The Oprichnik
The Oprichnik, also translated as The Guardsman, is an opera in 4 acts, 5 scenes, by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky to his own libretto after the tragedy The Oprichniks by Ivan Lazhechnikov. The subject of the opera is the oprichniks. It is set in Ivan the Terrible's court during the oprichnina times.
Tchaikovsky worked on the opera from February 1870 - March 1872. It includes music from his early opera The Voyevoda. The work is dedicated to the Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolayevich Romanov. It was given its premiere performance at the Mariinsky Theatre in St Petersburg on 24 April 1874, followed by the Moscow premiere on 16 May 1874 at the Bolshoi Theatre.
Roles
Instrumentation
Source:- Strings: Violins I, Violins II, Violas, Cellos, and Double Basses
- Woodwinds: Piccolo, 2 Flutes, 2 Oboes, 2 Clarinets, 2 bassoons
- Brass: 4 Horns, 2 Trumpets, 3 Trombones, Tuba
- Percussion: Timpani, Triangle, Cymbals, Bass Drum
- Other: Harp
Synopsis
Act 1
Act 2
Entr'acteAct 3
Entr'acteAct 4
Note: The entr'acte to Act II may have been written and scored by Vladimir Shilovsky.Derived works
Arrangements by the composer- Numbers from the opera for voices with piano accompaniment
- Funeral March on Themes from the Opera ''The Oprichnik''
Recordings
- 1948, Alexei Korolyov, Natalya Rozhdestvenskaya, Vsevolod Tyutyunnik, Lyudmila Legostayeva, Dmitri Tarkhov, Zara Dolukhanova, Konstantin Polyaev, Antonina Kleschtschova. Moscow Radio Choir and Orchestra, Aleksander Orlov (conductor). Melodiya, reissued Pristine Classics
- 1980, Evgeny Vladimirov, Tamara Milashkina, Vladimir Matorin, Larisa Nikitina, Lev Kuznetsov, Raisa Kotova, Oleg Klyonov, Nina Derbina. Chorus and Orchestra of the Central Television and Radio of the USSR, Gennady Provatorov. Aquarius.
- 2003, Vassily Savenko, Elena Lassoskaya, Dmitri Ulyanov, Irina Dolzhenko, Vsevolod Grivnov, Alexandra Durseneva, Vladimir Ognovienko, Cinzia de Mola. Orchestra e Coro del Teatro Lirico di Cagliari, Gennady Rozhdestvensky. Dynamic, reissued Brilliant.