CCLXXXIV. SHOSTAKOVICH, Dmitri (1906-1975)
It would be hard to find a more convoluted history than that of the compositions of Shostakovich that were banned from being performed in the late 30's -- under Stalin's direct intervention (see the Fourth Symphony, Post VIII) ...
In this case, the opera had already opened to critical and commercial success before the Pravda article Muddle Instead of Music.
The Fourth and this opera were promptly withdrawn from performance -- for decades!
**
In 1962 -- in a slightly more forgiving political climate -- Shostakovich revised the entire opera and renamed it Katerina Izmailova, assigning the Opus number 114.
However, these days most companies revert to the original version -- yes, even in Russia ...
Act One
Scene One
1. Akh, nye spitsa ból'she, popróbuyu (Katerina)
Oh, I don't feel like sleep any more
2. Gribki sevdódya búdut? (Boris/Katerina)
Will there be mushrooms today?
3. Govori! . . . Plotinu-to na . . . (Zinovy/Mill-hand/Boris/Chorus/Sergey/ Coachman/Katerina/Aksinya)
Speak up!
4. Interlude (Orchestra)
Scene Two
A nightmarish scene.
5. Ay! Ay! Ay! (Aksinya/Shabby peasant/Porter/Chorus/Steward/
Sergey/Katerina)
In the yard Zinovy's servants are fooling around. They have put Aksinya in an open-ended butt and won't let her out.
Aksinya
Oh! Oh!
Oh, you shameless creature, hey, don't pinch.
Oh, you're hurting! Oh, you're hurting!
Keep your hands off,
You shameless brute, hands off ...
Shabby peasant
Just like a nightingale!
Come on, let's feel her, let's feel her,
Squeeze harder! Again!
What boobs, oh what boobs!
Oh lovely, lovely, lovely boobs! ...
Porter
A sow is singing like a nightingale.
Have a good feel all over! ...
Labourers
What a pretty voice ...
Steward
Aha! She's plump, oh, she's plump.
Let's have another go! ...
6. Mnógo vy, muzhiki (Katerina/Sergey/Shabby peasant/Boris)
You men certainly think a lot of yourselves.
7. Interlude (Orchestra)
Scene Three
8. Spat' porá. Dyen proshól (Katerina/Boris)
Time for bed. The day is over.
See how Shostakovich sets the mood, with delicate orchestration:
9. Zherebyónok k kob'lke torópitsa (Katerina)
All right, I'll go to bed. (Exit Boris, Katerina undresses)
The foal runs after the filly.
The tom-cat seeks the female.
The dove hastens to its mate.
But no one hurries to me.
K: Who's there? Who's that knocking?
S: (outside the door)
Please don't be afraid.
It's me.
K: Who?
S: Sergey
K: Sergey? What is it?
What do you want, Seryozha?
S: Just a small matter, open the door!
Act Two
Scene Four
11. Shto znáchit stárost' (Boris)
That's what old age means:
You can't sleep.
You're all the time thinking burglars
Are on the prowl,
I wander around to see if there'a burglar anywhere.
S: Goodbye, Katya, goodbye! (Sergey climbs out of the window and down the drainpipe)
I can hear somebody's voice.
Better have a look.
K: Wait a bit longer
Boris has been flogging Sergey and Katerina.
B: I'm tired out.
P: Would you like me to carry on, master?
B: No, that'll do.
We can't do too much at once.
Or he'll peg out.
Take him off to the store-room.
We'll flog him again tomorrow.
(Sergey is carried away and Katerina is released)
B: (to Katerina)
Well, what now?
That's really made me hungry.
Is there anything left from supper?
Hey here! Are you deaf?
K: There are some mushrooms left.
B: Just the thing!
Bring me some mushrooms.
(In the distance is heard the singing of the foremen coming to work. Their voices get nearer and nearer.)
See the dawn is breaking.
The sky is getting lighter
Mustn't waste time like this.
Hey, to work, and quickly, fellows.
The barns await us.
And the flour that feeds us waits.
Our master's fierce and cruel
Just like a crocodile. Hey!
