OPERA SEARCH
Dead Souls
(Die toten Seelen: Oper in 3 Akten) (1976)Libretto by Rodio Shchedrin after Nikolai Gogol (R), Sigrid Neef (G)
2colS,3M,A,7T,2Bar,6B;mute role;ballerina;chorus in the pit(8S/8A/6T/6B inc. M,A soloists);
4(III=picc,IV=afl).2.3(III=bcl).3(III=dbn)-4.3.3.1-perc(5):4timp/crot/flex/maracas/guiro/whip/ chocalho/Charleston/tpl.bl/cowbells/tamb/bongos/snare.dr/SD/BD/cym/susp.cym/3gongs/3tam-t/church.bells/glsp/xyl/vib-balalaika-elecgtr/bgtr-hp-cel-hpd-str(0.0.12.10.8)
Abbreviations (PDF)
Sikorski
Bolshoi Theatre, Moscow
Boris Pokrovsky, director
Conductor: Yuri Temirkanov
Company: Bolshoi Opera
| PAVEL IVANOVITCH CHICHIKOV, Collegiate Councillor | Baritone |
| MANILOV, landowner | Tenor |
| LISANKA, his wife | Coloratura Soprano |
| KOROBOTCHKINA, landowner | Mezzo Soprano |
| NOZDREV, landowner | Tenor |
| MIZHUEV, Nozdrev's brother-in-law | Bass |
| PORFIRY and PAVLUSHKA, Nozdrev's servants | Bass, Tenor |
| MIKHAIL SEMENOVITCH SOBAKEVITCH, landowner | BASS |
| PLIUSHKIN, landowner | Mezzo Soprano (or High Tenor) |
| SELIFAN, Chichikov's coachman | Tenor |
| PETRUSHKA, Chichikov's servant | silent role |
| GOVERNOR | Bass |
| THE GOVERNOR'S WIFE | Contralto |
| THE GOVERNOR'S DAUGHTER | Ballerina (silent role) |
| PROCURATOR | Baritone |
| PRESIDENT OF THE COURT | Tenor |
| CHIEF OF POLICE | Bass |
| POSTMASTER | Tenor |
| CAPTAIN ISPRAVNIK | Bass |
| POPE | Tenor |
| ANNA GRIGORIEVNA, a woman pleasant in all respects | Coloratura Soprano |
| SOFIA IVANOVNA, a merely pleasant woman | Mezzo Soprano |
| Portraits in the homes of Manilov and Sobakevitch, family, guests at the ball, peasants, mouners, soldiers |
Russia, 1814
Chichikov, a minor nobleman, travels across Russia with the intention of strengthening his reputation and credibility through the pretend ownership of as many servants as possible. He seeks out landowners and pesuades them to sell him their dead serfs that are still registered as living. After attending a great dinner party at the house of the procurator, Chichikov visits the landowner Manilov in order to buy some 'dead souls'. After initial doubts, Manilov allows himself to be convinced of the legality of the deal. Chichikov subsequently visits the female landowner Korobotchkina, but she is suspicious and so fearful of being disadvantaged that she asks that she can first make some enquiries about the usual price. He visits the landowners Nozdrev and Sobakevitch, the latter offering him his ancestors at a very high price and haggling over the money. His last visit is to the stingy landowner Pliushkin, who only wants to sell him dead souls under the condition that they produce a sales contract.
Word has got round about Chichikov's purchases, and the subject provides the main conversational topic at the governor's ball. Chichikov is outraged about the sumptious festivities - while the country is riddled with poverty and price rises. In the city, people seriously wonder about Chichikov, and a great number of rumours circulate about his background. Suspecting him to be an auditor, the procurator commits suicide. There is also a rumour that Chichikov has eloped with the governor's daughter. When Nozdrev accuses him of kidnapping and maintains that Chichikov is considered by many to be a robber or secret agent, Chichikov makes a rapid departure.