The Maid of Orleans
Encyclopedia
The Maid of Orleans is an opera
in 4 acts, 6 scenes, by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
. It was composed during 1878–1879 to a Russian
libretto
by the composer, based on several sources: Friedrich Schiller
’s The Maid of Orleans
as translated by Vasily Zhukovsky
; Jules Barbier
’s Jeanne d’Arc (Joan of Arc
); Auguste Mermet
’s libretto for his own opera; and Henri Wallon
’s biography
of Joan of Arc
. Dedicated to conductor Eduard Nápravník
, this work represents the composer's closest approach to French grand opera
, albeit in the Russian language, notably with its inclusion of a ballet in Act 2.
), 1881, at the Mariinsky Theatre
in Saint Petersburg
, conducted by Eduard Nápravník
. Notable subsequent performances were given on 28 July 1882 in Prague
, the first production of a Tchaikovsky opera outside Russia; in 1899 in Moscow
by the Private Opera Society, conducted by Mikhail Ippolitov-Ivanov
; and in 1907 in Moscow by the Zimin Opera
, conducted by Palitsīn.
Source: www.tchaikovsky-research.net
's The Saracen
, composed in 1896-1898, may be considered a historical sequel to this opera, at least in regard to the period and setting. It revives the characters Charles VII
and Agnès Sorel
, but unlike its predecessor does not include a ballet.
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
in 4 acts, 6 scenes, by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (Russian: Пётр Ильи́ч Чайко́вский ; often "Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky" in English. His names are also transliterated "Piotr" or "Petr"; "Ilitsch", "Il'ich" or "Illyich"; and "Tschaikowski", "Tschaikowsky", "Chajkovskij"...
. It was composed during 1878–1879 to a Russian
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
libretto
Libretto
A libretto is the text used in an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata, or musical. The term "libretto" is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major liturgical works, such as mass, requiem, and sacred cantata, or even the story line of a...
by the composer, based on several sources: Friedrich Schiller
Friedrich Schiller
Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller was a German poet, philosopher, historian, and playwright. During the last seventeen years of his life , Schiller struck up a productive, if complicated, friendship with already famous and influential Johann Wolfgang von Goethe...
’s The Maid of Orleans
The Maid of Orleans (play)
The Maid of Orleans is a tragedy by Friedrich Schiller, written in 1801 in Leipzig. During his lifetime, it was one of Schiller's most frequently-performed pieces.-Plot:...
as translated by Vasily Zhukovsky
Vasily Zhukovsky
Vasily Andreyevich Zhukovsky was the foremost Russian poet of the 1810s and a leading figure in Russian literature in the first half of the 19th century...
; Jules Barbier
Jules Barbier
Paul Jules Barbier was a French poet, writer and opera librettist who often wrote in collaboration with Michel Carré...
’s Jeanne d’Arc (Joan of Arc
Joan of Arc
Saint Joan of Arc, nicknamed "The Maid of Orléans" , is a national heroine of France and a Roman Catholic saint. A peasant girl born in eastern France who claimed divine guidance, she led the French army to several important victories during the Hundred Years' War, which paved the way for the...
); Auguste Mermet
Auguste Mermet
Auguste Mermet was a French opera composer.-Biography:In Mermet's youth, he composed an opéra-comique, La Bannière du roi, which was performed at Versailles. Alexandre Soumet then accepted to transform for him his tragedy about Saul into a libretto of drame lyrique...
’s libretto for his own opera; and Henri Wallon
Henri Wallon
Henri-Alexandre Wallon was a French historian and statesman whose decisive contribution to the creation of the Third Republic led him to be called the "Father of the Republic"...
’s biography
Biography
A biography is a detailed description or account of someone's life. More than a list of basic facts , biography also portrays the subject's experience of those events...
of Joan of Arc
Joan of Arc
Saint Joan of Arc, nicknamed "The Maid of Orléans" , is a national heroine of France and a Roman Catholic saint. A peasant girl born in eastern France who claimed divine guidance, she led the French army to several important victories during the Hundred Years' War, which paved the way for the...
