Russian opera started from the study [of other countries’ traditions]. In the first half of the 18^th century, amid a wave of westernization, opera first made its way from Italian to Russian soil at the invitation of the Russian court and aristocracy. Later on, Italian opera gradually gained popularity with the Russian court and the aristocracy. Russian literature provided further nourishment for opera, with the works of Pushkin and other eminent authors providing a source of inspiration to opera composers of the time. Russian opera started off solemn, but gradually evolved towards maturity and elegance, not unlike the historical ebbs and flows of the Russian nation-state. Russian opera included heroic tragedies and grand epics, which reflected the Russian heroic national character: they featured sorrowful maidens, people toiling for a good harvest, frivolous dreams, bustling towns, and enlightened us on all there is to know about the ways of the world. The melodies of Russian operas are akin to the country’s vast and precipitous natural landscapes, stretching for thousands of miles into the distance.

On December 1, 2013, conductor Alexander Polyanicko, along with soprano singers Gelena Gaskarova and Olga Trifonova, tenor Yevgeny Akimov, baritones Vladimir Marooz and Roman Burdenko, as well as the talented performers of the China National Symphony Orchestra (CNSO) and the China National Opera House choir took the audience on a majestic and ornate journey into Russian opera by performing passages from several Russian opera masterpieces, including Mikhail Glinka’s Ivan Susanin, Tchaikovsky’s Yevgény Onegin and The Queen of Spades, Alexander Borodin’s Prince Igor, Rimsky-Korsakov’s Sadko and The Tsar’s Bride and Rachmaninoff’s Francesca da Rimini.

“Today, we have the invaluable opportunity to get closer to the marvelous Russian opera, characterized by its rich spiritual world. Russian classical music has always been famous for its profound scenes and content taken from [everyday] life, its intense performances, vivid characters and lofty artistic achievements. It is my hope that the repertoire performed at today’s concert will remain deeply embedded in the hearts of the audience members. I’d like to take this opportunity to give a special thanks to the organizers of this concert. I hope everyone has enjoyed a wonderful and magical evening centered around Russian opera.”