Let's talk about music. Jewish Woman at the Mikhailovsky Theater

Design and interior 13.01.2024

Design and interior

He who does not love music is not capable of anything great and noble!
W.Shakespeare

This time I want to change traditions and write before the event that is supposed to happen on Sunday. We decided to watch an opera that made a splash two years ago and somehow flew unnoticed in the theater world." "Jew" at the Mikhailovsky Theater.

“This opera is truly a very significant work. After a long absence from the repertoire of many theaters, it returns. Recently it has been shown in Vienna, Paris, and London, and has now reached St. Petersburg: last season, under the title “The Jewess,” it was staged at the Mikhailovsky Theater.

A little bit of history. This opera was called a masterpiece of the French opera stage back in the mid-19th century.

"Jew" (1835) Jacques François Halévy, which became famous in 19th-century theaters under the titles “The Cardinal’s Daughter” and “The Jew” (La Juive), appeared on the stage of the Mikhailovsky Theater, where once upon a time, in 1837, its Russian premiere was given.

In December 1888, Vladimir Ulyanov (Lenin) visited the Kazan Opera Theater together with his brother D.I. Ulyanov. In 1901, Vladimir Ulyanov wrote to his mother: “I was at the opera the other day, listening with great pleasure to “The Jew”: I heard it once in Kazan (when Zakrzhevsky sang), probably 13 years ago, but some motives remained in my memory.”.

Why did we decide to go to this performance?

Firstly, I've never heard of this composer.

Jacques François Fromental Elie Halévy. The future composer was born in France in 1799 in the family of the famous poet Elie Halévy (Halfon), an emigrant from Bavaria. Having settled in France, my father was forced to add the prefix “a-” for Jews to his surname Levi. Eli Halevi was also a cantor and a teacher of Hebrew. It is known about him that Jacques Halévy's son-in-law was the composer Bizet. Since 1816, he taught at the Paris Conservatory. Among the students are Charles Gounod, Georges Bizet, Camille Saint-Saens,

Halévy wrote about forty operas. Among them:

Queen's Musketeers(fr. Les mousquetaires de la raine) (1846)
Queen of Spades(1850) (fr. La dame de pique) (based on the story by Alexander Pushkin, translated by Prosper Merimee)
Charles the Sixth (French) Charles VI ) (1843)
Noah (1858—1862)
Storm, based on an Italian libretto based on the play of the same name by William Shakespeare (1850)
Queen of Cyprus (French) La reine de Chypre ) (1841) (earned many accolades from Richard Wagner)
Craftsman(fr. L"artisan) (1827)
Jew(fr. La Juive) (1835)

The style of his operas is characterized by monumentality, a combination of drama with external decorativeness, and an abundance of stage effects. Most of Halévy's operas are written on historical subjects. The best of them are devoted to the theme of the struggle against national oppression, but this theme is interpreted from the standpoint of bourgeois-liberal humanism.

“Halevi's music is one that cannot be truly appreciated at the first try. It has a complex inner beauty, although it lacks the perfection of form and the brightness of the expressed feelings noted upon first listening.”, wrote G. Berlioz.

He admired Halevi's music and R. Wagner; "“To write a good opera, you need not only a good poet and a good musician, you also need to have a certain agreement between the talent of one and the other.” Wagner called the opera "The Jewess" "a monument that will stand out in the history of music."

Gustav Mahler proclaimed "The Jew" one of the most stunning operas ever created on earth.

In addition to operas, Halévy owns 2 ballets, cantatas, romances, choruses, piano pieces, and works of religious music.

Halévy's main work, which immortalized his name, was the opera "Jewish Woman", based on a libretto by Eugene Scribe, about the persecution of Jews by the Inquisition.

In pre-revolutionary Russia the opera was called “The Jew,” and in the USSR it was called “The Cardinal’s Daughter.”
The opera uses Jewish motifs; the centuries-old suffering of the Jewish people found deep musical expression in it. The heroine of "The Jew" Rachel shows self-sacrificing devotion to Judaism, although she herself is not Jewish by birth.
An orphan raised by the Jew Eleazar throws herself into the fire, not wanting to betray her ideals. For the first time, orchestral techniques were used in opera, which Berlioz later spoke enthusiastically about. It was first staged in 1835.

In his author's introduction Alexey Parin offers for listening several examples of performances of this opera from ancient times: de Brogni’s Cavatina from the first act, recorded in 1927, Rochelle’s aria from the second act performed by the incomparable Rose Ponsel, as well as the great Enrico Caruso as Eleazar, recorded in 1920...

Musicologist and presenter of various radio stations Alexey Parin talks very interestingly about this opera. Listen to him.

I first heard about this opera after becoming acquainted with the work of the great American tenor Neila Shikofa, who in 2011 was awarded our highest theater prize, the Golden Mask, for his performance of the part of Eliozar in the opera The Jewess at the Mikhailovsky Theater.

Outwardly, Shicoff is somewhat similar to the head of the American computer concern Apple, Steve Jobs.

So, What does the coming day have in store for us? Wait and see. But I already like the music, and Neil Shicoff is good too!

The Mikhailovsky Theater website says:

Jewess

opera in 3 acts, 5 scenes

music by Jacques François Fromental Halévy

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And secondly, I have always been interested in the question of what allows Jews to survive and rise to the heights of each subsequent civilization. Why have they always been persecuted in all centuries? The events described in the opera touch on the times of the Inquisition of the 15th century.

Jews have always been a mysterious people for me. The Jews made their way into history inconspicuously and with great delay. They had neither the Stone Age nor the Bronze Age. They didn't even have an Iron Age. For the first eight centuries of their existence, they roamed within and without the great civilizations that surrounded them. They had no buildings, no cities, no army. In fact, they didn't even have weapons. All their wealth consisted of those ideas that over time conquered the world, although they did not make the Jews its masters.

Jewish history cannot be told only as the story of the Jews alone, for they lived in interaction with other civilizations almost throughout their historical path. The fate of the Jews was similar to that of these civilizations, with one very important exception. The Jews somehow managed to avoid the cultural death that, as it turned out, was destined for all the civilizations around them, and continued their cultural development within the framework of new civilizations that arose by this time.

There are over three billion people on our planet, of which only 12 million - less than half a percent - are Jews. Statistically, they seem to have just as little claim to a significant role in world events as, say, some Ainu tribe, lost in the depths of East Asia, on the sidelines of history. In reality, however, the role of the Jews is completely out of proportion to their small numbers. At least 12 percent of all Nobel prizes in physics, chemistry and medicine go to Jews. The Jewish contribution to the greatest achievements of mankind in the fields of religion, science, literature, music, economics and philosophy is amazing in its scope.

And we must not forget that Antisemitism has always been a part of Jewish history and has left a deep imprint on the mentality of Jews, especially in the countries of dispersion, and especially in Russia. The Jews suffered the most terrible persecution not from the pagans, but from those who called themselves Christians. In dictionaries, anti-Semitism is defined as a hostile attitude towards Jews as such. That is, a negative attitude that is caused not by certain actions or words of a person, but only by his nationality. Why does anti-Semitism exist? What caused it?
If you ask why Jews are not liked, you can hear a variety of answers. Some accuse the Jews of killing Christ, while others, on the contrary, accuse them of being the first Christians and writing the books of the New Testament. Still others - in some special natural greed, thirst for accumulation, desire to exploit the labor of other peoples, in the fact that their religion (Judaism) supposedly preaches racial exclusivity, but in any of its manifestations, anti-Semitism was always incomprehensible and unpleasant to me. During the long, dark years of the Middle Ages, Jews were often faced with the choice of “baptism or exile,” “baptism or torture,” “baptism or death.” All kinds of humiliating laws were passed against them.

The heyday of ancient Greece lasted five centuries. Then the Greeks turned into a people of shepherds. They never regained their former greatness. The situation is completely different with the Jews. They have remained creative throughout their four thousand year history.

Over the centuries, Jews have developed such concepts as prayer, church, salvation of the soul, universal education, and charity. They introduced them into their everyday life many centuries before the rest of humanity was able to perceive them. And yet, until 1948, for almost two thousand years, the Jews did not even have their own country. They dwelt among the Babylonians, lived surrounded by the Hellenistic world, attended the deathbed of the Roman Empire, prospered in Islamic civilization, re-emerged from the twelve centuries of darkness called the Middle Ages, and reached intellectual heights in modern times.

