Schedule for Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov "The Snow Maiden" 2022

Composer: Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov

Orchestra: Bolshoi Theatre Symphony Orchestra

Libretto by the composer,
after the play by Alexander Ostrovsky

Beginning of spring. Midnight. In surrounding of birds and flowers on Red hill Spring –Beauty comes. 16 years ago she has become a wife of a severe and old Frost. From that time the country of Berendeys is subjected to severe winters and spring colds. Iarilo-Sun looks at this union with jealousy, and Spring herself is tormented in captivity, but loving and regretting her daughter Snow Maiden she doesn’t determine to contradict to Father- Frost.
On the time of his absence Father -Frost decides to give back daughter in the village to Bachelor.
A village nears the river. The shepherd Lel comes to sleep to Bachelor. Snow Maiden asks Lel sing to her and gives a flower to him. Lel sings, but then girls appear in the distance. They call for Lel and he, throwing presented flower runs to them. Snow Maiden is grieved. The beauty Kupava sympathizes to Snow Maiden, but she has no time to think of others: her groom Misgir has arrived. Her beauty shakes seeing Snow Maiden Misgir. He refuses from Kupava and asks Snow Maiden to fall in love with him. Kupava is dishonoured. People condemn Misgir and advise Kupava to find justice in king’s Berendey’s support.
Crying bitterly the girl asks to punish the offender but Misgir renounces from Kupava publicly, he loves Snow Maiden. Berendey condemns Misgir on eternal exile. But in this moment Snow Maiden appears in tzar’s chambers. Her beauty touches poetical soul of Berendey.
I In a reserved wood of the kingdom of Berendey on the eve before the day of Iarilo guys and girls drive round dances with a song. Touched by singing of Lel tzar offers to choose the girl. Lel chooses Kupava.
The night is coming. Snow Maiden yearns for alone. Misgir comes and admits love. Snow Maiden escapes, Misgir tries to pursue her, but Wood-goblin, protecting her, forces him to go round the wood.
Lel and Kupava speak about their love. Hardly constraining tears Snow Maiden observes them. Her heart has learnt torments of jealousy. She exclaims in despair: Mother Spring –Beauty! Give back love or take a life of mine.
Earlier morning. On a coast of a Spring Beauty gives to the daughter a garland from magic flowers, in it the spring of love forces inexhaustible is hidden. The spring warns the daughter: she needs to hide in a shadow of woods and to conceal the love from an eye of Iarilo-Sun. But heart of Snow Maiden is restricted with new unknown feelings to Misgir.
Misgir brings Snow Maiden to tzar and asks to bless their union.
The bright beam falls on Snow Maiden. Being unable to bear burning beams of Iarilo, Snow Maiden thaws as a spring snow. Misgir in despair rushes in lake.
With the death of Snow Maiden the Frost looses authority above spring.