Today : world première of 'A Christmas Tale' by Rodion Shchedrin in St. Petersburg

Today, the new opera-féerie in two parts composed by Rodion Shchedrin, A Christmas Tale, will be performed at the Mariinsky II in St. Petersburg.

The libretto by the composer is based on motifs of the fairy-tale by Božena Němcová translated by Nikolai Leskov and Russian folk fairy-tales.

The story tells of a beautiful, hardworking but unloved stepdaughter and her search for a violet in the snow. Ultimately she receives help from the months of the year and her kindheartedness is rewarded.(reproduced from the Schott music website)

It is the compoer's fourth opera, after Lolita (1993), The Enchanted Wanderer (2002) and The Left-Hander (2013). The cast includes soprano Pelageya Kurennaya (Zamarashka), mezzo soprano Yekaterina Sergeyeva (Great Queen), bass Oleg Sychov (Woodcutter), soprano Larisa Yudina (Zlydnia), mezzo Anna Kiknadze (Stepmother), baritone Sergei Romanov (Chancellor) and 12 more singers playing the 12 months of the year. Valery Gergiev conducts the cast, a large chorus and the orchestra. Alexei Stepanyuk directs.

The required orchestra is a large one, with a large percussion set (5 players) and including domra, harp, piano and synthesizer. The opera should last about 2 hours.

New recordings in my collection (CD and DVD)

I have recently acquired the following recordings of contemporary operas :

 
- Pierre Bartholomée : Œdipe sur la route, conducted by Daniele Callegari, with José van Dam, recorded at La Monnaie in Brussels in March 2003, released by Evidence (CD) ;
- Jaakko Kuusisto : The Canine Kalevala, conducted by the composer, recorded at the Savonlinna Opera Festival in July 2007, released by Ondine (DVD) ;
- Veli-Matti Puumala : Anna Liisa, conducted by Jan Söderblom, with Helena Juntunen and Jorma Hynninen, recorded in Espoo in February 2014, released by Ondine (CD) ;

- Aulis Sallinen : King Lear, conducted by Okko Kamu, with Matti Salminen, recorded at the Finnish National Opera in August 2002, released by Ondine (DVD) ;
- Rodion Shchedrin : The Left-Hander, conducted by Valery Gergiev, recorded at the Mariinsky-II in St Petersburg in July 2013, released by Mariinsky (CD) ;
- Ming Tsao : Die Geisterinsel, conducted by Stefan Schreiber, recorded in Stuttgart in February 2013, released by Kairos (CD).