Cherevichki
Черевички
Opera in 4 acts and 8 scenes (1885).
| Catalogue References |
TH 8 ; ČW 8 (as "Cherevichki ("Fancy
Slippers")) |
| Date |
February–March 1885 (a revision of Vakula the Smith) |
| Libretto |
Iakov Petrovich Polonskii
(1819–1898), with additions and revisions by the composer and Nikolai
Aleksandrovich Chaev (1824–1914), after the tale Christmas Eve
(Ночь перед Рождеством) by Nikolai Vasil'evich Gogol (1809–1852), the
second story in the collection Evenings on a Farm Near Dikanka
(Вечера на хуторе близ Диканьки) (1831–32) |
| Language |
Russian |
| Tempo/Section Listing |
4 acts, 8 scenes (see below) |
| Performers |
Vakula (Вакула)—tenor Solokha (Солоха)—mezzo-soprano Chub (Чуб)—1st bass Oksana (Оксана)—soprano Devil
(Бес)—1st bass Schoolmaster (Школьный учитель)—tenor Pan Golova
(Пан Голова)—2nd bass Panas (Панас)—2nd tenor His Highness
(Светлейший)—2nd bass Master of Ceremonies (Церемониймейстер)—2nd
bass Attendant (Дежурный)—2nd tenor Old Cossack (Старый
запорожец)—2nd bass Wood Goblin (Голос лешего)—2nd bass |
| Instrumentation |
Solo voices, Chorus (SATB) + Piccolo, 2 Flutes, 2 Oboes, 2 Clarinets
(B♭, A, C), 2 Bassoons + 4 Horns (F),
2 Trumpets (F, E), 3 Trombones, Tuba + Timpani, Triangle, Tambourine,
Cymbals, Bass Drum + Harp, Violins I, Violins II, Violas, Cellos, Double
Basses + Wind Band (offstage) |
| Arrangements |
Some numbers were also arranged for voices with piano or for piano
duet (4 hands) by Tchaikovsky, 1885 |
| First Performance |
Moscow, Bol'shoi
Theatre, 19/31 January 1887, conducted by Tchaikovsky |
| Autograph Location |
Moscow (Russia): Glinka State Central Museum of Musical Culture (ф. 88, Nos.
46–47) — full and vocal scores Saint Petersburg
(Russia):
Library of the N. A. Rimskii-Korsakov State Conservatory (parts for offstage
band) |
| First Publication |
Moscow: P. Jurgenson, 1885
(vocal score), 1898 (full score) |
| Average Duration |
180 minutes |
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.
| |
Overture (Увертюра)
Andante con moto—Allegro giusto |
|
| ACT I |
Scene 1 |
No. 1 |
Scene (Сцена)
Allegro moderato |
Ой, как светит месяц ясный Oi, kak svetit mesiats iasnyi |
Duet: Solokha with the Devil (Дуэт: Солоха
с Бесом)
Allegro vivo |
Оседлаю помело Osedlaiu pomelo |
| No. 2 |
Snowstorm (Выюга) Allegro vivo—Moderato |
Зх раззадорила, растор мошила Ekh razzadorila, rastormoshila |
| Scene 2 |
No. 3 |
Oksana's Aria (Ария Оксаны) Moderato assai—Andante |
Ишь ты, какая вьюга! Ish' ty, kakaia vyiuga! |
| No. 4 |
Scene (Сцена)
Moderato |
Не может наглядется на себя Ne mozhet nagliadetsia na sebia |
Vakula's Arioso (Ариозо Вакулы) Moderato assai |
О, что мне мать, что мне отец! O, chto mne mat', chto mne otets! |
| No. 5 |
Scene (Сцена)
Allegro |
Вишь какой! Vish' kakoi! |
| No. 6 |
Scene (Сцена)
Allegro molto |
Что тут за гвалт? Chto tut za gvalt? |
Duet (Дуэт)
Allegro ma non troppo e un poco rubato |
То ли дело другой! To li delo drugoi! |
| No. 7 |
Closing Scene (Заключительная сцена)
Allegro moderato |
Эх, кабы люди да умнее были Ekh, kaby liudi da umnee byli |
| ACT II |
Scene 3 |
|
Entr'acte (Антракт)
Allegro moderato |
|
| No. 8 |
Scene: Solokha with the Devil (Сцена: Солоха
с Бесом) L'istesso tempo |
Вихрем веник унесло Vikhrem venik uneslo |
| No. 9 |
Scene: Solokha with the Mayor (Сцена: Солоха
с Головой) Moderato assai |
Вот это снег! Vot eto sneg! |
| No. 10 |
Scene: Solokha with the Schoolmaster (Сцена: Солоха с Школьным учителем) Moderato |
Нет, никого?! Net, nikogo?! |
Schoolmaster's Song (Песенка Школьного учителя) Allegro moderato—Andantino con moto |
Баба к бесу привязалась Baba k besu priviazalas' |
|
No. 11
|
Scene: Solokha with Chub (Сцена: Солоха с Чубом) Moderato |
Здорово! Ах, мой миленький Zdorovo! Akh, moi milen'kii |
Quintet (Квинтет) Andante non troppo |
О люте, люте мне, Солоха! O liute, liute mne, Solokha! |
| No. 12 |
Vakula's Arioso (Ариозо Вакулы) Andante |
Вот уже год прешëл и снова Vot uzhe god preshël i snova |
| Scene 4 |
No. 13 |
Chorus Scene (Сцена хора) Andante non troppo |
Выросла у тына красная калина Vyrosla i tyna krasnaia kalina |
| No. 14 |
Scene (Сцена)
Moderato |
Что, Оксана, ты замешкалась? Chto, Oksana, ty zameshkalas'? |
Cherevichki Song (Песнь о черевичках) Allegro giusto |
