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TH 8
Cherevichki
Черевички
Opera in 4 acts and 8 scenes (1885).
- Libretto by Iakov Polonskii, after Nikolai Gogol's story Christmas
Eve [Ночь перед рождеством], with additions and revisions by the composer
and Nikolai Chaev.
- Composed February - March 1885 (a revision of Vakula the Smith).
- Cast: 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) + SATB chorus.
- Scored for 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; Violoncellos; Double Basses + offstage; Wind Band
- Some numbers were also arranged for voices with piano or for piano duet
(4 hands) by Tchaikovsky, 1885.
- First performed in Moscow, Bol'shoi Theatre, 19/31 January 1887, conducted
by Tchaikovsky.
- Average duration: 3h.
Contents
Overture.
Act I -- Scena & Duet (No. 1); Snowstorm (No. 2); Oksana's Aria (No. 3);
Scena (No. 4); Vakula's Arioso (No. 4a); Scena (No. 5); Scena & Duet (No. 6);
Closing Scena (No. 7).
Act II -- Entr'acte; Scena: Solokha with the Devil (No. 8); Scena: Solokha
with the Mayor (No. 9); Scena & Schoolmaster's Song (No. 10); Scena: Solokha
with Chub (No. 11); Quintet (No. 11a); Vakula's Arioso (No. 12); Choral Scena
(No. 13); Scena & Cherevichki Song (No. 14); Finale (No. 15).
Act III -- Entr'acte; Chorus of Rusalka's (No. 16); Scena & Vakula's Song
(No. 17); Scena (No. 18); Polonaise (No. 19); His Highness's Couplets (No. 20);
Minuet & Scena (No. 21); Russian Dance (No. 22a); Cossack Dance (No. 22b); Scena
(No. 23).
Act IV -- Duet: Solokha with Oksana (No. 24); Finale (No. 25). |