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Home , Igor Morozov (baritone), Iolanta, Irina Arkhipova, Mazeppa (opera), Undina (Tchaikovsky), Vladimir Ponkin

Dmitri Hvorostovsky sings of War, Peace, Love and Sorrow

Constantine orbelian, conductor DE 3517 with Asmik Grigorian, State Academic Symphony Orchestra of

Helikon Chorus 1 Sings of War, Peace, Love and Sorrow

PROKOFIEV: (Scene 1)

TCHAIKOVSKY: (Mazeppa’s Aria) (Robert’s Aria) • Queen of Spades (Tomsky’s Ballad; Tomsky’s Song)

RUBINSTEIN: The Demon (Scene 6)

with Asmik Grigorian, soprano Irina Shishkova, mezzo-soprano • Mikhail Guzhov, , • Vadim Volkov, countertenor

Constantine Orbelian, conductor Academic State Symphony Orchestra of Russia, “Evgeny Svetlanov” • Helikon Opera Chorus

Total Playing Time: 53:51 Dmitri Hvorostovsky Sings of War, Peace, Love and Sorrow

1. : War and Peace, 4. Tchaikovsky: Queen of Spades, Scene 1 (11:47) Tomsky’s Ballad (5:42) "Svetlaje vesenneje nebo” "Odnazdy v Versale, au jeu de la Reine” (The radiance of the sky in spring) (One day at Versailles, at the Jeu de la Reine) with Asmik Grigorian (Natasha) with Mikhail Guzhov (Surin) and Irina Shishkova (Sonya) and Igor Morozov (Chekalinsky)

2. : Mazeppa, 5. Tchaikovsky: Queen of Spades, Mazeppa’s Aria (5:27) Tomsky’s Song (2:17) "O Mariya, Mariya!” "Yesli b milyye devitzy” (O Maria, Maria!) (If cute girls)

3. Tchaikovsky: Iolanta, Robert’s Aria (2:36) 6. : The Demon, "Kto mozhet sravnitsja s Matildoj moej” Scene 6 (26:03) (Who can compare with my Mathilde) with Asmik Grigorian (Tamara) and Vadim Volkov (Angel)

Constantine Orbelian, conductor State Academic Symphony Orchestra of Russia, “Evgeny Svetlanov” Helikon Opera Chorus

Total Playing Time: 53:53

2 ussian is one of the most difficult languag- This studio recording, made in over es to sing: too many noisy consonants! five consecutive days in October of 2015, brings RNevertheless, some of the most beautiful this plan closer to reality. With this group of vocal music has been written with Russian lyrics. scenes and arias from five by Prokofiev, Dmitri Hvorostovsky, however, has always felt Tchaikovsky, and Rubinstein, Hvorostovsky especially comfortable with Italian music, and returns to his Russian roots and the traditions with is most famous for his wide array of Verdi roles which he grew up, while reprising some of his – from Giorgio Germont to favorite parts, trying new ones, and introducing and . Yet he constantly returns to the a diverse group of complicated, colorful, and music of his native country in concert perfor- relatively unfamiliar characters to international mances and operas as well as in the recording audiences. Some of these roles, such as Tomsky studio. His performances and recordings of or Mazeppa, he has never performed on stage; Russian songs, covering almost the entire histo- other numbers he has either never recorded ry of Russian music from Glinka to Sviridov and before or recorded long ago. Shostakovich, are legendary – as are his roles in and Queen of Spades, which According to Constantine Orbelian, a longtime he has sung sensationally on the world’s most friend, collaborator, and the conductor of this prominent opera stages. project, the entire recording process for this As he observed in his 2008 interview for The album was smooth, fast, and inspired: “It was New York Times, “The older I become, the a remarkable outburst of creative energy, and closer I feel to Russia” – and that includes it brought out an entirely new vocal palette in Russian operatic repertoire. Unfortunately, Dmitri’s already outstanding singing.” Russian operas are still underrepresented on the international stage, limited to just a The internationally acclaimed young soprano few of the better-known titles, although the Asmik Grigorian, the latest recipient of the situation has been changing – albeit slowly. prestigious International Opera Award as But Hvorostovsky has a plan. In another quote, Young Female Singer of 2016, has previously from the 2012 Opera News magazine’s feature appeared with Hvorostovsky in concerts and article “Elements of Style,” he remarked, “I think contributed to this recording as Natasha in a few years’ time I will start doing some Rostova in Prokofiev’s epic War and Peace and bulkier Russian roles, because there’s a demand as Princess Tamara in Rubinstein’s The Demon. for that. And with my experience and authority, There is a special bond here: Dmitri has known in a certain way, I’ll be able – and allowed – to Asmik since her early childhood, as Asmik’s do certain Russian roles and become an expert father, the recently deceased great tenor in that.” Gegam Grigorian, was Dmitri’s close friend 3 and colleague. They performed together on 70, Mazeppa is a powerful military leader, a stage in such operas as The Queen of Spades Ukrainian separatist, and a passionate lover: and War and Peace. Especially memorable was his life has been transformed by the young the ’s 2002 production of and beautiful Maria. She left her family for War and Peace, featuring Grigorian as Pierre him, which started the opera’s fateful chain of Bezukhov and Hvorostovsky as Prince Andrei events. In a scene from the second act, in a Bolkonsky, one of the main characters in Leo brief moment of solitude – amidst a brewing Tolstoy’s novel, on which the оpera was based. storm of mistrust, betrayals, tortures, and deaths – Mazeppa contemplates his love for Prokofiev began writing the score for War and Maria and invokes her enchanting image. His Peace in the summer of 1942. He completed aria is filled with tenderness and longing: one it quickly, but then had to continuously rework of Tchaikovsky’s most memorable and richly it – adding new scenes and making numerous emotional melodies. Hvorostovsky has never changes and cuts due to the various demands had a chance to sing the entire role, although of Soviet officials and theaters. However, he has performed and recorded the aria, albeit the first scene was kept almost intact, and about twenty years ago. it is one of the best in the entire opera. The scene centers upon recently widowed and Another Tchaikovsky masterpiece, Robert’s aria bitterly disillusioned Prince Andrei, who stays from the composer’s last opera, Iolanta (1892), overnight in Count Rostov’s country estate and also gets here a new, long-awaited recording. overhears a conversation between the Count’s This one-act opera – based on the Danish daughter, Natasha, and his stepdaughter, play King Rene’s Daughter and created by Sonya. Natasha’s youth, idealism, spontaneity, the composer for a double bill with his ballet and rapturous response to the beauty of – was rarely performed in the West spring night awaken in him new hope for love until internationally acclaimed productions and happiness. Prokofiev is at the height of his at the Metropolitan Opera (2015) and Opéra powers here as a master of lyrical atmosphere, national de Paris (2016). Iolanta, however, was infusing the score with beautiful, soaring always popular in Russia – mainly due to a few melodies while combining the dreamlike “catchy” numbers that had become a staple of musical landscape with keen psychological concert repertoire. The most popular of them insight. all is probably this one: the aria sung by Duke Robert, who as a child became engaged to Tchaikovsky’s controversial Hetman Mazeppa, marry King Rene’s daughter, the blind princess in the opera Mazeppa (1884), is quite Iolanta. In the third scene of the opera, Robert different from Prince Andrei. At the age of tells his friend Count Vaudémont that he does