Why have Jews been disliked in all centuries? Because they invented for themselves the right to enrich themselves at the expense of society. They invented usury. That's why they weren't loved. The basis of usury is the provision of money on credit at a compound interest rate, when interest is charged not only on the principal amount of the debt, but also on the amount of interest on the previous payment period. Such interest charges in mathematics are subject to the law of geometric progression, which has exponential growth at its limit.

A classic example of the manifestation of the law of geometric progression is a well-known story that happened to a Persian padishah. He was so delighted with the new game - chess - that he promised to fulfill any wish of its inventor. A smart mathematician asked to place one grain of bread on the first square of the chess field, and on each subsequent square twice as much as on the previous one. At first, the king was delighted at the modesty of the request, but soon realized that there was not enough grain in the entire kingdom to fulfill this “modest” desire. It is not difficult to calculate that the required amount of grain will be more than 440 world harvests.

The mathematical laws of geometric progression continue to apply when charging compound interest in economics. The calculations are amazing. If someone invested 1 penny in the year of Christ at 4% per annum, then in 1750 with the money he could buy a golden ball as heavy as the Earth. In 1990, he would already have the equivalent of 8190 such balls. At 5% per annum, he could have bought such a ball back in 1403, and in 1990 the purchasing power of money would have been equal to 2200 billion balls of gold weighing the Earth.

Indeed, by charging interest and compound interest, wealth doubles at regular intervals: the period of time required to double the amount of money invested: at 3% per annum it will take 24 years, at 6% - 12 years, at 12% - 6 years.

The opposite situation applies to a person who has taken out a loan at interest. A long-term loan, taken, for example, for 25 years at a compound 3% per annum, doubles by the time of payment (at a compound 1%, the debt doubles in approximately 70 years). If we analyze the relationship of even very small interest rates to the most seemingly “earthly” payment terms, it turns out that the closer to the time of debt repayment, the less favorable the financial condition of the debtor looks and this is connected, first of all, with the exponential “cunning” of the functional Dependencies: small compound interest / long payment period. The period for doubling the amount to be paid from the original can be approximately calculated for compound interest using the formula 70/interest rate.

In fact, anti-Semitism arose from the fight against usury.

The opera takes place in France. Throughout the later Middle Ages, the Jews of France lived under constant attacks from clergy, feudal lords and the common people. Oppression ranged from extortion and murder of individual Jews to pogroms and massacres.

Introduction in the middle of the 13th century. The Inquisition intensified the persecution of Jews.

To demonstrate the triumph of Christianity and its advantages over Judaism, the Catholic Church forced rabbis to take part in religious disputes. Numerous treatises directed against Judaism were published.

The Talmud was subjected to especially fierce attacks. In 1239, Apostate Nicholas Donin presented the charges against the Talmud to the pope, pointing out that it contained attacks on Christianity. As a result, a papal bull was sent out against the Talmud.

In June 1240, a debate about the Talmud took place in Paris. Despite the brilliant performances of Jewish scholars, especially Rabbi Jehiel ben Yosef of Paris, the tribunal ordered the burning of the Talmud. In 1242 the Talmud was banned and 24 cartloads of Jewish books were burned.

The king and large feudal lords began to consider the Jews living on their lands, as your property; in legal documents they were called "the King's Jews." Fearing that they would lose the money they were paid in the form of taxes and various fees, the feudal lords began to enter into agreements among themselves treaties regarding rights to Jews.

The Catholic Church strongly condemned any financial transactions with Jews. Many people who owed debts to Jews, including representatives of all walks of life, actively supported the Church's demand to allow Christians not to repay debts to Jews.

This is the background on which Halévy built his opera, using Eugene Scribe's libretto as a basis.

The plot of a five-act opera, composed by Eugene Scribe (known in Russia for his play “A Glass of Water”), again revolves around the problem of choice. The action takes place in the 15th century in Constanta. The main character, the merchant Eleazar, who suffered at the hands of the Holy Inquisition, sends his adopted daughter Rachel to take revenge on the executioner, Cardinal de Brogny, who is actually her father. Eleazar must decide what is more important: protecting his faith and his people or saving his daughter from a painful death. Rachel has her own choice: in the name of love for the Christian young man, she sacrifices herself and forgets about revenge. This is the plot of this opera that we are going to see.

Let's return to the performance

We just came from the theater. We sat in the center in the Benois boxes. Tickets for 2500 rub. But this is the case when you don’t mind the money, since the music captivated you from the first minute. And although the performance lasted 4 hours with two intermissions, the music is magnificent. and she did not get bored with the monotony. The choir and orchestra sounded great. The soloists have VERY difficult parts, but they did it. The director's decision on the play is somewhat banal. For some reason the action was transferred from the 15th century to the 30s of the 20th century. The bonfires of the Inquisition were replaced by gas chambers at the end of the performance. I really liked the performers. We talked about Neil Shicoff. But a few words should be said about other artists.

Director Bernard plunged us into an atmosphere of anti-Semitism from the first minutes of the performance. We came to listen to music, and the ideas of the Holocaust are being propagated to us. For what?

The action of the play takes place in a dull gray box, playing either the role of a Jewish ghetto, or a city square, where a celebration is taking place (at Bernard's - an anti-Semitic rally), or a military commandant's office with soulless typists, fussing staff officers and a map of the next blitzkrieg. The leitmotif of the events is the preparation of the mass extermination of Jews. Of course, Bernard set out with the noble goal of glorifying the sense of dignity of the victims, especially strong in the case of the jeweler and his daughter, and to expose the pogromists. Already during the overture, the Red Shirts beat defenseless praying Jews with batons and kicks, and so reliably that the audience does not pay attention to the music - everyone is looking at the carnage. Further - more: Jews will be reviled by a crowd of townspeople, they will be beaten, intimidated and humiliated in every possible way, and in the end they will be sent to a concentration camp, replacing a fire for non-believers. But the opera is not entirely (or not only) about racial or religious hatred. Rather, it is about the destructiveness of fanaticism.

The central figure in the play is the jeweler Eliazar, whose role was brilliantly played by Neil Shicoff.

Of course, you can compare Neil Shicoff with Enrico Caruso, for whom the role of Eliazar was one of the last in his life

You can also listen to Eliazar's aria performed Mario del Monaco

This aria, perhaps, has always been in my ear, thanks to these performers. “Rachel, you were given to me by heavenly Providence,” someone sang a long time ago in childhood, from a very ancient record. The motif seemed banal, albeit with an oriental flavor.

Placido Domingo also loved this aria:

In 1956, Mikhail Alexandrovich sang this aria in Russian:

This is the emotional pinnacle of the performance.- Eleazar's famous aria, "Rachel, quand du Seigneur". Eleazar became the last tragic role of the terminally ill Caruso. Neil Shicoff sings this aria, as if for the last time, “with the blood of the heart.” In general, for this aria alone it was worth coming to the performance, being in anticipation of a miracle and waiting for it.

The notorious love triangle.. Rachel, the daughter of the Cardinal, whom the jeweler Eliazar saved during a fire a long time ago and raised as his daughter, she is at the forefront, she is a JEW. Rachel, personifying all vices and righteousness, in an irrepressible desire to live and love... thanks and in spite of. The role of Rachel was performed by the soloist of the Mikhailovsky Theater MARIA LITKE. Bravo! Maria Litke(soprano) - Laureate of the All-Russian competition, in 2005 she graduated from the St. Petersburg Conservatory in the class of People's Artist of the USSR, Professor I. P. Bogacheva. M. Litke's voice, with a range of two and a half octaves, sounds brightly and uniquely in all registers: in the lower it is distinguished by depth and richness, in the middle - softness and penetration, in the upper - a combination of tenderness and strength. She sang Rachel well, but her voice sometimes it stuck out. Her voice is very strong, and sometimes you need to listen to your partners. And the image of Rachel that she created was quite strange. A certain blue stocking with glasses ran around the stage very nervously, Her Rachel - on the one hand, a quiet, downtrodden mouse, living in the world of her fantasies and books. She was constantly reading a book - either Jewish prayers, or some kind of romance novel. I even read it in prison. Maybe the artist didn’t know the words well? True, it is not entirely clear how the prince could exchange the beautiful Eudoxia for such a Rachel. And when Leopold admitted that he was a Christian, Rachel showed her violent temper, began to tear and throw, as if for her the Torah was much more important than love. It is difficult to love such a Rachel.

