- 148 pages
- English
- PDF
- Available on iOS & Android
An Introduction to Tchaikovsky's Operas
About this book
Known primarily as the composer of The Nutcracker Suite and other legendary pieces, Tchaikovsky was also a noted musical dramatist. Here, in the first book devoted to the subject, his operas are explored in depth: from his two most famous, Eugene Onegin and The Queen of Spades, to such lesser-known works as The Maid of Orléans. The social and psychological complexity of these operas, not to mention their musical brilliance, confirm Tchaikovsky's reputation as his country's greatest opera composer. He displayed great versatility in the range of genres in which he worked, from the tragic to the fantastical, the allegorical to the comic, and he employed a rich variety of musical styles, creating operas that are still performed widely today. In this thorough and engaging examination, author Henry Zajaczkowski both assesses and re-appraises these works. He provides an overview of Tchaikovsky's opera career, complete with synopses, musical and dramatic analysis, and historical context that places the composer in the pantheon of great masters of the form.
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Information
Table of contents
- Preface
- One A Survey: Tchaikovsky’s Operas and Their Historical Background
- Two Uncertain Beginnings: The Voevoda and Undine
- Three Fresh Impetus: The Oprichnik
- Four Ukrainian Footwear and a Comic Opera: Cherevichki (Revision of Vakula the Smith)
- Five Pushkin and the Mature Operatic Breakthrough: Eugene Onegin
- Six Reversion to Childhood and an Efflorescence of the Grand: The Maid of Orléans
- Seven Return to Pushkin: Mazeppa
- Eight Tragic Force Reaffirmed: The Enchantress
- Nine Pushkin Revisited and a Dramatic Catharsis: The Queen of Spades
- Ten The Culminating Allegory: Yolande
- Chronology of Tchaikovsky’s Life and Major Compositions
- List of Tchaikovsky’s Operas with General Data
- Notes
- Selected Bibliography
- Index