Opera "Ivan Susanin" (Life for the Tsar): content, video, interesting facts

M.I. Glinka opera "Ivan Susanin" (Life for the Tsar)

“Life for the Tsar” or, as it is also called, “Ivan Susanin” deserves recognition of the first Russian national opera. It became the property of Russian art on a global scale, it is the first Russian opera that has received recognition all over the world. Despite the fact that several operas were written before "Ivan Susanin", they did not gain popularity. Perhaps because the composers who composed them were not such great artists as Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka. The action of the opera takes place around the feat of Ivan Susanin, and the work was unexpectedly successful because of the wonderful music, with the content of folk melodies, vivid heroes and national costumes.

Summary of the opera Glinka "Ivan Susanin"and many interesting facts about this work read on our page.

Summary of "Ivan Susanin"

Not far from the Kostroma region, home to the village of Domnino, returning to the young war, the victorious Polish army invaded the territory of Russia. Joyful peasants arrange a solemn meeting. Antonida’s fiancé, Bogdan Sobinin, was also among those defending his homeland. But Ivan Susanin, the father of Antonida, says that the enemies retreated only for a while, and now it is necessary to prepare for the next battle. Susanin decided that there would be no wedding celebration while the Poles trample their homelands. Finally, Sobinin arrives and brings a welcome news: Minin, the legendary national hero, was put in charge of the entire militia. All people believe in him! Susanin, delighted with this message, allows her to play the wedding to her lovers.

Polish King Sigismund the Third organizes a ball, where he treats his friends to a great feast. Sea of ​​wine, beautiful music and dancing girls, which occupy the attention of guests. Despite the fact that they have not yet won, the Polish gentry still rejoices at the success of the army in the Russian lands. Suddenly a messenger appears with bad news: Minin was put in charge of the militia, and he begins to fight against the Poles. The celebration ceases, and the king says to his wars that he needs a Russian leader to be dead or alive.

The wedding ceremony for Susanin’s daughter and Bohdan’s militia is being prepared at the bride’s father’s house. Susanin shares with his adoptive son Vanya the news that Minin’s camp is not far in the Ipatiyevsky temple, and armed wars join him. During the wedding celebration, the Poles enter the house and force Susanin to show them the secret place where Minin gathers like-minded people. Susanin pretends to be subordinate to them, and he comes up with a plan on how to save the leader with the Russian army. An idea quickly comes to him: he will lead the enemies into the forest, and they definitely cannot get out of there themselves. In the meantime, Vanya runs to Minin to inform him that the enemies are not far away, and it is necessary to seek a new refuge to collect the army.

Sobinin, along with the detachment runs to catch up with the aliens. Russian wars are ready to defeat the army of enemies, and they want to save Ivan Susanin. Minin and his people also meet the Poles.

Already in the forest more often, Ivan ceases to mislead the enemies and informs them that he has confused them, and now they will die here. He is ready to accept death, and begins to say goodbye to everything that is dear to him. Poles in a rage kill the Russian who has confused them. The wars led by Sobinin do not have time to save Ivan Susanin, but they won a victory over the Poles. All the people sadly recalls this brave feat.

In Moscow, in front of the Kremlin on the square, there is a victorious celebration of the Russian army, which liberated the Motherland from the Poles. Orphaned family: son Vanya, daughter Antonida and her fiance Sobinin, too, on the square. Bells begin ringing and honoring the memory of Ivan Susanin.

A photo:

Interesting Facts

• It was the opera "Life for the Tsar" that brought M.I. Glinka world fame. He became the first Russian composer who was able to reach such heights.
• The original name of the opera was "Ivan Susanin", but a few days before the premiere, Mikhail Ivanovich renamed it. “Life for the Tsar” - such a new name was given to the work, it was invented by the poet Nestor Kukolnik. Interestingly, there was another version of the name - "Death for the king."
• During the premiere of the opera "Life for the Tsar" Tsar Nicholas I was among the audience. After the performance, he presented Mikhail Ivanovich a ring of diamonds, showing by this gesture that he greatly liked the piece.
• There are two variants of the libretto of the musical drama Glinka. The first is Baron Egor Rosen, the second is by Sergey Gorodetsky, whose editorial board was used in the USSR.
• The composer harmoniously combined in his work European opera and symphonic norms with Russian choral interpretations.
• Bandmaster Katerino Kavos, who was the first composer to write an opera for high-profile events of 1612, recognized the version of Glinka’s opera better than his own. And even removed his statement from the stage of the theater.
• Despite the overwhelming public reaction to the premiere of Life for the Tsar, the second opera Glinka "Ruslan and Lyudmila" crashed. Emperor accentuated out of the room, without seeing the production to the end.

• The idea of ​​using the history of Ivan Susanin for the opera belongs to Vasily Zhukovsky, a good friend of Mikhail Ivanovich. He also advised the composer to write about this feat of the Russian peasant.
• Vladimir Lenin at one time said that in Russian literature, before the works of L. Tolstoy, there is no true peasant described anywhere. Musicologists say the same about Ivan Susanin, that before Glinka in Russian music one cannot find an image of a real man.
• The opera “Life for the Tsar” was so flawless for that time that even music critics could not find any flaws in it.
• There was a post-revolutionary attempt to carry out a strange idea of ​​replacing the opera storyline with the Soviet realities of 1917. In the first edition, the temporary era was transferred from the 17th century to the era of the red-white revolution. Ivan Susanin appeared before the public as an advanced peasant who was wholeheartedly for the Soviet homeland. The adopted son Vanya became a Komsomol member. Interestingly, the Polish enemies survived, as at the end of the 10s military operations were under way with Poland. The anthem in the final "Glory, glorify, you are my Russia" turned into "Glory, Glory, the Soviet system". But the audience didn’t like this variation of the opera, so this edition didn’t have any popularity.
• On the same day, two operas by M.I. were staged at the same place with only a difference of 6 years. Glinka. (Petersburg Bolshoi Theater, operas "Life for the Tsar" and "Ruslan and Lyudmila" at 11/27/1836 and 11/27/1842 according to the new timekeeping).

• Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka had two favorite pupils Osip Petrov and Anna Vorobyeva (in the future, she became Petrova-Vorobyova). Susanin's part was composed under Osip, and Vanya's part under Anna, which is why this role was written for the low rare female voice - the contralto.
• Glinka made an original wedding gift for his student Anna, he expanded the role of Susanin’s adopted son, adding a big stage when Vanya reaches the walls of the monastery to warn Minin about the danger. And the opera has already been written and rehearsed. Later, this scene was one of the most memorable.
• A contemporary and familiar of Glinka, Prince Odoyevsky, said that initially the composer wanted to write an oratorio rather than an opera on the plot line of Ivan Susanin.

Popular arias and numbers from the opera "Ivan Susanin"

Cavatina and Rondo Antonida from 1 action "Oh, field, you are mine" (listen)

Vanya's song from 3 actions "How the mother was killed ..." (listen)

Romance Antonida from 3 actions "Not that I grieve my friends" (listen)

Scene of Susanin with the Poles from 3 actions "Great and holy is our native land" (listen)

Recitative and aria of Vanya from 4 actions "Poor horse" (listen)

Final Choir "Hail" (listen)

Music

Domestic heroic and tragic work - M.I. gave this characteristic to his opera. Glinka. The Russian people in this work occupy far from the last place, Glinka made this massive image active in the historical events of the mentioned opera. Due to this decision, the performance turned out to be epic in scope, since it contains massive choral scenes. Individual heroes and their fates are represented by an unbreakable bond with the fate of the motherland. Massive musical illustrations of the life of Russian people, their way of life, and the natural beauties of their homeland are perfectly intertwined in the work, revealing the many-sided characters of the characters.

Opera dramaturgy and musical numbers in the opera turned out to be genuine and innovative, which served as the beginning of the creation of a new opera genre - the folk musical drama. Not all court society could accept and understand the image of the main character Ivan Susanin, and the music that personified him. The composer’s intention was to combine Russian melodies and songs with European harmonies and compositions. Far from all musicians were able to perceive such an all at once, but no one denied the significance of this work.

History of creation

It is worth noting that the first written opera "Ivan Susanin" belongs to Catherine Kavos. The premiere of the production was shown in 1815. The libretto was composed by Alexander Shakhovsky. The work turned out "ABOUTpen comedian"is the French style, where the musical and recitative parts occupy the same number of seats in the work. At the end of the Kavos version, Ivan Susanin remains alive.

In fact, in the history of the creation of the opera "Ivan Susanin" there are many contradictions and entanglements. But judging by the facts, it turns out the following ... When Mikhail Ivanovich made a trip to the Italian and German cities, his thoughts were periodically taken up with the idea of ​​creating a musical work in which the national spirit would be present. It was these ideas that prompted the composer to start working on opera. During his trip abroad and studying there, he said that everything he composed for the Milan plays was alien to him, and he felt some insincerity in his Italian work. And all these thoughts and sensations inspired him to write Russian music.

Originally when Glinka he returned to Russia, he wanted to write an opera based on Vasily Zhukovsky’s work “Marina Grove”, but rather quickly changed his mind, and in the end, the opera “Life for the Tsar” came out. By the way, Vasily Zhukovsky threw the idea of ​​a historical opera to Mikhail Ivanovich.

Creation of the work went quickly. In just 1.5 years, the opera was ready (1835–1836). "Life for the king" consists of four actions (or seven pictures) with a final epilogue. The libretto of that time was written by Baron George Rosen, despite the fact that he had a poor command of Russian. Later used in productions editorial libretto, written by S. Gorodetsky. When the work was completed and rehearsed, Mikhail Ivanovich expressed a desire to dedicate the opera to Nicholas I. This dedication went very well! Simultaneously with this event, the name was changed from "Ivan Susanin" to "Life for the Tsar".

Productions

1836 - this year became significant for Russian vocal art. This year the first production of the opera "Life for the Tsar" took place. November 27 (new calendar), St. Petersburg was able to evaluate the first Russian opera at the Bolshoi Theater of the city. The first performers were such opera singers as: Maria Stepanova, Lev Leonov, Osip Petrov and Anna Vorobyova, the first conductor - Katerino Kavos.

The revolution of 1917 passed, in the USSR the musical drama was not staged for a long time. They wanted to change the libretto, adjust it to the history of the revolution, but did not understand the success of such an option. Subsequently, the poet Sergei Gorodetsky saved this sad situation by rewriting the libretto of George Rosen in the “Soviet” way. In 1939, a new production took place, the conductor was Samuel Samosud, and the director was Boris Mordvinov.
An annual tradition has appeared in the Bolshoi Theater since 1945 - the opera production "Ivan Susanin" opened the season for a very long time. The part of Ivan Susanin was performed by such great bass as: Maxim Mikhailov, Ivan Petrov, Alexander Vedernikov and Evgeny Nesterenko.
On the Russian scenes, opera was and is still popular. There were attempts to put the opera on the original libretto, but such productions did not take root.

The most famous production of "Ivan Susanin" abroad was at the Teatro alla Scala (city of Milan). Fyodor Chaliapin in the role of Ivan Susanin conquered the Italian audience.

Opera "Life for the king"- truly a great work that deserves all the praise and admiration mentioned about it. It is a humanistic, truly Russian and patriotic work Glinka made Ivan Susanin very famous in our country, and, thanks to the opera, his image became immortal.