16. Sergéy, Seryózha! (Katerina/Sergey)
(Katerina's bedroom. Katerina and Sergey are lying in bed. Sergery is asleep.)
K: Sergey, Seryozha!
S: (waking up) What?
K. Wake up!
S: What do you want?
K: Wake up!
S: Well?
K: Kiss me! (Sergey kisses her)
Not like that, not like that,
Kiss me so it hurts my lips,
And the blood rushes to my head.
And the jkons fall from their shelves.
(Sergey kisses her)
Oh! Seryozha!
He's asleep again.
Oh Sergey, can you really sleep
When your lover's lips are so close?
Oh, Sergey, I'll not fear anyone.
I'll make you my husband.
I'll not be afraid of anyone.
K: (in a whisper) Listen, Sergey, Sergey!
S: Well?
K: Can you hear it?
S: What?
K: Someone's walking softly, softly.
S: It's your imagination again.
K: No, no.
The dogs didn't bark,
So it's someone they know.
Can you hear? Someone's coming.
S: Yes, I can.
K: Hide somewhere.
It's Zinovy Borisych, my husband.
Scene Six
19. Shto ty tut stoish? . . . (Sergey/Katerina/Shabby peasant) . . . Interlude
(Katerina is standing near the cellar and gazing towards it. Enter Sergey. Both are dressed in fine clothes.)
S: Why are you standing there?
What are you staring at?
K: But, Seryozha, Zinovy Borisych is lying in there.
That's where we buried him
S: Not so loud!
K: When I think of it
I feel afraid. Seryozha!
20. Sózdan politséysky byl vo vo vrémya onó (Sergeant/Chorus/Policeman/
This scene might have been the one that really annoyed Stalin!
When the Pharaohs ruled in the days of old,
How then in our enlightened civilisation
Can men exist without a police station?
22. Sláva suprúgam (Chorus/Priest/Katerina/Sergey/Drunken guest/Sergeant)
Katerina and Sergey, long life to you!
Scene Nine
23. Vyórsty odná za drugóy (Old convict/Chorus)
Verst after verst, one by one.
Creeps by in an endless procession,
The head of the day now is done.
The sun on the steppes is now setting.
Here's twenty kopecks to buy some vodka.
Stepanych!
S: Oh, women! Women!
What a lecherous lot!
Oh well, all right then, go along!
K: Thank you! (She makes her way over to Sergey)
Seryozhha! My dearest!
(She snuggles up to Sergey. Sergey maintains a sullen silence.)
At last!
I've gone the whole day without seeing you
Seryozha!
To stand before a judge!
It's hard after endearments and caresses
To feel the whip on your back.
Sonyetka: How do you manage to get around everywhere?
Sergey: I gave the sentry 25 kopecks.
Sonyetka: And where do you get so much money from?
Sergey: From my rich merchant's wife.
Sonyetka: Your rich merchant's wife?
Then she's a fool, that rich merchant's wife of yours!
Almost round, and every deep.
And the water in it is black.
Black like my conscience.
And when the wind blows in the wood,
On the lake waves rise up.
Huge waves, and then it's frightening.
In autumn there are always waves on the lake,
And the water's black and the waves are huge.
Huge, black waves.
Convicts:
And get moving again! (The convicts line up. Katerina remains sitting motionless. An old convict goes up to her.)
Old Convict:
Otherwise they'll give us hell, do you hear?
(Katerina slowly goes up to Sonyetka, who is standing on the bridge by a broken parapet. She pushes Sonhetka into the river and throws herself in after her.)
Sonyetka:
Good heavens! Whatever's happened?
Officer:
Don't move there! Watch it! I'll do you!
Sonyetka:
(from a distance)
Ah! Ah!
Officer:
They've both drowned.
We can't save them. The current's too strong!
Attention! Back to your places! (The convicts line up and march off.)
Old convict:
Ah, steppes, you are so endless.
Days and nights so countless.
The thoughts we think so cheerless.
And the guards we have so heartless.
Ah . . .
(Exeunt the convicts. Their singing can be heard in the distance. The stage is now empty.)
No comments:
Post a Comment