FULL Boy at Christ’s Christmas Tree (S. A. Diaghilev) Astrakhan 2021
Information on the Performance
- Work Title: Boy at Christ's Christmas Tree or Мальчик у Христа на Елке
- Composer: Diaghilev Sergei Aleksandrovich
- Libretto: based on the story of the same name by F. M. Dostoevsky , Libretto Text, Libretto Index
- Venue & Opera Company: Astrakhan Opera and Ballet Theater, Russia
- Recorded: November 27, 2021
- Type: Staged Opera Live
- Singers: unknown
- Conductor: Valery Voronin
- Orchestra:
- Chorus Master: Galina Duncheva
- Stage Director: Yulia Khubatullina
- Stage Designer: Valida Kazhlaeva
- Costume Designer: Fedor Arkhipov
Information about the Recording
- Published by: Astrakhan Opera and Ballet Theater
- Date Published: 2024
- Format: Streaming
- Quality Video: 3 Audio:3
- Subtitles: nosubs
- Video Recording from: YouTube FULL VIDEO
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THIS PERFORMANCE
“The Boy at Christ’s Christmas Tree” is an opera-story by S. A. Diaghilev in 3 scenes (2 acts), libretto by S. A. Diaghilev based on the story of the same name by F. M. Dostoevsky , as well as his story “The Boy with a Hand” from “ Diary of a Writer” for 1876 . written in St. Petersburg between 2003 and 2007. Premiere – November 27, 28, 2021 in Astrakhan on the stage of the State Opera and Ballet Theater performed by artists of the opera troupe. Artistic director and chief conductor of the premiere performance V.V. Voronin , stage director Yu. Khubatullina, set designer V. Kazhlaeva, costume designer F. Arkhipov, plastic director Natalya Shurganova . In 2022, the opera was nominated for the Onegin Prize 2022
The idea of an opera based on the plot of two Christmas stories by F. M. Dostoevsky, “The Boy with a Hand” and “The Boy at Christ’s Christmas Tree,” was born to S. A. Diaghilev during his student years. Initially, the author planned to create a small one-act opera, but over time, the artistic capacity of Dostoevsky’s story required the composer to rethink the scale of the form. The initial version of the libretto was ready in 2000 , but work on the score itself began in 2003 . The immediate impetus for active work on the work was the death of a child of close friends of the author, which occurred by tragic coincidence on the day of the celebration of Orthodox Christmas , January 7, 2000. Dostoevsky’s original text largely retained its originality in the opera libretto; only a few numbers were added to the composer’s own words, as well as to the text taken from the collection “ Russian Folk Tales ” by A. N. Afanasyev , and a poem by S.A. Yesenin “Kaliki”. The opera was completed in its original orchestral version on July 21, 2007 . To promote the project more successfully, a unique reduced composition of the orchestra and the combined use of acting performers were first used. The management of the Astrakhan Opera House and Ballet, with which Diaghilev has been collaborating for a long time, in the person of artistic director V.V. Voronin, became interested in the opera almost immediately after completing work on it, but the production was only possible to carry out as part of the celebration of the 200th anniversary of the birth of F. M. Dostoevsky thanks to the support of the Presidential Fund for Cultural Initiatives and the Russian Cultural Foundation . In connection with the upcoming production on the big stage, the author decided to create a second edition for an enhanced orchestra, which was carried out in the spring of 2021. Directly for the production of the opera within the framework of the “Art-pro-movement” project, the theater management attracted young specialists: director Yu. Khubatullina, set designer V. Kazhlaeva, costume designer F. Arkhipov, as well as plastic director Natalya Shurganova . The production period lasted from August to November 2021. The performance premiered on November 27 and 28, 2021.
Features of the plot interpretation
In general, the original plot of Dostoevsky’s two stories was preserved during the creation of the libretto. However, by combining two stories – a real one (“The Boy with a Hand”) and a fictional one (“The Boy at Christ’s Christmas Tree”) into one whole, the composer-librettist introduces a new character – the writer, on whose behalf the story is told. The viewer immediately sees all the other characters that the writer comes up with in real action. In addition, all the other characters: the negligees, the boy’s mother, the old woman and the policeman – have their own developed, complete storyline, directly related not only to the fate of the boy, but also to the religious, mystical, philosophical subtext of the work. Thus, three rogues, personifying the depth of the decline of human nature through debauchery, drunkenness and cruelty, become witnesses to the difficult trials that the boy has to go through. By the end of the work, they show signs of repentance and hope for correction. The bearer of absolute evil becomes the representative of the law – the policeman, who is the direct culprit in the death of the child, not only because he cynically beats him, but also because of the previous indifference that he shows at the moment when the boy most needs protection. On the contrary, the image of the boy’s mother is interpreted by the author much more broadly, right up to the image of the Mother of all children, distantly associated with the Virgin Mary in the epilogue during the performance of the quoted song “ Silent Night ” by F. Gruber . According to the composer’s original plan, the part of the Invisible Voice was to be sung by the performers of the robe roles. This was due to the combined use for the possibility of performing opera on the small stage of a chamber theater. Subsequently, such a need disappeared, but at the insistence of the director of the premiere performance, Yu. Khubatullina, the part of the Invisible Voice was left to the performers of the robes, who temporarily took on the image of the ancient wise men going to worship the born Jesus Christ . This absolutely coincided with the author’s concept, according to which the heroes undergo their gradual spiritual rebirth. In addition, this technique made it possible to avoid straightforwardness when associated with God ( the Trinity ), thus enhancing the viewer’s sense of high mysticism and mystery.
