The libretto, jointly written by alexander preys and the composer, is. Plans of lithuanian soprano ausrine stundyte for 2019 include her debut at vienna state opera in the title role of salome. Shostakovichs lady macbeth when lady macbeth of mtsensk was premiered in 1934, it made shostakovich a star. Arthaus musik must think a large audience wants a pg version of shostakovichs lady macbeth of mtsensk, issuing this bluray from the teatro del maggio musical fiorentino only a couple of years after the blistering 2006 amsterdam production lady macbeth of mtsensk bluray. It does not shift between spoken german and sung italian like that curious, intriguing production, but weigl has again taken an outstanding opera recording, cut it. Home encyclopera lady macbeth of mtsensk salzburg festival 2017 lady macbeth of mtsensk salzburg festival 2017 lady macbeth of the mtsensk district salzburger festspiele 2017 information description medias print. It received 83 soldout performances in moscow, nearly 100 in leningrad. She is young, attractive, lustful, and flirtatious. Libretto alexander preiss and dmitry shostakovich after the short story by nikolay leskov.
Shostakovich tells the story using idiosyncratic music that simmers, smoulders and erupts. Among its themes are the subordinate role expected from women in 19thcentury european society, adultery. Lady macbeth of mtsensk is a short novella set in russian province in the second half of 19th century. Pamphalon the entertainer would be the best story in the bunch were it not for the ridiculous ending. Lady macbeth of the mtsensk district novella wikipedia.
The opera lady macbeth of the mtsensk district, first performed in leningrad in 1934, is a tale about the pursuit of selffulfilment. This volume includes five of his greatest stories, including the masterful lady macbeth of mtsensk. Lady macbeth of mtsensk and other stories by nikolai leskov. The farmer may plow the fields, but he neglects her in the bedroom so when he goes away for a long period of time to work on a dam she takes up with a hired hand that. Lady macbeth of mtsensk angela denoke, katerina misha didyk. Nikolai semyonovich leskov was born in 1831 in gorokhovo, oryol province and was orphaned early. Feb 09, 2014 dmitri shostakovich lady macbeth of mtsensk part 1 evamaria westbroek katerina lvovna ismailova christopher ventris sergey. You can see why the opera caused controversy when first seen and heard, but i for one find it a highly interesting opera with magnificent music from shostakovich, one of his best ever works actually. A winters tale is way too much wondering about a writer i dont particularly like. The opera lady macbeth of the mtsensk district, first performed in leningrad in 1934, is a. A blistering attack, a punch in the gut, an opera that leaves an indelible brand on the imagination shostakovich wrote his masterpiece lady macbeth of the mtsensk district, when he was barely 30 years old, a work that takes opera to new, intense and erotic heights. Directed by william oldroyd and starring florence pugh, cosmo jarvis and christopher fairbank, the film is based on the book lady macbeth of the mtsensk by nikolai l. Lady macbeth is a new 19th century period drama about a young bride whos sold into marriage to a middleaged man. In baltimore and vienna she will perform hindemiths sancta susanna, at staatsoper berlin she will sing more salome.
Yet, for all that, the book is very unsentimental and true to life. Lusty period drama becomes muddled and meanspirited florence pugh is incandescent as a victorianera neglected farm. Read pdf lady macbeth of mtsensk and other stories absolutely for free at. Lady macbeth and the murdering mother in early modern england stephanie chamberlain stephanie chamberlain is associ ate professor of english at southeast missouri state university, cape girardeau. The libretto, jointly written by alexander preys and the composer, is based on the novella of the same name by nikolai leskov. Mar 26, 2004 too scary for stalin with its passionate heroine, sexy plot and lovely music, shostakovichs opera lady macbeth of mtsensk was a huge hit.
In two years, lady macbeth ran up a remarkable box office record. The soprano evamaria westbroek stars as a poignant yet earthy restless housewife in the metropolitan operas production of shostakovichs 1934 opera lady macbeth of mtsensk. Lady macbeths satire, though, was just a secondary reason the opera brought the fear of death down on shostakovichs head. In writing the libretto based on leskovs naturalistic short story with leningrad playwright alexander preis, shostakovich loved the character of katerina izmaylova so deeply that he could not bear to see her as lady macbeth, that is, as a wanton murderer who kills. Italy is in more danger than the eurozone will acknowledge.