Second angle of the triangle- The chosen one of the chosen one.. Christian Leopold, for the sake of possessing his beloved, posing as the artist Samuel.. Gianluca Pasolini(Gianluca Pasolini) - tenor, a graduate of the Florentine Academy Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, is at the peak of his creative career. He has established himself as a gifted teacher. He regularly performs at many famous venues in Europe and the USA (La Scala, Berlin Opera, Salzburg Festival). He sings everything correctly, but sometimes, it seemed to me, he didn’t get something right. And a little old for the role of a lover. The Italian Gianluca Pasolini turned out to be somewhat weaker compared to the others. Beautiful timbre, even some kind of Russian tenor, but for some reason the voice sounded tense and quiet.

And completes the triangle figure- the pretender's bride, the emperor's niece - Evdokia. She sang this part in the play NATALIA MIRONOVA, soloist of Mikhailovsky, who adorned the outstanding Opera with her coloratura soprano. Evdokia - Natalya Mironova - is simply magnificent. She weaves vocal laces with French grace. Her voice is beautiful, soft, but... too dull and, nevertheless... it was perceived in the audience mainly, as it seemed to me, not sonorous enough. This was especially noticeable against the background of the very emotional singing of the performer of the role of Rachel.

The final duet between Rachel and Eudoxia is especially musically interesting. But the director decided this scene, in my opinion, very poorly. The princess comes to see her rival in prison, she is taken out, but the entire stormy explanation takes place against the backdrop of routine clerical work: about twenty extras are tapping on typewriters, turning telephones, and especially diligently moving long pointers along the city map (they are drawing up a plan for a total roundup of Jews!). Rachel is always trying to run away, a military official catches her, handcuffs her to a chair, she pulls again, the chair falls, etc. Listen to all this interferes! And the girls sing wonderfully well. Eudoxia persuades Rachel, who is condemned to execution, to save Leopold, whom they both love, from death for having an affair with a Jewish woman.

This is from the Metropolitan Opera. Duet of Eudoxia (Elizabeth Futral) and Rachel (Soyl Isokoski)

And this is from the Vienna State Opera, an excerpt from the second act, when Rachel meets Leopold. (The Vienna State Opera, 2003
Krassimira Stoyanova, Jianyi Zhang, Neil Shicoff)

A few words about the cardinal. Bass from Holland Harry Peters has a not very powerful voice, which, nevertheless, fills the hall very well. In the role of Cardinal de Brogny, Pieterse was very convincing; his hero is not so much a religious fanatic as an unhappy father, ready to make any sacrifice for the return of his only daughter - in the scene of amazing melodic beauty where De Brogni begs Eleazar to reveal the secret to him, Peters achieved extraordinary emotional expressiveness. True, the cardinal does not look very good surrounded by fascist thugs.

Well, in conclusion, what is this opera about? This opera is neither “pro-Christian” nor “pro-Jewish”, here each of the main characters is both a victim and an executioner, everyone is filled with arrogance and hatred, proud of their faith and despising someone else’s - this is exactly what we are talking about, about the destructive nature of intolerance.

Let's talk about semantic layers
and music.
We will talk in particular about opera.

Halévy wrote about forty operas.

Among them:

Queen's Musketeers(fr. Les mousquetaires de la raine) (1846)

Queen of Spades(1850) (fr. La dame de pique) (based on the story by Alexander Pushkin, translated by Prosper Merimee)

Charles the Sixth (French) Charles VI ) (1843)

Noah (1858—1862)

Storm , based on an Italian libretto based on the play of the same name by William Shakespeare (1850)

Queen of Cyprus(fr. La reine de Chypre ) (1841) (earned many accolades from Richard Wagner)

Craftsman (fr. L"artisan) (1827)

Jew (fr. La Juive) (1835)

Controversy surrounding the title of the opera began as soon as the theater announced plans for its production.
“The Mikhailovsky Theater was faced with the question of choosing the exact and correct title of the opera,”
says theater general director Vladimir Kekhman.
- Its original name is “La Juive”, in Russia it was staged as “The Jew” or as “The Cardinal’s Daughter”, and in the last 70 years it has disappeared from the repertoire of Russian theaters.
We contacted the French Institute in St. Petersburg and received expert linguist opinions regarding possible translations of “La Juive.”
Three options were proposed: “Jewish,” “Jewish,” and “Jewish.”
As a result, a collegial decision was made to stage an opera called “The Jewess,” which seems to be the most relevant and devoid of semantic layers

I was interested in the question of what allows Jews to survive and rise to the heights of each subsequent civilization. Why have they always been persecuted in all centuries? The events described in the opera touch on the times of the Inquisition of the 15th century.

If you ask why Jews are not liked, you can hear a variety of answers. Some accuse the Jews of killing Christ, while others, on the contrary, accuse them of being the first Christians and writing the books of the New Testament. Still others - in some special natural greed, thirst for hoarding, desire to exploit the labor of other peoples, in the fact that their religion (Judaism) supposedly preaches racial exclusivity, but in any of its manifestations anti-Semitism was always incomprehensible and unpleasant to me. During the long, dark years of the Middle Ages, Jews were often faced with the choice of “baptism or exile,” “baptism or torture,” “baptism or death.” All kinds of humiliating laws were passed against them.

In fact, anti-Semitism arose from the fight against usury.

Introduction in the middle of the 13th century. The Inquisition intensified the persecution of Jews.

This is the background on which Halévy built his opera, using Eugene Scribe's libretto as a basis.

http://www.liveinternet.ru/users/3620784/profile/

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Jew opera download, Jew opera mini
Fromental Halévy

« Jew"(French La Juive; also went under the names " Jewish», « Cardinal's daughter», « Jewess") is an opera in five acts by Fromental Halévy based on the original French libretto by Eugene Scribe, one of the most striking examples of French “grand opera”. It was first staged on February 23, 1835 in Paris.

The role of Rachel is one of the most difficult soprano opera roles.

1 Characters
2 Contents
- 2.1 Act one
- 2.2 Act two
- 2.3 Act three
- 2.4 Act four
- 2.5 Act five
3 Selecting a name
4 Notable productions
- 4.1 Russia
  - 4.1.1 Pre-revolutionary productions
  - 4.1.2 Russian Federation
- 4.2 Abroad
5 Discography
- 5.1 Publications in the USSR
6 Notes
7 Links

Characters

Act one

Square in Constanta. The people, kneeling on the porch of the temple, pray. You can hear the singing of a hymn of gratitude and the cheerful noise of a cheering crowd. The mayor of the city, Ruggiero, appears, accompanied by guards, and reads to the people the royal edict, announcing the victory of the imperial prince Prince Leopold over the Hussites and the convening of a council to try them. On this occasion, the king ordered a nationwide holiday. All work must be stopped, a solemn prayer service will be served in churches, and at noon all fountains will be filled with wine. The people greet this message with joyful cries. Suddenly hearing the sound of a hammer on an anvil, Ruggiero asks: “Who dares to do work on this day?” They answer him that this is the work of a jeweler, the Jew Eleazar, who does not consider Christian holidays obligatory for himself.

By order of Ruggiero, the guards go to Eleazar's house and bring him to the mayor along with his daughter Rachel. Ruggiero declares to Eleazar that by working on a holiday, he thereby expresses contempt for the God of Christians and deserves strict punishment. The Jew responds that he cannot honor the Christian God, for whose glory all his sons were burned at the stake. Ruggiero says that the same fate awaits him and orders Eleazar and his daughter to be led to execution.

At this moment Cardinal de Brogny comes out of the church. Eleazar rushes to him with a plea for forgiveness. Bronyi, peering at Eleazar, remembers that he saw him somewhere. It turns out that he knew him while still living in the world. Eleazar reminds him that it was he, de Brogni, who expelled him from Rome. Then he was a dignitary, not a clergyman, and lived among the laity, in the circle of his beloved family. The Cardinal asks not to irritate his heart wounds with memories of the past, since he has since lost both his wife and children. Then he announces to Eleazar and Rachel that they are free, adding: “Let the anger and enmity towards the Jews cease: with forgiveness and mercy we will turn them to God!” Freed, Eleazar and Rachel retire to their home. Broni and Ruggiero leave, accompanied by the crowd.

When all the people disperse, Prince Leopold sneaks into Eleazar’s house in disguise and with a serenade summons his beloved and loving Rachel for a date, to whom he pretends to be a Jew, the artist Samuel. Rachel goes out onto the balcony and joyfully meets her lover. They swear eternal love to each other. Rachel invites Leopold to come to them this evening to celebrate Easter. Hearing the sound of footsteps, they hide from the room.

