Dmitry Bortniansky - Le fils rival, on la moderne Stratonice - "Ах, в любви счастье рая" ("Love holds the heavens' happiness") (Lydia Chernykh, Irina Pianovac & Elena Svechnikova)

As such a project is quite interesting for me (in accordance with my limited knowledge of the period), I've decided to post some new material from some of the earliest Russian operas, in this case, a romance (written in the form of a trio) from "Le fils rival".

The present piece, though obviously deriving from the Italian school (Mozart, Salieri and similar composers being an obvious influence with first signs of belcanto evident in the heavier accompaniment than classicist tradition might have considered adopting), actually comes from "Le fils rival", an opera by one of Russia's first classical composers, Dmitry Bortniansky, whose musical career combined successes both in his homeland (where he was court composer) and in Italy (which probably accounts for the style being so Italian in character, so basically we have a vaguely Italian work sung in Russian (in the original version French was used) and set in Spain). Narratively, the trio follows the three women of the piece, Leonora (soprano), Sanshetta (soprano) and Albertina (mezzo-soprano), lamenting the unhappiness of love (with some rather sappy lyrics), primarily that of Leonora whose father wants her to marry Don Pedro. The piece itself is unusually for the Italian school a trio, rather than terzet, thus there are three verses for each of the women sung separately and only at the ending are the women brought together, though, again, it is not an ensemble per se, as the lines are sung simultaneously.

Here is the cast of the piece:

Lydia Chernykh - Leonora,
Irina Pianovac - Sanchetta,
Elena Svechnikova - Albertina.

Hope you'll enjoy :).

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Russian
• opera
• classical

[Thrax1982]

This composer is not completely unknown to me. I remember once listening to his harpsichord concerto on Youtube (don't remember whether it was any good).

This piece here is quite beautiful and even though you say that it's thoroughly Italianate

I would still say that this piece carries some very Russian melancholy.

[LindoroRossini]

Tchaikovsky and his thoroughly stunning opening to the first act of "Eugene Onegin" (the duet for Olga and Tatiana in particular) quickly comes to my mind, when listening to this except :). I'll also try to upload the mentioned scene, as I am completely in love with it :).

[teufel264]

@Thrax1982 whos care ?

[Radmilanish1]

Nice, thank you from the heart ....

[voxhunden]

Drama! Drama! Russian! Drama! Fantasic!!!!!

[louiseduvee]

Lovely! Thank you!

[LindoroRossini]

You're right, charmingly written, moreover, there is some undeniable humor in the roulandes of the harpsichord :).

[Thrax1982]

Yes, quite lovely actually, isn't it?

Very happy piece :)

[Meyerbeer1]

Is it this concerto you are thinking about?

watch?v=VPv8mh65Ay4