), intonations of epic songs in the part of Ruslan.

In Ruslan and Lyudmila, not only reality and fantasy, but also Rus' and the East are contrasted in contrast. In the oriental scenes, the composer uses authentic folk melodies that exist in different regions of the Caucasus and the Middle East - Arabic, Persian, Georgian. Thus, Glinka's "East" is a collective concept, without exact national coordinates. The richest imagination of the composer created a whole world of colorful, refined, unusual sounding musical images - sometimes temperamental and energetic, sometimes contemplative, languid, intoxicating. These findings later formed the basis of the original sphere of Russian music - the "Russian East".

Orchestra. Overture

Orchestral skill is one of the distinguishing features of Ruslan and Lyudmila. Some heroes are constantly accompanied by certain timbres (therefore they are called leittimbres): the image of Ruslan is associated with the timbre of the clarinet, Lyudmila - with light passages of the flute or with the violin, Gorislava - with the "exotic" timbre of the bassoon. Ratmira is accompanied by the timbre of an English horn, Naina is accompanied by the "prickly" sound of woodwinds playing staccato.

The exposition of the most important themes of the opera and the concentrated expression of its idea is overture, written after the completion of the opera. Form sonata, built on a comparison of opposing images: a bright, positive beginning is concentrated in the exposition, reprise and final part of the coda; development and the initial section of the code are devoted to images of evil fiction.

The beginning of the overture (the opening section, the main part and the beginning of the binder) are taken entirely from the finale of the fifth act. Bogatyr images appear already in introductory theme- powerful chords of plagal ratio (T-S-T). The composer himself compared them with a powerful punch.

main topic impetuous and optimistic, "flies in full sail" (Glinka's expression). It is based on the hexachord chant ("Glinka hexachord").

For the first time, a fragment of the whole-tone scale (Chernomor scale) appears in the linking part. The side part is based on the lyrical theme of Ruslan's love ("Oh, Lyudmila, Lel promised me joy" from his aria). In development, the image of Chernomor reappears - in the "chords of numbness" that sound in the scene of Lyudmila's abduction. In the coda, trombones have a full whole-tone scale twice ( "Gamma Chernomor"), but after it the intonations of the main part and the introduction return, embodying the idea of the triumph of good over evil.

First action

First action opens with a monumental choral scene. This introduction whose music creates a sense of antiquity. The main figure of the introduction is the singer-storyteller Bayan, known from ancient legends - an image-symbol embodying folk wisdom.

The shape of the introduction is a rondo-shaped composition. The refrain is Bayan's chorus "The Affairs of Bygone Days", which develops for the choir and soloists (on the main chant - the Glinka hexachord), and as episodes - two songs of the narrator. The choirs of the introduction are written in the old genre of glorious wedding songs.

In the first song of Bayan (tenor) - “Dress with the dawn” (p. 23)- a prediction of future dramatic events of the opera sounds (that "rock threatens the groom with death"). The nature of the epic tale is emphasized by arpeggiato chords on the harp and piano. They imitate playing the harp, which traditionally accompanied the performance of epics. Folk color is also created by modal means (Phrygian and natural minor are used). Also typical for Russian folk songs is the poetic juxtaposition of images of nature and man (the flower of love and the groom, the storm and rock).

Bayan's second song - "There is a desert land"(p.32) - introduces an element of lyrical meditation into the festive atmosphere. She dedicated to the memory of Pushkin ("but the singer's term on earth is short").

Characters of the main characters are revealed in expanded arias-portraits. Ludmila(soprano) is the epitome of femininity, beauty and love. This is an ideal sublime image - the archetype of purity, sincerity and fidelity. Its first characterization is given in cavatine from the 1st act. It's a huge stage with a choir. First, according to the wedding ceremony, Lyudmila says goodbye to her stepfather's house - "I'm sad, dear parent"(p.50). The music is filled with light sadness. As in the part of Antonida, the melodiousness of a Russian folk song, the intonation of an urban romance and complex virtuoso singing are combined here. The virtuosity of the vocal part accentuates Lyudmila's youthful cheerfulness.

