Mikhail Glinka
Composer: Born June 1, 1804. Novospasskoe, Russia; died February 15, 1857, Berlin, Germany. Work composed: Completed in 1842. World premiere: December 9, 1842 at the Bolshoi Theater in St. Petersburg. Instrumentation: 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, contrabassoon, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, timpani, and strings. Approximate duration: 5:00. |
Background
Glinka, widely viewed as the founding father of Russian musical nationalism, is largely known today through two operas. The first of these, A Life for the Czar (1836), was a success both for its incorporation of elements from Russian folk music, and its contemporary plot, which resonated with burgeoning Russian political nationalism. For his second opera, Glinka turned to an epic poem by Pushkin. Pushkin ‘s Russlan and Ludmilla had secured his reputation when it was published in 1818, and it was widely known in Russian literary circles. The poem is a fairy-tale recreation of ancient Slavic epics: in this case, an extremely complicated version of the “sleeping beauty” legend. Glinka had originally planned to work with the poet in creating a libretto, but Pushkin died in a duel before he could collaborate on the opera. Glinka brought in a team of no fewer than five librettists, who turned Pushkin ‘s already convoluted storyline into an even more complicated series of tableaux. The confusing plot probably contributed to a rather lukewarm response at the premiere performance. Russlan and Ludmilla soon caught on, however, and became a recognized symbol of Russian music: the opera was performed over 300 times in St. Petersburg alone over the next half century, and was widely heard in other Russian cities. European and American audiences were a bit slower to accept the work (it was not performed in the US until 1942), but it is still heard occasionally today.
What You‘ll Hear
Though the opera Russlan and Ludmilla is only rarely heard on today ‘s stages, its brilliant little overture has become a staple of the orchestral repertoire. The overture is set in classical sonata form. The opening melodies, accompanied by furious violin lines, are borrowed from the opera ‘s final victory scene. The contrasting theme, played by violas, cellos, and bassoons is a battlefield aria sung by the hero Russlan in the second act. Near the end, the trombones—as usual, relegated to the role of orchestral Bad Guy—play a descending whole-tone scale associated with the evil dwarf Chernomor, but this is soon drowned out in general rejoicing.
Program notes ©2026 J. Michael Allsen