The Americans (opera)

Main article: History of music in Russia

Americans is a Russian opera by one of the most talented Russian composers of the 18th century, Evstigney Fomin, written in 1788.

Fomin and his famous co-author - Ivan Krylov, who composed the libretto - tried to give the opera genre urgency using the most bizarre subjects. The plot of the opera "Americans" is that the Spanish grand don Guzman and his servant Folet, who arrived with the conquistadors in the New World to conquer the Indians, fall in love with the chief's daughters. And that, in turn, conquers Guzman's sister Elvira. After numerous adventures, the three couples travel safely to Europe. But in the course of the action, Fomin and Krylov emphasize the motive of the struggle for freedom. The censorship considered the remarks like "We are not the death of this people, but we need one freedom" inappropriate after the recent Pugachev uprising. The opera was staged only 12 years after it was written, in 1800, shortly before the death of the composer, with the text edited and revised by A. I. Klushin. But even then I had to remove the "dangerous" accents.

Actors

• Don Guzman, Spanish grandee and military commander ― bass
• Donna Elvira, his sister
• Folet, the newly settled Spaniard
• Atz, Chief of the Americans
• His sisters: Tzimara, mistress of Guzman and Soreta, mistress of Folet
• Ferdinand, subordinate of Guzman
• Spanish Warriors, American Warriors

The action takes place in America in the first half of the 16th century.

Plot

Don Guzman and his servant Folet arrive in the New World. But taking on the conquest of the Indians, they face unforeseen circumstances: the master and servant fall in love with the daughters of Acem, the chief of the Native American tribe. The leader himself falls victim to the charms of Don Guzman's sister, Donna Elvira. In the opera's finale, the three happy couples leave North America for Europe.

Statements

1800

After three performances in 1800, the opera was removed from the repertoire and forgotten. Her score was in the archive of the Russian Musical Society and only in the early 1980s was discovered by the conductor of the Bolshoi Theater Vladimir Andropov.

Title page of the opera clavier, 1895 edition

Records

In 1988, on the 200th anniversary of the creation of "Americans," conductor Bolshoi Theater Vladimir Andropov recorded an opera with the participation of an orchestra and famous soloists of the theater: Lydia Kovaleva, Vladislav Verestnikov, Lyudmila Nam. And for traditional for musical performances of the XVIII century, spoken scenes invited dramatic artists. In particular, the servant of Folet is performed by Armen Dzhigarkhanyan. The recording of "Americans" was made on a vinyl record, and in 2002 ― reissued on CD.

A1. Overture

Action One

A2. Introduction A3. Kawatina Soreta B1. Recitative and Aria Foleta B2. Aria of Tsimara C1. Aria Acema C2. Aria Elvira C3. Aria Foleta D1. Quintet D2. Duet D3. Aria Guzmán E. Final

Action Two

F1. Aria Elvira F2. Chorus F3. Chorus of Americans G1. Aria Foleta G2. Blows H1. Aria of Tsimara H2. Final

The following worked on the release:

• Mezzo-soprano [ Soreta] - Lyudmila Nam
• Soprano [Doña Elvira] - Lyudmila Sergienko
• Soprano [Tzimara] - Lydia Kovaleva
• Tenor [Don Gusman] - Lev Kuznetsov
• Bariton [Atzem] - Vladimir Verestnikov
• Bass [Folet] - Georgy Seleznev
• Choir - USSR Russian Chorus, director Igor Agafonnikov
• Orchestra - Bolshoi Theatre Chamber Orchestra. Conductor - Vladimir Andropov

Шаблон:XVIII Century Music CD