The replicas of the choir comforting Lyudmila and glorifying Lel - “Do not grieve, dear child” (p. 53) - sound softly, affectionately at 5/4.

Then the heroine turns to the unsuccessful applicants for her hand - Farlaf and Ratmir. With each of them she speaks differently: with Farlaf - jokingly ( "Do not be angry, distinguished guest" in polka rhythm p.56), addresses Ratmir, imitating oriental intonations ( "Under the Luxurious Sky of the South" With. 57 - chromatisms, harmonic major).

In general, the image of a young and childishly careless princess is created in the cavatina. The culmination of the wedding ceremony of the 1st act - choir "Lel mysterious, delightful"(p. 77), in which the atmosphere of an ancient pagan action arises. The impression of archaism is created by the unison performance of the melody in five-beat meter, with the repetition of sounds in octave doubling, by the wild cries of “Oh, Dido!”. The repetition of the melody without changes forms the form of "Glinka variations" (texture and orchestration vary).

The chorus breaks off abruptly - begins the scene of the abduction of Lyudmila. The invasion of a hostile fantastic force changes the structure of the music: the whole-tone scale sounds menacing (the symmetrical mode is perceived here as something cold, dispassionate, hostile).

All those present at the abduction are seized with a stupor, which is depicted by musical means. On an extended tone (E-flat, enharmonically replaced by D-sharp), dominant seventh chords to various keys that have this sound in their composition are strung. They remain without permission, “hang in the air”, creating the impression of the unreality of the events taking place. Against this background, a quartet of 4 low voices sounds "What a wonderful moment". Its participants - three knights (Ruslan, Ratmir and Farlaf) and Svetozar - sing the canon, as if half asleep, repeating the same phrase at a slow pace.

Second act

Center of 1st painting second act - Finn's ballad, where a quote from a Finnish folk song sounds (in a form that combines rondo with variations). In the penultimate verse, where Finn describes Naina as "an old, decrepit, gray-haired woman," staccato woodwind chords sound that will become Naina's leitmotif.

Scene of Farlaf and Naina(2nd picture of the second act) - comic. Farlaf is afraid of Naina (“A terrible old woman why is she coming here”, etc.). In Rondo Farlaf "The hour of my triumph is near" the use of the tongue twister in the bass line, typical of the Italian comic opera buffa; here he portrays the character of Farlaf, a coward and a lazy person. The hero chokes with joy that he will be able to find Lyudmila without effort, with the help of Naina.

The 3rd scene of the second act is dedicated to Ruslan(baritone). This image reflected ideas about patriotism and valor of epic and fairy-tale heroes, who in the popular mind have always personified the defenders and rescuers of the Russian land.

There are three sections in Ruslan's portrait aria. The first two are slow, minor: "About the field, the field"(p.154) and "Times from Eternal Darkness"(p.156). The vocal part in the nature of a singsong recitative conveys thoughts about the frailty of everything earthly. The initial intonation of the 1st section is the movement along the Glinka hexachord (as in the main theme of the overture and the opening phrase of Bayan).

3rd section - "Give, Perun, a damask sword in my hand"(p. 159) - the main one, revealing the heroic essence of the image. It is written in sonata form without elaboration. The main theme is march-like, energetic, it is related to all themes with Glinka's hexachord. The theme of the side part - "Oh, Lyudmila" (p. 160) - is lyrical (it also acts as a side part in the overture to the opera). The picture ends with the scene of Ruslan with the Head. The part of the Head is performed by a male choir singing in unison.

The prostrate head tells Ruslan his story. Once she was a brave giant knight, but to her misfortune she had a younger dwarf brother, the evil Chernomor, who envied the elder. One day, Chernomor revealed the secret he found in the black books, that behind the eastern mountains in the basement there is a sword that is dangerous for both brothers. Chernomor persuaded his brother to go in search of this sword and, when he was found, he fraudulently took possession of it and cut off his brother's head, transferred it to this desert region and doomed it to guard the sword forever. The head offers Ruslan to take the sword and take revenge on the insidious Chernomor.