It was originally published in fyodor dostoyevsky s magazine epoch. Petersburg leningrad premiered at the norwegian national opera and ballet oslo on 5th september, 2014 premiered at the deutsche oper berlin on 25th january, 2015 the pivotal character of dmitri shostakovichs opera lady macbeth of mzensk is the. In lady macbeth of the mtsensk district, leskov eschews his muchused skaz narratorthe chatty, distracted, halfeducated storyteller who reveals more about himself than about his tale. Lady macbeth of mtsensk at katerina and sergis wedding reception, a drunken guest makes a frightening discovery in the wine cellar. Katerina, the young wife of the merchant zinovi izmailov, is bored. Lady macbeth s satire, though, was just a secondary reason the opera brought the fear of death down on shostakovichs head. Lady macbeth of mtsensk while not one of my absolute favourites is one of the greats when it comes to twentieth century opera. Lady macbeth of mtsensk by nikolai leskov goodreads. Lady macbeth of the mtsensk district calendar deutsche. Read online lady macbeth of mtsensk and other stories pdf. English director andreas kriegenburg about the opera lady macbeth of the. Lady macbeth of the mtsensk district bayerische staatsoper. In the best of leskovs stories, as in almost no others a. Why shostakovichs lady macbeth of mtsensk was too scary for.
Lady macbeth is a 2016 british drama film directed by william oldroyd and written by alice birch, based on the novella lady macbeth of the mtsensk district by nikolai leskov, though the films ending deviates significantly from the source text. You can see why the opera caused controversy when first seen and heard, but i for one find it a highly interesting opera with magnificent music from shostakovich, one. The soviet censors condemnation of lady macbeth of mtsensk just a few years after its wildly popular premiere effectively crushed shostakovichs operatic career, a genuine musical tragedy, because lady macbeth and its predecessor, the nose, reveal shostakovich to have all. Lady macbeth of mtsensk petr weigl, 1992 dennis grunes. Ledi makbet mtsenskovo uyezda is an 1865 novella by nikolai leskov. Lady macbeth of mtsensk harsh to the point of pain. Lusty period drama becomes muddled and meanspirited florence pugh is incandescent as a victorianera neglected farm wife, but motivation goes out the window once she. Opera in 4 acts libretto by alexander preis, based on the novelle by nikolai leskow first performed on 22nd january, 1934 at the maly theater st. I dont mind any of that, but, preposterously, the film is in color. Mets lady macbeth of mtsensk stars evamaria westbroek.
Premiere first version lady macbeth of the mtsensk district. The soviet censors condemnation of lady macbeth of mtsensk just a few years after its wildly popular premiere effectively crushed shostakovichs operatic career, a genuine musical tragedy, because lady macbeth and its predecessor, the nose, reveal shostakovich to have all the instincts of a born opera composer. The financial times and its journalism are subject to a self. Conductor mariss jansons embraces the coarseness in shostakovichs uncompromising score. When soviet leaders denounced the opera two years later, the.
There is also a lot of gratuitous nudity, mostly male. Shostakovich lady macbeth of mtsensk jansons part 1. Nov 12, 2014 the soprano evamaria westbroek stars as a poignant yet earthy restless housewife in the metropolitan operas production of shostakovichs 1934 opera lady macbeth of mtsensk. Five great stories from one of the most quintessentially russian of writers, nikolai leskov. Dmitri shostakovich lady macbeth of mtsensk part 1 evamaria westbroek katerina lvovna ismailova christopher ventris sergey. Her work on early modern womens issues appears in domestic arrangements in early modern england, ed. The heroines unbearable loneliness, suffocating social conventions and love, burning with explicit sexuality, combine in a. Nov 30, 2016 italy is in more danger than the eurozone will acknowledge. Lady macbeth fights against the patriarchy the mary sue. The title of the movie lady macbeth might lead you to believe its inspired by one of the meatiest and best roles in shakespeares scottish playbut actually, it tells a very different story. Lady macbeth of mtsensk is probably the strongest story overall, but im not sure how well the allusion holds. Yet, the outcome is lawlessness and the deaths of four people. Lady macbeth of the mtsensk district opera wikipedia. David pountneys staging of lady macbeth of mtsensk, first seen in.
One of the key works of the 20th century, lady macbeth of the mtsensk district, finally entered the vienna state opera repertory in 2009 in its original language and without the sanitising changes made in the wake of stalins death by the soviet communist party. Shostakovichs second opera was initially a great success after its 1934 leningrad premiere. The characters of lady macbeth of the mtsensk district are katerina izmaylova. Lady macbeth of mzensk katerina izmailova note text by d. Shostakovich loved the title character of nikolai leskovs lady macbeth of the mtsensk district perhaps not wisely but too well. He combined a profoundly religious spirit with a fascination for crime, an occasionally lurid imagination and a great love for the russian vernacular.
768 1035 1325 1559 1342 377 1134 897 1282 1358 251 657 1499 1130 1319 904 446 1036 1480 16 1599 187 840 353 137 1423 1207 408 1614 435 1353 933 243 600 967 105 1080 405 1137 231 488 654 876 650