4 not want to marry Iolanta, as he is in love with Girls” is part of the last scene. In the Casino, Countess Mathilde. The aria is Robert’s vivid Tomsky entertains his fellow gamblers with this and passionate description of Matilde’s beauty dancelike number, full of erotic innuendos, thus and virtues, a fast and tempestuous stream of providing a brief respite from the plot’s growing words and emotions, set to one of Tchaikovsky’s tensions and darkening atmosphere. greatest melodies. Hvorostovsky’s legendary breath control, as well as his emotional sensitivity The character of the Demon in Anton and vocal richness, come in especially handy in Rubinstein’s like-titled opera is another role that this vocally demanding bravura expression of Hvorostovsky has loved, although he admits delight, joy, and the elation of love. that “It is an uneven opera.” But he never had a chance to perform it in full – until February For many years, Hvorostovsky has been of 2015, when his dream was realized in performing the role of Prince Eletsky in semi-staged performances that took place in Tchaikovsky’s Queen of Spades (1890) to great Moscow and were broadcast live on Russian TV. acclaim. The musical portrait he has created has been a model of aristocratic restraint, blended Written in 1871, The Demon was based on to perfection with his vocal warmth and beauty, a romantic poem by Russian poet Michail elegant phrasing, and nuanced emotions. This Lermontov. It tells the story of a fallen angel opera, however, has another role who rejects humankind, but falls in love with – that of the fun-loving, but conniving and Princess Tamara and hopes to find salvation coldhearted Count Tomsky: a character quite in her love. The opera is known mostly for its the opposite of Prince Eletsky. Hvorostovsky has protagonist’s two arias, which have been in always wanted to sing this part, which expresses Hvorostovsky’s repertoire for years. Their long, a less familiar side of his artistic personality. seductive phrases of bel canto-like cantilena are perfectly suited to his technique and a voice Here he performs two key excerpts from the characterized by “melancholy and an aching role. In the Ballad from the first scene, Tomsky sensuality” (to quote one of the critics). But is a dramatic storyteller: in three increasingly he knew that there was much more material intense couplets, he reveals the of the than he had previously explored in revealing Old Countess and the mysterious “three cards” the complexity of this dark, proud, and torn that helped her to regain her fortune – but creature. must remain a secret. The Ballad introduces the “three cards” musical leitmotif, setting in After the success of The Demon’s live motion the tragic fall of Herman, the opera’s performance, in which Asmik Grigorian sang protagonist. The cheerful song “If Cute the part of Tamara, it was a natural choice to include the opera’s final scene in this recording. 5 This scene takes place in a convent – hence first afraid to accept. After the Demon’s pleas the distant sounds of bells and the chorus of become increasingly agitated, however, Tamara nuns singing prayers. Tamara has escaped finally yields to him – and his kiss kills her. But he there after the suspicious death (plotted by the is deprived of her soul: an angel (sung here by a Demon) of her bridegroom. In the beginning countertenor) takes Tamara to paradise, leaving of the scene, the Demon reveals his tortured the Demon to eternal damnation. soul to Tamara and promises her eternal light and a life free of evil – offers that Tamara is at – Maya Pritsker

(Left ro right) Irina Shiskova, Constantine Orbelian, Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Svetlana Efimova, Asmik Grigorian

6 VOINA I MIR – STSENA 1 WAR AND PEACE – SCENE 1

KN’AZ’ ANDREJ PRINCE ANDREI Svetlaje vesenneje nebo … The radiance of the sky in spring … Razve eta ne abman? is it an illusion? Sunshine, springtime, Rasve jest’ sontse, vesna I sh’ast je? happiness: are these real? Sivodn’a ja prajezhal lesam. Today, as I rode through the forest, Tam fs’o zazelenela, i ber’oze, i Everything looked fresh and green. al’ha pakrylis maladoj listvoj. The birch and alder had put Jarka mezh travy zel’onaj forth new leaves. The young grass pestreli pervyje vesennie tsvety. was spangled with spring’s first flowers. A na kraju lesnoj darogi stajal agromnyj dub, But, on the edge of the forest path, zaroshyj starymi bal’achkami, I saw a huge oak, covered in old scars, s kar’avymi rukami I pal’tsami. with gnarled branches and twisted twigs. Serditym I prezritel’nym urodam It stood like an angry, contemptuous giant stajal on mezh kudr’avymi ber’ozami among the delicate birch trees, I gavaril kat butta: “Visna, i and seemed to say: “Springtime, l’ubof’, i sh’ast’je – fs’o eta glupyj love, happiness – it’s all a stupid, bessmysllennyj abman. Net ni visny, meaningless illusion. There’s no such thing ni sontsa, ni sh’ast’ja.” as spring, sunshine, or joy.”

NATASHA NATASHA Ja ne budu, ja ne magu spat’. I won’t, I can’t sleep. Sonya, Sonya! Son’a, son’a! How can anyone sleep? Nu kak zhe mozhna spat’! There’s never been a night like this. Vet’ etakaj nochi nikagda Everything is calm and still, ne byvala. Fs’o zatihla, i fs’o akamenela. as if it had turned to stone. Pat chornymi stvalami serebritsa mokraja, Beneath the dark trees, sveshaja trava. the wet grass shines like silver.

KN’AZ’ ANDREJ PRINCE ANDREI Naverhu tozhe zhivut Signs of life from upstairs – i ne sp’at. they can’t sleep, either.

SON’A SONYA Natasha, ftaroj vet’ chas. But Natasha, it’s after one o’clock. 7 NATASHA NATASHA Tak by vot sela na kortachki, Perhaps if I crouch down like this vot tak! Pathvatila sib’a pat kalenki, and grip my knees tightly, tuzhe , kak mozhna tuzhe, i as tightly as I can, paletela by. Vot tak! I could fly away, like this!

KN’AZ’ ANDREJ PRINCE ANDREI I ap’at’ ana! I kak narochna! It’s her again! Eta chernavalosaja, It’s as if she’s doing it on purpose! chernaglazaja, stranna-tonen’ That raven-haired, dark-eyed, kaua devushka. strange and slender girl. Natasha, kazhetsa, zavut jejo. Her name is Natasha, it seems.

NATASHA NATASHA Son’a, vzgl’ani s’uda. Sonya, look outside our window! Razve sat pered nashym aknom? Is it a garden? No, Sada net, jest’ valshebnaje tsarstvo. it’s an enchanted kingdom. Ruchej, vijush’ijsa pa svetlamu pesku, Little stream, meandering over kak tihaja tvaja garmonija prijatna, the bright sand, making your sweet, s’ kakaim svirkanijem katishsa quiet music, how you sparkle ty v reku! as you flow towards the river! Pridi, o muza blagadatna! Come to me, O joyous muse!

SON’A SONYA V venke iz junyh ros In a garland of rosebuds s tsevnitseju zlatoj, sklanis’ and with a golden flute, zadumchiva na penistyje vody. lean over the lively waters and dream.

NATASHA NATASHA I, zvuki azhyvif, tumannyi vecher poj ha lone And, enlivening the misty evening’s sounds, dreml’ush’ej prirody. sing in slumbering nature’s lap.

NATASHA, SON’A NATASHA, SONYA Kak sontsa za garoj plenitelen zakat, How beautiful is the sun kagda pal’a f teni, as it sets behind the mountain, a rosh’I atdal’onny, when shadows envelop the fields and 8 kagda s halmov zlatyh stada distant groves, when animals run down begut k reke. from the golden hills to the river I r’ova gul gremit and the rumbling echo grows vuchnee nad vadami. louder over the waters. I seti sklaf, rybak The fisherman hauls in his na l’ohkam chelnake nets and steers his little boat plyv’ot u brega mesh kustami along the bank, between the branches.

NATASHA NATASHA Ah Boszhe, Bozhe moj! O God, my God! Nu shtoz eta takoje! What a shame to sleep! Spat’ tak spat’! But let’s go to bed, if we must!

KN’AZ’ ANDREJ PRINCE ANDREI I dela net da majevo sush’estvavan’ja! She has not a care for my existence! V nej jest’ shto-ta safsem, There’s something special about this girl safsem asobennaje, v etaj devachke, who wanted to fly away into the sky. katoraja hatela ulelet’ na neba. I thought that my life was over, Mne kazalas’ shto zhyzn’ konchena. that I could hope only to live Shto nada dazhyvat’, ne delaja zia, the rest of my days doing no wrong, ne trevozhas’ i nichevo ne zhelaja. nurturing no worries or desires. Atkuda zhe eta besprichinnaje vesenneje Why, then, this unwarranted spring-like chustva radasti iabnavlen’ ja? feeling of gladness and renewal? Net, zhyzn’ ne konchena f tritsat’ adin No, life is not over at the age of thirty-one. got. Ana ne prajd’ot naprasna. My life will not be empty. We must Nuzhna verit’ fsej dushoj v vazmozhnast’ Believe sincerely that happiness sh’ast’ja. Nuzhna verit’ v is within our reach; vesnu i v radast’, We must believe in springtime shtoby stat’ sh’aslivym! and in joy, in order to be happy!