Third act

Third act can be described as oriental. It takes place in the magic castle of Naina, who lures Ruslan and Ratmir into her kingdom of bliss.

The soft, insinuating choir of Naina's magical maidens ( persian choir, p.179) is based on a true melody of an oriental song, written in the form of Glinka's variations (to a constant melody).

Gorislava appears - Ratmir's beloved, who dared to rescue him from Naina's castle. Her portrait is given in cavatine(passionate romance intonations). Aria Ratmir, like Ruslan's aria, it consists of contrasting sections - slow recitative and fast "Wonderful dream of living love". This is a very fast waltz.

So, Ratmir is fond of magical maidens and rejects Gorislav, but Ruslan, who appears in the final, likes her very much (“This sad look, inflamed with passion, voice, sound of speeches, harmonious movements disturb my heart ... And Lyudmila’s cute image fades, disappears ...”). Fortunately, Finn appears in time - he destroys Naina's spell and her magic castle turns into a forest. Ruslan is ready to save Lyudmila again.

Fourth act

Fourth act opens scene of Lyudmila in the gardens of Chernomor. Her aria “Oh, dolyushka” (p. 262) sounds like a soulful Russian lyrical song. The melody is characterized by "drooping" endings of phrases, "guitar" accompaniment. The aria is part of a large rondo-shaped scene in which solo and choral episodes alternate. These are small choirs of water and fairy maidens that sound very carefree, which creates a contrast with the state of Lyudmila. Lyudmila also soon pulls herself together: the music of the last section “Mad Magician! I am the daughter of Svetozar."

The musical portrait of Chernomor is a conventionally barbarian march, somewhat reminiscent of Mozart's Janissaries. Music of this march characterizes an evil wizard, both formidable and comical (without his beard, the dwarf is absolutely powerless). In the image of the bearded and mute ruler, the combination of irony and the grotesque, characteristic of the "anti-heroes" of "Ruslan and Lyudmila", was most clearly embodied.

Chernomor's march is written in double 3-part form (trio and reprise are repeated). It is difficult to determine the tonality (the increased triads obtained from the whole scale of Chernomor constantly sound). There are two elements in the opening theme (p.279). The 1st element is performed menacingly, tutti in unison, ff, with accents on the downbeat. 2nd element - jerky, bouncing chords. In the middle part - a trio (p. 280) - bells softly sounding in a high register, pizzicato of the strings personify the illusory nature of the fairy-tale world ruled by this one.

The march is followed Eastern dance. This so-called characteristic ballet, composed of folk dances of various national colors. The smooth and languid Turkish dance is followed by a mobile and courageous Arabic dance, and then a fiery, whirlwind lezginka. The lezginka uses two authentic Transcaucasian melodies, which Glinka learned from the artist I.K. Aivazovsky, who heard them in the Crimea. Lezginka is interrupted by Ruslan's signal call (a trumpet solo offstage) and turns into a chorus of slaves watching the celestial duel between the knight and Chernomor.

Fifth act

The fifth act takes place in ancient Kyiv. Kievans mourn the princess. There are two choirs: « "Oh, you, light Lyudmila"(p. 349) - woeful, close to folk lamentations, a kind of Russian lamento. The canonical imitation of the solo violin enhances the expressiveness. The second choir - “The bird will not wake up in the morning” (p. 354) -