Черевички, невелички Cherevichki, nevelichki |
| No. 15 |
Finale (Финал)
Allegro moderato |
А! Вакула! A! Vakula! |
| ACT III |
Scene 5 |
|
Entr'acte (Антракт)
Andante non tanto |
|
| No. 16 |
Chorus of Rusalkas (Хор русалок) Allegro moderato |
Темно нам, темно темнешëнко Temno nam, temno temeshënko |
| No. 17 |
Scene (Сцена)
Moderato |
Куда это забрëл я?! Kuda eto zabrël ia?! |
Vakula's Song (Песня Вакулы) Andante |
Слышит ли, девица, сердце твоë Slyshit li, devitsa, serdtse tvoë |
| Scene 6 |
No. 18 |
Scene (Сцена)
Allegro moderato |
Приехали! Priekhali! |
| Scene 7 |
No. 19 |
Polonaise (Польский) Tempo di Polacca. Molto maestoso |
Не в рай ли я перенесен! Ne v rai li ia perenesen! |
| No. 20 |
His Highness's Couplets (Куплеты Светлейшего) Andante—Allegro moderato |
Пока не началися танцы Poka ne nachilisia tantsy |
| No. 21 |
Minuet and Scene (Менуэт и сцена) Tempo di Menuetto |
Благополучно ли вы совершили путь? Blagopoluchno li vy sovershili put'? |
| No. 22a |
Russian Dance (Русская пляска) Allegro comodo |
|
| No. 22b |
Cossack Dance (Пляска запорожцев) Andante—Allegro molto |
|
| No. 23 |
Scene (Сцена)
Andante non troppo |
Сейчас начнëтся домашнем Seichas nachnëtsia domashnem |
| ACT IV |
Scene 8 |
No. 24 |
Duet: Oksana and Solokha (Дуэт: Оксана с Солоха)
Moderato |
Кто говориту-то пился! Kto govoroitu-to pilsia! |
| No. 25 |
Finale (Финал)
Allegro moderato—Allegro non troppo e molto maestoso |
К нам милости просим K nam milosti prosim |
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:
- In the 2nd act—the entr'acte and 4th scene (I refer to the Vakula numbering, not that of Cherevichki).
- In the 3rd act—the entr'acte and rusalkas' chorus.
- In the 3rd act—the Polonaise and Minuet, both dance numbers
- The duet of Oksana and Solokha ("Some say he has drowned", etc).
That is it. All other numbers, including the overture, have been changed" [22].
At the request of Dmitrii Usatov, who sang the part of Vakula, Tchaikovsky wrote
an additional song for Vakula in the first scene of the third act to words by
the poet Nikolai Chaev. The composer based this on a folk song "Oh, do not frighten
me" («Ой, не пугай, пугаченьку»), taken from A. Rubets'
collection of Ukrainian folk songs (part 1, No. 1) [23].
The composer's love for Vakula the Smith
extended also to Cherevichki as well. "I certainly believe in the future
of Cherevichki as a repertoire opera", Tchaikovsky wrote, "and in terms
of music I regard it as among the best of my operas" [24].
From:
Музыкальное наследие Чайковского (1958), pp. 70–73
English text copyright © 2008 Alexander Geidelberg
Notes
- Letter 2480 to Petr Jurgenson, 28 April/10
May 1884 [back]
- 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]
- Letter 2605 to Nadezhda von Meck, 24 November/6
December 1884 [back]
- Letter 2617 to Modest Tchaikovsky,
3/15 December 1884 [back]
- Letter 2657 to Nadezhda von Meck, 16/28
February 1885 [back]
- Letter 2661 to Emiliia Pavlovskaia,
20 February/4 March 1885 [back]
- Letter 2666 to Modest Tchaikovsky,
4/16 March 1885 [back]
- Letter 2672 to Emiliia Pavlovskaia,
14/26 March 1885 [back]
- See date on the autograph full score, and letter
2678 to Nadezhda von Meck,
3/15–9/21 April 1885 [back]
- See letter 2693 to Lev Davydov, 26 April/8 May
1885 [back]
- Letter 2701 to Nadezhda von Meck, 30 April/12
May 1885 [back]
- See letter 2703 to Petr Jurgenson, 2/14 May
1885 [back]
- Passed by the censor on 14/26 June 1885 [back]
- 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]
- 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]
- Letter 2733 to Sergei Taneev, 8/20 July
1885 [back]
- 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]
- Letter 3115 to Modest Tchaikovsky,
4/16 December 1886 [back]
- Letter 3155 to Praskov'ia Tchaikovskaia,
22 January/3 February 1887 [back]
- Until 1940 this version of the orchestration remained
unknown and unperformed [back]
- See letter from Petr Jurgenson to Tchaikovsky,
30 June/12 August 1890 — Klin House-Museum Archive [back]
- Letter 4163 to Petr Jurgenson, 2/14 July
1890 [back]
- See Двести шестнадцать украивских
напевов записал и издал А. И. Рубец (Moscow: P. Jurgenson, 1872) [back]
- Letter 4163 to Petr Jurgenson, 2/14 July
1890 [back]
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