MAZEPA – ARIYA MAZEPY MAZEPPA – MAZEPPA’S ARIA

O Mariya, Mariya! Na sklone let moikh O Maria, Maria! In my declining years, Ty, kak vesna, mne dushu ozhivila, like the spring, you reawakened my heart, I v strastnom lepete rechey tvoikh and in the passionate flood of your words, 9 Dlya starika byla charuyushchaya sila! there was an enchanting strength O Mariya, Mariya! Ya perezhil s toboy for an old man. O Maria, Maria! mgnoven’ya strasti pylkoy i blazhenstva, I have experienced with you Kogda tvoy chudny stan ya obnimal moments of wild passion and bliss, I v nege tomnoy lyubovalsya krasoy tvoey... when I embraced your lovely body Tvoy nezhny vzor menya zhivil, and in languorous rapture admired your I v zhilakh krov’ tekla bystreye, beauty. . . V tvoikh ya ob’yat’yakh nakhodil Your tender glance reinvigorated me, Blazhenstvo, obnovlen’ye, Obnovlen’ye i ray! and the blood flowed faster in my veins. Blazhenstvo i obnovlen’ye! In your embraces I found bliss, Tvoy nezhny vzor menya zhivil, new youth, new youth and paradise! I v zhilakh krov’ tekla bystreye, Bliss and new youth! V tvoikh ob’yat’yakh nakhodil ya ray, Your tender glance reinvigorated me, V tvoikh ob’yat’yakh nakhodil ya ray, and the blood flowed faster in my veins. V tvoey lyubvi – blazhenstvo, In your embraces I found paradise; Blazhenstvo i obnovlen’ye. In your love, bliss, bliss and new youth. O Mariya! Kak ya lyublyu tebya! O Maria! How I love you!

IOLANTA – ARIYA ROBERTA IOLANTA – ROBERT’S ARIA

Kto mozhet sravnit’sja s Matil’doj moej, Who can compare with my own sverkajushchej iskrami chernykh ochej, darling Mathilde, dazzling beauty kak na nebe zvezdy osennikh nochej! with lights in her jet-black eyes, Vse strastnoju negoj v nej divno polno, like the stars in the skies v nej vse op”janjaet, v nej vse op”janjaet of autumnal nights? i zhzhet, kak vino. Ona tol’ko vzgljanet,- She overflows with passion’s delightful bliss, kak molniej ranit, i plamen’ ljubvi the pleasure she brings goes to my head zardeet v krovi; ona zasmeetsja, and she sets me aglow, like wine. kak pesnej zal’etsja,- i zhemchugov rjad Just a single glance from her lico osvetjat, o strasti kipuchej, burns me like lightning, i burnoj, i zhguchej, glaza govorjat igniting a fire of love in my blood! i k blazhenstvu manjat, k blazhenstvu lobzanij, Then she will suddenly laugh, bezumnykh zhelanij, k pozhatijam nezhnym or burst into song, and a row of pearls ruki belosnezhnoj, will light up her face. k zabveniju gorja Her eyes show passion 10 i k schastju bez mer, bez konca i granic! that’s warm, exuberant, wild, Kto mozhet sravnit’sja s Matil’doj moej, enticing me to surrender to rapture, sverkajushchej iskrami chernykh ochej, to the rapture of kisses and mad desires, kak na nebe zvezdy osennikh nochej! to the tender touch of her hand, Vse strastnoju negoj v nej divno polno, white as the snow, to forget my sorrows v nej vse op”janjaet, v nej vse op”janjaet and find joys untold, that know no bounds i zhzhot, kak vino, i zhzhot kak vino! or end! Who can compare with my own darling Mathilde, etc.

PIKOVAYA DAMA – BALLADA TOMSKOVA QUEEN OF SPADES – TOMSKY’S BALLAD

SURIN SURIN -Kakaya vedma eta grafinya! What an old witch, that Countess!

CHEKALINSKY CHEKALINSKY Strashilichshe! A scarecrow!

TOMSKY TOMSKY Nedarom zhe yiyo prazvali Yes, it was not for nothing that she “pikovoi damoi.” was nicknamed “the Queen of Spades“! Ne mogu postignut, I can’t figure out why she has atchivo ona ne pontiruyet. given up gaming.

SURIN SURIN Kak? Starukha-to? What? That old thing? Da shto ty! What do you mean?

CHEKALINSKY CHEKALINSKY Asmidesyatiletnyaya karga? Kha, kha, kha! An old hag of eighty! Ha, ha, ha!

TOMSKY TOMSKY Tak vy pro niyo nichivo ni znaite? So you do not know her story?

SURIN SURIN Net, pravo, nichivo. I know nothing! 11 CHEKALINSKY CHEKALINSKY Nichivo! Nor I!

TOMSKY TOMSKY O, tak poslushaite! Then listen to me! Many years ago in Paris, Grafinya mnogo let nazad v Parizhe the Countess was a famous beauty. Krasavitsei slyla. All the young men were mad about her; Fsia molodyosh po nei s uma skhodila, she was known as “the Moscow Venus.” Nazyvaya “veneroi moskovskoi”. Count Saint Germain, who was Graf Sen Zhermen sredi drugikh, still a handsome man then, Tagda eshcho krasavets, plenilsya yeyu, was one of her admirers. No bezuspeshno on vzdykhal po grafine! But his sighs for the Countess Fse nochi napralyot igrala krasavitsa, were to no avail … the beauty spent her I, uvy, pretpochitala faraon liubvi. entire nights gaming, and alas! She preferred Pharaon to love. Odnazhdy v Versale au jeu la Reine Venus muscovite proigralas dotla Once at Versailles at the “Jeu de la Reine,” V chisle priglashonnykh byl graf Sen-Zhermen the Moscow Venus had lost her last sou. Sledya za igroi, on slykhal, kak ona Count Saint Germain was a guest there; Sheptala v razgare azarta: following her from the tables, “O Bozhe! O Bozhe! he heard her murmur in despair. O Bozhe, ya vsyo by mogla otygrat, “O heaven! O heaven! I could recoup Kogda by khvatilo postavit opyat all my losses if I could only have again Tri karty, tri karty, tri karty!” those three cards, three cards, three cards!” Graf, vybrav udachnuyu minutu kogda The Count cleverly chose his moment, Pokinuv ukradkoi gostei polnyi zal as she left the crowded hall unnoticed. Krasavitsa molcha sidela odna As the beauty sat silent and alone, Vlyublyonno nad ukhom yeyo prosheptal he whispered amorously into her ear Slova slashche zvukov Motsarta words sweeter than the sweetest Mozart: ”Grafinya, grafinya! “Countess, in return for a single rendezvous, Grafinya, tsenoi odogvo rendezvous I am ready, if you will, to name you Khotite, pozhalui, ya vam nazovu those three cards, three cards, three cards!” Tri karty, tri Karty, tri karty?” The Countess blazed: “How dare you?” Grafinya vspylila: “Kak smeyete vy?” But the Count was no coward. A day later, No graf byl ne trus when she was seen again at the “Jeu de la I kogda cherez den Reine,” 12 Krasavitsa snova yavilas, uvy, alas! Without a sou in her pocket, Bez grosha v karmane, au jeu de la Reine she already knew the three cards... Ona uszhe znala tri karty Playing them boldly, one after the other, Ikh smelo postaviv odna za drugol, she won back her fortune, Vernula svoyo … no kakoyu tsenoi! but at what a price! O cards, cards, cards! O karty, o karty, o karty! Once she told her husband those cards, Raz muzhu te karty ona nazvala a handsome boy later learned them, V drugoi raz ikh yunyi krasavets uznal But that very night, once was she alone, No v etu zhe noch, lish ostalas odna, an apparition warned her threateningly: K nei prizrak yavilsya I grozno skazal “You will receive your death-blow “Poluchish smertelnyi udar ty from the third who, compelled Ot tretyevo, kto pylko, strasno lyubya, by burning passion, comes to force Pridyot, chtoby s siloi uznat ot tebya from you the names of those three cards, Tri karty, tri karty, tri karty, those three dread cards!” Tri karty!”

PIKOVAYA DAMA – PESENKA TOMSKOVA QUEEN OF SPADES – TOMSKY’S SONG

KHOR CHORUS Zdorovje Tomskova, druzja! Ura! Tomsky’s health! Hurrah!

TOMSKII TOMSKY Yesli b milyye devitzy If cute girls, like birds, could fly, Tak mogli b letat, kak ptitsy and perch upon the boughs, I sadilis na suchkakh I’d like to be a little branch, Ya zhelal by byt suchochkom, where flocks of girls could Chtoby tysyacham devochkam find a perch among my twigs. Na moikh sidet vetvyakh! CHORUS KHOR Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! Akh, spoi yescho kuplet! Go on, give us another verse!

TOMSKII TOMSKY Pust sideli by i peli, vili gnyozda i svisteli I would have them perch and sing, Vyvodili by ptentsov! build their nests and, twittering, Nikogda b ya ne sgibalsya, vechno b imi raise their nestlings undisturbed! 13 lyubovvalsya I would never bend or break, but Byl schastlivei vsekh suchkov! feasting my eyes upon the darlings, be the happiest of all boughs!

KHOR CHORUS Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! Vot tak pesnya! Eto slavno! That’s what I call a song! Bravo! Molodets! Marvellous! “Nikogda b ya ne sgibalsya, vechno Bravo! Jolly good show! b imi lyubovvalsya “I would never bend or break, but Byl schaslivei vsekh suchkov,” feasting my eyes upon the darlings, be the happiest of all boughs!”

