Rimsky-Korsakov's Christmas Eve may be considered exemplary of how close the bond between Ukraine and Russia has always been. Consequently, the demonic forces driving both of them apart today are committing a historical mistake. Nikolai Gogol, who inspired so many Russian tone poets, was Ukrainian, so it comes as no surprise when we see his Christmas Eve set in the Ukrainian village of Dikanka. Tchaikovsky had already included the material of Gogol's story in his "Vakula the Blacksmith" (Cherevichki), and it seems that Rimsky-Korsakov waited until after Tchaikovsky's death to do it all over again. Intendant Bernd Loebe of Oper Frankfurt, who seems to be making a big deal out of restoring rarely played Russian repertoire, called it the "most miraculous production of the past 20 years." That is a slight exaggeration but, on the other hand, it is also clear that there is much to enjoy in this rarely performed feel-good opera that was voted production of the year by Opernwelt. It is also superbly cast with authentic-sounding Russian voices, a feast of Slavic timbres.
The first bars of the charming overture are quite close to Parsifal's "Nur eine Waffe taugt." What follows next is a delightful theme with tremolating strings and staccati in harp and celesta, that resurfaces more than once during the rest of the score. It is also an earworm and it opens -also scenically- a spiritual view on the cosmos that is prominent in Rimsky-Korsakov's pantheistic worldview. The Christmas Eve performed here does not refer to the birth of Christ but to pre-Christian Slavic folklore and mythology more specifically to the cult of the winter solstice symbolized by the gods Kolyada and Ovsen. The element of folklore finds expression in Ukrainian koljadki (Christmas carols), usually reserved for the choir.
Central to the story is the romantic courtship of Vakula the blacksmith, hopelessly in love with the beautiful Oksana, daughter of Chub, the richest peasant in the village. Oksana plays a hard-to-get game and promises to marry him only if he provides her with the slippers of the tsarina. It plunges Vakoela between exasperation and despair but with the Devil's help he manages to get Oksana the status symbols that make her happy. The latter is quick to say it didn't have to happen at all. The evil witch Solocha and the Devil will try to put a stop to the marriage but fail. In the end, Koljada and Ovsen will triumph and Vakula and Oksana will say yes to each other.
The sets that director Christof Loy uses in his productions are usually rather sterile. This is also the case here but the magic of the play is not lost. Johannes Leiacker's starry sky on the back wall is the backdrop for the rides through the air by broomstick of the evil witch Solocha and the Devil; a giant moon occasionally slides itself into view on the left. Stunt coordinator Ran Arthur Braun makes sure the soloists can also sing during their acrobatics through the cosmos.
Julia Muzychenko sings and plays a delightful Oksana, playful and coquettish when, in her opening aria, she voices her self-doubt about her beauty -the curse that rests on all beautiful women. In this she recalls the young Anna Netrebko. The coloratures are beautiful and the voice sounds homogeneous throughout the ambitus. You understand immediately why Vakula wants to be teased by her.
Musically, the second act, in which Solocha, who courts the entire village and hides her court makers from each other in potato sacks, is the weakest. The musical center of gravity is to be found in the third act. Choreographer Klevis Elmazaj turns the divertissement "Games and dances of the stars," in which the main theme is repeated with all sorts of variations, in a pas-de-deux for classical ballerina (Koljada) with a bear, later with a dancer (Ovsen). Also beautiful is the subsequent pagan passage in which all the demonic characters try to chase Koljada and Ovsen away. A polonaise à la Yevgeny Onegin then brings us back to the tsarina's court: a colorful recreation of the court of Catherine the Great, complete with Ursula Renzenbrink's rococo costumes, powdered wigs and Nutcracker soldiers.
The union of Koljada and Ovsen leads to the fairy-tale finale of the third act, culminating in the most spiritual koljadki for the chorus. A csardas leads us to the final reconciliation scene around the Christmas tree at the home of Oksana and Chub. Vakula won't say whether he was really with the tsarina because Gogol will write a story about it !
Andrei Popov performed splendidly as the Devil. It is almost inconceivable that non-Russian singers could articulate this part as captivatingly. Unfortunately, Enkelejda Shkoza sings the witch Solocha with a terrible vibrato. Georgy Vasiliev gives the romantic lover Vakula a Lenski-sized voice, projecting well and with beautiful dramatic outbursts. Alexey Tikhomirov, once an impressive Dossifei in Antwerp, lends his splendid bass to Chub.
Under Sebastian Weigle, the Frankfurt Opern- und Museumsorchester sounds beautiful and full, with all the details audible as envisioned by the master orchestrator. The stars twinkle in the orchestra pit, a blizzard races across the stage and you can hear how Rimsky-Korsakov's droll trumpets may have inspired Shostakovich. The balance between orchestra and soloists is perfect in this relay.
The final applause is rather meager but that is due to the half-filled hall that was only allowed to fill like a chessboard in December 2021. Remember that nonsense?
Still to be seen until 3.1.2023 at Operavision.