THE GOLDEN COCKEREL from Brussels opera La Monnaie

THE GOLDEN COCKEREL is a political satire in a setting in Russia. Rimsky-Korsakov’s music mixes elements of folklore and oriental influence.

AM I DREAMING THIS IS REAL?
‘A beautiful song – a shame that it shows such disrespect to the Mayor!’ This remark from the score of The Golden Cockerel highlights the delicious ambiguity of this work. Principally inspired by Washington Irving and Pushkin, Rimsky-Korsakov called on the talents of Vladimir Belsky, an author of other libretti of a fairy-tale, legendary nature and an expert on Russian folk literature. The composer, a genius at orchestration, has given us sparkling music, with oriental touches, that creates fully rounded characters. This is the perfect occasion for Alain Altinoglu to direct his first opera in his new role as Music Director of La Monnaie/De Munt. After the success of his Don Quichotte and Cendrillon, Laurent Pelly returns to La Monnaie/De Munt to stage this exuberant political satire, an adventure in unrestrained rhythm. More than a century has passed since its first performance, yet the opera has lost none of its boisterous sarcasm.

Broadcast dates and links:

ARTE Deutschland 26 February 2017 at 00h41
ARTE France 26 February 2017 at 01h16
RTBF La Trois 17 February around 22.30


Streaming dates:

http://www.theoperaplatform.eu/en/opera/rimsky-korsakov-golden-cockerel (until 22 June 2017)
http://www.lamonnaie.be/fr/streaming/321-le-coq-d-or (until 01 February 2017)
http://concert.arte.tv/de/der-goldene-hahn-oper-von-nikolai-rimski-korsakow-aus-dem-theatre-de-la-monnaie

Soloist Pavlo Hunka - Tsar Dodon
Soloist Alexey Dolgov - Tsarevich Gvidon
Soloist Konstantin Shushakov - Tsarevich Afron
Soloist Alexander Vassiliev - General Polkan
Soloist Agnes Zwierko - Amelfa, the stewardess
Soloist Alexander Kravets - Astrologer
Soloist Venera Gimadieva - The Queen of Shemakha
Soloist Sheva Tehoval - Golden Cockerel (singer)
Soloist Sarah Demarthe - Golden Cockerel (dancer)
Composer Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
Libretto Libretto: Vladimir I. Bielski
Conductor Alain Altinoglu
Stage Director Laurent Pelly
Costumes Laurent Pelly
Sets Barbara de Limburg
Orchestra / Band Orchestre Symphonique de la Monnaie
Choir Choeurs de la Monnaie and Académie des choeurs de la Monnaie
Production Company La Monnaie/De Munt
Co-Production Company Teatro Real (Madrid) et Opéra national de Lorraine (Nancy)
Duration 118 min
Director Myriam Hoyer
Production year 2017