Alexander DARGOMIZHSKY (1813-1869)
Rusalka (1856) [152.56]
Alexander Vedernikov (bass) - Miller; Natalia Mikhailova (soprano) -
Natasha, later Rusalka; Konstantin Pluzhnikov (tenor) - Prince; Galina
Pisarenko (mezzo) - Princess; Nina Terentieva (soprano) - Olga; Oleg Klenov
(bass) - Matchmaker, Hunter; Vasilisa Byelova (child actor) - Rusalochka
Grand Choir of USSR Radio and Television
Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra of Moscow Radio/Vladimir Fedoseyev
rec. Moscow, 1983, exact venue not stated
BRILLIANT CLASSICS 94718 [76.14 + 76.42]
Although the Melodiya recording of Dargomizhsky’s The stone
guest was released on LP by EMI during the 1970s, this follow-up set of
Dargomizhsky’s Rusalka received only limited circulation
outside Russia. The present CD reissue may well be its first appearance in
the international catalogues except in the form of an import. Unlike The
stone guest - which received a new CD recording in 1995 - it is hardly
known in the West at all. This makes it all the more reprehensible that
Brilliant Classics yet again have failed to provide any texts or
translations either in their booklet or online. The brief one-page synopsis
serves no useful purpose except to demonstrate that the plot differs
considerably from Dvořák’s later and much better-known
opera on the same subject. It fails even to show where the breaks between
the Acts come. I managed to find a copy of the vocal score on the ISMLP site
- inconveniently split into a number of smaller sub-files - but this gives
the text only in Cyrillic without either transliteration or translation.
There is a text available online, but again only in the original Russian
characters: although it is possible using a translation engine to obtain a
version in fractured English.
From the score one is able to see that the composer marked a number
of optional cuts, but we are here with one exception given the score
absolutely complete. In fact Fedoseyev effectively inserts a repeat into the
piquantly scored Gipsy dance (CD 2, track 1) which is not actually
shown in the vocal score. The only cut appears to be the Dance of the
mermaids which is shown in the booklet as constituting the first part of
CD 2, track 8. In fact the track begins with the recitative which follows
and the dance itself is missing. This cut makes for a rather short final
Act.
In fact after initial indifference Rusalka became more
popular than any of Dargomizhsky’s other operas in Tsarist Russia -
although it was recognised that the later The stone guest was more
technically interesting, not least for its influence on Mussorgsky. It was
hailed by Stravinsky for “mixing the Russian popular melos and
the prevailing Italianism with the most carefree and charming ease.”
The opening and extended overture is very much in the standard middle-period
romantic style. It could easily come from an opera of Verdi’s
‘galley years’. The use of Russian idioms is more in the manner
of Glinka than Mussorgsky. It has been noted that the Russian style is
confined to the peasant characters while the upper classes are more
Italianate. This is admittedly true but it does confer a dramatic
distinction between the two sets of characters involved, which is, after
all, the mainspring of the plot.
This differs quite considerably from Dvořák’s use
of the same legend. The Prince is already in love with the miller’s
daughter Natasha from the outset, but throws her over for a more socially
acceptable Princess without being aware of Natasha’s pregnancy. She
commits suicide by throwing herself into the Dnieper, then interrupts his
wedding ceremony and inveigles him into her arms beneath the waves. The
opera needs good singing, and by and large it gets it here. Alexander
Vedernikov is every inch the archetypal deep Russian bass. Konstantin
Pluzhnikov - known nowadays principally as a rather acidic character tenor -
displays a youthful lyricism and ardour which is most satisfying. On the
other hand Natalia Mikhailova is one of those piping Russian sopranos who
thankfully avoids any sense of Slavonic wobble but whose voice nevertheless
has a rather steely edge. Galina Pisarenko sounds rather mature for the
Princess, with greater strength in her lower register but plenty of body
higher up as well. The choir, as one might expect, are superb especially in
their haunting passage at the opening of CD 1 track 4 with its accompanying
oboe solo.
There appears at one stage to have been an alternative recording of
Rusalka available from the Bolshoi conducted by Svetlanov. Given its
the date of 1957 the sound is nothing like as good as in this 1983
recording. Nor, with the possible exception of Ivan Kozlovsky as the Prince,
does the cast look anything like as good as we have here. There is also a
Cologne performance given under the title Russalka - again without
text or translation - conducted by Jurowski on Profil as recently as 2010.
This was well reviewed by John Allison in BBC Music Magazine, but
Henry Fogel in Fanfare much preferred Fedoseyev. Indeed the recorded
sound in the Russian studio is preferable to that from the Cologne live
performance if you can accept the very forward placement of the voices in
Moscow. Apart from the soprano, the singing in Cologne is generally
inferior. I have listened to excerpts from both these alternatives, and
since neither of them apparently have texts or translations either I have
little hesitation in directing you to this set if you want to explore an
interesting and enjoyable opera. On the other hand the opera was conducted
in a revival at the Mariinsky this year by Gergiev, and it is not impossible
that a recording of this performance may be released in due course. The
Fedoseyev recording includes a few stage effects - clapping during the
peasant dances in Act One - which add to the atmosphere. The break between
CDs comes in the middle of the rather conventional ballet music during the
Prince’s wedding celebrations. The two discs are very well filled and
the split causes no pain although the whole of the ballet could actually
have been included on CD1. The Weigle set, which spreads over three discs,
does include the Dance of the mermaids omitted here; and very
charming it is too, although its inclusion in the Fedoseyev would have
probably exceeded the possible length of two discs. One wonders if it was
included in the original Russian LP release.
One oddity: there appear to be more solo performers in the cast than
are actually credited in the booklet. The quartet in the finale to the
Second Act (CD2, track 2) includes a part for the Prince’s
father-in-law which is firmly sung by an anonymous bass. The synopsis on
Wikipedia also lists a solo baritone role for “the Matchmaker”
whose lines I was not able to determine from the vocal score. Again no
singer is credited. A presumably pirated YouTube posting of the recording
credits Oleg Klenov who I suspect may have taken both roles. Similarly there
is no credit in the booklet for the accomplished and very young child
actress who takes the role of Rusalka’s daughter in the final scenes
with her characteristic harp accompaniment.
Dargomizhsky’s Rusalka is never likely at this stage to
overtake Dvořák’s in popularity. There is nothing here to
rival the Song to the moon from the later opera. Nevertheless it does
not deserve to sink into complete oblivion outside Russia, and this
recording is a worthy representation. One does wish though that Brilliant
Classics in rescuing this performance had at the very least provided a more
extensive and helpful synopsis of the action.
Paul Corfield Godfrey
Dargomizhsky’s Rusalka does not deserve to sink into complete oblivion and this recording is a worthy representation.
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