TOMSKII TOMSKY Byl schaslivei vsekh suchkov! Be the happiest of all boughs!

DEMON – STSENA THE DEMON – SCENE 6

DIÉMON DEMON Ia tot, katóramu vnymála I am the one you heard Tî v palunóchnai tishinyé, in midnight’s silence, Chia mîsl’ dushé tvaiéi sheptála, whose thoughts whispered to your soul, Chiu grust’ tî smútna atgadála. whose grief you vaguely surmised. Ia tot, chei vzor nadiézhdu gúbit, I am he whose gaze destroys hope, Iedvá nadiézhda rastsvietiót; and hardly lets hope blossom; Ia tot, kavó nyktó nye liúbit I am he, whom nobody loves, I vsio zhivúshcheie klianyót; and all living beings curse; Ia bich rabóv maíkh ziemnîkh, I am the tormentor of my earthly slaves, Ia tsar’ paznánya i svabódî, I am the king of knowledge and of freedom, Ia vrag nyebiés, ia zlo priródî, heaven’s foe, nature’s evil. I, vídish, ia u nog tvaíkh! But now you see me at your feet! Tiebié prinyós ia vumiliénye M I bring you a token of affection: alítvu chístuiu liubví, Love’s purest prayers, Ziemnóie piérvoie muchénye my first earthly torment I sliózî piérvîe maí. and my first tears. 14 TAMARA TAMARA Riech tvaiá apásna! Your words carry danger! Tiebiá prislál mnye ad il’ rai? Did hell send you to me, or heaven?

DIÉMON DEMON Tî priekrásna! You are so lovely!

TAMARA TAMARA Chevó tî khóchesh, - atviechái! What do you want? Tell me!

DIÉMON DEMON O, vîslushai, iz sazhaliénya, Oh, hear me with compassion, Oh, listen! Mienyá dabrú i nyebiesám With a single word, you could restore me Tî vazvratít’ maglá bî slóvam. to virtue and to heaven. Tvaiéi liubví sviatîm pakróvam Dressed in your love’s holy cloak, Adiétî, ia priedstál bî tam I would offer myself there Kak nóvî ánguiel vbliéskie nóvam… as a new angel under new grandeur … O, tól’ka vîslushai, mal’iú, - Oh, I beg you – just hear me - Ia rab tvoi, ia tiebiá liubliú! I am your slave, I love you!

TAMARA TAMARA Astáv mienyá, dukh lukávî! Go away, devious spirit! Malchí, malchí, nye viériu ia na vrágu… Be quiet – shut up! I can’t believe an enemy…

DIÉMON DEMON O, tól’ka vîslushai, maliú! Oh, I beg you – just hear me! Tamára, ia rab tvoi! Tamara, I am your slave! I love you! Tiebiá liubliú ia! When I first saw you, Lish tól’ka ia tiebiá uvídiel, a new and unexpected beam of hope Vbieskróvnam siérdtse luch nyezhdánnî began to glimmer with renewed life Apiát’ zatieplíls’a zhiviéi. in my cold and empty heart. Shto biez tiebiá mnye éta viéchnast’? What is eternity to me without you? Maíkh vladiény bieskanyéchnast’? My infinite possessions? Pustîe grómkie slavá, Just loud and empty words; Abshírnî khram - biez bozhestvá! a roomy temple, devoid of divinity!

15 TAMARA TAMARA Paslúshai, tî mienyá pagúbish; Please hear me: you destroy me; Tvaí slavá agón’ i iad… your words are venom and hellfire … Skazhí, zachém, zachém tî mienyá liúbish! Tell me, why, oh why do you love me? Akh! Guíbiel’nai atrávai Ah! a deadly poison seizes my faltering mind! Moi um slabiéiushchi ab’iát! Please listen: you destroy me, Paslúshai, pagúbish tî mienyá, you destroy me; Tî mienyá pagúbish; Tvaí slavá - agón’ i iad, your words are venom and hellfire … Akh, agón’ i iad… Skazhí, zachém, Tell me, why, oh why do you love me? zachém tî mienyá liúbish! Guíbiel’nai atrávai Ah! a deadly poison seizes my faltering mind! Moi um slabiéiushchi ab’iát! DEMON DIÉMON Filled with new life, Pólan zhízny nóvai, I proudly tore the crown of thorns Smaiéi priestúpnai galavî from my disgraceful head. Ia górda snyal vienyéts tiernóvî; I have thrown my entire past into the dust: Ia vsio bîlóie brósil vprakh: I see both my paradise and my hell in your eyes. Moi rái, moi ad - vtvaíkh achákh. I love you with an unearthly passion Liubliú tiebiá nye zdiéshnyei strast’iu, in a way you cannot love: Kak paliubít’ nye mózhesh tî: With all the ecstasy, all the passion Vsiem upaiényem, vsiéiu strástiu of an immortal thought and dream. Biessmiértnai mîsli i miechtî. In my soul, since the world’s beginning, Vdushé maiéi, snachála míra, your image has been impressed, Tvoi óbraz bîl napiechatlión, in front of me it has been hovering Pieredamnói nasíls’a on up into the eternal ether’s emptiness. Vpustînyakh viéchnava efíra. Long ago disturbing my thought, Davnó trievózha mîsl’ maiú, I heard the sound of your sweet name; Mnye ímia sládkaie zvuchála; in the days of bliss in paradise, Vdny blazhénstva vraiú It was you alone who was lacking. Adnói tiebiá nye dastavála. Oh, if you could only understand O, iéslib tî maglá panyát’ My sorrow, my sufferings, Maiú piechál’, maí stradánya, the battle between aspirations and desires, Bar’bú striemliénya i zhelánya, - all that I was forced to hide! Vsio shto ia vînuzhdien skrîvát’! What is the chronicle of painful deprivations, Shto póviest’ tiágastnîkh lishény, humankind’s difficulties and misfortunes, 16 Trudóv i bied talpî liudskói of generations past and future Griadúshchikh, próshlîkh pakaliény compared to a single minute Pieréd minútaiu adnói, pieréd minútaiu adnói of my unadmitted torments? Maíkh nyepríznannîkh muchény? What are people – their lives and difficulties? Shto liúdi? - shto ikh zhizn’ i trud? They have gone by, and will pass by… Any prashlí, any praidút… For them there is hope: fair judgment awaits them: Nadiézhda iest’ - zhdiót právî sud: He can forgive, He can condemn! Prastít’ on mózhet, khot’ asúdit! My sorrow however remains unchanging, Maiázh piechál’ biessmiénna tut, it will have no end, as there will be none for I iei kantsá, kak mnye, nye búdiet, me, I nye vzdriemnút’ vmaguílie iei! nor can it slumber in the grave! Onáta lástits’a, kak zmiéi, Now it caresses me, like a snake, To zhzhot i pliéshchet, búdta plámien’, now it burns and flickers, flame-like … To dávit grud’, kak búdta kámien’, - Or oppresses the chest, as would a stone, - Nadiézhd paguíbshikh i strastiéi The indestructible mausoleum Nyesakrushímî mavzaliéi!… of dead hopes and passions!

TAMARA TAMARA Zachém mnye znat’ tvaí piecháli, Why must I know about your sorrows, Zachém tî zháluieshs’a mnye? why do you complain before me? Tî sagrieshíl!… You sinned!…

DIÉMON DEMON Prótiv tiebiáli? Was it against you?

TAMARA TAMARA Nas mógut slîshat’! We could be overheard!

DIÉMON DEMON Mî adny. We are alone.

TAMARA TAMARA A Bog? And God?

17 DIÉMON DEMON Na nas nye kínyet vzgliáda: He will not cast a glance upon us: On zányat nyébam, nye ziemliói! He is busy with heaven, not earth!

TAMARA TAMARA A nakazánye? And punishment? A múki áda? And the torments of hell?

DIÉMON DEMON Tak shtozh? What about them? Tî búdiesh tam samnói! You would be there with me!

