Summary Ivan Ivanovich Dzerzhinsky. Quiet Flows the Don
SILENT DON
Opera in four acts (six scenes)
Libretto by LI Dzerzhinsky
Characters:
Pantelei Melekhov Ilyinichna, his wife Gregory Petro Dasha, wife of Peter Lukinichna Natalia, her daughter Mitka, her son Aksinya General Listnitsky Eugene, his son Mishuk, Comrade Gregory Sashka, coachman Listnitskikh Crazy Soldier Esaul | Tenor (characteristic) Mezzo soprano Dramatic tenor Bass The dramatic soprano Soprano Soprano High bass Mezzo soprano Bass Baritone Tenor Bass Tenor Baritone |
Guests, men, Cossacks, soldiers, deserters, prisoners.
Time: 1914-1917 years.
MUSIC
“Quiet
The first picture – a colorful everyday scene, against which a number of dramatic episodes arise. The chorus “Oh, Mother, I’m sick of me,” written in the nature of the wedding song conveys the mood of a wild, reckless fun. Dialogue of Gregory and Natalia “Grishenka, do not you yearn for it again?” and their duet “With you do I miss the past?” are imbued with a lyrically dreamy mood. Appearance Aksinya brings to music drama. Confidence and self-esteem is filled with her brief arioso “Do not touch, old man!” Sharply and roughly sounds the appeal of Mitka “Sister to shame my shame came.” In the words of Aksinya, addressed to Gregory: “Offended, Grisha,” there is a sorrowful reproach.
The introduction to the second painting is based on the sad melody of Aksinya’s
The third scene (the second act) is dominated by mass scenes. Chorus “The Day of the Comforter, a merry day” conveys the revival of a noisy crowd of people, a sense of elemental strength and mental health. Sadly sounds a long song of the peasants “In a strange land burned.” The final chorus “Oh, trouble, attack what” in nature is akin to folk dances.
The fourth picture opens with a mournful orchestral introduction. In the animated story of Sasha “Running from the fortress of the villain” music abounds with witty, colorful details. An ingratiating insinuity marked the deliberately banal romance of Yevgeny Listnitsky “Why be sad in vain?”. Arioso Aksinya “Hurry up, Gregory” is filled with a feeling of agonizing anxiety and mental turmoil.
The fifth picture (the third act) is dynamic, full of movement and musical contrasts. Sadness and melancholy sounds in Mishka’s song “Oh, yes, a side that is paralyzed.” Poetically thoughtful and majestic chorus “Oh, and our proud Quiet Don”. The song of Mishuk and Gregory “Not an Austrian is our enemy”, sustained in an energetic march movement, imbued with conscriptive willful pathos, resembles the combat songs of the revolution and civil war.
The introduction to the sixth painting (the fourth act) splits into two parts. In the first develops the melody of Aksinya, in the second dramatically-intense music draws a picture of the popular uprising. Against the backdrop of the rhythms of a wild leap, courageous revolutionary melodies sound. Sinister monologue of old Listnitsky “Terrible clouds hung over the Don.” Brief arioso Gregory “To a strange wife, without a roof, without a corner” is imbued with suffering and heartache. The opera is completed with a military marching song “From the Edge to the Edge”, from which the unconquerable belief in the victory of the people is blowing.
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