Summary Julius Sergeevich Mejtus. Young guard
YOUNG GUARD
Opera in four acts (seven scenes)
Libretto by A. Malyshko based on the novel by A. Fadeev
Translation from the Ukrainian M. Isakovsky
Characters:
Oleg Koshevoi, the head of underground Organization “Young Guard” Elena Nikolaevna, the mother of Oleg Vera Vasilievna, Oleg’s grandmother Andrey Valko, director of the mine Ivan Protsenko, leader of partisan detachment | Tenor Soprano Mezzo soprano Bass Baritone | |
Young Guards: | Ulya Gromov Luba Shevtsova Sergey Tyulenin Vanya Zemnukhov Klava Kovaleva Valya Borts Zhora Harutyunyants Evgeny Stakhovich | Mezzo soprano Soprano Tenor Baritone Soprano Mezzo Tenor Baritone |
In the episodes: | Shevtsov Grigory Ilyich, miner Kayutkin, fighter Brückner, Gestapo Fascist Colonel Fascist non-commissioned officer General’s batman Fomin, Polizei | Baritone Tenor Baritone Baritone Bass Bass Tenor |
The action takes place in Krasnodon in 1942-43.
HISTORY OF CREATION
In 1945, A. Fadeyev’s novel The Young Guard was published, depicting the immortal feat of the heroes – the Komsomol members of Krasnodon. The book immediately attracted the attention of the public, became widely popular. There were numerous dramatizations, a movie. Then at Мейтуса there was an idea of an opera on a plot of “Young guard”. The composer did not confine himself to a careful study of the novel. He visited Krasnodon, talked with members of the underground organization, got acquainted with the documents that covered her military activities.
The first performance of the opera was held at the Kiev Opera and Ballet Theater named after T. Shevchenko on November 7, 1947. Subsequently, in connection with the appearance of a new edition of the novel by A. Fadeev, the authors subjected the opera to some processing, more broadly showing the role of the party in leading the struggle of the youth underground. The final version of the opera was formed in the process of its production in the Donets and Leningrad’s Small Opera House in 1950. In this new version of the “Young Guard” Meitus was widely recognized as one of the best operas about the Great Patriotic War.
PLOT
Terrible 1942 year. Through Krasnodon, an endless stream of refugees and retreating military units are moving. From a distance comes the rumble of an artillery cannonade, the villages are burning. The front is inevitably approaching Krasnodar, and the city is preparing for evacuation. On this day, leaving their native land, the girls – Ulya Gromova, Valya Borts, Klava Kovalev and their friends – say goodbye to their favorite steppe, which has so many bright memories. With a heavy heart they observe a gloomy picture of retreat. Until recently, life seemed clear and joyful to them. They dreamed, they made plans for the future. And everything collapsed. Valko orders residents to go to the crossing, where cars are waiting. Everyone rushes to the river. Luba Shevtsova is the only one left at her house. Ulya is outraged by her behavior: Shevtsova is a member of the Komsomol! Was she waiting for the fascists to come? Lyuba avoids the answer, not wanting to disclose his decision to fight the enemy here in his rear. My father tries to talk her out, but Lyuba is adamant. Vanya Zemnukhov and Klava Kovalyov are saying good-bye to each other. They can not hide their feelings and seem to forget about what is going on around them. Mother and son Koshevye are sent to the crossing. After spending Oleg, Elena Nikolaevna returns home. The night is coming. The cannonade subsides. On the dark street Seryozha Tyulenin and Valya Bortz suddenly come across. Sergei is hung with weapons, matched on the battlefield. The young man is full of impressions: he saw the fight, saw how heroically the fighters fight. Valco advises to save weapons – it is still useful. Suddenly, the street is filled with people: the ferry is blown up, the city is surrounded, the only way to retreat is cut off. Protsenko appeals to the people with a call to give the enemy resistance, not to let him calmly feel himself on the occupied Soviet land. Among the returnees – Oleg. He chose the path of struggle.
Oleg and Sergey Tyulenin met in the shed behind the Koshevs’ house. Oleg does not approve of the act of a friend who blew up the shtoottrust office. It is necessary to act not alone, but all together, according to a prearranged plan. Left alone, Oleg thinks. There is a difficult struggle ahead, and he knows what the risk is, how much grief it can bring to his beloved mother, but he is sure that his mother will understand him. The Komsomol members are gathering. Lyuba remains in the courtyard and, pretending to be an artist, flirting with a German colonel. In the meantime, Ulya passes Oleg Valko’s errands to Oleg. A young man and a girl are connected not only by common destiny, but also by a great feeling. They swear to go together to the end and be true to each other. The disturbed Seryozha and Valya Borts come running in: traitor Fomin gave the Germans six miners, and the fascists tortured them. Shocked young guards make an oath to take revenge on the invaders.
Autumn has come. Over the past time, the underground organization has strengthened, on its account there are already quite a few military affairs. Here is one of them – a leaflet informing about the defeat of the Germans near Moscow. The people crowd around and discuss the joyful news with ardor. Polizei Ignat Fomin is trying to disperse people. Suddenly, everyone is silent and parting: along the street are girls being hijacked to Germany. It’s getting dark. Couple of young people and girls appear in the park. They are members of the “Young Guard”; here they will meet with Valko, who will give important orders to the underground workers. On this night, the young guardsmen should set fire to the labor exchange, where the lists of people being hijacked to Germany are kept. Silently sneaking through the park Ignat Fomin, tracking down the Komsomol members. But they themselves surround him, bind him and take him to the depths of the park to avenge his betrayal. And then, finally, a glow breaks out.