The ringing of bells and the sounds of a solemn march are heard. The fountains, filled with wine instead of water, again attract people to the square. Leopold hurries to mingle with the crowd. The magnificent procession of Emperor Sigismund is approaching. Eleazar and Rachel stand on the steps of the temple to better see the procession. Ruggiero, noticing this, finds that the presence of the Jews is a disgrace to the temple and orders their capture. The crowd rushes to carry out Ruggiero's orders. Leopold, who arrived in time, rushes to Rachel’s defense and frees her. At the same time, Eleazar, beaten and bloodied, escapes from the hands of the crowd. The people shout: “The Jew must die!” Leopold tells Officer Albert to take the Jews to their house under the guard of soldiers. The solemn procession opens. The people greet King Sigismund with delight.

Act two

A room in Eleazar's house. Eleazar and Rachel and their guests celebrate the Jewish Passover; Among the guests is the imaginary artist Leopold. Eleazar hums Easter hymns, and the others sing along with him. Then he gives his interlocutors a piece of matzo. Leopold quietly throws his piece on the floor. Rachel sees this and doesn't know what to think. Suddenly there is a knock on the door, the whole congregation jumps up in fright. Eleazar quickly puts out the lights and orders everyone to leave except Leopold, who is hiding behind an easel. Eleazar unlocks the door, and Princess Eudokia, the emperor's niece, enters the room, accompanied by pages. She came to buy from the jeweler a necklace of Constantine the Great, which she intends to give to her husband, the conqueror of the Hussites, Prince Leopold, as a sign of her love and devotion. Leopold, hearing this, becomes despondent. Eleazar gives the princess the requested necklace. Evdokia admires the beauty of the product and says that her beloved Leopold is quite worthy of this gift. Having ordered that the necklace be delivered to the palace the next day, the princess leaves. Leopold exclaims: “How hard it is to be a criminal husband and to feel the love of an unhappy victim of marriage!” Eleazar rejoices that he will take a lot of money for the necklace and at least by this he will take revenge and express hatred towards the rich Christian woman. Rachel enters and asks the prince to reveal his secret. His behavior during the meal and much more inspired her with the suspicion that he was hiding his true origin. Leopold promises to open up to her during tonight's date. Eleazar guesses about Leopold's tricks with his daughter and sends the imaginary artist out. But Rachel remains waiting for him. When everything is quiet in the house, Leopold returns. He asks Rachel for forgiveness and admits that he deceived her: he is a Christian. Rachel, in horror, tells the prince that Christian law punishes death for a relationship with a Jewish woman, that Eleazar will curse her when he finds out that she gave her heart to a Christian. Leopold replies that he is not afraid of the law, asks her to forget her father for his sake and persuades her to run away with him. Rachel hesitates at first - she feels sorry for her father, but then agrees and they prepare to escape. Eleazar suddenly enters and finds the couple in love and demands an explanation. With strong indignation, he invites Leopold to leave, adding that “if he had not been of the Jewish faith, he would have paid with his life for his daughter!” Leopold screams: “Kill me! I'm a Christian!". Eleazar, in a rage, snatches a dagger and rushes at Leopold. Rachel holds him back, saying that they are both to blame. The daughter's grief forces the old man to give his consent to the marriage, subject to Leopold changing his religion. But at the last minute, Leopold finally reveals the whole truth: he is not only a Christian, but also a prince, the husband of Evdokia. Eleazar curses him. Leopold runs away.

Act three

Festive hall in the palace. Ballet. The emperor is sitting at the table, next to him are Evdokia and Leopold, Bronyi and other dignitaries. Those present praise the emperor and congratulate Evdokia and Leopold. At the end of the ballet, the emperor leaves. Rachel and Eleazar appear with a necklace ordered by the princess for Leopold. The prince, seeing them, becomes terribly excited. Evdokia is about to put the necklace on the kneeling Leopold, but Rachel snatches the jewelry from her hands, declaring that the prince is unworthy of this honor, since he had a relationship with a despicable Jewish woman, and this Jewish woman is herself. Evdokia is in despair. Leopold doesn't defend himself. The cardinal announces to the prince that his silence only confirms his guilt. Then, after talking with the electors, he comes forward, pointing to Eleazar, Leopold and Rachel, declares a curse on all three and orders their arrest. The guards take them to prison. Evdokia falls unconscious into the arms of the court ladies. General confusion.

Act four

Hall at the prison. Evdokia enters and tells the guards to bring the Jewish woman Rachel. They bring her. The princess convinces Rachel to save Leopold by renouncing her just accusations. Rachel at first does not agree, saying that he fully deserves to die for stealing her honor and covering her with shame, but after the princess’s intense plea, she gives in and, in the name of her boundless love for Leopold, declares her readiness to take all the blame upon herself. Evdokia thanks her in delight and leaves. The cardinal appears. On his orders, the guards bring in Eleazar. The cardinal, who feels sorry for the accused, tells the Jew that he could soften the judges if he is baptized. Eleazar refuses this offer. He desires death and revenge. Eleazar knows that the cardinal once had a daughter who is considered to have died in a fire. This child was saved by a Jew in disguise, but he won’t say which one. The cardinal begs to reveal the secret to him, but Eleazar is adamant. Bronya with the words “You want to die - so die!” angrily leaves. Eleazar is not afraid of execution - he feels sorry for Rachel, but the thirst for revenge triumphs, and he decides to die and take revenge.

Act five

Place outside the city. A huge smoking cauldron is an instrument of execution. Eleazar and Rachel are led to execution. When Eleazar asks why Leopold is not with them, Ruggiero replies that the prince is condemned only to exile. Eleazar exclaims: “This is your justice!” Ruggiero explains that Leopold's fate has been softened since Rachel admitted that she slandered him. Bronyi and members of the Ecumenical Council enter. The cardinal asks Eleazar to reveal to him in his dying hour where his daughter is, but he remains silent. Saying goodbye to Rachel, Eleazar quietly tells his daughter that at the cost of his life he can save her. But Rachel firmly declares that she cannot live without him. Then Eleazar says: “God Himself gave you this firmness. May the will of the Almighty be done over you!” that moment, when Rachel had already thrown herself into the boiling cauldron, Eleazar announced to Bronya that the cardinal had executed his own daughter. He falls to his knees, covering his face with his hands. Eleazar, casting a triumphant glance at him, cheerfully goes to his execution.

Choosing a name

Despite the fact that the first production of the opera in St. Petersburg in 1837 was entitled “The Cardinal’s Daughter,” before the October Revolution of 1917, this opus by Halevi was known in Russia under the name “The Jew.” This is evidenced by articles about the composer in the Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron (volume 7a (14), 1892) and in the Jewish Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron (EEBE, volume 6, 1910). However, in the New Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron, in the article on Halevi (volume 12, 1913), all the titles of his works are given in French.

Under Soviet rule, especially in the context of the campaign against anti-Semitism in the 20s of the 20th century, the title of the opera “The Jew” became unthinkable.

For a long time, almost a hundred years, Halevi's opera was not staged on the Russian stage. When preparing the premiere in St. Petersburg in the “radical postmodern” style, it became difficult to choose a name from three options: “Jewish woman,” “Jewish woman,” or “Jewish woman.” Despite the fact that in 2010 the first performance at the Mikhailovsky Theater was held under the title “The Jew,” currently in Russia the opera announcements include a tolerant version of the translation “The Jew.”

Notable productions

In Russia

Pre-revolutionary productions

1837 - On October 23, the first production of the opera entitled “The Cardinal's Daughter” was presented by a German troupe in St. Petersburg.
1859 - premiere in St. Petersburg.
1865 - the opera was performed at the Moscow Bolshoi Theater.
1878–1879 - productions in the private enterprise of P. M. Medvedev in Saratov and Kazan.
1887 - in the private enterprise of P. Lyubimov in Yekaterinburg.
1888 - Kazan Opera Theater, under the title “The Cardinal’s Daughter”. In December, Vladimir Ulyanov (Lenin) visited the opera together with his brother D.I. Ulyanov. In 1901, Vladimir Ulyanov wrote to his mother: “I was at the opera the other day, listening with great pleasure to “The Jew”: I heard it once in Kazan (when Zakrzhevsky sang), probably 13 years ago, but some motives remained in my memory.” .
1905 - in the private enterprise of M. Valentinov and L. Steinberg in Kharkov.
1914 - the opera was performed at the Zimin Opera House.

In Russian federation

1922 - during Soviet times, the performance was staged at the Zimin Free Opera Theater.
2010 - February 19, Mikhailovsky Theater in St. Petersburg. Stage director Arnault Bernard, musical director and conductor Peter Feranets. According to initial announcements, the opera was to be called “The Jew,” but the title was later changed to “The Jew.” The premiere was scheduled for February 18, but the performance was postponed to the next day and was presented under the title “Jew”.