. Dedicated to conductor Eduard Nápravník
Eduard Nápravník
Eduard Francevič Nápravník was a Czech conductor and composer, who settled in Russia and is best known for his leading role in Russian musical life as the principal conductor of the Imperial Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg for many decades...
, this work represents the composer's closest approach to French grand opera
Grand Opera
Grand opera is a genre of 19th-century opera generally in four or five acts, characterised by large-scale casts and orchestras, and lavish and spectacular design and stage effects, normally with plots based on or around dramatic historic events...
, albeit in the Russian language, notably with its inclusion of a ballet in Act 2.
Performance history
The world premiere was given on 25 February (13 February O.S.Old Style and New Style dates
Old Style and New Style are used in English language historical studies either to indicate that the start of the Julian year has been adjusted to start on 1 January even though documents written at the time use a different start of year ; or to indicate that a date conforms to the Julian...
), 1881, at the Mariinsky Theatre
Mariinsky Theatre
The Mariinsky Theatre is a historic theatre of opera and ballet in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Opened in 1860, it became the preeminent music theatre of late 19th century Russia, where many of the stage masterpieces of Tchaikovsky, Mussorgsky, and Rimsky-Korsakov received their premieres. The...
in Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
, conducted by Eduard Nápravník
Eduard Nápravník
Eduard Francevič Nápravník was a Czech conductor and composer, who settled in Russia and is best known for his leading role in Russian musical life as the principal conductor of the Imperial Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg for many decades...
. Notable subsequent performances were given on 28 July 1882 in Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
, the first production of a Tchaikovsky opera outside Russia; in 1899 in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
by the Private Opera Society, conducted by Mikhail Ippolitov-Ivanov
Mikhail Ippolitov-Ivanov
Mikhail Mikhailovich Ippolitov-Ivanov was a Russian composer, conductor and teacher.- Biography :...
; and in 1907 in Moscow by the Zimin Opera
Zimin Opera
The Zimin Opera was founded by the Russian entrepreneur Sergei Zimin in Moscow, Russia in 1903.The company staged the premieres of such operas as Rimsky-Korsakov's Golden Cockerel, Gretchaninoff's Beatris Sister and Ippolitov-Ivanov's Izmena...
, conducted by Palitsīn.
Roles
| Role | Voice type | Premiere cast 25 February (13 February O.S. Old Style and New Style dates Old Style and New Style are used in English language historical studies either to indicate that the start of the Julian year has been adjusted to start on 1 January even though documents written at the time use a different start of year ; or to indicate that a date conforms to the Julian... ), 1881 (Conductor: Eduard Nápravník Eduard Nápravník Eduard Francevič Nápravník was a Czech conductor and composer, who settled in Russia and is best known for his leading role in Russian musical life as the principal conductor of the Imperial Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg for many decades... ) |
|---|---|---|
| King Charles VII Charles VII of France Charles VII , called the Victorious or the Well-Served , was King of France from 1422 to his death, though he was initially opposed by Henry VI of England, whose Regent, the Duke of Bedford, ruled much of France including the capital, Paris... |
tenor Tenor The tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2... |
Mikhail Vasilyev |
| The Archbishop Archbishop An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop... |
bass Bass (voice type) A bass is a type of male singing voice and possesses the lowest vocal range of all voice types. According to The New Grove Dictionary of Opera, a bass is typically classified as having a range extending from around the second E below middle C to the E above middle C... |
Vladimir Mayboroda |
| The Pope Pope The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle... |
tenor Tenor The tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2... |