TAMARA TAMARA Ktob ny bîl tî, moi drug piechál’nî, Whoever you may be, Pakói naviéki pagubiá, my doleful friend, Nyevól’na ia satrádai táinai, destroying forever my own peace, Stradáliets, slúshaiu tiebiá. helplessly, with secret delight, No iésli riech tvaiá lukáva, I will listen to you, O tormented one. No iésli tî, abmán taiá… But if your words are devious, O, pashchadí. – but if you, hiding deception… Kakáia sláva! Oh, have mercy. What glory! Zachém tiebié dushá maiá! Why would you want my soul! No, no, oh no! Nyet, nyet, o nyet! Give me your oath, Swear it, swear! Dai mnye kliátvu rakavúiu, Tell me, you see that I suffer – Klianys’, klianys’! you know a woman’s dreams! Skazhí, - tî vídish: ia taskúiu, Without meaning to, you fondle my soul with Tî znáiesh zhénskie miechtî! fear. Nyevól’na strakh vdushé laskáiesh… But you understood everything, No tî vsio pónyal, tî vsio znáiesh you know everything, I szhálishs’a, kanyéchna, tî! and you must, of course, take pity on me! Klianys’a mnye… ot zlîkh stiazhány Swear to me that from now on, Atriéch’s’a atnînye you will renounce wicked gains! Dai mnye atviét! Give me your answer!

DIÉMON DEMON Klianús’ ia piérvîm dnyom tvariénya, I swear by the first and last days of creation, 18 Klianús’ ievó pasliédnym dnyom, I swear by criminal shame and eternal truth’s Klianús’ pazóram priestupliénya victory; I viéchnai právdî tarzhestvóm; I swear by the bitter torment of my fall, Klianús’ padiénya gor’kai múkai, by the gentle dream of triumph; Pabiédî krótkaiu miechtói; I swear by this encounter with you Klianús’ svidányem c tabói and by the parting that again threatens; I vnov’ graziáshcheiu razlúkai; I swear by heaven and by hell, Klianús’a nyébam ia i ádam, by earthly shelter and by you; Ziemnói sviatînyei i tabói; I swear by your last glance, Klianús’ tvaím pasliédnym vzgliádam, I swear by your first tear, Klianús’ tvaiéiu piérvaiu sliezói, by the breath from your pure lips, Nyezlóbnîkh ust tvaíkh dîkhányem, by the freedom of your silken hair; Valnóiu shólkavîkh kudriéi; I swear by bliss and torture, Klianús’ blazhénstvam i stradányem, I swear by my love: Klianús’ liubóviu maiéi, - I have forsworn my ancient revenge, Atrióks’a ia ot stárai miésti, I have renounced my proud thoughts; Atrióks’a ia ot górdîkh dum; I want to be reconciled with heaven, Khachú ia snyébam primirít’s’a, I want to love, I want to pray, Khachú liubít’, khachú malít’s’a, I want to believe in goodness. Khachú ia viéravat’ dabrú.

TAMARA TAMARA Nye búdiesh ból’she tî tamít’s’a, You will no longer suffer, Liubít’ tî stányesh i malít’s’a! you will begin to love and pray!

DIÉMON DEMON Sliezói raskáianya satrú With tearful repentance I shall erase Ia na chelié, tiebiá dastóinam, the traces of ethereal fire Sledî nyebiésnava agnyá, - from my facade, newly worthy of you, I mir vnyeviediénye spakóinam and in the world’s peaceful ignorance, Pust’ datsvietáiet biez mienyá! may it come to full bloom without me!

TAMARA TAMARA Kanyéts, kanyéts prikhódit zlu! The end of evil approaches! Uzhél’ ny kliatv, ny abieshchány Can it be that neither oaths, nor promises Nyenarushímîkh ból’she nyet? will be broken from now on? 19 GALASÁ MANAKHÍN’ VOICES OF THE NUNS Vsie sazidáiushchi, Viéchna blagói, Creator of all, eternally good, Dazhd’ nam i vétat dien’ Mir i pakói! give us peace and rest this day!

TAMARA TAMARA Tvariéts!… Tvariéts!… Creator!… Creator!…

DIÉMON DEMON O, vier’ mnye: ia adín panînye Oh, believe me, that until now, Tiebiá pastíg i atsienyl… only I have treasured and understood you…

TAMARA TAMARA O, pashchadí, astáv mienyà! Oh, have mercy, go away!

DIÉMON DEMON Izbráv tiebiá svaiéi sviatînyei, Because I’ve chosen you as my own refuge, Ia vlast’ u nog tvaíkh slazhíl. I have laid down my power at your feet.

TAMARA TAMARA Slîshish… slîshish li… O listen … don’t you hear? Siestrî abítieli, vstávshi ot sna, The nuns, upon wakening from slumber, Sláviat Tvartsá! sing praises to the Creator!

DIÉMON DEMON Ia zhdu tvaiéi liubví, kak dára, I await your love, as a gift, I viéchnast’ dam tiebié za mig! and the eternity I shall give you, not just an instant!

TAMARA TAMARA Akh, pashchadí, uidí, astáv mienyá! Ah, have mercy, depart, leave me!

DIÉMON DEMON Vliubví, kak vzlóbie, - vier’, Tamára, - In love and anger alike, Tamara, Ia nyeizmiényen i vielík! know that I am steadfast and mighty!

20 TAMARA TAMARA Szhál’s’a, szhál’s’a nadamnói! Have pity, have pity on me!

DIÉMON DEMON Vliubví, kak vzlóbie, - vier’, In love, just as in anger, Tamara, - Ia nyeizmiényen i vielík! believe, Tamara, I am steadfast and mighty!

TAMARA TAMARA Uidí… astáv mienyá… Go away… leave me…

DIÉMON DEMON Tamára!… Tamara!…

TAMARA TAMARA Uidí… uidí… Go away… go away…

DIÉMON DEMON Tamára!… Liubí mienyá! Tamara!… Love me! Liubí mienyá! Love me!

TAMARA TAMARA Akh, Tvariéts, Tvariéts, tiebiá, tiebiá zavú! Ah, Creator, I cry out to you! Nyet sil, nyet sil, uvî, malít’s’a nye magú! I am weak – alas! I have no strength – Zachém, zachém on zdies’, vkiélii sviatói, I cannot pray! Zdies’, zdies’, Why is he here, in this holy cell, gdie ia iskála svoi pakói! here, where I came seeking peace!

DIÉMON DEMON Piechál’na za stienói vîsókai You will not depart these imposing walls, Tî nye ugásnyesh biez strastiéi, in sadness, without passions, Sriedí malítv, ravnó daliekó amid prayers, equally far Ot bozhestvá i ot liudiéi. from divinity and from people.

O nyet priekrásnaie sazdánye, Your fate is something different; Kinómu tî prisuzhdiená; other sufferings await you, Tiebiá inóie zhdiot stradánye, and varied depths of delight. 21 Inîkh vastórgav glubiná. Yes, the dawn of a different life Da, nad vsieliénnaiu zaimióts’a is breaking over the universe, Zariá inóva bîtiiá, when you remove from my visage Kagdá priestúpnî slied prakliát’ia my curse’s criminal trace! Tî snymiesh smaievó chelá!

TAMARA TAMARA Malchí, malchí!… Astáv mienyá, uidí!… Silence, shut up!… Leave me, go away!… Malchí, malchí!… Maliú, uidí!… Silence! I beg you, go away!...

DIÉMON DEMON Tiebiá ia, volnî sîn efíra, But I, the ether’s free son, Vaz’mú vnadzviézdnîe kraiá; shall take you beyond the stars; I búdiesh tî tsarítsei míra, you will be queen of the universe, Padrúga viéchnaia maiá! and my eternal friend! Talpú dukhóv maíkh sluzhébnîkh The throng of my lesser spirits Ia priviedú ktvaím stapám; I will bring to your feet; I’ll give you Prislúzhnyts liógkikh i valshébnîkh, dainty and magical maidservants, Krasávitsa, tiebié ia dam! O beautiful one!

TAMARA TAMARA Nye vazmushchái mienyá, maliú!… I beg you, don’t trouble me further!… Zagúbish dúshu tî maiú!… You are destroying my battle-weary soul!… I tak bar’bói istomliená. Malchí, Be silent, I can’t listen to you! Shut up! tiebiá ia slúshat’ nye dalzhná! Maliú, malchí! Oh, my divine guardian, Akh, pridí, bozhestviénnî khranytiel’, come and defend your own servant! Rabînyu zashchití svaiú!… He won’t go away… how have I sinned, On nye idiót… Chem ia grieshná, that you forsake me, how? Shto atviernúls’a tî ot mienyá, Oh, I am so miserable!… Chem?… Akh ia nyeschástnaia!…

DIÉMON DEMON Ia dlia tiebiá szviezdî vastóchnai I shall pluck a golden crown for you Sarvú vienyéts zalatói; from the star of the east. Vaz’mú stsvietóv rasî palnóchnai, I shall sprinkle it with midnight dew, 22 Ievó usîpliu toi rasói, taken from the flowers, Luchóm rumiánava zakáta with a ray from the rosy sunset. Tvoi stan, kak liéntai abav’iú; I shall wrap your waist as with a band; Dîkhányem chístîm aramáta I’ll fill the air around you Akriéstnî vózdukh napaiú; with wafts of purest perfumes; Vsiechásna dívnaiu igróiu your ears will be ever soothed Tvoi slukh lieliéiat búdu ia; with the sounds of divine music; Chertógui pîshnîe pastróiu I’ll build for you splendid palaces Iz biriuzî i iantariá; of turquoise and amber; Ia apushchús’ na dno marskóie, I shall dive into the sea’s depths I paliechú za ablaká, and fly beyond the clouds, Ia dam tiebié vsio ziemnóie, everything on earth I will give you – Vsio, vsio! Everything! Liubí mienyá! Love me!

