Kirov's Ruslan And Lyudmila

[chrisk217]

First of all, I'd like to thank Ariodante and richard53dog who sometime ago recommended Ruslan & Lyudmila to me! What a FUN opera it was! Very beautiful music, a most splendid production, a "Lord of the Rings" fantasy/magic ambience and lots of ballet right in the middle!

I have a question though... I'm not an opera fan but I think I do know good singing when I hear it. I'm really perplexed by Yuri Marusin, the singer who sings the Bayan. He seems to sing in a flat, off tone kind of way - I can't describe it better in English but anyone who has heard R&L will know what I mean. It's so pronounced, that I think it may be intentional... If you have heard this recording I'd like to hear your opinion... Is it indeed intentional? Is it, perhaps, a national or personal style?? Is he trying to convey something about the role??? What do you think of it?

Edited March 30, 2006 by chrisk217

[richard53dog]

I have a question though... I'm not an opera fan but I think I do know good singing when I hear it. I'm really perplexed by Yuri Marusin, the singer who sings the Bayan. He seems to sing in a flat, off tone kind of way - I can't describe it better in English but anyone who has heard R&L will know what I mean. It's so pronounced, that I think it may be intentional... If you have heard this recording I'd like to hear your opinion... Is it indeed intentional? Is it, perhaps, a national or personal style?? Is he trying to convey something about the role??? What do you think of it?

chrisk217,

I'm so glad that you enjoyed the video, I haven't seen it but I did see a performance on a Kirov tour, and Masurin sang it. And yes, he sang the entire role just a shade flat.

OK, here's my 2 cents and rusty memory. At the time , either in the program notes or some other article, I seem to recall being told that the shy pitch thing is connected with that genre of character . Seems weird

to me, but it may be a legit tradition. The opera is such a fantasy I guess anything is possible

Forwarding 4 or 5 years later, I saw Masurin make his Met debut as Gherman in Queen of Spades. It wasn't the most polished performance but he did sing that on (mostly) on pitch.

Anyone else on this? Am I off base?

Richard

Edited March 17, 2006 by richard53dog

[dirac]

richard53dog writes:

At the time, either in the program notes or some other article, I seem to recall being told that the shy pitch thing is connected with that genre of character.

I seem to remember reading something somewhere in a similar vein, but I wouldn't take that to the bank. I, too, would be interested in hearing other thoughts.

[Paul Parish]

Isaw/heard the SF Opera/Kirov Opera collaboration of Ruslan and Ludmila here in SF about 10 years ago, and it was out of sight wonderful -- especially the little wizard with the 10-foot long beard who flew all around the stage. And Ludmila was great, and Glinka's music was as amusing as Rossini's, and both ballets were fabulous to see, since they were in Bakst's designs and they brought the old EARLY Ballets Russes photos to life and showed Fokine's choreography -- they did the last act in Paris in 1911 or so, called it something else (Festin de Pierre? was it?), but the pictures of Nijinsky with his hand under his nose came to life right there onstage.

But I'm wondering what you're talking about -- which character is the Bayan? I'm guessing it's Ludmila's Arabian suitor, who falls asleep while singing his aria and has the dream vision-ballet of all his harem back home dancing for him.... but I'm not at all sure that's what you're talking about. I DO remember there was a strange quality to the aria, but I thought that was mostly to show the effects of the witch's enchantment on him.

Perhaps it's another character altogether?

[chrisk217]

Paul, the Bayan is the bard that sings during the first act and predicts what will happen...