Composer

:

Alexander Sergeyevich Dargomizhsky

Genre

:

Opera

Style

:

Opera

Mermaid is an opera composed by Alexander Sergeyevich Dargomizhsky, which premiered on March 4, 1866, at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia. The opera is based on the fairy tale of the same name by Hans Christian Andersen. The plot of the opera revolves around the mermaid, Rusalka, who falls in love with a human prince, but is unable to be with him because of her mermaid form. She makes a deal with the sea witch, Jezibaba, to become human in exchange for her voice. The prince falls in love with the human Rusalka, but when he discovers her true identity, he rejects her, and she returns to the sea, where she dies. The opera is composed of three movements, each with its own distinct characteristics. The first movement is set in the underwater world of the mermaids, and features ethereal and otherworldly music. The second movement takes place on land, and features more traditional operatic music, with arias and duets. The third movement returns to the underwater world, and features a haunting and melancholic melody as Rusalka dies. Dargomizhsky's music for Mermaid is characterized by its use of folk melodies and Russian musical traditions. He also experimented with new techniques, such as using recitative instead of traditional arias, and incorporating spoken dialogue into the opera. The premiere of Mermaid was not well-received by critics, who found the music too experimental and the plot too confusing. However, the opera has since become a beloved part of the Russian opera repertoire, and is considered a masterpiece of Russian music.

More....