Wednesday, January 16, 2008, 7:30 p.m. BAM Brooklyn Academy of Music Howard Gilman Opera House The Government of Perm, Russia, presents In celebration of the 135th Anniversary of The Tchaikovsky Opera and Ballet Theatre of Perm, Russia George Isaakyan, Artistic Director Valery Platonov, Music Director and Principal Conductor Alexander Anissirnov, Principal Guest Conductor Vladimir Nikitenkov, Chorusmaster MAZEPPA by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky An Opera in Three Acts Libretto by Viktor Burenin and Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky based on the epic poem Poltava by Alexander Pushkin Performed in Russian with English supertitles Conductor - Valery Platonov Stage Director - George Isaakyan Sets and Costumes - Stanislav Fyesko Chorusmaster - Vladimir Nikitenkov Technical Director and Lighting Designer - Sergey Martynov Production Manager - Jonathan Bradley THE CAST in order of appearance Maria, Kochubei's daughter Irina Krikunova Lyubov, Kochubei's wife, Maria's mother Tatyana Poluektova Andrei, a young Cossack Pavel Bragin Iskra, Governor of Poltava Sergey Vlasov Mazeppa, Getman Viktor Chernomortsev Kochubei, a Cossack Aleksandr Pogudin Orlik, Mazeppa's henchman Oleg Ivanov Drunken Cossack Vassily Batin English supertitles by Sonya Haddad Presented by The Government of Perm, Russia, and Hollywood Entertainment Group LUKoil Synopsis Overture: Mazeppa's ride Act I Scene 1 - Kochubei's estate on the banks of the Dnieper A group of girls sail on the river, singing of making garlands of flowers to cast on the water as a fortune-telling game. Maria arrives, and they all plead with her to join them, but her father, Kochubei, is entertaining an important guest-Mazeppa, the Cossack leader who rules the Ukraine. Maria refuses, reflecting that girlish pursuits hold no charms for her since the elderly Mazeppa has bewitched her heart. Her childhood friend Andrei overhears her, and tries to comfort her, but when she thanks him for his friendship Andrei reveals he has always loved her. Maria wishes she could return Andrei's love-but fate will not allow it. Andrei rushes off in despair. In Kochubei's house the guest of honor is entertained by a group of folk dancers, after which Mazeppa pulls Kochubei aside to ask for his daughter's hand in marriage. Kochubei thinks Mazeppa is joking at first-he is, after all, very old. But Mazeppa claims that the passions of an old heart, once lit, are not like those of a young heart that burn brightly but then fade-they smolder forever. Kochubei, outraged, refuses to give his consent and orders Mazeppa to leave the house. Mazeppa, in a fury, calls his guard and demands submission. Kochubei defies him, backed by Andrei and the guests, who condemn Mazeppa's sinful desires. Maria throws herself between the two groups, but, as he leaves, Mazeppa calls for Maria to decide whether she wishes to stay at home and never see him again, or to come with him. She chooses Mazeppa to everyone's surprise and distress. Scene 2 - A room in Kochubei's manor Lyubov, Maria's mother, mourns the loss of her daughter, with the women of the house trying to comfort her to no avail. She sends them away and tries to stir Kochubei to rouse the Cossacks to go and attack Mazeppa. Kochubei has a better scheme: While Kochubei and Mazeppa were still friends, Mazeppa hinted at a plan to ally with Sweden and fight to overthrow Tsar Peter the Great's rule in the Ukraine. Kochubei plots to betray Mazeppa to the Tsar. Iskra, Kochubei's friend, is all for the plan but argues they need a messenger to go to the Tsar and risk his disbelief by denouncing Mazeppa, his trusted hetman. Andrei, who feels his life is over after having lost Maria, agrees to deliver the message. Everyone curses Mazeppa and relishes the thought of his execution. Act II Scene 1 - A dungeon in Mazeppa's castle, night The plan has not gone well. The Tsar, disbelieving Andrei's story, has sided with Mazeppa and has had Kochubei placed at Mazeppa's mercy. Under torture, Kochubei has made a false confession and regrets his loss of honor more than the loss of his life. Thinking he hears the priest coming to take his last confession he sees instead Orlik, Mazeppa's henchman and torturer, who demands to know where Kochubei has hidden his treasures. Kochubei tells Orlik that since Mazeppa has stolen his and his daughter's honor, the only treasure left to him is vengeance, which rests with God. This is not enough for Orlik-the tortures begin again. Scene 2 - A terrace of Mazeppa's castle. The same night In a room in his castle, Mazeppa ponders the terrible blow that will befall Maria when she learns what he has done to her father. Orlik arrives. Kochubei has revealed nothing about his treasure as yet. The execution is set for dawn, and Orlik is sent off to resume what needs to be done. Maria arrives