MADDALENA
The white-columned Hall of Princess Shakhovskaya
PREMIERE
Sergei Prokofiev
MADDALENA
Opera in one act, in four scenes
Libretto by the composer based on the play of the same name by Magda Lieven-Orlov
Performed in Russian
The world premiere took place on November 28, 1981 at the Graz Music Festival (Austria)
The premiere at the Helikon Opera Theater will take place on October 9, 2025.
Director: Ilya Ilin, Honored Worker of Culture of Russia, Moscow Prize winner
Conductor: Valery Kiryanov, Moscow Prize winner
Set and costume Designer: Rostislav Protasov, Honored Worker of Culture of Russia
Lighting Designer: Denis Enyukov
Choirmaster: Evgeny Ilyin, Honored Artist of Russia
Choreographer: Ksenia Lisanskaya
Video Designer: Alexander Andronov
On October 9, the premiere of Sergei Prokofiev's most mysterious opera Maddalena will take place at Helikon. The youthful work, which the author himself treated with special love, was never performed during the composer's lifetime.
The 20-year-old Prokofiev hoped to stage the opera, that he created immediately after graduating from the St. Petersburg Conservatory, by students of the Conservatory, but it turned out to be too difficult for the singers. The orchestration remained unfinished and the manuscript was considered lost until it was discovered in the archives of Éditions Russes de Musique in 1954 in Paris and transferred to the ownership of Boosey & Hawkes.
In the 70s, Prokofiev's widow, Lina Сodina, gave the manuscript of Maddalena to the famous English conductor and composer Edward Downes, who finished the full score. The opera under his direction was broadcasted by the BBC Radio and finally Maddalena was presented to the audience at the Graz Music Festival (Austria) on November 28, 1981.
There are many mysteries in this opera. Who is the main female character, what are the motives of her actions later? Why was Prokofiev interested in this story? Ilya Ilin, the director of Maddalena, is convinced: "This is an absolutely tragic story with the signs of a detective story. It's really mysterious. A chamber format with grand orchestra but only three artists are on stage. A very short act and a lot of questions. Actually, our goal is to answer these questions for ourselves, at least. And, I hope, for the audience."
An exclusive feature of the production is the interactive action the Night Venetian Carnival in the Zimin’s Foyer, which will become part of the performance and will start 30 minutes before the action in the White-columned Hall. During the Night Venetian Carnival the music of the Italian composer Ottorino Respighi will be played, and the choir artists will play out a story according to the canons of Commedia dell’arte — a mirror image of what will happen next at Maddalena.
* The beginning is in the Zimin’s Foyer.