History of creation

Even during the life of Pushkin, Glinka conceived an opera based on his youthful poem Ruslan and Lyudmila (1820). The great poet became interested in this idea and even took part in the discussion of the plan for the future opera. However, the tragic death of Pushkin accepted the emerging commonwealth. The original plan of the opera was drawn up by the minor poet and playwright K. A. Bakhturin (1809-1841), about which Glinka’s woeful exclamation is known: Bakhturin instead of Pushkin! How did it happen? “I don’t understand myself.” The final text was written by the poet and music lover, friend of the composer VF Shirkov (1805-1856) with the most active participation of Glinka. Other friends of his were also involved in the creation of the libretto to one degree or another - the writer N. V. Kukolnik (1809-1868), the ethnographer and historian N. A. Markevich (1804-1860) and the son of the director of the imperial theaters, the drama censor M. A Gedeonov (1814 - late 1850s).
The text of the opera has been significantly changed in comparison with the original source. Youthful lightness, mischief, irony gave way to an epic beginning, the lyrics became deeper and more sublime. Some adjustments were made to the plot: Ruslan has two, not three, rivals in the libretto, Ratmir and Farlaf, and the Khazar prince becomes Ruslan's disinterested assistant, since his love was returned to herself by the beautiful captive Gorislava (Pushkin does not have her). The image of the prophetic Bayan, briefly mentioned by the poet, acquires a special role.
Work on the music of the opera was carried out for several years. The most intensive - in 1837, when it was almost completely completed and presented to the directorate of the theaters of the first act. In the summer of the following year, the Persian choir, the Chernomor march and Finn's ballad composed there were performed at the Kachenovka estate in Ukraine. In 1838, a number of numbers were written, including Gorislava's cavatina, and in the spring of 1839, Lyudmila's cavatina from Act I. In the summer of 1840, a majestic introduction and Ruslan's aria "On the field, the field" appeared in three weeks. The full score of the opera was completed in April 1842. The premiere took place on November 27 (December 9), 1842 in St. Petersburg, at the Bolshoi Theater (as the Mariinka).

Plot

Prince Svetozar of Kiev is celebrating the wedding of his daughter Lyudmila and the glorious knight Ruslan. Among the guests are Ruslan's unsuccessful rivals, the Khazar prince Ratmir and the Varangian knight Farlaf. The prophetic singer Bayan sings about the heroic past, then his thought turns to the newlyweds: harsh days await them. Lyudmila swears her love to her chosen one - this is the key to her happiness with Ruslan. Bayan sings another song - about a great singer who will preserve the story of Lyudmila and Ruslan for posterity. Suddenly, thunder is heard, darkness falls. When it dissipates, the young princess is not among the feasters. Svetozar urges the knights to find their missing daughter and promises to give her as a wife to the savior.
Ruslan's road leads to the north. He comes to the cave of Finn, a wise old man, who reveals to him the name of Lyudmila's kidnapper. This is an evil wizard, Charles Chernomor, into whose possession no one has yet been able to penetrate. But the glorious knight will be able to defeat the villain. He just needs to beware of the intrigues of the insidious sorceress Naina, who takes revenge on everyone Finn helps.
Farlaf also decided to try his luck. But the dangerous path bored him. He trembles with fear at every rustle. He is also frightened by a dilapidated old woman who came across. This is Naina. She calms the cowardly knight: the sorceress will help defeat Ruslan and take possession of Lyudmila. Overjoyed, Farlaf promises to obey the old woman in everything.
Ruslan finds himself on a battlefield littered with the bones of fallen soldiers. In the middle of the field - a huge Head, which with terrible force begins to blow on the knight. Overcoming the rising wind, Ruslan strikes the Head with a spear. Staggering, she cracks open a hidden magical sword. Only they can defeat Chernomor, the cunning and evil brother of the Head, who cut it down.
The next test is Naina's magic castle. Sweet-voiced maidens beckon travelers to rest, to forget themselves in their arms. Both Ruslan and Ratmir succumb to their charms, whom Gorislava, who left him and came here in search of him, begs in vain to remember his former love. Finn's appearance dispels Naina's magic. Knights continue their hard way.
Lyudmila yearns in captivity. The magical gardens of Chernomor do not please her eyes. The dancing of magical maidens and the gifts sent by the insidious ruler are disgusting. He himself appears - a dwarf with a huge beard, which is carried on pillows by the Arabs.The sound of the battle horn announces the appearance of Ruslan, challenging Lyudmila's kidnapper to a mortal battle.

