Thursday Opera Matinee - Iolanta
Penny Gore presents Tchaikovsky's one-act opera Iolanta, in a performance given in the Tchaikovsky Concert Hall in Moscow. Plus the 蜜芽传媒 NOW performing music by Bowden.
Penny Gore presents this week's Opera Matinee - Tchaikovsky's one-act opera 'Iolanta', premiered in 1892, in a performance from the Tchaikovsky Concert Hall in Moscow. The opera concerns the blind Princess Iolanta, who doesn't know that she's blind or a princess. Her betrothed, Duke Robert, is in love with someone else and wants to break off the engagement. Things might work in his favour, as his friend Count Vaudemont falls instantly in love with Iolanta the first time he sees her. Plus more from this week's featured orchestra, the 蜜芽传媒 National Orchestra of Wales, and music from a new CD of music by Mark Bowden.
Tchaikovsky: Iolanta
Ren茅, King of Provence ..... Pyotr Mignunov (bass)
Robert, Duke of Burgundy ..... Dmitry Vargin (baritone)
Count Vaud茅mont ..... Victor Antipenko (tenor)
Ibn-Hakia ..... Elchin Azizov (baritone)
Alm茅ric ..... Yaroslav Abaimov (tenor)
Bertrand ..... Nikolai Kazansky (bass)
Iolanta ..... Anastasia Moskvina (soprano)
Marta ..... Svetlana Shilova (contralto)
Brigitta ..... Margarita Ivanova (soprano)
Laura ..... Alexandra Kadurina (mezzo-soprano)
State Chorus of Moscow Region Philharmonic
Russian National Orchestra
Mikhail Pletnev (conductor)
c.3.50pm
Bowden: Lyra, for cello and orchestra
Oliver Coates (cello)
蜜芽传媒 National Orchestra of Wales
Grant Llewellyn (conductor).
Last on
Music Played
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Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Iolanta
Singer: anastasia moskvina. Singer: pyotr mignunov. Conductor: Mikhail Pletnev. -
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Mark Bowden
Lyra
Performer: Oliver Coates. Orchestra: 蜜芽传媒 National Orchestra of Wales. Conductor: Grant Llewellyn. -
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Alexander Glazunov
Ballade in F maj, Op.78
Synopsis
IOLANTA
Iolanta is blind. She lives a secluded life and is treated like a doll. A long time ago her father, King Rene虂, hid her from the world and placed her in the care of simple people, Martha and Bertrand. His greatest concern is for his daughter never to find out she is blind. He also doesn鈥檛 want the news of Iolanta鈥檚 blindness to reach Robert, her future husband. Iolanta is convinced that eyes are only for crying. But she is becoming anxious and has some vague presentiments.
Alme虂ric arrives at Iolanta鈥檚 dwelling, announcing a visit from the King and a famous Moorish physician. The doctor鈥檚 diagnosis is clear: Iolanta must be told of her disability before treatment can begin. Rene虂 says no.
Robert and Vaud茅mont appear at Iolanta鈥檚 house. They are overawed鈥攖he place seems to hide a secret, danger, they feel threatened. They meet Iolanta, not knowing who she is. Robert doesn鈥檛 realize she is his betrothed, whom he doesn鈥檛 want to marry because he loves someone else. Vaud茅mont is enchanted with the girl while Robert is worried by this mysterious place. Enthralled with Iolanta鈥檚 beauty, Vaud茅mont asks her to give him a red rose as a keepsake. Iolanta hands him a white one, twice. Vaud茅mont realizes that she can鈥檛 see. Iolanta has no idea what it means to see, she isn鈥檛 aware what she is missing. King Rene虂 catches Vaud茅mont talking to Iolanta and is furious with him for revealing the secret to her. With no will of her own, Iolanta doesn鈥檛 even know whether she wants to be able to see鈥攕he will do anything her father tells her. This only confirms the doctor鈥檚 words that without an inner desire, no change is possible. To awaken her desire to regain her sight, the King threatens that if the treatment fails Vaud茅mont will be killed. Iolanta is healed and her father consents to her marriage to Vaud茅mont. But regaining her sight doesn鈥檛 bring Iolanta the expected deliverance. Blinded by the world, she can鈥檛 believe that the people she loves look the way they do. Her love for Vaud茅mont and the wedding ceremony subdue her fears.
- See more at: http://www.metopera.org/Discover/Synposes-Archive/Iolanta-Bluebeard-Castle/#sthash.iKM0fZJb.dpufBroadcast
- Thu 27 Apr 2017 14:00蜜芽传媒 Radio 3