and complains of Mazeppa's recent neglect, remaining unconvinced by his avowals that he loves Maria more than he loves glory or power. To placate Maria, Mazeppa confides his revolutionary plans to gain independence for the Ukraine, making himself King and Maria queen. Maria thinks the crown would suit him very well. He then begins testing her loyalties-who does she care for more-her husband or her family? Eventually Maria says she would give up indeed, has given up, everything for him. Mazeppa leaves, reassured. Lyubov arrives, and pleads with Maria to go to Mazeppa to save Kochubei-only she can save him. Maria at first uncomprehending, finally realizes what has happened and, overcome by guilt, falls in a faint. Reviving quickly, she hurries with Lyubov to plead for Kochubei's life. Scene 3 - By the town ramparts The poor of the city have gathered for the execution. A drunken Cossack singing a cheery little folk song, is berated by the crowd, which bows subserviently to Mazeppa when he rides by. Kochubei and Iskra are dragged on as prisoners and pray to God to forgive them. They are dragged to the stocks, the axes are raised and Maria and Lyubov arrive-just in time to see the axes fall. Lyubov rejects Maria, who collapses in tears as the grim fmal chords of the chorus echo over the stage. Act III Orchestral Interlude - The Battle of Poltava - Peter the Great's defeat of Mazeppa and Charles XlI of Sweden Scene 1 - The ruins ofKochubei's estate, near the battlefield In the ruins of Kochubei's estate, now a battlefield, Andrei, thirsting for vengeance, regrets that he has pursued Mazeppa in vain; he has fought in the Battle of Poltava, but was unable to fmd Mazeppa. He wanders around the ruins of the estate, remembering happier times. Horsemen approach and he hides. Mazeppa and Orlik are fleeing the battle, Mazeppa brooding over having once been powerful, but having lost everything in one day, sends Orlik off to prepare camp. Andrei springs out with his sword and challenges Mazeppa to a duel. Mazeppa warns Andrei he is armed. Andrei charges at him, sword waving ... and Mazeppa shoots him. Maria arrives, completely mad. She does not recognize Mazeppa, who tries briefly to bring her to her senses before abandoning her at Orlik's urging to save himself. Alone, Maria comes upon the wounded Andrei. Imagining him to be a sleeping child, she cradles him in her arms and sings him a lullaby. Andrei, coming to, tries in vain to penetrate her delirium, but his eyes fade and he dies with a fmal farewell on his lips, as Maria cradles him in her lap. Meet the Artists Artistic Director George Isaakyan, a graduate of the Moscow State Academy of Theatre, joined the Tchaikovsky Opera and Ballet Theatre of Perm in 1991 as an opera director and was appointed Principal Director of the Perm Opera in 1996. In 2001 he was named Artistic Director of Tchaikovsky Opera and Ballet Theatre of Perm. Since then he has established himself as a highly effective artistic leader, winning a State Prize for his work in conserving the traditional Russian operatic idiom while at the same time bringing to Perm for the first time popular operas by such non-Russian composers as Mozart, Rossini, Verdi, and others. He also achieved recognition for expanding Perm Opera's repertoire into the contemporary field, producing with great success such rarities as Rodion Shchedrin's Lolita. He also produced for the first time in Russia Handel's Baroque masterpiece Alcina, and Monteverdi's Orfeo-a production that prompted the influential Russian journal Kultura (December 2007) to name Isaakyan "Stage Director of the Year" in the Opera Category. In 2003 Mr. Isaakyan founded the international festival "Diaghilev Seasons-Perm-Petersburg-Paris:' In addition to his other honors, Mr. Isaakyan is a recipient of the Fyodor Volkov Award for distinguished contributions to the theatrical arts in Russia. George Isaakyan was born in Yerevan (Armenian Republic) in 1968. Music Director and Principal Conductor Valery PIatonov started his career at The Tchaikovsky Opera and Ballet Theatre of Perm after being graduated from the Ural State Conservatory of Yekaterinburg in 1982. Since then, he has guest conducted in major opera houses all over the former Soviet Union. He has also conducted ballet performances in Germany, the Czech Republic, the United States, Ireland, Switzerland, and the Netherlands. In 1992, he became principal conductor of the Bashkortostan State Opera and Ballet Theatre, conducting productions of Carmen, II Barbiere di Siviglia, La Boheme, The Queen of Spades, Faust, and several operas based on national Bashkir folklore, in addition to a whole range of ballets. He has acted as music director of such opera festivals as "Chaliapin Evenings in UFA, Germany;" "Irina Arkhipova Presents;" and a festival of ballet in memory of Rudolf Nureyev.