TAMARA TAMARA Nyet, nykagdá… nykagdá! No, never… never!

DIÉMON DEMON Liubí mienyá! Love me!

TAMARA TAMARA Nyet, nye magú… nye dalzhná!… No, I cannot… I must not!…

DIÉMON DEMON Tamára!… Tamara!…

TAMARA TAMARA Shto samnói! What is wrong with me? O, tî zhestók, tî zhestók! Oh, you are cruel, so cruel!

DIÉMON DEMON Vied’ strast’ tvaiú ia vlást’iu ada You know that I could summon Vîzvat’ bî mog! your passion with the power of hell!

23 TAMARA TAMARA Akh, uzhásnî riéchi mnye tvaí! Ah, your words are horrible!

DIÉMON DEMON A ia u nog tvaíkh, paimí, Understand that I await renovation Zhdu abnavliénya, zhdu liubví! and love at your feet!

TAMARA TAMARA Uidí, tvoi vzgliad navódit strakh! Go away, your look is fearful!

DIÉMON DEMON Tamára!… Tamara! Sudbá ziemlí vtvaíkh rukákh! Earth’s fate is in your hands!

TAMARA TAMARA Shto samnói, o Bózhe! O God! What’s happening to me?

DIÉMON DEMON Zhit’ - lish stabói! To live – but only with you!

TAMARA TAMARA I strakh vdushé, i vsiérdtse ad! Fear grips my soul, and hell is in my heart!

DIÉMON DEMON Siiát’ tî búdiesh viéchnai slávai! You will shine with eternal glory!

TAMARA TAMARA Nyeschástnaia, nyeschástnaia! I’m so unhappy, so miserable!

DIÉMON DEMON Zla ból’she nyet, ia nyébu brat. Evil will vanish, as I am heaven’s brother. O, bud’ maiá, liubí mienyá! Oh, be mine, love me!

TAMARA TAMARA O nyéba, pamaguí!… Help me, O heavens! Akh, ia iznyemagáiu… Ah, I am so weary… 24 TAMARA TAMARA (to the Demon) Ia vtvaíkh rukákh… No pashchadí… I am in your hands… But be merciful…

DIÉMON DEMON Tiebiá liubliú! I love you!

TAMARA TAMARA Pashchadí… maliú… uidí… maliú… Have mercy, I implore you… I beg you to leave!

DIÉMON DEMON O, mig liubví, mig abnavliénya! Ah, the moment of love, of renovation!

TAMARA TAMARA Maliú… I beg…

DIÉMON DEMON Tamára!… Tamara!…

TAMARA TAMARA Maliú… I beg… (The Demon kisses Tamara. The Angel appears.)

ÁNGUIEL I KHOR ÁNGUIELAV ZA STSÉNAI ANGEL AND CHORUS OF ANGELS OFF-STAGE Tamára! Tamara! (Tamara utters a cry and falls dead.)

EPILOGUE EPILOGUE

ÁNGUIEL I KHOR ÁNGUIELAV ANGEL AND CHORUS OF ANGELS Ischézny, dukh samnyénya! Begone, spirit of doubt!

DIÉMON DEMON Zdies’ vlast’ maiá! I have the power here!

ÁNGUIEL I KHOR ÁNGUIELAV ANGEL AND CHORUS OF ANGELS Nyesióm mî vîssheie rieshénye! We are messengers of a higher decision! 25 DIÉMON DEMON Ia pabiedíl, - aná maiá! I won, - she is mine!

ÁNGUIEL ANGEL Tsenói zhestókai iskupíla She atoned for her own doubts Aná samnyénya svoí, at a cruel price. Ona liubíla i stradála - She loved and suffered – I rai atkrîls’a dlia liubví! And heaven is open to love!

DIÉMON DEMON Ieió atdát’ ia nye magú! I cannot renounce her – Aná maiá! Aná maiá! she is mine! My own!

ÁNGUIEL I KHOR ÁNGUIELAV ANGEL AND CHORUS OF ANGELS Nyet! No!

ÁNGUIEL ANGEL Nye sazdaná dlia tiebiá aná. She was not created for you. Skróis’a, mráchnî dukh! Begone, dark spirit!

DIÉMON DEMON Apiát’ ia sir!… I’m again an orphan!… piát’ adín!… Akh!… Again alone!… Ah!…

ÁNGUIEL I KHOR ÁNGUIELAV ANGEL AND CHORUS OF ANGELS Nyétu prashchénya dúkhu nadmiénnamu, An arrogant spirit cannot be forgiven, Ny abnavliénya griéshnamu nyet Vaviék! And a sinner cannot be renovated – for eternity!

DIÉMON DEMON Prakliátî vrag!… Prakliátî mir!… Accursed enemy!… Accursed world!… Prakliátie vsiem!… Damnation upon you all!…

ÁNGUIEL I KHOR ÁNGUIELAV ANGEL AND CHORUS OF ANGELS Skróis’a! Disappear! (The Demon disappears.)

26 Dmitri Hvorostovsky

Internationally acclaimed Russian baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky was born and studied in Krasnoyarsk, Siberia. In 1989, he won the prestigious BBC Cardiff Singer of the World Competition. From the start, audiences were bowled over by his cultivated voice, innate sense of musical line and natural legato. After his Western operatic debut at the Nice Opera in Tchaikovsky’s Pique Dame, his career explod- ed with regular engagements at the world’s major opera houses and appearances at re- nowned international festivals, including Roy- al Opera House, Covent Garden, New York’s Metropolitan Opera, Paris Opera, Bavarian State Opera, , , and Chicago Lyric Opera. Dmitri retains a strong musical and personal A celebrated recitalist in demand in every contact with Russia. He became the first opera corner of the globe – from the Far East to the singer to give a solo concert with orchestra and Middle East, from Australia to South Ameri- chorus on Red Square in Moscow; this concert ca – Dmitri has appeared at such venues as was televised in over 25 countries. Dmitri has Wigmore Hall, London; Queen’s Hall, Edin- gone on to sing a number of prestigious con- burgh; Carnegie Hall, New York; the Teatro certs in Moscow as a part of his own special alla Scala, Milan; the Tchaikovsky Conserva- series, Dmitri Hvorostovsky and Friends. He has toire, Moscow; the Liceu, Barcelona; the Sun- invited such celebrated artists as Renée Flem- tory Hall, Tokyo; and the Musikverein, Vienna. ing, Barbara Frittoli, Sumi Jo, Sondra Radva- The singer performs in concert with top or- novsky, Jonas Kaufmann, Marcello Giordani and chestras like the New York Philharmonic and Askar Abdrazakov. In 2005 he and conductor the Rotterdam Philharmonic, and conduc- Constantine Orbelian gave an historic tour tors, including James Levine, Bernard Hait- throughout the cities of Russia at the invitation ink, Claudio Abbado, , Zubin of President Putin, singing to crowds of hun- Mehta, Yuri Termikanov and . dreds of thousands of people to commemorate the soldiers of the Second World War.

27 Dmitri’s extensive discography spans recit- als and complete operas. He has also starred in Don Giovanni Unmasked, an award-win- ning film (by Rhombus Media) based on the Mozart opera, in which he tackled the dual roles of Don Giovanni and Leporello. Recently Dmitri has established a new collabo- ration with the Russian popular composer Igor Krutoi, with very successful concerts in Moscow, St Petersburg, Kiev and New York.