Abroad

1999 - Vienna State Opera
2003 - Metropolitan Opera
2004 - Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theater
2005 - La Fenice
2007 - Paris Opera
2007 - Zurich Opera House
2013 - Gothenburg Opera

Discography

Halevi. Jew. R. Tucker, Y. Hayashi, M. Le Breese, H. Sabaté, D. Guinn. Conductor A. Guadagno / London Royal Festival Hall 4.3.1973 / MYTO
Halevi. Jew. J. Carreras, I. Tokodi, S. Ghazaryan, K. Merritt, C. Siepi, A. Sramek. Conductor Gerd Albrecht / Vienna 23.1.1981
Halevi. Jew. N. Schikoff, S. Isokoski, R. Schorg, Z. Todorovic, A. Miles, I. Gati. Conducted by Simone Young / WIENER STAATSOPER 1998 Live
Halevi. The Jew (full version, so-called Lemoine-Edition, 1857). A. Papyan, O. Makarina, F. Casanova, J-L. Viala, P. Plishka. Conductor I. Kveler / New York Carnegie Hall 13.4.1999
Halevi. Jew. N. Shicoff, S. Isokoski, E. Futral, E. Cutler, F. Furlanetto, D. Kavrakos. Conductor M. Viotti / MET 12/13/2003
Halevi. Jew. N. Shicoff, Y. Tamar, A. Massis, B. Sledge, R. Scandiuzzi, V. Le Texier. Conductor F. Chaslin / Venice, La Fenice 11.11.2005
Halevi. Jew. N. Shicoff, A. C. Antonacci, A. Massis, K. Lee, F. Furlanetto. Conductor D. Oren / Paris Opera Bastille 18.3.2007

Publications in the USSR

1947 - Aria of Eleazar (from the opera “The Cardinal’s Daughter”) - Halevi; Georgy Nelepp. Orc. Bolshoi Theater of the USSR. Dir. K. P. Kondrashin. LZ 14937-8, G 340/47
1951 - Aria of Eleazar (from the opera “The Cardinal’s Daughter”) - Halevi; Mikhail Alexandrovich. Orchestra. Conductor A. Sh. Melik-Pashayev. D-00115-6

Notes

Jewish Encyclopedia / Under the general. ed. Dr. L. Katsenelson and Baron D. G. Gunzburg. - St. Petersburg: Brockhaus-Efron, 1910. - T. 6. - P. 56. - 964 p.
Tsodokov E. S. Halevi’s opera “The Jew”. Belcanto.ru (January 12, 2011). Retrieved April 6, 2015.
Tsodokov E. S. “Jewish woman” in Russia. OperaNews.ru (February 28, 2010). Retrieved April 5, 2015.
Arnault Bernard
Petersburg theater the opera “The Jew” was renamed “The Jew”. 02/17/2010
Koryabin I. Passion according to Eleazar. Premiere of Halevi's "The Jew" at the Mikhailovsky Theater. OperaNews.ru (February 28, 2010). Retrieved April 5, 2015.
Christian Benedict - past performances
"The Jewess" Halevi returned to the Lithuanian opera stage
"La Juive" in Goteborg
The Merchant of Gothenburg: the return of La Juive (English)

Zhidovka (opera) Information About

Well, I returned from Moscow.
On the initiative and with the help of Krost, an evening was held dedicated to the memory of Lenichka, the publication of the book...
In addition to the evening, we managed to establish telephone or personal contact with many of his comrades. Lots of meetings. Lots of warmth and touching memories.
When I come to my senses, I'll try to explain this.

In the meantime, I return to my Jewish topic - not because such an “ardent Jew” herself is something that is completely absent, but because in a sea of distortion and misinformation against the backdrop of amazing human indifference, not to lend a shoulder to the persecuted is absolutely according to Vysotsky: “If you remain silent, you will end up as executioners.”

So, subject: Opera "The Jewess" in St. Petersburg

Opera "The Jewess"

“First of all, news fragments. February 18 – “The premiere of the opera “The Jew” at the Mikhailovsky Theater was disrupted due to a bomb report”... An unknown person, introducing himself as a member of the nationalist party, called the theater: “There will be no premiere of “The Jew” today, your theater will explode before the start of the performance"... "A decision was made to cancel the performance and evacuate the audience"... February 19 - "The man from whose phone the call was made was detained and taken to the police station. A criminal case was opened..." Later: “The owner of the phone from which the call about the bombing of the theater was received was released from the police... He said that he was drunk and did not remember anything... As reported by the Central Internal Affairs Directorate, his involvement in the call was not proven.”... “Opera premiere "The Judea, which was canceled due to a bomb threat, will still take place. But under heavy security."

“The director spoke about additional security measures, as well as about the courage of the artists and spectators of the Mikhailovsky Theater”...

In order to sing the opera, the artists, alas, needed courage, as well as the public who came to the theater... But the premiere of Halevi’s opera “The Jewess” still took place, and on the information portal of the Jewish religious community of St. Petersburg I was already able read the first response to it. More on that later, but first about the opera.
I knew about her for a long time. Then this opera had a different name - “The Cardinal's Daughter”. I also knew about the name “Jew”. It had not been staged in theaters for at least 70 years, but Eleazar’s aria from it could sometimes be heard on the radio, and I also had an old gramophone record with a recording performed by Mikhail Davidovich Alexandrovich, a cantor and a wonderful singer who gave concerts in the post-war years. How he sang! “Rachel, you were given to me by heavenly providence...” Experts believe that the party of Eleazar was the highest creative achievement of Enrico Caruso. I haven’t heard it performed by Caruso, but it seems to me that even the famous Italian could hardly have accessed the innermost feeling that our Mikhail Alexandrovich put into Eleazar’s aria.
The opera, entitled La Juive, which has been translated from French into Russian in different ways, is a masterpiece of classical opera from the 19th century. Its author is Jacques François Fromental Elie Halevi, the son of a Parisian cantor and teacher of Hebrew, a descendant of an ancient family to which, in particular, the philosopher and poet Yehuda Ha-Levi, who lived in medieval Spain, belonged. It is no coincidence that it was Halévy who first introduced the Jewish theme into classical opera, and not in the same way that Shakespeare introduced it into drama (in the grotesque image of Shylock), but quite the opposite, in a positive, sympathetic sense.
Halévy (1799 – 1862) was the most famous composer of his time, artistic director of the Paris Opera and professor at the Paris Conservatory, among his students were the famous Georges Bizet (his future son-in-law), Charles Gounod, Camille Saint-Saëns, Jacques Offenbach... Glorious names! And Halevi himself! When he died, he was given a truly national funeral. Hundreds of thousands of French people saw off their beloved composer on his last journey. One of the central streets of Paris bears his name.

