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Overview
Synopsis
Officer Gherman is troubled. The beautiful girl he loves is engaged to be married and he does not even know her name. It is hopeless though; how will they ever be together when she is the granddaughter of a Countess? But today, a chance meeting in the garden with that awful Prince Yeletsky parading his bride-to-be, the beautiful Liza, and Gherman knows he has to save her from this marriage. Perhaps that mysterious story about the cards has something in it that can help him.
A midnight meeting with the Old Countess to gain the secret of the cards goes horribly wrong, and she dies from fear at Gherman’s drawn pistol. Unable to shake the thought of being responsible for her death, the dead Countess comes to him, haunting him with a vision of three cards: the three, the seven, and the ace. He drives himself half-mad repeating these cards and when he wages all of his money on them at the casino that night he loses everything. Instead of an ace, he is holding a queen of spades, and sees only the Old Countess grinning her revenge.
With it’s passionate declarations of love on balconies and tragic double-suicide, this opera could be considered a Russian Romeo and Juliet, but the gothic and supernatural elements, combined with the extremes of passion and obsession perhaps put it closer to Wuthering Heights. Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s score takes his brother, Modest Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s libretto to the extreme depths and heights of the romance and tragedy and makes this opera one of the most performed Russian operas to date.
Show Information
- Music
- Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
- Libretto
- Modest Ilyich Tchaikovsky
- Based on the Play/Book/Film
- Pique Dame by Alexander Pushkin
- Category
- Opera
- Age Guidance
- Thirteen Plus (PG-13)
- Number of Acts
- 3
- First Produced
- 1809
- Genres
- Romance, Fairy Tale/Fantasy, Tragedy
- Settings
- Period, Multiple Settings
- Time & Place
- St. Petersburg, 18th century
- Cast Size
- large
- Orchestra Size
- Large
- Dancing
- Some Dance
- Licensor
- None/royalty-free
- Ideal For
- Professional Opera, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Adult, Mature Adult, Young Adult, Elderly, Child, Early Teen, Late Teen Characters, Large Cast
Context
Plot
Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano, Contralto |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Bass |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Contralto |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Bass |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Contralto |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Ensemble |
Either Gender |
Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Tenor, Baritone, Bass, Treble/Boy Soprano, Contralto |
Songs
Introduction
Act 1
-
Chorus of children and nurses - Chorus, children, governesses, nurses, boys, Boy Commander
-
Scene and aria Gherman ‘Я имени её не знаю’ (I do not know her name) - Chekalinsky, Surin, Gherman, Tomsky
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Chorus of Promenading Public and Scene ‘Наконец то Бог послал’ (Finally, God sent) - Promenaders, Tomsky, Gherman, Chekalinsky, Surin, Prince Yeletsky, Liza, Countess
-
Quintett and Scene ‘мне страшно’ (I’m scared) - Liza, Countess, Gherman, Prince Yeletsky, Tomsky
-
Scene and Ballad of Tomsky ‘Какая ведьма эта графиня’ (What a witch this countess) and ‘Однажды в версале’ (Once in Versailles) - Surin, Chekalinsky, Tomsky
-
Thunderstorm (Гроза) - Chekalinsky, Surin, Chorus, Gherman
-
Duet ‘Ужe ветер, облаков померкнули края’ (Already evening, the clouds’ edges are darkened) - Liza, Pauline
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Scene and Pauline’s Romance and Russian song with Chorus ‘Подруги милые’ (Dear friends) - Chorus, Liza, Pauline
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Scene and aria of the Governess ‘Mesdemoiselles, что здесь у васъ за шумъ?’ (Ladies, what is this noise?’ and ‘Барышням вашего круга’ (Young ladies of the circle) - Governess
-
Final scene ‘Пора уже расходиться’ (It’s time to separate) and Liza’s aria ‘Зачем же эти слёзы’ (Why these tears?) - Pauline, Liza, Masha, Gherman, Countess
Act 2
-
Entr’act and Chorus ‘Радостно, весело’ (Joyful, fun) -Chorus
-
Scene and aria of the Prince ‘Хозяинъ и бросит дорогих гостей’ (Master and illustrious guests)‘ and ‘Я вас люблю’ (I love you) - Master of Ceremonies, Chekalinsky, Surin, Tomsky, Prince Yeletsky, Liza
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Scene ‘Скорее бы увидеть и бросить эту мысль’ (Rather see and give up this idea) - Gherman, Surin, Chekalinsky, Guests, Master of Ceremonies
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Interlude “Искренность пастушки” (The Shepherdesses’ Sincerity) - Chorus, Prilepa, Milovzor, Zlatagor
14a. Chorus of Shepherds and Shepherdesses
14b. Sarabande
-
Closing Scene ‘Мой миленький дружок’ (My dear friend) - Gherman, Countess, Surin, Liza, Master of Ceremonies, Chorus
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Scene and chorus ‘Все так, как мне она сказала’ (Everything is as I was told by her) - Gherman, Chorus, Liza, Masha, Countess
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Final scene ‘Не пугайтесь! Ради бога не пугайтесь’ (Do not be scared! For God’s sake do not be scared!) - Gherman, Countess, Liza
Act 3
-
Entr’act and Scene ‘Бедняжка! Бъ какую пропасть я завлек сё’ (Poor thing! In what an abyss did she lure me) - Gherman, Chorus
-
Scene ‘Мне страшно! Страшно!’ (I’m scared! Fearful! - Gherman, Countess’s Ghost
-
Scene and Liza’s Aria ‘Уж полночь близится … Ах, истомилась’ (It’s almost midnight…. Ah, I’m tired) - Liza
-
Scene and Duet ‘А если мне в ответ часы пробьют’ (And if the clock strikes in answer) - Liza, Gherman
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Chorus and Scene ‘Будем пить и веселиться’ (Let’s drink and have fun) - Chorus, Surin, Chaplinsky, Narumov, Prince Yeletsky, Tomsky
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Tomsky’s song with chorus ‘Если б милые девицы так могли’ (If all the lovely girls could…) - Tomsky, Chorus, Chekalinsky, Chaplinsky, Narumov, Surin
-
Final Scene ‘За дело, господа, за карты!’ (For business, gentlemen, for the cards) - Chekalinsky, Chorus, Chaplinsky, Narumov, Prince Yeletsky, Gherman, Surin, Tomsky, Countess’s Ghost
A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.
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Scenes
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Guide Written By:
Wendy Silvester
Singer and vocal coach based in the UK.