Known in the West primarily for his opulently-scored orchestral works, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov was also a prolific composer of operas, of which Le Coq d'Or (or The Golden Cockerel) is his 14th (and last). Set in 1906 to a libretto based on a poem by Alexander Pushkin, it's ostensibly a fairytale piece about an elderly, befuddled king who resorts to magic to protect his country from harm and is seduced by a foreign queen. But it was clearly designed as a satire of Russian governmental corruption and military incompetence in the aftermath of the disastrous Russo-Japanese war of 1904, so it's not surprising that the Tsar's censors prevented any performance until 1909--after the composer's death--and then only with major revisions. Although Western productions have been fairly rare, this superb 2002 mounting from the Théâtre Musical de Paris-Châtelet proves that Le Coq d'Or merits rediscovery, and not only because in this time of global conflict it still carries a strong political punch. Far more concise (under two hours) than most Russian operas, this is still filled with marvelous melody, and while the orchestration is less sumptuous than was Rimsky-Korsakov's custom, it's still highly imaginative. The singing by soloists and chorus, moreover, is rich and powerful, and Kent Nagano's conducting draws sensitive yet robust playing from the Orchestre de Paris. The production excites the eye as well as the ear: Ennosuke Ichikawa has staged it in the style of Kabuki, with elaborate costumes and makeup and extravagant gestures that give it an appropriately exotic air. Happily, director Thomas Grimm has captured its full beauty on film, and the sound--in DTS, Dolby Digital 5.1 or stereo--is superb. Highly recommended. Editor's Choice. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)
Le Coq d'Or
(2002) 108 min. In Russian w/English subtitles. DVD: $29.99. TDK (avail. from Naxos of America). Color cover. Volume 19, Issue 6
Le Coq d'Or
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