Because of a technical glitch, last month’s presentation of Tchaikovsky’s rarely performed opera “The Enchantress” ended before the final act and supplementary pieces could air. Because many of you let us know that you wanted to hear the end of the opera, we’re re-airing it on this week’s Sunday Opera. Enjoy!
When it comes to operas by Pyotr Tchaikovsky, works like “Eugene Onegin,” “The Queen of Spades,” and even “Mazeppa” may come to mind first. However, on this week’s opera (2/16 3:00 p.m.), we’ll be re-airing an 1887 tragedy entitled “The Enchantress” where the heroine is one of those poor people who’s just in the wrong place at the wrong time, and because of the misplaced ire of another woman, is one of several people who dies.
Nastasya (Rimma Glushkova) is an inn keeper who is much loved and desired by many, especially by Prince Nikita (Oleg Klyonov), much to the consternation of the princess, his wife (Lyudmila Simonova) and his son Yuri (Lev Kuznetsov). Yuri originally seeks Natasaya out to avenge his seething mother who believes that Nastasya is to blame for her husband’s philandering. However, when Yuri sees Nastasya, he immediately falls in love with her (as she has done with him at the beginning of the opera).
Adding to the conflict is an old deacon named Mamyrov (Yevgeniy Vladimirov) who is now Nastasya’s sworn enemy because she rejected his advances. Mamyrov tries to wreak his revenge on Nastasya through the more-than-willing Princess with disastrous results resulting in the deaths of Nastasya, Yuri, and the Prince.
They are joined by The Great Academic Choir and Symphony Orchestra of All-Union Radio and Television with Gennedy Provatorov conducting.
If you’re like us and enjoy the music of Tchaikovsky, stay tuned after the opera for three more of his works: the Serenade for String in C major, the Sleeping Beauty Waltz, and his charming Mazurka in D major.
We hope you’ll join us for an afternoon of wonderful music with which you might not be that familiar.