Overture of the opera "Ruslan and Lyudmila"

The idea of the work - the triumph of the bright forces of life - is revealed in the opera's overture, in which the jubilant music of the opera's finale is used.

This music is imbued with the expectation of a holiday, a feast, a feeling of the eve of a celebration.

In the middle section of the overture, mysterious, fantastic sounds arise.

The material of this brilliant overture came to the composer's mind when one night he was riding in a carriage from the village of Novospasskoye to St. Petersburg.

Opera "Ruslan and Lyudmila"

Opera in five acts; libretto by the composer and V. Shirkov based on the poem of the same name by A. S. Pushkin. First production: Petersburg, November 27, 1842.

Actors: Lyudmila (soprano), Ruslan (baritone), Svetozar (bass), Ratmir (contralto), Farlaf (bass), Gorislava (soprano), Finn (tenor), Naina (mezzo-soprano), Bayan (tenor), Chernomor (silent role), the sons of Svetozar, knights, boyars and boyars, hay girls and mothers, youths, grids, bowls, stolniks, squads and people; the maidens of the magic castle, the araps, the dwarfs, the slaves of Chernomor, the nymphs, the undines.

The high mansions of the Grand Duke of Kyiv Svetozar are full of guests. The prince is celebrating the wedding of his daughter Lyudmila with the knight Ruslan. The prophetic Bayan sings a song about the glory of the Russian land, about bold campaigns. He predicts the fate of Ruslan and Lyudmila: mortal danger hangs over the heroes, they are destined for separation, severe trials. Ruslan and Lyudmila swear eternal love to each other. Ratmir and Farlaf, jealous of Ruslan, secretly rejoice at the prediction. However, Bayan reassures everyone: invisible forces will protect the lovers and unite them. Guests praise the young. The melodies of Bayan sound again. This time he predicts the birth of a great singer who will keep the story of Ruslan and Lyudmila from oblivion. In the midst of the wedding fun, a clap of thunder is heard, everything is plunged into darkness. The darkness dissipates, but Lyudmila is not there: she has been kidnapped. Svetozar promises the daughter's hand and half the kingdom to the one who saves the princess. Ruslan, Ratmir and Farlaf go in search.

In the far northern region, where Ruslan's travels have brought him, the kind wizard Finn lives. He predicts the victory of the knight over Chernomor, who kidnapped Lyudmila. At Ruslan's request, Finn tells his story. The poor shepherd, he fell in love with the beautiful Naina, but she rejected his love. Neither by exploits, nor by wealth obtained in bold raids, could he win the heart of a proud beauty. And only with the help of magic spells did Finn inspire Naina with love for himself, but Naina, meanwhile, became a decrepit old woman. Rejected by the wizard, now she haunts him. Finn warns Ruslan against the machinations of the evil sorceress. Ruslan continues on his way.

Looking for Lyudmila and Farlaf. But everything that meets on the way frightens the cowardly prince. Suddenly, a terrible old woman appears before him. This is Naina. She wants to help Farlaf and thereby take revenge on Finn, who patronizes Ruslan. Farlaf triumphs: the day is near when he will save Lyudmila and become the owner of the Kyiv principality.

The search leads Ruslan to an ominous deserted place. He sees a field littered with the bones of fallen warriors and weapons. The fog dissipates, and the outlines of a huge Head appear in front of Ruslan. She begins to blow towards the knight, a storm rises. But, struck by Ruslan's spear, the Head rolls away, and a sword is revealed under it. The head tells Ruslan the story of two brothers - the giant and the dwarf Chernomor, the dwarf overcame his brother by cunning and, having cut off his head, forced her to guard the magic sword. Giving the sword to Ruslan, the Head asks to take revenge on the evil Chernomor.

