October 18 and 19 the premiere of one of the most original and mysterious works of the twentieth century - the stage cantata "Carmina Burana" by the German composer Carl Orff will take place in the Big Hall of the Astrakhan State Opera and Ballet Theatre. The boom of this work is now observed through the world. This indicates its hypnotic effect on modern man. During its 80-year history, “Carmina Burana” has been performed mostly in concert version, but Astrakhan theatre-goers will see a unique performance with choreographic parties and stage action. Such a production will be presented in the walls of the Astrakhan Opera and Ballet Theatre for the first time. The new work of the Astrakhan theatre performs not only the genius conception of the composer, who defined the genre of his work as "Songs of Beuern: Secular songs for singers and choruses to be sung together with instruments and magic images", but also the original interpretation of the production group, which combines four creative components: the choir, soloists , Orchestra and ballet.
Artistic Director and Conductor - Valery Voronin, Choreographer - Konstantin Uralsky, Choirmaster Galina Duncheva, Artist-stage designer - Theodore Tezhik (Moscow), the Assistant Choreographer Yuri Romashko are the headmasters of the showy performance, full of spontaneous original feelings and mystical symbols. Alexander Diyanov and Alexei Mikhailov ( tenor), Ruslan Sigbatulin (baritone), Irina Belaya and Alena Diyanova (soprano) rehearse the vocal parts. Ksenia Saulevich, Anna Nikonova, Alexei Osimovsky, Maxim Aslanov are preparing solo ballet parts.
Carl Orff conceived his work as a mass theatrical performance in the style of medieval mysteries and folk performances of the ancient Bavarian theatre.
The libretto was based on the collection of the 13th century Goliard and vagabond songs, found in 1803 in the Benedictine monastery of Benediktbeuern, Bavaria.
The title "Carmina Burana" is Latin for "Songs from Beuern"; ("Beuern" is short for Benediktbeuern) where “Carmina” means songs and «Burana» is a geographical mane. The composer chose 24 poems from the medieval manuscript of 254 poems keeping Latin original poetry. The composer was attracted, to his own admission, by "an exciting rhythm and picturesque poetry, melodiousness and the exclusive shortness of Latin."
Much of the compositional structure is based on the idea of the turning Fortuna Wheel - mystical medieval symbol. The drawing of the Wheel on the first page of the Burana Codex includes four phrases around the outside of the Wheel: "Regnabo, Regno, Regnavi, Sum sine regno". (I shall reign, I reign, I have reigned, I am without a realm). They refer to the capricious nature of Fortuna ( the goddess of Fate and Luck).
In the traditional images of Fortune's Wheel, four male figures correspond to the four phrases, which are allegories of Hope, Power, Falling and Death.
According to the concept of Konstantin Uralsky the composition of the play is based on the idea of the Fortuna Wheel rotation. A complete turn of the Wheel covers the act of the production, symbolizing the circle of life, the beginning and the end, the turn of fate, in which there are everything: pain, joy, love, play, etc.
The performance with an intriguing Latin name "Carmina Burana" is addressed to the public of all ages and views.