The premiere of Halévy's masterpiece took place in Paris in 1835 and was a great success. Even Richard Wagner gave an enthusiastic review of it in the German press - this happened, however, long before his anti-Semitic degeneration. In 1837, an opera called “The Cardinal’s Daughter” was staged on the stage of the German theater in St. Petersburg (now this is the Mikhailovsky Theater, and archival materials from that production have been preserved there); on the Russian stage, an opera called “The Jew” has been staged since 1859, in Paris - until 1934. But in our time, interest in it has renewed: in 1999 it was staged in Vienna, in 2003 in New York, then in Venice, Zurich and Paris.
Director Pierre Audi (Lebanese origin, British citizen, artistic director of the Amsterdam Opera House) in 2007 carried out a new production of the opera La Juive in Paris. “The Jewess” (as translated from the French by La Juive in a retelling of his interview with the Le Monde newspaper) “is a political opera. Its relevance lies in exposing anti-Semitism, which, alas, still exists.”
And with this opera it was decided to start the Year of France in Russia. Her name this time was chosen most correctly: “Jew.” Indeed, the heroine of the opera, Rachel, is not ethnically Jewish, but a Jew by faith. Here I should probably present, at least in the briefest form, the libretto of the opera, which belonged to the famous Eugene Scribe, playwright (A Glass of Water, for example) and opera librettist.
The action takes place in the 15th century. The Jew Eleazar, having survived the execution of his sons, whom Count Brogni declared heretics, flees from Italy. On the way, in a burnt house, he discovered a barely alive baby, saved her and raised her as his daughter, giving her the name Rachel. The house, as it turned out, belonged to the Bronya family. There the count found the remains of his relatives, but there was no little daughter among them, and the count suspects that she is alive. Next is a real event - the Church Council of Constance in 1414, Pope John XXIII is represented by Bronyi, by that time a cardinal. Eleazar lives there, he is a jeweler, the knock of his hammer is introduced into the music of the opera. The crowd is ready to kill him for working on a church holiday. Bronyi stops the crowd. Love theme: the military leader Prince Leopold, infatuated with Rachel, comes to her in disguise, pretending to be a Jew named Samuel, but during the celebration of the Jewish Passover in Eleazar’s house, the deception is revealed. Rachel, however, is in love with him. It turns out that he already has a bride, the niece of the emperor himself. When the secret becomes clear (I’m omitting the collisions), Rachel, Eleazar and Leopold are taken to prison by order of the cardinal. The crowd demands death for everyone. Bronyi is ready to spare Rachel and Eleazar if they accept Christianity, but they refuse, and Rachel is the first to go to the scaffold. Eleazar accepts her death, having managed to tell the cardinal that he executed his daughter. The crowd is still going wild, and the cardinal, repenting of his deeds, falls to his knees. This is the tragic ending.
Let's fast forward to St. Petersburg of the 21st century. On February 15, at a press conference in Moscow, Mikhail Shvydkoy, now the special representative of the Russian President for international cooperation, spoke about the upcoming premiere: “It will be a delight for the ears, eyes, heart, soul and mind... We are starting the stage program with a very interesting, an important performance, which reflected the history of relations between Russian and French culture, and modern relationships, interactions between artists from different countries, primarily Russia and France. I think that this event will not only decorate the Year of France in Russia and Russia in France, but will also remain in the repertoire of the Mikhailovsky Theater for a long time.”
A singer of Uruguayan origin is invited to play the part of Rachel, Italians sing Eleazar and Leopold, a singer from Holland plays the role of Bronya, the musical director and conductor is from Slovakia, the set designer is from Austria, and the stage director is Frenchman Arnaud Bernard. Here is his vision, expressed before the premiere: “This is an incredible opera with extraordinary power of impact. “The Jewess” was incredibly popular in the 19th century, but for unknown reasons (we, however, understand these reasons quite well - S.I.) she disappeared from the stage. I think we will be able to convince the public that we have resurrected this work not because it has not been shown for a long time, but because it really deserves it.”
And here’s what he said about the features of the production: “We all know what happened in Europe in the 30s and 40s in Germany, Italy, Spain, France. The Holocaust touched every family. It would be stupid to ignore this fact and not transfer the action of “The Jewess” to the 20th century. Amazing: Eugene Scribe wrote the libretto a hundred years before the Second World War, but it was as if he had foreseen... So I didn’t have to change a single word in the libretto in order to transfer the action to our time... It was important for me to recreate the spirit of the era and influence the hearts of listeners with an opera that is extremely relevant today.”
The fact that the opera is “extraordinarily relevant today,” among other things, was confirmed by the unfortunate disruption of its premiere in St. Petersburg on February 18... And here’s what I read in the first response to the premiere, which took place the next day: “Red-black flags with fascist eagles, people in stylized SS uniforms and leather cloaks, with iron gazes, police whistles, batons, yellow stars of David, people rushing around the stage... Arnaud Bernard staged the opera far from being in a classical vein, because to stage it after The Holocaust... as the 19th century viewer saw it, is no longer possible. “The events take place in the 30s of the 20th century in a conventional European country,” the inscription in the program introduces the summary.”
In a conventional European country... Where the cardinal, in the darkening of his mind and conscience, punished his own daughter with a terrible death. Then I was horrified. And if he had not found out that the Jewish woman Rachel was his daughter, would he have come to his senses, repented, or would he have continued to lead the brutal crowd to murder? It seems to me that the opera poses this question, and that is its meaning.
In Europe, which, like that cardinal, in the darkening of reason and conscience, sacrificed six million of its fellow citizens to the slaughter of the Holocaust, repentance must come sooner or later. Not now, but at her hour of death, which, according to signs, is approaching. The revival of interest in Halévy's opera and its modern socially significant interpretations is not accidental; these are glimpses of an awakening European self-awareness. It’s the same in Russia, which thinks little and in many of its manifestations resembles that person in the police who was supposedly drunk and doesn’t remember anything...
“Are there plans to show the opera “The Jewess” in Moscow?” they asked Vladimir Kekhman, general director of the Mikhailovsky Theater. “Some time will pass, we will make a decision on this issue,” was the answer. – In Moscow, “The Judea” can be shown either at the Bolshoi Theater or at the Stanislavsky Theater... But it is more important for us to show “The Judea” in Tel Aviv..."

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Material from Wikipedia - the free encyclopedia

Opera

Jew
La Juive

Composer
Libretto author(s)
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Genre	Grand opera
Actions
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Year of creation
First production
Place of first production
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The role of Rachel is one of the most difficult soprano opera roles.

Characters

Eleazar, Jew, jeweler	tenor
Rachel, Jewish	soprano
Gian Francesco, Cardinal de Brogni, President of the Council	bass
Leopold, Imperial Prince	tenor
Eudoxia, princess, niece of the emperor	soprano
Ruggiero, mayor	baritone
Albert, Sergeant	bass
Herald	baritone
Two drunks	tenor, bass
Officer	tenor
Majordomo	baritone
Executioner	baritone
Emperor Sigismund	without words
The action takes place in 1414 in the city of Constance

Act one

Act two

A room in Eleazar's house. Eleazar and Rachel and their guests celebrate the holiday of the Jewish Passover; Among the guests is the imaginary artist Leopold. Eleazar hums Easter hymns, and the others sing along with him. Then he gives his interlocutors a piece of matzo. Leopold quietly throws his piece on the floor. Rachel sees this and doesn't know what to think. Suddenly there is a knock on the door, the whole congregation jumps up in fright. Eleazar quickly puts out the lights and orders everyone to leave except Leopold, who is hiding behind an easel. Eleazar unlocks the door, and Princess Eudokia, the emperor's niece, enters the room, accompanied by pages. She came to buy from the jeweler a necklace of Constantine the Great, which she intends to give to her husband, the conqueror of the Hussites, Prince Leopold, as a sign of her love and devotion. Leopold, hearing this, becomes despondent. Eleazar gives the princess the requested necklace. Evdokia admires the beauty of the product and says that her beloved Leopold is quite worthy of this gift. Having ordered that the necklace be delivered to the palace the next day, the princess leaves. Leopold exclaims: “How hard it is to be a criminal husband and to feel the love of an unhappy victim of marriage!” Eleazar rejoices that he will take a lot of money for the necklace and at least by this he will take revenge and express hatred towards the rich Christian woman. Rachel enters and asks the prince to reveal his secret. His behavior during the meal and much more inspired her with the suspicion that he was hiding his true origin. Leopold promises to open up to her during tonight's date. Eleazar guesses about Leopold's tricks with his daughter and sends the imaginary artist out. But Rachel remains waiting for him. When everything is quiet in the house, Leopold returns. He asks Rachel for forgiveness and admits that he deceived her: he is a Christian. Rachel, in horror, tells the prince that Christian law punishes death for a relationship with a Jewish woman, that Eleazar will curse her when he finds out that she gave her heart to a Christian. Leopold replies that he is not afraid of the law, asks her to forget her father for his sake and persuades her to run away with him. Rachel hesitates at first - she feels sorry for her father, but then agrees and they prepare to escape. Eleazar suddenly enters and finds the couple in love and demands an explanation. In great indignation, he invites Leopold to leave, adding that “if he were not of the Jewish faith, he would have paid with his life for his daughter!” Leopold screams: “Kill me! I'm a Christian!". Eleazar, in a rage, snatches a dagger and rushes at Leopold. Rachel holds him back, saying that they are both to blame. The daughter's grief forces the old man to give his consent to the marriage, subject to Leopold changing his religion. But at the last minute, Leopold finally reveals the whole truth: he is not only a Christian, but also a prince, the husband of Evdokia. Eleazar curses him. Leopold runs away.

Act three

Act four

Act five

Place outside the city. A huge smoking cauldron is an instrument of execution. Eleazar and Rachel are led to execution. When Eleazar asks why Leopold is not with them, Ruggiero replies that the prince is condemned only to exile. Eleazar exclaims: “This is your justice!” Ruggiero explains that Leopold's fate has been softened since Rachel admitted that she slandered him. Bronyi and members of the Ecumenical Council enter. The cardinal asks Eleazar to reveal to him in his dying hour where his daughter is, but he remains silent. Saying goodbye to Rachel, Eleazar quietly tells his daughter that at the cost of his life he can save her. But Rachel firmly declares that she cannot live without him. Then Eleazar says: “God Himself gave you this firmness. May the will of the Almighty be done over you!” At that moment, when Rachel had already thrown herself into the boiling cauldron, Eleazar announced to Bronya that the cardinal had executed his own daughter. He falls to his knees, covering his face with his hands. Eleazar, casting a triumphant glance at him, cheerfully goes to his execution.

