The Queen of Spades (opera)
| The Queen of Spades | |
|---|---|
| Opera by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky | |
Tchaikovsky with Nikolay and Medeya Figner, who sang the roles of Herman and Liza in the premiere in 1890
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| Native title | Russian: Пиковая дама (Pikovaya dama) |
| Librettist | Modest Tchaikovsky |
| Language | Russian |
| Based on |
The Queen of Spades by Alexander Pushkin |
| Premiere | 29 March 1890 Mariinsky Theatre, St. Petersburg |
The Queen of Spades, Op. 68 (Russian: Пиковая дама, Pikovaya dama, French: La Dame de Pique ) is an opera in 3 acts (7 scenes) by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky to a Russian libretto by the composer's brother Modest Tchaikovsky, based on a short story of the same name by Alexander Pushkin, but the plot was dramatically altered. The premiere took place in 1890 in St. Petersburg (at the Mariinsky Theatre), Russia.
The management of the Imperial Theatre offered a commission to Tchaikovsky to write an opera based on the plot sketch by Ivan Vsevolozhsky in 1887/88. After turning it down initially, Tchaikovsky accepted it in 1889. Toward the end of that year, he met with the theatre's managers to discuss the material and sketch out some of the scenes.
He completed the full score of the opera in Florence in only 44 days. Later on, working with the tenor who was to perform the lead character's part, he created two versions of Herman’s aria in the seventh scene, using two different keys. The changes can be found in the proof sheets and inserts for the first and second editions of the printed version of the score.
While composing the music, Tchaikovsky actively edited the libretto, changing some of the text and adding his own lyrics to two arias.
Herman, the lead character, sings in all seven scenes. This requires great skill and endurance of the performer. The part was written with the notable Russian tenor Nikolay Figner in mind, and he performed the role at the premiere. His wife Medea Mei-Figner created the role of Liza.
The composer himself took part in the preparation of the Saint Petersburg premiere. Critics gave rave reviews. Tchaikovsky later wrote, "Figner and the Saint Petersburg orchestra... have made true miracles."
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