Kuratov (opera)
Encyclopedia
Kuratov is an opera
by the composer Serge Noskov
. It was the first ever opera in the Komi language
. It received its premiere at the State Opera House, Syktyvkar
, the chief city of the Komi Republic
, in the Russian Federation
on 2 October 2009.
In 2008 Noskov began to rework an unpublished verse libretto by Albert Vaneev, originally written in 1984 and based on the life of the major Komi poet Ivan Kuratov
. It focussed on Kuratov's career as a teacher in Ust-Sysolsk in the 1860s, where he promoted Komi culture in the face of opposition from the local Russophile and tsarist authorities. The long gap between the composition of the libretto and the score is explained by the fact it was very difficult to find a composer sufficiently fluent in Komi. Noskov felt he had to adapt the libretto for several reasons: there was hardly any action; it contained anti-clerical sentiments associated with the former Soviet
regime which were no longer relevant; and most of the audience, even in the Komi Republic, was more at ease speaking Russian than Komi. Noskov's solution to these problems was to extend the action to cover Kuratov's childhood as well as his old age in Kazakhstan
and to translate parts of the text into Russian. The premiere was produced by Ija Bobrakova; it was difficult to find performers with sufficient command of Komi to sing the roles and some had to have the words with them on stage.
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
by the composer Serge Noskov
Serge Noskov
Serge Noskov is a composer. In 1986 he graduated from Gorky State Conservatoire as a composer, as well as a music theory and history teacher...
. It was the first ever opera in the Komi language
Komi language
The Komi language is a Finno-Permic language spoken by the Komi peoples in the northeastern European part of Russia. Komi is one of the two members of the Permic subgroup of the Finno-Ugric branch...
. It received its premiere at the State Opera House, Syktyvkar
Syktyvkar
-Twin towns/sister cities:Syktyvkar is twinned with the following sister cities: Cullera, Spain Debrecen, Hungary Los Altos, United States Lovech, Bulgaria Taiyuan, China-External links:* * * *...
, the chief city of the Komi Republic
Komi Republic
The Komi Republic is a federal subject of Russia .-Geography:The republic is situated to the west of the Ural mountains, in the north-east of the East European Plain...
, in the Russian Federation
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
on 2 October 2009.
In 2008 Noskov began to rework an unpublished verse libretto by Albert Vaneev, originally written in 1984 and based on the life of the major Komi poet Ivan Kuratov
Ivan Kuratov
Ivan Alekseevich Kuratov was a Komi poet and linguist, seen as renovator of Komi literature.Kuratov began writing verses at age 13, while studying in a seminary, and was engaged in poetry until his death. The most fruitful period of his life were the years spent in the town of Ust-Sysolsk, where...
. It focussed on Kuratov's career as a teacher in Ust-Sysolsk in the 1860s, where he promoted Komi culture in the face of opposition from the local Russophile and tsarist authorities. The long gap between the composition of the libretto and the score is explained by the fact it was very difficult to find a composer sufficiently fluent in Komi. Noskov felt he had to adapt the libretto for several reasons: there was hardly any action; it contained anti-clerical sentiments associated with the former Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
regime which were no longer relevant; and most of the audience, even in the Komi Republic, was more at ease speaking Russian than Komi. Noskov's solution to these problems was to extend the action to cover Kuratov's childhood as well as his old age in Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...
and to translate parts of the text into Russian. The premiere was produced by Ija Bobrakova; it was difficult to find performers with sufficient command of Komi to sing the roles and some had to have the words with them on stage.
Source
- Eva Toulouse and Sébastien Cagnoli (eds.) Les Komis: Questions d'histoire et de culture (Harmattan, 2010), chapter by Sébastien Cagnoli: "Un opéra national komi au XXIe siècle"