Russian Women: opera by Tatiana Chudova (world premiere)

[@plp666]

Extraordinary singing here! Really cool and interesting piece.

[@lyricaclassic]

Thank you! ❤

[@segovia5758]

In age of complete triviality and denial of reality, this wonderful work shows what the human/russian/female spirit is capable of. Are the embers still alive to be fanned?

[@lyricaclassic]

Russian Women indeed highlights the incredible resilience and spirit that women are capable of. We hope works like this inspire and remind everyone of what is possible. Thank you for your support! 🙏

[@segovia5758]

Many years ago when I first discovered Anna Akhmatova and read her poetry I recognised there was something very special about the spirit and resilience of the Russian woman. Good luck with the project.

[@lyricaclassic]

@@segovia5758 Another remarkable figure is Marina Tsvetaeva, whose poetry inspired Anna Kuzmina’s mono-opera Dreams and Not Dreams, staged at our Muffled Voices Festival. Tsvetaeva’s life, marked by profound tragedy and repression, left an extraordinary literary legacy. Additionally, at the festival, we honor Nadezhda von Meck, whose unwavering support of Tchaikovsky helped shape the legacy of one of history’s greatest composers. You can watch the live broadcast of both operas from the Festival's last show on our channel, and we will soon release versions with subtitles! Link to the broadcast: kzbin.info3slHN3ZW7to?feature=share

[@louise_rose]

The scene in Tchaikovsky's "Mazeppa" (at the end of act 2) where the women, near the city wall, are awaiting the arrival of Kochubey and Iskra, men chained who will pay with their necks for their attempt to expose the villains and tell the truth to the Tsar, resonates so powerfully with many other moments in Russian history (here: the execution of the Dekabrists). Watching the opera on TV a couple of times in 2019/20, it struck me that with a few retouches, it could very well have been staged in a 1930s setting (with Peter perhaps played, or implied, as a parallel to Stalin). Incidentally, I'd have loved if Tchaikovsky had added two more acts to the opera so that there would have been space for some scenes with Peter the Great and Charles XII, respectively, directly meeting Mazeppa and talking with him. As it is, these scenes (which really happened in history) are only implied. /Louise, Sweden

[@lyricaclassic]

Thank you, Louise, for your thoughtful comment! The connection between the scene in Mazeppa and the Decembrist wives' story is so powerful-both highlight the incredible resilience and sacrifices of women in Russian history. It’s fascinating to think about how Mazeppa could resonate in a 1930s setting, drawing parallels to Stalin's era and the cycles of loyalty, defiance, and loss across time. We agree, adding those scenes with Peter the Great and Charles XII would have deepened the opera’s dramatic scope. But perhaps leaving them implied allows the audience’s imagination to fill in those historical moments. We’re so glad our production of Russian Women could evoke these reflections for you. Thank you for sharing your insights!