First act
Prologue .
Boys at Christ’s Christmas Tree (opera)
Scene from the first picture. Premiere performance of the play
A Writer is wandering along a St. Petersburg street, where the noise of festive fun can be heard. He comes across a boy begging for alms. His mother is sick and does not have a job.
“I am a novelist, and, it seems, I composed one story myself…” – with these words the writer seems to send the Boy towards his fate.
First picture . “In the basement”
The boy returns to the basement of a St. Petersburg slum, which has become a refuge for him and his sick mother. The eternally drunk “slobbers” play cards, swear, and bawle songs. Seeing the boy, they realize that he got some money and demand that he run for vodka.
Having received vodka, the robes become animated, dance the “gypsy girl”, arrange a clownish ritual of reverent worship of their “shrine”, make faces, tease the ancient Old Woman, calling her the “daughter-in-law” of their drunken comrade.
Kvartalny appears, sees dirt, debauchery, vodka, but, waving his hand, leaves: all this continues day after day. And the rogues continue the revelry and forcefully give the Boy water.
The sound of the church bell reminds them that today is Christmas Eve. A gang of factory girls bursts in with squeals and laughter. An accordion plays, everyone dances a quadrille around the frightened Boy and Mother, until the Old Woman, shaking her fist, drives them out into the street.
The mother hugs her son and sings him a farewell lullaby. When the Boy wakes up, his mother lies cold as a wall and does not answer him. The boy takes his cap and goes outside again to get some money.
Second act
Second picture . “On the street”
There is pre-holiday bustle in the city. The boy wanders, numb from the cold. Sometimes they give him a few small coins, sometimes they just send him away. And outside the windows there are smart people, decorated Christmas trees… He had never seen how rich, happy people lived. In one of the windows the Boy sees strange dolls and looks at them with delight. The careless people notice him and, wanting to laugh, they push the Boy into the house with laughter. Kvartalny is watching them.
Soon the Boy is escorted out of the house, having been given a penny. But the Boy does not hold the coin with his stiff fingers, drops it and does not find it. Wiping his tears, he runs further towards the sounds of the holiday, to where the crowd watches the dolls dancing to the sounds of a barrel organ.
The boy runs into Kvartalny. He has been watching this ragamuffin for a long time, spoiling the picture of the holiday with his appearance. The policeman hatefully grabs the boy by the collar and throws him to the ground. The robbers, sobering up in horror, crowd around.
Transition to the third picture .
And the boy no longer feels anything. He hears a voice in the darkness, similar to his mother’s: “Let’s go to my Christmas tree, Boy…” No, this is not my mother’s voice, but it is very kind! Someone takes him by the hand, lifts him up and leads him
somewhere…
Third picture . “On the Christmas tree”
The boy sees that he is in a wonderful place with a delightful Christmas tree, and on the sides, as if behind an invisible line, are women. These are the mothers of deceased children. The children themselves appear: they dance and sing. And here is his mother. “Mom, mom, I’m sleeping. Oh, how good it is to sleep here!” Light! Light! No separation, no pain. Everything sparkles and shines! And all around there are boys and girls, so bright! “But who are you, boys and girls, where are you from and where am I?”
– This is “Christ’s Christmas tree”. She is always with Christ on this day for little children who don’t have a Christmas tree… and we are just like you, children!
“We froze in the baskets—they threw us in them at the officials’ doors!”
– We were forgotten in illness by the guardians of our souls from the orphanage!
“And we died of hunger at the withered breasts of our mothers!”
What kind of stories did he hear under the silent tears of the mothers standing nearby!
But then the lights lit up on the tree, wonderful Christmas images floated, and the same familiar voice sang: “They are all now like angels, they are all now with Me, and I Myself am among them, and I bless them all…”
But the Boy’s heart is restless: “Mom! What about you?”
“Boy, don’t cry, you’ll be with your mom, just give us your hand.”
The children give him a small flashlight, and they solemnly walk one after another so that, having reached the “sky,” they light the Star of Bethlehem…
Epilogue.
“Children are strange people, they dream and imagine.” The weak light of a lantern illuminates the St. Petersburg courtyard, where the dead Boy lies. The Writer froze on his knees in front of him, and next to him, robes were sweeping the yard:
– And they found his mother… She died before him… Both met with the Lord God in Heaven…
They sigh, but will they change? What is their belated repentance worth? Only God knows…
Snowflakes are falling quietly, and the desperate words of the Writer are heard in the echoing courtyard:
“And why did I make up such an unreasonable story?”
But somewhere else high in the sky you can hear the words of Christmas:
“The night is quiet, the night is holy, the light from the sky is shining from a star… Sleep, Holy Child.”
Quoted from Wikipedia