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Cherevichki

Черевички

Opera in 4 acts and 8 scenes (1885).

Contents

The titles, numbering and tempo markings are taken from the first edition of the full score, published in 1885. Act 2 is divided into two scenes. The titles of numbers in Russian (Cyrillic) are taken from the published score, with English translations added in bold type. Vocal incipits are given in the right-hand column, with transliterations below in italics.

History

The composer revised the Vakula the Smith while at Maidanovo in 1885, carrying out an intention of long standing. The revision was mentioned in correspondence for the first time on 28 April/10 May 1884, when Tchaikovsky wrote to Petr Jurgenson: "I will certainly revise Vakula the Smith. I am thoroughly convinced that it is worth doing. I will complete the revision this coming winter, and will attempt to have it staged in the 1885/86 season" [1].

Tchaikovsky told Nadezhda von Meck, Petr Jurgenson and Modest Tchaikovsky about the intended changes to Vakula the Smith [2]. In a letter to Nadezhda von Meck dated 24 November/6 December, Tchaikovsky wrote: "I am rather busy in the mornings, namely I am contemplating changes which I intend to introduce to my opera "Vakula the Smith. This is one of my favourite creations—but I am not blind to the fundamental shortcomings which afflict the opera and prevent it from remaining in the repertoire. I want to spend a few months removing those shortcomings, so that the opera can be staged the next season in Moscow" [3] .

During a sojourn in Paris in the winter of 1885, Tchaikovsky, in his words, "managed here to plan all the major changes to Vakula" [4] . In fact he commenced working on the revision to the opera in mid/late February, while settled at Maidanovo: "I started my work on Vakula with a fervent, fiery zeal" [5]. On 20 February/4 March 1885 Tchaikovsky reported: "I have written completely new scenes; everything that was bad I have discarded, everything that was good I have retained, simplifying unwieldy and overbearing harmonies—in a word I have done everything required to rescue the opera from the oblivion that it certainly did not deserve" [6]. And in the same letter he wrote that in a few days he would set to work on orchestration of all the newly-written sections.

On 4/16 March 1885 in a letter to his brother Modest, Tchaikovsky reported: "My work is not progressing speedily enough, but how happy it makes me! How pleased I am to think that my Vakula shall re-emerge from oblivion". And the composer asked Modest to devise a new name for the opera: "I do not want either Vakula the Smith, or Christmas Eve, or The Empress’s Shoes—it must be something else" [7]. The opera was entitled Cherevichki: "I intend to change the title because there are other Vakula the Smiths..." [8]. All the changes to the opera "Vakula the Smith were finished by 23 March/4 April [9].

In April the opera was accepted for staging in Moscow [10]. On 22 April/4 May the opera was considered at a management meeting in the theatre, and on 1/13–2/15 May Tchaikovsky was tidying up the libretto, "which before it goes to press I must show it to Iakov Polonskii (author of the original libretto)" [11]. On 2/14 Tchaikovsky wrote that he had sent the libretto with all the additions he had made to Petr Jurgenson for publishing [12].

In 1885 Petr Jurgenson published the piano score of the opera [13] and the orchestral parts; the full score of the opera was only printed in 1898 [14]. Aleksandra Hubert assisted Tchaikovsky with proof-reading and the piano arrangement of some numbers [15]. The third set of proofs, it seems, were checked by Tchaikovsky alone. On 8/20 July 1885 he wrote to Sergei Taneev: "... I am overwhelmed with proofs of the opera" [16].

Despite the directorate's promise, the staging of Cherevichki did not take place in the 1885/86 season, owing to the prolonged illness of Ippolit Al'tani and Tchaikovsky’s reluctance to engage another, less experienced conductor. An offer by the author to conduct the opera by himself, received a sympathetic reaction in the theatre; nevertheless, due to apparent constraints of the repertoire, the premiere was rescheduled for the next season [17].

The first performance of Cherevichki took place on 19/31 January 1887 in Moscow at the Bol'shoi Theatre. The composer himself conducted the first three performances. This was the start of Tchaikovsky's career as a conductor. On 4/16 December 1886 he wrote to Modest Tchaikovsky: "Today… an event of great significance for me has occurred. I conducted at the first orchestral rehearsal, and in such a way that (if this isn't just boasting) surprised everyone, because everyone expected that I would disgrace myself … Now I know that I can conduct" [18]. After the premiere Tchaikovsky described his debut: "At the appointed time I felt semi-conscious. When the fateful moment came, I walked to the podium like an automaton. Deafening applause broke out, wreathes were handed down from the stage, and the orchestra played a flourish. At once I began to feel relaxed. I began the overture very confidently, and as time went on I became calmer and calmer… The unanimous view is that I am a talented conductor" [19] . After 6/18 March 1888 the opera Cherevichki was not staged during the Tchaikovsky’s lifetime. On 1/13 December 1891 Tchaikovsky conducted its overture at a charity concert in Saint Petersburg.