Choosing a name

Under Soviet rule, especially in the context of the campaign against anti-Semitism in the 20s of the 20th century, the title of the opera “The Jew” became unthinkable.

Notable productions

In Russia

Pre-revolutionary productions

1922 - the performance was staged at the Zimin Free Opera Theater.

In Russian federation

Abroad

2003 - Metropolitan Opera Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#property" was not found. )]][[K:Wikipedia:Articles without sources (country: Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#property" was not found. )]]
2004 - Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theater
2007 - Paris Opera
2007 - Zurich Opera House [[K:Wikipedia:Articles without sources (country: Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#property" was not found. )]][[K:Wikipedia:Articles without sources (country: Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#property" was not found. )]][[K:Wikipedia:Articles without sources (country: Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#property" was not found. )]]

Discography

Halevi. Jew. R. Tucker, Y. Hayashi, M. Le Breese, H. Sabaté, D. Guinn. Conductor A. Guadagno / London Royal Festival Hall 4.3.1973 / MYTO
Halevi. Jew. J. Carreras, I. Tokodi, S. Ghazaryan, K. Merritt, C. Siepi, A. Sramek. Conductor Gerd Albrecht / Vienna 23.1.1981
Halevi. Jew. N. Schikoff, S. Isokoski, R. Schorg, Z. Todorovic, A. Miles, I. Gati. Conducted by Simone Young / WIENER STAATSOPER 1998 Live
Halevi. The Jew (full version, so-called Lemoine-Edition, 1857). A. Papyan, O. Makarina, F. Casanova, J-L. Viala, P. Plishka. Conductor I. Kveler / New York Carnegie Hall 13.4.1999
Halevi. Jew. N. Shicoff, S. Isokoski, E. Futral, E. Cutler, F. Furlanetto, D. Kavrakos. Conductor M. Viotti / MET 12/13/2003
Halevi. Jew. N. Shicoff, Y. Tamar, A. Massis, B. Sledge, R. Scandiuzzi, V. Le Texier. Conductor F. Chaslin / Venice, La Fenice 11.11.2005
Halevi. Jew. N. Shicoff, A. C. Antonacci, A. Massis, K. Lee, F. Furlanetto. Conductor D. Oren / Paris Opera Bastille 18.3.2007

Publications in the USSR

1947 - Aria of Eleazar (from the opera “The Cardinal’s Daughter”) - Halevi; Georgy Nelepp. Orc. Bolshoi Theater of the USSR. Dir. K. P. Kondrashin. LZ 14937-8, G 340/47
1951 - Aria of Eleazar (from the opera “The Cardinal’s Daughter”) - Halevi; Mikhail Alexandrovich. Orchestra. Conductor A. Sh. Melik-Pashayev. D-00115-6

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Notes

Excerpt characterizing Zhidovka (opera)

- Well, why didn’t you see it? We saw it. It’s just that each fate turned out differently... Later, some of the parents generally lived nearby, especially the mothers. And sometimes there were cases that they were arranged even with the same people who raised their child. They lived differently... Only one thing never changed - the servants of the church did not get tired of following their trail, like bloodhounds, not missing the slightest opportunity to destroy the parents and children who carried the blood of Radomir and Magdalena, fiercely hating even themselves for this a small, newly born child...
– How often did their descendants die? Has anyone ever stayed alive and lived their life to the end? Did you help them, North? Did Meteora help them?.. – I literally bombarded him with a hail of questions, unable to stop my burning curiosity.
North thought for a moment, then said sadly:
“We tried to help... but many of them didn’t want to.” I think that the news about the father who gave his son to die lived in their hearts for centuries, neither forgiving us nor forgetting us. The pain can be severe, Isidora. She doesn't forgive mistakes. Especially those that cannot be fixed...
– Did you know any other of these marvelous descendants, Sever?
- Well, of course, Isidora! We knew everyone, but we didn’t get to see everyone. I think you knew some of them too. But will you allow me to finish about Svetodar first? His fate turned out to be difficult and strange. Would you be interested to know about her? – I just nodded, and Sever continued... – After the birth of his wonderful daughter, Svetodar finally decided to fulfill Radan’s wish... Do you remember, dying, Radan asked him to go to the Gods?
– Yes, but was it serious?!.. To what “gods” could he send him? There have been no living Gods on Earth for a long time!..
– You’re not entirely right, my friend... This may not be exactly what people mean by Gods, but on Earth there is always someone who temporarily takes their place. Who is watching so that the Earth does not come to a cliff, and life on it does not come to a terrible and premature end. The world has not yet been born, Isidora, you know this. The earth still needs constant help. But people should not know about this... They should choose themselves. Otherwise, help will only bring harm. Therefore, Radan was not so wrong in sending Svetodar to those who are watching. He knew that Svetodar would never come to us. So I tried to save him, to protect him from misfortune. Svetodar was, after all, a direct descendant of Radomir, his first-born son. He was the most dangerous of all because he was the closest. And if he had been killed, this wonderful and bright Family would never have continued.
Having said goodbye to his sweet, affectionate Margarita, and rocking little Maria for the last time, Svetodar set off on a very long and difficult journey... To an unfamiliar northern country, to where the one to whom Radan sent him lived. And whose name was the Wanderer...
Many more years will pass before Svetodar returns home. He will return to perish... But he will live a full and vibrant Life... He will gain Knowledge and Understanding of the world. He will find what he has been searching for so long and persistently...
I will show them to you, Isidora... I will show you something that I have never shown to anyone before.
There was a whiff of coldness and spaciousness all around, as if I had unexpectedly plunged into eternity... The feeling was unusual and strange - at the same time it emanated joy and anxiety... I seemed small and insignificant to myself, as if someone wise and huge at that time watched me for a moment, trying to understand who dared to disturb his peace. But soon this feeling disappeared, and only a large and deep, “warm” silence remained...
In an emerald, endless clearing, two people sat cross-legged opposite each other... They sat with their eyes closed, without uttering a word. And yet, it was clear - they were saying...
I understood - their thoughts were speaking... My heart was beating wildly, as if wanting to jump out!.. Having tried to somehow gather myself and calm down, so as not to in any way disturb these gathered people who had gone into their mysterious world, I watched them with bated breath, trying remember their images in my soul, because I knew that this would not happen again. Apart from the North, no one else will show me what was so closely connected with our past, with our suffering, but not giving up Earth...
One of those sitting looked very familiar, and, of course, having taken a good look at him, I immediately recognized Svetodar... He had hardly changed, only his hair became shorter. But his face remained almost as young and fresh as on the day when he left Montsegur... The second one was also relatively young and very tall (which was visible even while sitting). His long, white hair, dusted with frost, fell onto his broad shoulders, glowing pure silver under the rays of the sun. This color was very unusual for us - as if it wasn’t real... But what struck us most were his eyes - deep, wise and very large, they shone with the same pure silvery light... As if someone with a generous hand had scattered myriads of silver stars into them. .. The stranger’s face was tough and at the same time kind, collected and detached, as if at the same time he was living not only our Earthly life, but also some other, someone else’s life...
If I understood correctly, this was exactly the one whom the North called the Wanderer. The one who watched...
Both were dressed in long white and red clothes, belted with a thick, twisted, red cord. The world around this unusual couple swayed smoothly, changing its shape, as if they were sitting in some closed, oscillating space, accessible only to the two of them. The air all around was fragrant and cool, it smelled of forest herbs, spruces and raspberries... A light, occasional breeze gently caressed the lush tall grass, leaving in it the smells of distant lilacs, fresh milk and cedar cones... The land here was so surprisingly safe , pure and kind, as if worldly worries did not touch her, human malice did not penetrate into her, as if a deceitful, changeable person had never set foot there...
The two talking stood up and, smiling at each other, began to say goodbye. Svetodar was the first to speak.
– Thank you, Wanderer... Low bow to you. I can't go back, you know. I'm going home. But I remembered your lessons and will pass them on to others. You will always live in my memory, as well as in my heart. Goodbye.
- Go in peace, son of bright people - Svetodar. I'm glad I met you. And I’m sad that I’m saying goodbye to you... I gave you everything that you were able to comprehend... And that you were able to give to others. But this does not mean that people will want to accept what you want to tell them. Remember, knower, a person is responsible for his own choice. Not gods, not fate - only man himself! And until he understands this, the Earth will not change, it will not get better... Have an easy journey home, dedicated. May your Faith protect you. And may our Family help you...
The vision disappeared. And everything around became empty and lonely. It’s as if the old warm sun quietly disappeared behind a black cloud...
- How long has it been since Svetodar left home, Sever? I was beginning to think that he was leaving for a long time, maybe even for the rest of his life?..
– And he stayed there all his life, Isidora. Six long decades.
– But he looks very young?! So, he also managed to live a long time without aging? Did he know the old secret? Or did the Wanderer teach him this?
“I cannot tell you this, my friend, because I don’t know.” But I know something else - Svetodar did not have time to teach what the Wanderer had taught him for years - he was not allowed... But he managed to see the continuation of his wonderful Family - a little great-great-grandson. I managed to call him by his real name. This gave Svetodar a rare opportunity - to die happy... Sometimes even this is enough for life not to seem in vain, isn’t it, Isidora?
– And again – fate chooses the best!.. Why did he have to study all his life? Why did he leave his wife and child if everything turned out to be in vain? Or was there some greater meaning in this that I still cannot comprehend, North?
– Don’t kill yourself in vain, Isidora. You understand everything perfectly well - look into yourself, because the answer is your whole life... You are fighting, knowing full well that you will not be able to win - you will not be able to win. But how can you do otherwise?.. A person cannot, has no right to give up, allowing for the possibility of losing. Even if it is not you, but someone else, who, after your death, will be ignited by your courage and bravery - it is no longer in vain. It’s just that earthly man is not yet old enough to be able to comprehend this. For most people, fighting is only interesting as long as they remain alive, but none of them is interested in what happens after. They don’t yet know how to “live for posterity,” Isidora.
- It's sad, if you're right, my friend... But it won't change today. Therefore, returning to the old days, can you say how Svetodar’s life ended?
North smiled affectionately.
– But you, too, are changing a lot, Isidora. Even in our last meeting, you would have rushed to assure me that I was wrong!.. You began to understand a lot, my friend. It’s just a pity that you’re leaving in vain... you can do incomparably more!
North fell silent for a moment, but continued almost immediately.
– After long and difficult years of lonely wandering, Svetodar finally returned home, to his beloved Occitania... where sad, irreparable losses awaited him.
A long time ago, his sweet, gentle wife, Margarita, passed away, never waiting for him to share their difficult life with him... He also did not find his wonderful granddaughter Tara, who was given to them by their daughter Maria... and great-granddaughter Maria, who died at the birth of his great-great-grandson, who was born just three years ago. Too much of his family was lost... Too heavy a burden weighed on him, not allowing him to enjoy the rest of his life... Look at them, Isidora... They are worth getting to know.
And again I appeared where long-dead people lived who had become dear to my heart... Bitterness wrapped my soul in a shroud of silence, not allowing me to communicate with them. I couldn’t turn to them, I couldn’t even say how courageous and wonderful they were...

