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M. LYSENKO
TARAS BULBA
OPERA IN FOUR ACTS
Libretto by M. Starytsky based on M. Hohol’s novel
Lyrics edited by M. Rylsky
Music edited by L. Revutsky
Orchestrated by B. Liatoshynsky
 M. Lysenko wrote his best stage work, Taras Bulba musical drama, on the basis of M. Hohol’s novel
of the same name (libretto by M. Starytsky). The composer attached great attention to his opera, as he
worked at it with a special exactingness and public responsibility.
Taras Bulba is the acme of the Ukrainian classic opera heritage. The opera reflects its best features: deep all-permeating «folkness» and adherence to the best national artistic traditions. M. Lysenko was long striving for Taras Bulba presentation on a professional stage. However, it wasn’t destined to happen in the composer’s life-time. The outstanding piece of the Ukrainian classical music was first staged in 1924 in Kharkiv. But that performance didn’t keep long on the stage. The inefficient understanding by the theatrical directors of the composer’s intention, who set as the main task to depict the folk and their best representatives, plus no staging traditions for that opera hindered its true interpretation. Much better was Taras Bulba presentation made in 1927 by Kyiv Opera-and-Ballet Theatre. It started a full row of the opera stage / musical interpretations by the Ukrainian theatres. Outside Ukraine Taras Bulba by M. Lysenko was first staged in 1930 by Tbilisi Opera-and-Ballet Theatre. The Georgian public took the performance very warmly. In the spring of 1936 Moscow hosted the first Decade of the Ukrainian Literature and Arts, participated by Kyiv Academic Opera-and- Ballet Theatre. As the Decade was being prepared, an idea emerged to come back to Taras Bulba. |
There it was taken into account that all previous
presentations hadn’t stood the test by time due to considerable
libretto faults and some errors in the music dramaturgy. For M. Lysenko had never seen his opera staged,
nor heard its live sounding, so he naturally couldn’t correct its plot development and musical images. That
made it necessary to substantially revise the opera.
The job of honour, though uneasy and greatly responsible, was undertaken by the distinguished figures of the Ukrainian culture, poet M. Rylsky, composers L. Revutsky and B. Liatoshynsky. They revised both the literary basis of the opera and its music. B. Liatoshynsky created a brilliantly colourful score. The premire of Taras Bulba in the new version took place in 1937, and it met a great success. Although, the revisers heard some sound remarks. For instance, in some points they went too far from the original. The revisers took the public opinion into consideration and reviewed their work in many things. But the war prevented them from finishing the job. Upon its return from the evacuation the theatre resumed Taras Bulba in its pre-war version. M. Rylsky, L. Revutsky and B. Liatoshynsky continued their persistent search in order to put the opera as close to its literary original source as possible and to preserve M. Lysenko’s splendid music. That capital job was finished in the early 50s. The premiere of Taras Bulba version mostly conforming to M. Lysenko’s artistic plans and intentions took place in the spring of 1955 (conducted by A. Petrytsky). The performance didn’t leave the stage of Kyiv Opera for a number of years. After some time Taras Bulba clavier was published, and the opera was recorded on discs. M.Lytvynenko- Vol he mut, Z.Ha i dai, Y.Chav dar, A.Ki kot’, D.Hna ti uk, A.Mok ren ko, V.Tre ti ak sang in this ope ra with a gre at de al of suc cess gre at de al of suc cess. A brilliant musical interpretation of the opera was made in 1980 by the prominent Ukrainian conductor Stefan Turchak (1938 - 198). In the last years the opera also became known to the foreign spectators. The theatre showed Taras Bulba in Wiesbaden (1982), Dresden (1987), Zagreb (198). MYKOLA HORDIYCHUK, |