House of the Koshevs. Elena Nikolaevna is waiting for the return of her son. She knows that Oleg heads an underground organization, and understands that he has no other way. Oleg comes with the Beehive. They share their joy with Elena Nikolaevna – tomorrow, on the day of the October anniversary, red banners will all over the city. Left alone, Oleg and Ulya dream of the future, of the happy life that awaits them after the victory. Friends, members of the organization are gathering. As in the past, they decided to celebrate the anniversary of the Great October Revolution. Songs are played at a modest festive table. Dances are started. Unexpected appearance of Klava Kovalyova interrupts the fun. She brings terrible news: arrested Zemnukhov, Stakhovich, Moshkov.
The grim Gestapo torture chamber languishes young guards. The coward, who had become a traitor, gave out members of the organization. Valko was arrested with the Komsomol members. One by one – Valko, Zemnukhov, Ulya – are summoned for interrogation. But all the efforts of the fascists are in vain. No torture or humiliation can force the patriots to extradite the other comrades.
The dimly lit jail cell. The Gestapo pushes the tortured, bloody Ulya. But the spirit of the heroine is not broken. Valko inspires his young companions to fight vivacity and faith in the future, speaks of a quick victory. Behind him come. The Young Guards escort him to death with a fighting Komsomol song, and as if the accompaniment to it are artillery salvoes: Soviet troops are approaching Krasnodar.
Winter night. A damaging month illuminates the mutilated mine No. 5. The fascists are brought here by Oleg. The last time the enemies try to force the young man to speak. But he is silent. From a distance, the sounds of the old revolutionary song “Tortured with heavy bondage” approach, this leads to the execution of the young guardsmen. Oleg and Uly rush to each other. The command words are heard. The volley rattled.
MUSIC
Opera “Young Guard” is permeated with a high patriotic idea, a proud belief in the coming victory. This gives the product, despite the tragedy of the events described, an optimistic sound. The composer sought to draw a collective portrait of the young guards, to express their courage, steadfastness, fidelity, only fugitive strokes having outlined the individual characters of the main characters – Oleg’s firmness and judiciousness, Tyulenin’s impetuosity, Uli’s soul elevation, the double image of Lyubov the heroine and Lyubka the actress. The struggle of the young guards in the opera is inseparable from the harsh pictures of the life of the people during the war, and therefore, along with solo and ensemble scenes, a great place is given to mass, choral episodes. The composer generously sated the work with Russian and Ukrainian song, gave the music a melodic clarity, simplicity and expressiveness.
Overture begins with a formidable theme of military trials; followed by gently lyrical melodies and the heroic march theme of the song of the Komsomol members.
The first act is a wide exhibition of the opera. Its beginning is fanned with peace. In the transparent dreamy music of the girls’ choir, the mood of the evening before evening and the impression of the expansive steppe spaces merged. Aria Uli “I love the steppes of summer sometimes” reveals the multifaceted image of the girl; in her free melody, gradually filled with drama and determination, love to her native land sounds, anxiety for his fate. The alarmed recitatives of Valko meet the alarmed choral replica of the people. Quartet Protsenko, Valko, Shevtsova and Luba is full of hot emotion. He is followed by a number of different and brief scenes familiar with the participants of the upcoming events: the tender-light lyric scene of Vanya and Klava, set off by the harsh soldier’s song “From fire and from the dust of cruel”, Oleg’s mother’s melancholy song “O Don My Quiet” excited story of Sergei Tyulenin. The final scenes are permeated with increasing drama. The act ends with a grotesquely sinister march of the approaching fascists.
The second act deepens the images of the young guards. In duet Koshevoy and Tyulenin two characters are compared: calm, strong-willed and impetuous, hot. Do not be devoid of sentimentality lyric aria Oleg “Whatever I do” (an appeal to the mother). Gentle, deep feelings are revealed in the duet of Oleg and Uli, where a lyrical theme familiar to overture sounds. The culmination of the picture is the oath of the Young Guard; the masculine melody of the octet, alternately passing by the participants, gradually manages, reaches a heroic sound.
In the second picture, the choral scenes predominate, the fine role of the orchestra, which paints the autumn weather, and the raging flame of the fire, is growing. The agitated chorus of the people, who learned from the leaflet about the victories of the Soviet troops, is replaced by the melancholy melody of the folk song “Good-bye, Ukraine native”, which is heard from afar – it is sung by girls being hijacked to Germany. A final chorus and ensemble are imbued with confidence.
The third act is a light pause in a dramatic narrative. The scene of the party with songs and dances brings to the opera a shade of youthful cheerfulness. At the beginning of the picture – the pensive aria of Elena Nikolaevna “He will come soon”. Then the lyrical duet of Oleg and Uli and energetic, close to the march of Oleg’s aria. The grandmother’s drinking song “Oy, charochka, charochka, gay!” Puts the beginning of the fun. Behind her follow the mischievous ditties Lyubka “My girl”. Ulya sings a wide song, “I’ve Gone Away”. The scene of the party is complemented by Ukrainian and Russian dances. The last pages of the act are covered with alarm.
In the fourth act three pictures. The scene of Vanya Zemnukhov’s interrogation is a tense vocal-symphonic episode based on the theme of the Young Guards’ oath; this theme is lightly peppered, lightly in the scene of the interrogation of Uli. The second picture is devoid of external movement, but is saturated with internal, psychological action. Young guards look at the short path they have traveled. The thoughts of the Komsomol members are revealed by Lyuba’s song. Simple, artless, she touches deeply concealed sadness. The fighting song of the Komsomol members is imbued with indomitable courage.
The execution of the young guardsmen (the third picture) is painted with stingy strokes. A burning feeling of love for the Motherland is covered with Oleg’s deathbed aria: “My dear country! It’s time has come.” The tragedy of the situation is underscored by the inclusion of the old revolutionary melody “Tortured with Serenity”.
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