The Legend of the invisible city of Kitezh 2 DVD SET 2014 / Rimsky-Korsakov / Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra / Directed by Dmitri Tcherniakov / Conductor Marc Albrecht / Opus Arte

UPC 809478010890

REGION 0 NTSC DVD (ALL REGIONS)

MADE IN THE UK

AUDIO: LPCM 2.0, DTS 5.1

SUBTITLES: English, French, German, Dutch, Japanese, Korean

Total Runtime: 187 MINUTES + 20 min bonus

English Summary:

The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh and the Maiden Fevroniya (Russian: Сказание о невидимом граде Китеже и деве Февронии, tr. Skazániye o nevídimom gráde Kítezhe i déve Fevrónii listen (help·info))^[a] is an opera in four acts by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. The libretto was written by Vladimir Belsky, and is based on a combination of two Russian legends: that of Saint Fevroniya of Murom, and the city of Kitezh, which became invisible when attacked by the Tatars. The opera was completed in 1905, and the premiere performance took place at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, on February 7, 1907, the last in Rimsky-Korsakov‘s lifetime.

Recorded live at the De Nederlandse Opera, February 2012

Rimsky-Korsakov’s opera is a fanciful fairytale, yet at the same time a parable on repression and political conceit. The peasant girl Fevroniya’s prayer that the city of Kitezh becomes invisible, thus protecting it from Tatar attack, is magically heeded. The girl herself, however, is captured by the invaders. The leitmotifs and highly expressive musical tone-painting tell the story, based on a pantheist world view, almost on their own. Grand crowd scenes contrast with a internal treatment similar to the music dramas of Richard Wagner. Marc Albrecht conducts the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra and the dramatic staging comes from the renowned Russian director, Dmitri Tcherniakov. A fairy-tale opera: peasant girl Fevroniya dreams that the city of Kitezh would become invisible to save it from Tatar attack, and it magically comes true. Lush, magical, highly engaging score – though rarely performed. Conducted by Marc Albrecht with Netherlands Philharmonic on inspired form. Starring Svetlana Ignatovich as Fevroniya

Disc 1 contents:

Disc 2 contents:

Ante Jerkunica (Bass),

Alexey Markov (Baritone),

Svetlana Ignatovich (Soprano),

John Daszak (Tenor),

Vladimir Vaneev (Bass),

Maxim Aksenov (Tenor),

Vladimir Ognovenko (Bass)

Chorus of the Nederlandse Opera

Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra
Marc Albrecht (Conductor)

Dmitri Tcherniakov (Director)