Undina (Tchaikovsky)

"Undina" (sometimes "Undine" or "Ondine") ( _ru. Ундина) is an opera in 3 acts by Pyotr Tchaikovsky. The work was composed in 1869. The libretto was written by Vladimir Sollogub, and is based on Vasily Zhukovsky's translation of Friedrich de la Motte-Fouqué's "Ondine".

The opera was composed during the months of January to July, 1869, but Tchaikovsky destroyed score in 1873, preserving only a few numbers from the opera. The opera has never been performed in its entirety.

The only extracts which survive are (i) The introduction; (ii) Undina's aria "Waterfall, my uncle, streamlet, my brother"; (iii)the chorus "Help, help! Our stream is raging"; (iv) Undina and Huldbrand's duet "O happiness, O blessed moment"; (v) and the chorus with soloists' "O hours of death".

At least three of these pieces - the aria, the duet, and the final chorus - were performed at the Moscow premiere at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow on 28 March 1870.

Some music from the opera was subsequently re-used in Tchaikovsky's other works:
*The bridal procession of Act 3 was adapted for the Andantino marziale of his "Symphony No. 2" (1872).
*The introduction was used unchanged as the introduction to his incidental music to Ostrovsky's "Snow Maiden" (1873).
*Undina's aria was somewhat altered and put to use as the first song of Lel in "Snow Maiden".
*The duet was recycled as the duet (No. 13-V) of Siegfried and Odette in Act 2 of "Swan Lake" (1875-1876). The vocal parts were replaced by solo cello and violin.

Roles

Instrumentation

Source: [http://www.tchaikovsky-research.net/ www.tchaikovsky-research.net]
*"Strings": Violins, Violas, Cellos, and Double Basses
*"Woodwinds": Piccolo, 2 Flutes, 2 Oboes, 2 Clarinets ( B-flat), 2 Bassoons
*"Brass": 4 Horns (all F), 2 Trumpets (B-flat), 2 Trombones, Tuba
*"Percussion": Timpani, Triangle, Cymbals, Bass Drum
*"Other": Harp, Piano

ynopsis

"Time": The 15th century

"Place": Germany, near the Danube; Ringstetten Castle (Burg Ringstetten)

Discography

Introduction

*Gauk, USSR Radio Large Symphony Orchestra

Vocal Numbers

*Akulov, USSR TV and Radio Symphony Orchestra, Milashkina, Raikov

External links

* [http://tchaikovsky-research.org/en/Works/th002.html Undina (English)]