Occitania...

At the very top of a high stone mountain there were three people... One of them was Svetodar, he looked very sad. Nearby, leaning on his hand, stood a very beautiful young woman, and clinging to her was a small blond boy, clutching a huge armful of bright wildflowers to his chest.
– Who did you pick up so much for, Beloyarushka? – Svetodar asked affectionately.
“Well, how?!..” the boy was surprised, immediately dividing the bouquet into three even parts. - This is for mommy... And this is for dear grandmother Tara, and this is for grandmother Maria. Isn't that right, grandpa?
Svetodar did not answer, he only pressed the boy tightly to his chest. He was all he had left... this wonderful, affectionate baby. After his great-granddaughter Maria died during childbirth, whom Svetodar never saw, the baby had only Aunt Marcilla (who stood next to them) and his father, whom Beloyar hardly remembered, since he was always fighting somewhere.
- Is it true that you will never leave again now, grandfather? Is it true that you will stay with me and teach me? Aunt Marcilla says that from now on you will always live only with us. Is this true, grandpa?
The baby's eyes shone like bright stars. Apparently the appearance of such a young and strong grandfather from somewhere delighted the baby! Well, the “grandfather,” sadly hugging him, thought at that time about those whom he would never see again, even if he lived on Earth for a hundred lonely years...
- I’m not going anywhere, Beloyarushka. Where should I go if you are here?.. Now you and I will always be together, right? You and I are such a great force!.. Right?
The baby squealed with pleasure and kept huddling closer to his new grandfather, as if he could suddenly disappear, just as suddenly as he had appeared.
– Are you really not going anywhere, Svetodar? – Marcilla asked quietly.
Svetodar just shook his head sadly. And where should he go, where should he go?.. This was his land, his roots. Everyone he loved and who was dear to him lived and died here. And this is where he went HOME. In Montsegur they were incredibly happy to see him. True, there is not a single one left there who would remember him. But there were their children and grandchildren. There were his CATHARS, whom he loved with all his heart and respected with all his soul.
Magdalene's faith blossomed in Occitania as never before, long ago surpassing its borders! This was the Golden Age of the Cathars. When their teachings swept across the countries in a powerful, invincible wave, sweeping away any obstacles on their pure and right path. More and more new people joined them. And despite all the “black” attempts of the “holy” Catholic Church to destroy them, the teachings of Magdalene and Radomir captured all the truly bright and courageous hearts, and all the sharp minds open to new things. In the farthest corners of the earth, minstrels sang the wondrous songs of the Occitan troubadours, opening the eyes and minds of the enlightened, and amusing “ordinary” people with their romantic skill.

Occitania bloomed like a beautiful bright flower, absorbing the vital power of bright Mary. It seemed that no force could resist this powerful flow of Knowledge and bright, universal Love. People still worshiped their Magdalene here, adoring her. It was as if she still lived in each of them... She lived in every pebble, in every flower, in every grain of this amazing, pure land...
One day, while walking through familiar caves, Svetodar came across a new one that shocked him to the very depths of his soul... There, in a calm, quiet corner, stood his wonderful mother - his beloved Mary Magdalene!.. It seemed that nature could not forget this marvelous, strong woman and in spite of everything, she created her image with her almighty, generous hand.

Mary's Cave. In the very corner of the cave stands, created by nature, a tall statue of a beautiful woman,
covered with very long hair. Local Cathars said that the statue appeared there immediately after
the death of Magdalene and after each fall of a new drop of water it became more and more like her...
This cave is still called “Mary’s Cave”. And everyone can see Magdalene standing there.

Turning around, a little further away Svetodar saw another miracle - in another corner of the cave there was a statue of his sister! She clearly resembled a curly-haired girl standing over something lying... (Vesta standing over her mother's body?..) Svetodar's hair began to move!.. It seemed to him that he was starting to go crazy. Turning quickly, he jumped out of the cave.

Statue of Vesta – Svetodar’s sister. Occitania did not want to forget them...
And she created her own monument - drop by drop, sculpting faces dear to her heart.
They stand there for centuries, and the water continues its magical work, making
they are getting closer and more and more similar to the real ones...

Later, having slightly recovered from the shock, Svetodar asked Marsila if she knew about what he saw. And when he heard a positive answer, his soul literally “burst” with tears of happiness - his mother, Golden Maria, was indeed still alive in this land! The very land of Occitania recreated this beautiful woman in itself - “revived” its Magdalene in stone... It was a real creation of love... Only nature was a loving architect.

Tears sparkled in my eyes... And I wasn’t ashamed of it at all. I would give a lot to meet one of them alive!.. Especially Magdalene. What wonderful, ancient Magic burned in the soul of this amazing woman when she created her magical kingdom?! A kingdom in which Knowledge and Understanding ruled, and the backbone of which was Love. Only not the love that the “holy” church shouted about, having worn out this wondrous word to the point that one did not want to hear it any longer, but that beautiful and pure, real and courageous, the only and amazing LOVE, with the name of which powers were born... and with whose name ancient warriors rushed into battle... with whose name a new life was born... with whose name our world changed and became better... This is the Love that Golden Maria carried. And it is this Mary that I would like to bow to... For everything that she carried, for her pure bright LIFE, for her courage and courage, and for Love.

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Let's talk about music. Jewish Woman at the Mikhailovsky Theater

Jewess

Characters

Act one

Act two

Act three

Act four

Act five

Choosing a name

Notable productions

In Russia

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In Russian federation

Abroad

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Publications in the USSR

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Zhidovka (opera) Information About

Characters

Act one

Act two

Act three

Act four

Act five

Choosing a name

Notable productions

In Russia

Pre-revolutionary productions

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Discography

Publications in the USSR

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