COMEDY AND TRAGEDY
|
Большо́й теа́тр - Bolshoi Theater |
One
of our main reasons, aside from a little sightseeing, in going to
Moscow and St. Petersburg was to attend some musical performances at
two of Russia's best known theaters, The Bolshoi Большо́й теа́тр in Moscow and
The Mariinsky Мариинский театр in St Petersburg. Both theaters present operas
but are best know for their superb ballet performances. We had the
chance to see some of both at these houses and at other smaller
theaters in both cities.
________________________________________________________________________________
оперетта - OPERETTA
|
оперетта (operetta) |
|
for Grand Cancan |
Just
around the corner from our hotel on Kuznetsy Most there was a music
hall in an ordinary building that was distinguished as a theater by a
large vertical sign on the side of the building that read, simply
оперетта
(operetta)
and a large marquee over the entrance that read Анна
Каренина
(Anna
Karenina).
The show that we attended, however, was not Anna
Karenina,
based on a tragic story of adultery and suicide by Tolstoy, but a
lighthearted grab bag of vaudeville sketches,
music,
dance, songs, acrobatics and comedy that was called Grand
Cancan.
It was somewhat reminiscent of turn of 20th
Century Paris at the height of the Belle
Époque. The
operetta was great fun. It was wonderfully relaxing and entertaining
being back in the theater after two or more years absence with a
lively and enchanting show and professional performances by the
talented cast.
|
the cast of Grand Cancan taking their bows |
__________________________________________________________________________________
Большо́й теа́тр - BOLSHOI THEATER
|
Orchestra and stage of the Bolshoi Theater |
|
chandelier Bolshoi Theater |
A
trip to Moscow would not be complete without attending a performance
or two at
Большо́й
теа́тр
(Bolshoi Theater)--Big Theater. There were no ballets, for which the
Bolshoi is world famous, while we were in Moscow. We attended a
performance of the Russian opera Boris
Godunov by
Modest Mussorgsky. The subject of the opera is the Russian ruler
Boris Godunov who reigned as Tsar during the Time of Troubles from
1598 to 1605.
The opera
was enjoyable. With a prologue and four acts, it is a bit long but
fast paced with three intermissions. There is a certain darkness in
many Russian operas and Boris
Godunov
is no exception. The music was heavy but appropriate for the theme
and most of the singers were excellent. The performance had an almost
Shakespearean feel, especially the histories, but with music. The
bass (Dmitry Ulyanov) who played the title role was excellent both in
voice and acting. The story is about a guilt ridden boyar (noble),
Boris Godunov, who reluctantly became Tsar during Russia's Time of
Troubles and was accused of having usurped the throne by murdering
Ivan the Terrible's son, the Tsarovitch Dmitry.
|
for Boris Godunov |
|
matching clothes and curtains |
|
Dmitri Ulyanov as Boris Godunov |
|
the cast of Boris Godunov taking their bows |
All
in all it was an interesting contrast between the light operetta
Grand Cancan and the heaviness of the Boris Godunov
tragedy in which Godunov, in a very dramatic scene, dies in Act Four.
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MOSCOW BY NIGHT
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