Magic castle of Naina. The virgins, subject to the sorceress, invite travelers to take refuge in the castle. Here, beloved Ratmir Gorislava yearns. Appeared Ratmir does not notice her. Ruslan also ends up in Naina's castle: he is fascinated by the beauty of Gorislava. Vityazey is saved by Finn, who destroys Naina's evil spell. Ratmir, returned to Gorislava, and Ruslan again set off in search of Lyudmila.

Lyudmila languishes in the gardens of Chernomor. Nothing pleases the princess. She yearns for Kyiv, for Ruslan and is ready to commit suicide. An invisible chorus of servants persuades her to submit to the power of the sorcerer. But their speeches only provoke the wrath of the proud daughter of Glory City. The sounds of the march herald the approach of Chernomor. Slaves bring in a dwarf with a huge beard on a stretcher. The dancing begins. Suddenly, a horn sounds. It is Ruslan who challenges Chernomor to a duel. Having plunged Lyudmila into a magical dream, Chernomor leaves. In battle, Ruslan cuts off Chernomor's beard, depriving him of his miraculous strength. But he cannot wake Lyudmila from her magical sleep.

Ruslan's camp is broken in the valley. Night. Ratmir guards the dream of friends. The frightened slaves of Chernomor run in, whom Ruslan freed from the power of the evil wizard. They report that Lyudmila has been kidnapped again by an invisible force, followed by Ruslan. Farlaf, having kidnapped the princess with the help of Naina, brought her to Kyiv. But no one is able to awaken Lyudmila. Svetozar mourns his daughter. Ruslan suddenly appears. Finn's magic ring awakens the princess. The jubilant people of Kiev glorify the brave knight, sing of their homeland.

The composer began working on the opera in 1837, without a libretto ready yet. Due to the death of Pushkin, he was forced to turn to minor poets and amateurs from among friends and acquaintances. Among them were N. V. Kukolnik (1809-1868), V. F. Shirkov (1805-1856), N. A. Markevich (1804-1860) and others. rewritten. Glinka and his librettists made a number of changes to the composition of the characters. Some characters disappeared (Rogdai), others appeared (Gorislava); subjected to some alteration and storylines of the poem.

The idea of the opera is largely different from the literary source. Pushkin's brilliant youthful poem (1820), based on the themes of a Russian fairy tale epic, has features of light irony and a playful attitude towards the characters. Glinka resolutely refused such an interpretation of the plot. He created a work of epic scope, full of great thoughts, broad life generalizations.

Heroism, nobility of feelings, fidelity in love are sung in the opera, cowardice is ridiculed, deceit, malice and cruelty are condemned. Through the entire work, the composer conveys the thought of the victory of light over darkness, of the triumph of life. Glinka used the traditional fairy tale plot with exploits, fantasy, magical transformations to show a variety of characters, complex relationships between people, creating a whole gallery of human types. Among them are the knightly noble and courageous Ruslan, gentle Lyudmila, inspired Bayan, ardent Ratmir, faithful Gorislava, cowardly Farlaf, kind Finn, treacherous Naina, cruel Chernomor.

The opera was written by Glinka for five years with long breaks: it was completed in 1842. The premiere took place on November 27 (December 9) of the same year at the Bolshoi Theater in St. Petersburg.

The main conflict - the clash of the forces of good and evil - is reflected in the music of the opera due to the relief opposition of the musical characteristics of the characters. Vocal parts of goodies, folk scenes are full of songs. Negative characters are either devoid of vocal characteristics (Chernomor), or are outlined with the help of a recitative "talker" (Naina). The epic warehouse is emphasized by the abundance of choral mass scenes and the unhurried development of the action, as in an epic narration.

The idea of the work - the triumph of the bright forces of life - is already revealed in the overture, in which the jubilant music of the opera's finale is used. In the middle section of the overture, mysterious, fantastic sounds arise.

The scene of the kidnapping begins with the sharp chords of the orchestra; the music takes on a fantastic, gloomy flavor, which is also preserved in the canon “What a wonderful moment”, which conveys a state of stupor that has seized everyone. The first act is crowned by a quartet with a choir “O knights, rather in an open field”, full of courageous determination.