|
| Dunois, a French knight | baritone Baritone Baritone is a type of male singing voice that lies between the bass and tenor voices. It is the most common male voice. Originally from the Greek , meaning deep sounding, music for this voice is typically written in the range from the second F below middle C to the F above middle C Baritone (or... |
Fyodor Stravinsky Fyodor Stravinsky Fyodor Ignatievich Stravinsky ) was a Russian bass opera singer and actor. He was the father of Igor Stravinsky and the grandfather of Soulima Stravinsky.... |
| Lionel, a Burgundian knight | baritone | Ippolit Pryanishnikov |
| Thibaut d'Arc, Joan's father | bass | Mikhail Koryakin |
| Raymond, Joan's betrothed | tenor | Sokolov |
| Bertrand, a peasant | bass | |
| Soldier | bass | |
| Joan of Arc Joan of Arc Saint Joan of Arc, nicknamed "The Maid of Orléans" , is a national heroine of France and a Roman Catholic saint. A peasant girl born in eastern France who claimed divine guidance, she led the French army to several important victories during the Hundred Years' War, which paved the way for the... |
soprano Soprano A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody... or mezzo-soprano Mezzo-soprano A mezzo-soprano is a type of classical female singing voice whose range lies between the soprano and the contralto singing voices, usually extending from the A below middle C to the A two octaves above... |
Mariya Kamenskaya |
| Agnès Sorel | soprano | Wilhelmina Raab |
| Angel, solo voice in the choir of angels | soprano | |
| Chorus, silent roles: Courtiers and ladies, French and English soldiers, knights, monks, Gypsies, pages, buffoons, dwarfs, minstrels, executioners, people | ||
Instrumentation
Source: www.tchaikovsky-research.net- Strings: Violins I, Violins II, Violas, Cellos, Double Basses
- Woodwinds: Piccolo, 3 Flutes, 2 Oboes, Cor Anglais, 2 Clarinets (B-flat, A, C), 2 Bassoons
- Brass: 4 Horns (F, D, E-flat, E), 2 Cornets (B-flat, A), 2 Trumpets (E-flat, F, E, D, A), 3 Trombones, Tuba
- Percussion: Timpani, Triangle, Tambourine, Side Drum, Bass Drum, Tam-tam, Bell
- Other: Harp, Organ
Act 1
- Chorus of Maidens (No. 1)
- Scena & Terzetto (No. 2)
- Scena (No. 3)
- Chorus of Peasants & Scena (No. 4)
- Scena (No. 5)
- Hymn King of the heavenly host (No. 6)
- Joan's Aria Farewell, you native hills and fields(No. 7)
- Finale (No. 8)
- Joan's Aria & Chorus of Angels (No. 8a)
Act 2
- Entr'acte (No. 9)
- Chorus of Minstrels (No. 10)
- Gypsy Dance (No. 11a)
- Dance of the Pages & Dwarves (No. 11b)
- Dance of the Clowns & Tumblers (No. 11c)
- Scena & Duet (No. 12)
- Agnes's Arioso & Duettino (No. 13)
- Scena & Archbishop's Narration (No. 14)
- Joan's Narration (No. 15)
- Finale (No. 16).
Act 3
Tableau 1 and Tableau 2- Scena & Duet (No. 17)
- March (No. 18)
- Scena & Duettino (No. 19)
- Finale (No. 20)
Act 4
- Introduction & Scena (No. 21)
- Duet & Scena (No. 22)
- Final Scena (No. 23)
Source: www.tchaikovsky-research.net
Related works
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's The Saracen
The Saracen (opera)
The Saracen , is an opera by César Cui composed during 1896-1898. The libretto was written by Vladimir Vasilievich Stasov and the composer, based on a play by Alexandre Dumas entitled Charles VII chez ses grands vassaux...
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Charles VII of France
Charles VII , called the Victorious or the Well-Served , was King of France from 1422 to his death, though he was initially opposed by Henry VI of England, whose Regent, the Duke of Bedford, ruled much of France including the capital, Paris...
and Agnès Sorel
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Agnès Sorel , known by the sobriquet Dame de beauté, was a favourite mistress of King Charles VII of France, for whom she bore three daughters....
, but unlike its predecessor does not include a ballet.
Recordings
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(conductor), Bolshoy Theatre Orchestra and Chorus, Nina Rautio (Joan), Oleg Kulko (King Charles), Mariya Gavrilova (Agnes Sorel), Mikhail Krutikov (Dunois), Vladimir Redkin (Lionel), Gleb Nikolsky (Archbishop), Arkady Mishenkin (Raymond), Maksim Mikhaylov II (Bertrand), Anatoly Babikin (Soldier), Zoya Smolyanikova (Angel), Vyacheslav Pochapsky (Thibaut)