stage
Artists
Credits
Libretto: Vladimir Vysotin after Samuil Marshak
Music Director and Conductor: Evgeny Volynsky
Author of artistic concept, Stage Director: Vyacheslav Starodubtsev
Production Designer (scenery and costumes): Timur Gulyaev
Lighting Designer: Sergei Skornetsky
Video content Editor: Vadim Dulenko
Movement Director: Sergei Zakharin
Conductor: Eldar Nagiev
Assistant Stage Director: Nikolai Natsybulin
Assistant Movement Director: Anna Ryabukhina
45 minutes
NOVAT announces premiere of a fascinating children’s opera the Tale of the Yeanling by Novosibirsk composer Alexander Abramenko.
Characters of this new merry tale about the Yeanling will lead you down the magic labyrinth. The cow seller is a real cowboy, a gypsy is selling a horse that can ride faster than a car, and the evil wolves are performing a funniest show of a well-known tale the Wolf and Seven Little Goats. But hands down, the most entertaining character that you will meet is definitely the Yeanling. He doesn’t cost a fortune like the cow, he cannot outrun a car, but he surely will surprise everyone. He’s an unusual little goat – he can talk, and even sing, he’s capable of making dinner, sweeping the floor, chopping wood and bringing water from the well. To sum up, the old couple were lucky to acquire such a helper for their household. The Yeanling is happy as well to be with his new masters, thinking what else he can do for them. For that reason he decides to walk into the woods…
Alexander Abramenko is a gifted composer from Novosibirsk. He is a brilliant orchestrator, bright and expressive musician. Alexander has graduated from the Glinka Novosibirsk State Conservatory. His repertoire includes a wide variety of works from chamber pieces and song cycles to full scale symphonies and concerts. He is particularly known for his children’s works, such as Music staff paper for kids and the kids’ suite In the Woods for piano, ballet for kids The Princess and the Midget. The composer also has orchestrated more than 2000 pieces for the Novosibirsk state academic opera and ballet theatre, the Symphony orchestra and The Globe theatre; over 500 pieces for the wind orchestra and light music orchestra, the Sharomov vocal band and the Novosibirsk Camerata.
Prologue
The market is full of various wonders: merry Mountebanks singing their tunes and an unusual cow seller, a real cowboy. He has a horse, a lariat, a Stetson hat, an American spirit, but he’s feeding on good old country milk and butter. The old couple is here as well: the old lady is amazed with big city life, and the old man reminds her that they are here for a cow. They approach the cowboy and he introduces them his best specimen, Milkyway cow. It turns out to be too expensive for the old couple. They discuss buying a horse instead. The gypsy horse is too pricey as well. The old man is desperate – he needs no horse, no cow… But the old lady spots a man with a little goat. They come up to ask for the price and the man announces – it’s almost free of cost, just one brass farthing. They old couple hesitate, but the man insists telling they wouldn’t regret since the little goat is pure magic – he can talk and sing…
Scene I
The old couple are getting feeble and they have no kids to help them out, which makes them lament their destiny. Meanwhile the Yeanling couldn’t feel happier about his new masters and decides to express his gratitude by making food, sweeping the floor, chopping wood and bringing the water from the well. What a good boy! The old couple need to get their beauty sleep after dinner, so he sings them a lullaby Nothing else to do: the Yeanling looks of the window to notice the countryfolk going in the forest, most likely to pick some mushrooms - right, it was raining earlier this morning. It’s time for the Yeanling to go in the forest.
Scene II
The forest is not all peace and quiet, unlike the old couple’s household. The wolves have already heard about the magic Yeanling, they are hungry and eager to hunt him down. First they practice their singing to feast his ears with songs, they even decide to act out an old tale of A Wolf and Seven Little Goats to enhance the impression.
Their amateur theatricals are coming to an end, for the Yeanling is approaching. Poor thing is lost and wanders in the midwood. Wolves were waiting just for that. Without hesitation they start in pursuit of the Yeanling, all for one. They manage to surround him, but the Yeanling fights back. At this moment they hear the old couple approaching. As cunning as he is, the Yeanling tells the wolves the old man is bringing a gun and the old lady has oven prongs in addition to a big cannon they both drag to give the wolves a hard time. This worked like a charm of the wolves scaring them to death and making them run for the hills.
The old couple approach the basket filled with mushrooms, looking around for the Yeaning, but he’s not there to be found. They mourn the loss of such a valuable helper. Meanwhile, having dealt with the wolves the Yeanling appears nearby. He describes his adventures and the old couple rejoice at retrieving the Yeanling. They praise their brave warrior. This is how the story of the Yeanling ends.