The second act, consisting of three scenes, begins with a symphonic introduction depicting a harsh, mysterious northern landscape, embraced by watchful silence.

In the first picture, Finn's ballad takes center stage; her music creates a noble image, full of deep humanity and moral beauty.

The second picture is the opposite of the first. The appearance of Naina is outlined by prickly rhythms of short orchestral phrases, cold instrumental timbres. A well-aimed comic portrait of a jubilant coward is captured in Farlaf's rondo "The hour of my triumph is near."

In the center of the third picture is Ruslan's magnificent musical aria; her slow introduction "O field, field, who strewn you with dead bones" conveys the mood of deep, concentrated meditation; the second section, in a fast energetic movement, is endowed with heroic features.

The third act is the most diverse in terms of color and picturesqueness of the music. Alternating choirs, dances, solo numbers paint the atmosphere of Naina's magical castle. The flexible melody of the Persian choir “Night darkness falls in the field” sounds charmingly seductive, imbued with sweet languor. Cavatina Gorislava "Luxury Star of Love" is full of hot, passionate feelings. Ratmir's aria "And heat and heat replaced the night with a shadow" is noted with a pronounced oriental flavor: the whimsical melody of the slow section and the flexible waltz-like rhythm of the fast one outline the ardent nature of the Khazar knight.

The fourth act is distinguished by lush decorativeness, brightness of unexpected contrasts. Lyudmila's aria “Oh, you share, share” - an extended monologue scene; deep sadness turns into determination, indignation and protest. The march of Chernomor paints a picture of a bizarre procession; angular melody, piercing sounds of pipes, flickering sounds of bells create a grotesque image of an evil sorcerer. The march is followed by oriental dances: Turkish - smooth and languid, Arabic - mobile and courageous; the dance suite concludes with a fiery, whirlwind lezginka.

There are two scenes in the fifth act. In the center of the first is Ratmir's romance “She is my life, she is my joy”, imbued with bliss and passion. The second scene is the finale of the opera. The stern, sorrowful choir "Oh, you, light-Lyudmila" is close to folk lamentations. The second move “The bird won't wake up in the morning” is colored with sadness, interrupted by the mournful remarks of Svetozar. The music of the awakening scene is fanned by the morning freshness, the poetry of a flourishing life; a melody full of lively, quivering feeling (“Joy, clear happiness”) is sung by Ruslan; Lyudmila joins him, and then the rest of the participants and the choir. The final chorus (“Glory to the great gods”) sounds jubilant, light and cheerful (overture music).

“The first thought about Ruslan and Lyudmila was given to me by our famous comedian Shakhovsky ... At one of the evenings of Zhukovsky, Pushkin, speaking of his poem “Ruslan and Lyudmila”, said that he would redo a lot; I wanted to know from him what kind of alterations he intended to make, but his premature death did not allow me to fulfill this intention. This is how Glinka describes the conception of the opera Ruslan and Lyudmila. The composer began working on the opera in 1837, without a libretto ready yet. Due to the death of Pushkin, he was forced to turn to minor poets and amateurs from among friends and acquaintances. Among them were N. V. Kukolnik (1809-1868), V. F. Shirkov (1805-1856), N. A. Markevich (1804-1860) and others.

The text of the opera included some fragments of the poem, but in general it was written anew. Glinka and his librettists made a number of changes to the composition of the characters. Some characters disappeared (Rogdai), others appeared (Gorislava); subjected to some alteration and storylines of the poem.

Heroism, nobility of feelings, fidelity in love are sung in the opera, cowardice is ridiculed, deceit, malice and cruelty are condemned. Through the entire work, the composer conveys the thought of the victory of light over darkness, of the triumph of life. Glinka used the traditional fairy tale plot with exploits, fantasy, magical transformations to show a variety of characters, complex relationships between people, creating a whole gallery of human types. Among them are chivalrous and courageous Ruslan, gentle Lyudmila, inspired Bayan, ardent Ratmir, faithful Gorislava, cowardly Farlaf, kind Finn, treacherous Naina, cruel Chernomor.

