ON THE. Rimsky-Korsakov - THE TSAR'S BRIDE

Directed by Alla Chepinoga 

When the first tsar of all Russia Ivan the Terrible chose a bride for the third time, he arranged the greatest show in Russian history.  About 2,000 girls were brought to the palace from all over the country, and the king personally watched all of them. The choice fell on Marfa Vasilyevna Sobakina. But soon the royal bride fell ill, began to lose weight, dry up, and died 15 days after the wedding.  The death of a young beauty who had just passed a thorough examination could not but arouse suspicion. It was rumored that she was the victim of court intrigues and was poisoned. But the tsar did not want to remain lonely all his life. He ordered a church council to be convened, and the hierarchs obedient to him recognized the marriage with Martha as invalid, which allowed him to marry again. This is how Marfa Vasilyevna Sobakina entered our history – not the legitimate wife of Ivan the Terrible, but the tsar's bride.

The story of Marfa Sobakina formed the basis of the absolute masterpiece of Russian and world opera - The Tsar's Bride by N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov. This opera, along with The Snow Maiden, was especially dear to the author's heart. She also aroused great sympathy from the great opera bass Fyodor Chaliapin, whose 150th anniversary is celebrated this year by the entire musical world. Our festival "Basy-Chaliapin-Gala" is dedicated to this significant event and a real gift for fans of the opera genre will be the screening of "The Tsar's Bride". At one time, Fyodor Chaliapin, hearing this work, was so imbued with the Dirty part, written for a baritone, that he even asked the composer to rewrite it for his voice.

Actors and performers:

Vasily Stepanovich Sobakin, Novgorod merchant (bass) - Honored Artist of Russia and the Republic of Tatarstan, soloist of the Novaya Opera Theater Vladimir Kudashev (bass)
Marfa, his daughter (soprano) - Winner of the international competition Natalia Govorskaya

Grigory Grigoryevich Gryaznoy, oprichnik (baritone) - Winner of the international competition Sergey Maidanov

Grigory Lukyanovich Malyuta Skuratov, oprichnik (bass) - People's Artist of the Republic of Georgia, soloist of the State Bolshoi Theater of Russia Otar Kunchulia (bass)
Ivan Sergeevich Lykov, boyar (tenor) - Ivan Buyanets

Lyubasha, the mistress of Dirty (mezzo-soprano) - Winner of the international competition, Winner of the III National Opera Award "Onegin" Natalia Starkova 
Yelisey Bomeliy, the Tsar's physician (tenor) - Viktor Zhuravlev

Domna Ivanovna Saburova, merchant's wife (soprano) - Laureate of international competitions Elena Filimonova

Dunyasha, her daughter, Marfa's friend (mezzo-soprano) - Laureate of international competitions Tatiana Nikityuk (Moscow)

Petrovna, the Dogins' housekeeper (mezzo-soprano) - Eleonora Kiprenskaya            

Oprichnik (baritone) - Ivan Bezborodov

Hay Girl (soprano) - Maria Berezitskaya

Tsar John Vasilyevich (mimans) - Igor Tarasenko 

The Buffoon (mimance) - Igor Drobyshev 

Serfs (mimans) - Mikhail Popov, Pavel Shapovalov

Children (mimance) - Svyatozar Zhuravlev, Yakov Kosorukov

Dancers (ballet dancers) - Darina Temirbulatova, Irina Kalashnikova, Evgenia Tishchenko, Marina Kuznetsova

Oprichniks, Boyars and Boyars, Songwriters and Songwriters, Dancers, Hay girls, Servants, Folk artists of the Philharmonic Choir

V. I. Safonov Academic Symphony Orchestra

Laureate of international competitions Philharmonic Choir named after V. I. Safonov

Creative staff

Conductor - Alim Shakhmametyev
Set designer and costume designer - Maria Berezhnaya

The conductor of the choir is Elizaveta Pischnaya

Assistant Director - Viktor Zhuravlev

Concertmasters - Irina Lyabakh, Tatiana Shishkina
Choreographer - Tatiana Aplemakh

Costume designer - Diana Ledovskikh
Props - Leonid Narykov
Sound engineer - Roman Radionov
Lighting and video projection assistants - Nikolay Mokhnach, Viktor Fokeev, Guram Ogadze

Premiere of N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov's opera "The Tsar's Bride" at the North Caucasus State Philharmonic named after V. I. Safonov

It took place on October 5, 2018.