The revision of Vakula the Smith introduced the following major changes into the opera: the scene and duet of Vakula and Oksana (No. 6) were expanded, and the final scene of Act I (No. 7) was written anew; the Schoolteacher's Song and the quintet in the act 2 were newly composed, as were Vakula's Song (an additional aria) and His Highness's couplets in Act III. Besides this, the composer introduced a number of changes to the recitatives. In many recitative episodes, developed orchestral parts were replaced by a simple chordal accompaniment, which significantly simplified the orchestral texture. In the overture one bar was added before the recapitulation, and the harmony was changed slightly. After the new score had already been compiled, apparently during rehearsals, Tchaikovsky altered the instrumentation in Oksana's aria, as well as the beginning of the vocal part [20].

Responding to the enquiry by Petr Jurgenson regarding the possibility of selling individual numbers from Vakula the Smith [21], Tchaikovsky replied: "Vakula the Smith should have been destroyed a long time ago. One can certainly sell individual numbers, but only a few of them remain unchanged:

1. In the 2nd act—the entr'acte and 4th scene (I refer to the Vakula numbering, not that of Cherevichki).
2. In the 3rd act—the entr'acte and rusalkas' chorus.
3. In the 3rd act—the Polonaise and Minuet, both dance numbers
4. The duet of Oksana and Solokha ("Some say he has drowned", etc).

From: Музыкальное наследие Чайковского (1958), pp. 70–73
English text copyright © 2008 Alexander Geidelberg

Notes

1. Letter 2480 to Petr Jurgenson, 28 April/10 May 1884 [back]
2. See letter 2605 to Nadezhda von Meck, 24 November/6 December 1884; letter 2504 to Petr Jurgenson, 12/24–13/25 June 1884; letter 2617 to Modest Tchaikovsky, 3/15 December 1884 [back]
3. Letter 2605 to Nadezhda von Meck, 24 November/6 December 1884 [back]
4. Letter 2617 to Modest Tchaikovsky, 3/15 December 1884 [back]
5. Letter 2657 to Nadezhda von Meck, 16/28 February 1885 [back]
6. Letter 2661 to Emiliia Pavlovskaia, 20 February/4 March 1885 [back]
7. Letter 2666 to Modest Tchaikovsky, 4/16 March 1885 [back]
8. Letter 2672 to Emiliia Pavlovskaia, 14/26 March 1885 [back]
9. See date on the autograph full score, and letter 2678 to Nadezhda von Meck, 3/15–9/21 April 1885 [back]
10. See letter 2693 to Lev Davydov, 26 April/8 May 1885 [back]
11. Letter 2701 to Nadezhda von Meck, 30 April/12 May 1885 [back]
12. See letter 2703 to Petr Jurgenson, 2/14 May 1885 [back]
13. Passed by the censor on 14/26 June 1885 [back]
14. Passed by the censor on 23 March/4 April 1898. The piano score of the opera Cherevichki, was republished in 1901, 1917 and 1940 using the same plates, but with slight retouchings to the titles of the numbers [back]
15. See letter 2674 (16/28 March 1885), letter 2692 (–23 April/5 May 1885), letter 2720 (11/23 June 1885), and letter 2847a (undated) to Aleksandra Hubert [back]
16. Letter 2733 to Sergei Taneev, 8/20 July 1885 [back]
17. See letters 2772 to Nadezhda von Meck, 22 September/4 October 1885; letter 2833 to Nadezhda von Meck, 11/23 December 1885; letter 2813 to Modest Tchaikovsky, 19 November/1 December 1885; and Chapter 1 of Tchaikovsky's Autobiographical Account of a Tour Abroad in the Year 1888 [back]
18. Letter 3115 to Modest Tchaikovsky, 4/16 December 1886 [back]
19. Letter 3155 to Praskov'ia Tchaikovskaia, 22 January/3 February 1887 [back]
20. Until 1940 this version of the orchestration remained unknown and unperformed [back]
21. See letter from Petr Jurgenson to Tchaikovsky, 30 June/12 August 1890 — Klin House-Museum Archive [back]
22. Letter 4163 to Petr Jurgenson, 2/14 July 1890 [back]
23. See Двести шестнадцать украивских напевов записал и издал А. И. Рубец (Moscow: P. Jurgenson, 1872) [back]
24. Letter 4163 to Petr Jurgenson, 2/14 July 1890 [back]