Music

Ruslan and Lyudmila is an epic opera. The monumental images of Kievan Rus, the legendary figures of the Grand Duke Svetozar, the hero Ruslan, the prophetic folk singer Bayan take the listener into an atmosphere of ancient times, give rise to an idea of the beauty and grandeur of folk life. A significant place in the opera is occupied by fantastic pictures of the kingdom of Chernomor, the castle of Naina, whose music is endowed with oriental flavor. The main conflict - the clash of the forces of good and evil - is reflected in the music of the opera due to the relief opposition of the musical characteristics of the characters. Vocal parts of goodies, folk scenes are full of songs. Negative characters are either devoid of vocal characteristics (Chernomor), or outlined with the help of a recitative "talker" (Naina). The epic warehouse is emphasized by the abundance of choral mass scenes and the unhurried development of the action, as in an epic narration.

The first act impresses with the breadth and monumentality of the musical embodiment. The act opens with an introduction that includes a series of numbers. Bayan's song "Cases of Bygone Days", accompanied by harps imitating the harp, is sustained in a measured rhythm, full of majestic calmness. The second song of Bayan "There is a desert land" has a lyrical character. The introduction ends with a powerful congratulatory choir "To the Light Prince and health and glory." Lyudmila's cavatina "I'm sad, dear parent" - a developed scene with a choir - reflects the different moods of a girl, playful and graceful, but capable of great sincere feeling. The choir "Lel mysterious, intoxicating" resurrects the spirit of ancient pagan songs. The scene of the kidnapping begins with the sharp chords of the orchestra; the music takes on a fantastic, gloomy flavor, which is also preserved in the canon “What a wonderful moment”, which conveys a state of stupor that has engulfed everyone. The act is crowned by a quartet with a choir “O knights, rather in an open field”, full of courageous determination.

The second act, consisting of three scenes, begins with a symphonic introduction depicting a harsh, mysterious northern landscape, embraced by watchful silence.

In the first picture, Finn's ballad takes center stage; her music creates a noble image, full of deep humanity and moral beauty.

The fourth act is distinguished by lush decorativeness, brightness of unexpected contrasts. Lyudmila's aria “Oh, you share, share” - a detailed monologue scene; deep sadness turns into determination, indignation and protest. The march of Chernomor paints a picture of a bizarre procession; angular melody, piercing sounds of pipes, flickering sounds of bells create a grotesque image of an evil sorcerer. The march is followed by oriental dances: Turkish - smooth and languid, Arabic - mobile and courageous; the dance suite concludes with a fiery, whirlwind lezginka.

There are two scenes in the fifth act. In the center of the first is Ratmir's romance “She is my life, she is my joy”, imbued with bliss and passion.

The second scene is the finale of the opera. The stern, woeful choir "Oh, you, light-Lyudmila" is close to folk lamentations. The second move “The bird won't wake up in the morning” is colored with sadness, interrupted by the mournful remarks of Svetozar. The music of the awakening scene is fanned by the morning freshness, the poetry of a flourishing life; a melody full of lively, quivering feeling (“Joy, clear happiness”) is sung by Ruslan; Lyudmila joins him, and then the rest of the participants and the choir. The final chorus (“Glory to the great gods”) sounds jubilant, light and cheerful (overture music).

M. Druskin

The premiere of the opera passed without resounding success. In the future, from performance to performance, success increased. We note the 1904 production at the Mariinsky Theater for the 100th anniversary of the birth of Glinka (soloists Slavina, Chaliapin, Ershov, Kastorsky, Alchevsky, Cherkasskaya). Often placed abroad. In 1969, the production in Hamburg was staged by the choreographer D. Balanchine (director Mackeras, artist N. Benois).

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