Search - Rimsky-Korsakov, Bulgarian Radio Chorus, Angelov :: Snow Maiden

If you can find it, you're in for a treat.

skytwo | Boston | 04/12/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Thanks in large part to the Kirov Opera Company (I was fortunate enough to see them in New York in 2003, but they weren't performing this gem), a lot of previously unavailable Russian opera is finally becoming available to American audiences. Outside of Eastern Europe or the former Soviet Union, the only one you're likely to see is Eugene Onegin. Or possibly Love of Three Oranges.



However, Rimsky-Korsakov wrote a number of outstanding magical operas that celebrate the Russian/near-Eastern musical tradition vis a vis classic fairy tales.



Capriccio released this recording of The Snow Maiden, and I picked it up about seven years ago. While one sequence from the opera, 'Dance of the Tumblers,' is a mainstay of greatest hits compilations, there's a lot to admire in this opera, of which Rimsky-Korsakov was very, very proud.



The recording sounds great-- no crowd noises, and excellent quality. I'm afraid I can't critique individual performances, but this ranks among the top of non-Kirov releases of Russian opera (Onegin excepted), and stands a good chance of delighting opera buffs unfamiliar with the Russian tradition. It features wonderful orchestration, a rich sound, and a wonderful balance of chorus scenes and arias. It's a true epic, larger than life and filled with memorable tableaux. An excellent companion piece to 'Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh,' another vastly underrated opera.



And if you can't track this down, it looks like a new version is going to be released in the near future."