Of the younger school of Russian operatic composers it is almost
impossible to speak with any authority, since their works are rarely
performed in Western Europe. Tchaikovsky's 'Eugene Onegin' is
occasionally given in London, but has won little success. Much of the
music is interesting, but the disconnected character of the libretto and
the lack of incident fully account for the scanty favour with which it
is received. 'Le Flibustier,' an opera by Cesar Cui, was performed in
Paris a few years ago with even less success. Borodin's 'Prince Igor,'
and 'Die Mainacht' by Rimsky-Korsakov, are thought highly of by the
fellow-countrymen of the composers, but neither work has succeeded in
crossing the frontier of Russia.
Poland has not hitherto taken a prominent place in the history of opera,
and the successful production of 'Manru' (1901), an opera by Ignaz
Paderewski, the world-famous pianist, is hardly to be taken as the
foundation of a new school. The story deals with the fortunes of a
gipsy, Manru, who marries Ulana, a peasant girl, but is won back to
gipsy life by the fascinations of Asa, the princess of his tribe. He
rejoins his own people in spite of Ulana's entreaties and a love-potion
which she administers, but is killed by a gipsy rival, while Ulana in
despair throws herself into a lake. Paderewski's music is thoroughly
German in style, but he makes clever use of gipsy tunes and rhythms,
which give a welcome variety to the score.
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