Recent CD recordings include In This Moon- lit Night (lieder by Tchaikovsky, Mussorgsky & Taneyev); Rachmaninov Romances (both with The Bells of pianist Ivari Ilja); a choral recording In 2005 Asmik made her international debut in Dawn (Russian Sacred and Folk Songs); a DVD Kristiansand, Norway, singing Donna Anna in starring Dmitri alongside Renee Fleming in a Don Giovanni, directed by Sir Jonathan Miller. Live film set in St Petersburg and DVD recording That season she also made her debut at the from Red Square Moscow with Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theater, as well as from the Metropolitan singing Violetta in La Traviata as well as singing Opera. With conductor Constantine Orbelian, at the Wigmore Hall, London. he has also recorded Verdi Arias, Heroes and Villains (mixed arias), Verdi Opera Scenes (with She appears regularly at Teatro dell’Opera di soprano Sondra Radvanovsky), Wait for Me – a Roma, Oper Köln, Hamburgische Staatsoper, collection of Russian wartime songs – and the Theater an der Wien, Mariinsky and Mikhailovsky DVD Hvorostovsky in Moscow; all have met with Theatres in St Petersburg, Royal Swedish Opera, much critical acclaim. Staatstheater Wiesbaden, Vlaamse Opera in Ghent and Antwerp, Oper Graz, Komische Oper Asmik Grigorian (Tamara in The Demon and Berlin, and the Latvian National Opera, . She Natasha in War and Peace) was a founding member of Vilnius City Opera and has been awarded the Golden Stage Cross (the Lithuanian soprano Asmik Grigorian was born in highest award for singers in Lithuania) twice: in Vilnius, into a family of musicians. She studied at 2005 for her debut as Violetta and in 2010 for her the Lithuanian Music and Theatre Academy and performance as Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd. She started her operatic career while still a student. is the latest recipient of the prestigious Inter- 28 national Opera Award as Young Female Singer of 2016.

Asmik has worked with a number of notable con- ductors, including Valery Gergiev, Vasily Petrenko, Gianandrea Noseda, Marc Soustrot, Martijn Brab- bins, Yves Abel, Rolf Beck, Julian Reynolds, Mikhail Tatarnikov, Rafael Payare, and many others.

Distinguished stage directors with whom she has collaborated include Peter Konwitschny, Ivo van Hove, La Fura dels Baus, Christof Loy, Barrie Kosky, Ingo Kerkhof, Sir Jonathan Miller, Andrejs Žagars, Robert Wilson, Dalia Ibelhauptaitė, Kris- tina Wuss, and Vasily Barkhatov.

In the 2015-16 season Asmik sang in a revival of College in 2004 and from the vocal division in in and a new pro- 2006. She also studied singing at the St. Peters- duction of The Bassarids at Teatro dell’Opera di burg State Conservatory. Roma, followed by a new production of Eugene Onegin at Komische Oper Berlin. She also sang Irina made her operatic debut in 2008 at the the role of Giorgetta in Il Tabarro and the title Novosibirsk Opera House singing the title role role in Suor Angelica at Opera di Roma. in , followed by her debut as Paulina in Queen of Spades. In November 2009 she Seasons beyond 2015-16 will include perfor- toured with the Novosibirsk Opera Theatre to mances in Fedora and Manon Lescaut at the Roy- Seoul, South Korea, where she reprised her role al Swedish Opera, Wozzeck at the Royal Concert- as Carmen at the Seoul Arts Center. gebouw and the Salzburg Festival, The Demon at the Liceu, and Halka at the Theater an der Wien. In 2010 Irina joined the ’s Acade- my of Young Opera Singers as a soloist. Her roles there included the Composer in Ariadne auf Naxos, Irina Shishkova (Sonya in War and Peace) Olga in Eugene Onegin, Dorabella in Così fan tutte, Niklausse in Les Contes d’Hoffmann, Clarice in Born in St. Petersburg in 1984, Russian mez- Love for Three Oranges, Cherubino in Le Nozze di zo-soprano Irina Shiskova graduated from the Figaro, and Siebel in a new production of Gounod’s piano division of the Rimsky-Korsakov Musical Faust under the baton of Valery Gergiev. 29 During the 2013-2014 season, she joined the Academy’s recital tour, performing at such ven- ues as London’s Wigmore Hall, Grand Theatre de Geneve, Opera de Bordeaux, Serate Musicali Milan, Auditorium St-Pierre-des-Cuisines Tou- louse, and Prinzregententheater . She also performed with the Latvian National Op- era as Olga in Eugene Onegin and with the Ural Philharmonic Orchestra and the Choral Arts Society Chorus at Kennedy Center Concert Hall. In October 2014, she again appeared as Olga on the stage of the Grand Theatre de Geneve.

Irina’s repertoire also includes the roles of Dido in Dido and Aeneas, Rosina in Il Barbiere di Siviglia, and Lyubasha in The Tsar’s Bride.

Irina’s many awards include The Hope Award at The Glinka Vocal International Competition (2006), the Best Debut Award at the Obraztso- won the Third International Rimsky-Korsakov Com- va International Competition for Young Opera petition (1998 ), the Foundation Singers (2007), and Third Prize at the Interna- Award (2005), and was named Honored Artist of tional Rimsky-Korsakov Competition (2008). In the Russian Federation (2014). addition, she was a finalist at the Competizione dell’Opera in Dresden (2010). From 1992 to 1998, Mikhail was a soloist at both the Stanislavsky and the Nemirovich-Danchen- ko Music Theaters in Moscow. He has been a Mikhail Guzhov (Surin in The Queen of Spades) soloist at the since 1998. He made his debut in Verdi’s with the Helikon Bass Mikhail Guzhov was born in Moscow and Opera in 1998, and took part in productions of graduated from the Mikhail Ippolitov-Ivanov State Aida (2001) and (2004) in France. Musical College as well as Moscow’s Tchaikovsky Conservatory. He won the Fyodor Chaliapin Award Among his many other operatic performances, and was awarded a diploma at the Rachmaninoff Guzhov has sung the part of the Cardinal in a Second International Competition (1997). He also concert version of Alfred Schnittke’s opera Ge- sualdo at the Grand Hall of the Moscow Con- 30 servatory (2000), appeared as Kochubey in Tchaikovsky’s Mazeppa at the Mariinsky Theatre (2008), and (in 2011) played the role of Metro- politan in the world premiere of the opera The Legend of the city Yelets, the Virgin Mary and Tamerlane by Alexander Tchaikovsky in Yelets. In 2009 and 2010 he sang in the Christmas Or- atorio and St. Matthew Passion by Hilarion Al- feyev. He also participates regularly in concert performances of operas directed by Vladimir Fedoseev, Valery Polyansky, and Mikhail Pletnev. In addition, he presents solo chamber programs in leading chamber theaters throughout Russia. Since 2000, Mikhail has been a jury member of the Moscow Open Festival of Young Vocalists, and has appeared at the festival of the 100th Anniversary of the Grand Hall of Moscow Con- In 2013, Igor made his debut on the stage of servatory, as well as at the Sobinov Festival in the Bolshoi Theatre in Der Rosenkavalier by Rich- Saratov. ard Strauss. He has taken part in concerts and concert opera performances in the Grand Hall of Moscow’s Tchaikovsky Conservatory, directed Igor Morozov (Chekalinsky in The Queen of Spades) by such renowned Russian conductors as Vassily Sinaisky, Mikhail Pletnev, and Vladimir Fedoseev, Tenor Igor Morozov was born in Ryazan, and among others. Igor has also given solo concerts graduated from the Sveshnikov Choir College, in France and Germany. He has been a soloist at majoring in choral conducting; he is also a the Helikon Opera Theatre since 2014. graduate of the Popov Academy of Choral Art, specializing in vocal art. He has been the winner of the Bella Voce Competition (Moscow, 2009), the Young Talents of Russia Competition (Mos- Vadim Volkov (Angel in The Demon) cow, 2010 and 2014), the eighth International Ivanov Vocal Competition (Tver, 2014), and the Countertenor Vadim Volkov was born in Kras- International Competition nodar and graduated from that city’s musical (2014). He has also won the Elena Obraztsova college named after Rimsky-Korsakov. As of this Prize for “A Bright Start in Art” (2014). recording, he was a student of music education at the Russian University of Theatrical Arts. 31 The Chorus now numbers more than sixty art- ists ranging in age from twenty to thirty-five. Its extensive repertoire consists of operatic and choral works by Russian as well as European composers, which the chorus performs either with orchestral accompaniment or a cappella. The Chorus’s concert programs include secular and church music of various genres, ranging from the Baroque period to the modern era. Besides classical compositions by such Russian composers as Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff and others, the Chorus performs the music of Per- golesi, Vivaldi, Mozart, Fauré, and Verdi.

