The Russian Opera (Illustrated)

If you've ever wondered about the history of opera in a place as culturally rich as Russia, this book will serve as an informative guide. It delves into the wonderful history of opera, and also contains beautiful illustrations. It has also been formatted for your NOOK, for your convenience. Below is the table of contents.

CHAPTER I
THE DAWN OF MUSIC IN RUSSIA
PAGE
Primitive music of the Russian Slavs. The fourperiods of Russian music. The Skomorokhi or Gleemen. Clerical Intolerance. Church pageants. Tsar Alexis Mikhaïlovich, the first patron of music and the drama. Biblical plays with incidental music. Mystery plays of Dmitri of Rostov. Origin of the Ballet. First public theatre in Russia, 1703. 1
CHAPTER II
THE RUSSIAN OPERA PRIOR TO GLINKA
Accession of Empress Anne. Cultivation of thefolk melodies. Change of taste. The Italians bring in secular plays. Feodor Volkov. Music under Catherine the Great. Fomin and his operas. Berezovsky and Bortniansky. Further change of taste under Alexander I. Patriotic enthusiasm following French invasion of 1812. Cavos exploits national melody. Verstovsky and Alabiev. 32
CHAPTER III
MICHAEL IVANOVICH GLINKA
Childhood and education of Glinka. His awakeningto music. Early years in the country. Love of nature. First music lessons. He enters the Civil Service. Begins to write songs. Visit to Italy. Musical studies in Berlin.{xii} 69
CHAPTER IV
GLINKA’S OPERAS
Marriage and home surroundings. A Life for theTsar. Features of the music. Its reception in Russia. Prince Kholmsky and the songs. Russlan and Liudmilla. Later works. Failure of health. His interpretation of Russian nationality in music. 89
CHAPTER V
DARGOMIJSKY
Alexander Sergeivich Dargomijsky. His meetingwith Glinka. Visit to Paris. Esmeralda and The Triumph of Bacchus. Growing interest in national music. Begins work on Poushkin’s Roussalka. Second tour in Western Europe. Balakirev and his circle. The Stone Guest. His treatment of national character as compared with Glinka’s. 117
CHAPTER VI
SEROV
Musical life in Russia at the time of Glinka andDargomijsky. Musical criticism and the academic party. Rapid increase of conservatoires and schools. Struggle between the young nationalists in music and the officials to whom foreign composers were supreme. Two great musical critics, Alexander Serov and Vladimir Stassov. Serov’s writings and compositions. His devotion to Wagner. Production of Judith and Rogneda. Estimate of Serov’s music. 137
CHAPTER VII
ANTON RUBINSTEIN
Early life and education. His début as a prodigypianist. Musical studies in Berlin. Court pianist at St. Petersburg. His early operas. Dmitri Donskoi and Thomoushka Dourachok.{xiii} Imperial Russian Musical Society. Biblical operas, The Tower of Babel, The Maccabees, Paradise Lost, The Shulamite. Secular and national operas, The Demon, Nero, and The Merchant Kalashnikov. Historical Concerts. Rubinstein’s opportunism. Estimate of his work and influence. 162
CHAPTER VIII
BALAKIREV AND HIS DISCIPLES
Balakirev. The nationalist circle. Social intercourse.Rimsky-Korsakov. Goussakovsky. The Free School. Borodin. The Pourgolds. Hostility of the Press. Solidarity of “the Invincible Band.” 183
CHAPTER IX
PERSONAL MEMORIES OF BALAKIREV’S CIRCLE
Gradual dissolution of the circle of friends. Personalreminiscences of Balakirev. Individual development of “the Invincible Band.” Belaiev. Lodyjensky. Liadov. Vladimir Stassov. Personal Reminiscences. 198
CHAPTER X
MOUSSORGSKY
Two tendencies in Russian opera, the lyrical andthe declamatory. Moussorgsky the disciple of Dargomijsky. Literary and social influences. Biographical details. Early unfinished operas. Boris Godounov. Khovanstchina. Rimsky-Korsakov as editor. 218