The Chorus’s opera repertoire includes more A diploma winner at the Sergei Rachmaninoff than thirty works, including Eugene Onegin, International Competition in October 2014, he Mazeppa, The Queen of Spades, and made his debut as Orest in Offenbach’s La belle by Tchaikovsky; The Tsar’s Bride, Mozart and Hélène on the stage of Moscow’s Helikon Op- Salieri, The Golden Cockerel, and Kastchey the era Theatre. Deathless by Rimsky-Korsakov; Carmen by Bizet; Aida, La Traviata, and Macbeth by Ver- di; The Tales of Hoffmann by Offenbach; Die The Helikon Opera Chorus Fledermaus by Strauss; Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District by Shostakovich, and Dialogues The Chorus of Moscow’s Helikon Opera The- of the Carmelites by Poulenc. atre was founded in 1991 by Tatiana Gromova, a graduate of the Gnessins Russian Academy The Chorus’s multi-talented vocal artists quick- of Music. It was initially comprised of twenty ly and masterfully learn the most challenging highly professional graduates of the Gnessins musical materials in their original languages. Academy as well as Moscow’s Tchaikovsky Con- These unique artists are also able to create idi- servatory. The addition of this ensemble to the omatically true choral sonorities and colors with Helikon Opera Theatre’s team of performing amazing balance, technique and pinpoint ac- artists helped determine the Chorus’s ultimate curacy. The Helikon Opera Chorus’s remarkable destiny: enabling it to progress from its role as talents and versatility have led to artistic collab- a chamber ensemble to its participation in pro- orations with a number of outstanding opera ductions of grander scale. stars and conductors, including Gennady Rozh- 32 destvensky, Vladimir Ponkin, Evgeny Brazhnik, Masur, Leonard Slatkin, and Valery Gergiev, as Sergey Stadler, Richard Bradshaw, Roberto Ala- well as many others. gna, José Cura, and many others. Among the many outstanding soloists who have performed with the orchestra are singers State Academic Symphony Orchestra of Irina Arkhipova, , Monserrat Russia, “Evgeny Svetlanov" Caballe, Placido Domingo, Jonas Kaufmann, Anna Netrebko, and Dmitri Hvorostovsky; The State Academic Symphony Orchestra pianists Van Cliburn, Emil Gilels, Sviatoslav “Evgeny Svetlanov," one of Russia’s oldest Richter, Boris Berezovsky, Mitsuko Uchida, and symphonic ensembles, has also been one of Evgeny Kissin; violinists Leonid Kogan, Yehudi the greatest prides of Russian musical culture Menuhin, David Oistrakh, Daniel Hope, and since its debut performance eight decades ago. Maxim Vengerov; as well as cellists and Natalia Gutmann. Since its inception, the orchestra has been directed by a succession of outstanding Since its first tour abroad in 1956, the orchestra has Russian conductors, leading up to the great regularly represented throughout Evgeny Svetlanov, who served from 1965 to Europe, as well as in Australia, Canada, China, 2000. Under his leadership it became one Japan, Lebanon, Mexico, New Zealand, South of the world’s finest orchestras, and in 2005 Korea, Thailand, Turkey, the United States, and the orchestra was officially named after him. many other countries. It is also in great demand Since 2011, its artistic director has been the at music festivals, both at home and abroad. distinguished conductor Vladimir Jurowski. The orchestra’s discography includes hundreds Over the years, the orchestra’s repertoire has of vinyl records and CDs released by such grown to include virtually all Russian symphonic leading Russian and foreign labels as Melodiya, music, many Western classics, and works by EMI Classics, BMG, Deutsche Grammophon, contemporary composers. During its lifetime, Chandos, Naxos, and Delos. Its concerts and the group has performed at all of the top special events have been widely broadcast Russian venues, as well as most of the world’s via radio and television. The orchestra places great concert halls in such major cities as New special emphasis on its educational projects York, Vienna, London, Paris, Buenos Aires, and and its work for charitable causes. Tokyo. The ensemble has worked with such legendary maestros as Ernest Ansermet, Otto In sum, the world-renowned State Academic Klemperer, Evgeny Mavrinsky, Charles Munch, Symphony Orchestra is a group that is not only Mstislav Rostropovich, Charles Dutoit, Kurt firmly rooted in tradition, but strongly attuned 33 to the present – and is constantly evolving as it looks toward the future.

Constantine Orbelian

Grammy-nominated conductor Constantine Orbelian “stands astride two great societies, and finds and promotes synergistic harmony from the best of each.” (Fanfare) For over 20 years the bril- liant American pianist /conductor has been a cen- tral figure in Russia’s musical life — first as Music Director of the Moscow Chamber Orchestra and the Philharmonia of Russia, and more recently as guest conductor with a number of illustrious Russian orchestras. Currently Chief Conductor of Critic wrote of his acclaimed series of over 50 the Kaunas City Symphony Orchestra in Lithuania, recordings on Delos. Among his concert and Orbelian leads concerts and recordings there with televised appearances are collaborations with some of the world’s greatest singers, in projects stars Renée Fleming and Dmitri Hvorostovsky, such as a recording of Simon Boccanegra, with and with Van Cliburn in Cliburn’s sentimental Dmitri Hvorostovsky in the title role. return to Moscow, the great pianist’s last per- formance. Orbelian’s frequent collaborations Opera News calls Orbelian “the singer’s dream with Hvorostovsky include repertoire from their collaborator,” and commented that he conducts Delos recordings of universal sentimental songs vocal repertoire “with the sensitivity of a lieder Where Are You, My Brothers? and Moscow pianist.” The California-based conductor tours Nights, as well as their 2015 recording in the and records with American stars such as Son- same series, Wait for Me. On several occasions dra Radvanovsky and Lawrence Brownlee, and Orbelian has conducted historic live telecasts with Hvorostovsky and other renowned Russian from Moscow’s Red Square, with such artists as singers in European, North American, Russian Hvorostovsky and Anna Netrebko. and Asian music centers. He is the founder and Music Director of the annual Palaces of St. Pe- Born in San Francisco to Russian and Armenian tersburg International Music Festival. emigré parents, Constantine Orbelian made his debut as a piano prodigy with the San Francis- “Orbelian has star quality, and his orchestra co Symphony at the age of 11. After graduating plays with passion and precision,” The Audio from Juilliard in New York, he embarked on a ca- 34 reer as a piano virtuoso that included appearanc- Medal, whose illustrious ranks include pianist Van es with major symphony orchestras throughout Cliburn and conductor Riccardo Muti, and which the U.S., U.K., Europe, and Russia. His recording of singles out non-Russians whose work contrib- the Khachaturian piano concerto with conductor utes to the betterment of international relations Neeme Järvi won “Best Concerto Recording of with the Russian Federation and its people. the Year” award in the United Kingdom. From his 1995 performance at the 50th An- Orbelian’s appointment in 1991 as Music Di- niversary Celebrations of the United Nations rector of the Moscow Chamber Orchestra was in San Francisco, to his 2004 performance at a breakthrough event: he is the first American the U.S. State Department commemorating 70 ever to become music director of an ensemble years of diplomatic relations between Washing- in Russia. A tireless champion of Russian-Ameri- ton and Moscow, and a repeat State Depart- can cultural exchange and international ambas- ment appearance in 2007, all with the Moscow sadorship through his worldwide tours, he was Chamber Orchestra, Orbelian continues to use awarded the coveted title “Honored Artist of his artistic eminence in the cause of interna- Russia” in 2004, a title never before bestowed on tional goodwill. He and his orchestras have also a non-Russian citizen. In May 2010, Orbelian led participated in cultural enrichment programs the opening Ceremonial Concert for the Cultural for young people, both in Russia and the U.S. Olympics in Sochi — the first event setting the In 2001 Orbelian was awarded the Ellis Island stage for Russia’s hosting of the Olympic Games Medal of Honor, an award given to immigrants, in 2014. In 2012 the Consulate in San Francisco or children of immigrants, who have made out- awarded him the Russian Order of Friendship standing contributions to the United States.

Recorded October 2015, Mosfilm Studios, Moscow Special thanks: Executive Producer: Carol Rosenberger Dmitry Bertman, General Director of the Helikon Opera, Producer/Engineer: Gennady Papin Moscow; Marina Ter Mikaelian; Levon Oganessian; Elena Editing: Elena Sych Nedosekina; Svetlana Efimova Coaching: Svetlana Efimova Cover and tray photo: Vladimir Semenikhine Art design and layout: Lonnie Kunkel Text editor: Anne Maley Booklet and editor: Lindsay Koob

© 2016 Delos Productions, Inc., P.O. Box 343, Sonoma, CA 95476-9998 (707) 996-3844 • Fax (707) 320-0600 • (800) 364-0645 [email protected] • www.delosmusic.com Made35 in USA State Academic Symphony Orchestra of Russia, “Evgeny Svetlanov"

The Helikon 36Opera Chorus DE 3517