Overview
Synopsis
Katerina Izmailova is bored of her marriage. Her husband is not interested in her, and her father-in-law controls her every movement. She is desperate for the slightest bit of affection, or physical connection with anyone. When she meets Sergey, the new mill worker, there is something exciting about his violent side. It does not take long before their fighting leads to an affair.
But, Katerina’s father-in-law is always watching. He catches Sergey sneaking out of the window at night and brutally flogs him as a burglar. Katerina has had enough. She poisons her father-in-law, putting rat poison in his beloved mushrooms, and frees Sergey. Her husband returns to find another man in his bed, and beats Katerina for her betrayal. Katerina and Sergey overpower him, and strangle the life from him. They hide his body in the cellar and arrange their wedding.
Katerina is haunted by ghosts, and the thought of the rotting corpse in the cellar. She is certain someone is going to find the body, and her prediction comes true when a local drunk tries to steal some wine and stumbles across it. Katerina and Sergey are accused of murder and taken to a labor camp in Siberia. In prison, Katerina finds out that Sergey has quickly moved on. In her rage, she confronts his new lover, and pushes her off a bridge into an icy river. Katerina loses her footing and also falls to her death.
After spending the first three decades of its existence banned in the Soviet Union, Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk now holds a prestigious position in the canon of Russian opera. Sexual themes, and scenes of violent abuse and murder make this an opera for mature audiences, who can appreciate this depiction of the social oppression and control that lead an ordinary woman to commit atrocities.
Show Information
- Music
- Dmitri Shostakovich
- Libretto
- Alexander Preys
- Based on the Play/Book/Film
- Lady Macbeth of Mstensk by N. Leskov
- Category
- Opera
- Age Guidance
- Mature Audiences (M)
- Number of Acts
- 4
- First Produced
- 1934
- Genres
- Drama, Tragedy
- Settings
- Multiple Settings, Period
- Time & Place
- 19th century, Russia, 1865, Mtsensk
- Cast Size
- large
- Orchestra Size
- Large
- Dancing
- None
- Licensor
- Boosey & Hawkes
- Ideal For
- Professional Opera, Star Vehicle Male, Large Cast, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Mature Adult, Adult, Young Adult, Elderly Characters
Context
Plot
Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Male |
Bass, Bass-Baritone, Baritone |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Bass |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Bass |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Bass |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Bass |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Contralto |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Bass |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Bass |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Bass |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Bass |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Bass |
|
|
Ensemble |
Either Gender |
Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Tenor, Baritone, Bass, Contralto |
Songs
Act 1
Scene 1
- Akh, nye spitsa bol'she, Poprobuyu - Katerina
- Gribki sevodnya budut? - Boris, Katerina
- Prigotov otrávu dlya krys - Boris, Katerina
- Govorl! … Plotinu-to na - Zinovy, Millworker, Boris, Sergey, Coachman, Aksinya, Chorus,
- Proshcháy, Katerina - Zinovy, Boris, Katerina
- Chevo vstal? Chevo ostanovilsa? - Aksinya, Boris
- Interlude
Scene 2
- Ay! Ay! Ay! - Aksinya, Shabby Peasant, Porter, Chorus, Steward, Sergey
- Bárynya!...Ay...Shto s toboyu? - Shabby Peasant, Aksinya, Katerina, Sergey
- A nu-s, pozvol'te ruku-s - Sergey, Katerina, Shabby Peasant, Boris
- Interlude
Scene 3
- Spat' porá. Dyen proshol - Katerina, Boris
- Zherebyonok k kobylke toropitsa - Katerina
- Kto éto, kto, kto stuchit? - Katerina, Sergey
- Ya poydù...Proshcháy - Sergey, Katerina, Boris
Act 2
Scene 4
- Chto znáchit stárost' - Boris
- Pod oknami u chuzhikh - Boris
- Proshcháy, Kátya, proscháay! - Sergey, Boris, Katerina, Chorus, Shabby Peasant, Porter
- Ustál!....Prikázhete mnye postegát'? - Boris, Porter, Katerina
- V kladovuyu Sergéya záperli - Boris, Porter, Katerina
- Vidno, skoro uzh zaryá - Chorus, Boris, Foremen, Priest
- Bátya, ispovyédatsa - Boris, Priest, Foremen
- Akh, Boris Timoféyevich - Katerina, Priest
- Interlude
Scene 5
- Sergéy, Seryozha! - Katerina, Sergey
- Kátya, prikhodit konyéts lyubvi náshey - Katerina, Sergey
- Nye pechál'sa, Sergéy - Katerina, Sergey
- Opyát usnul - Katerina, Ghost of Boris
- Nu? Chevo tebyé? - Sergey, Katerina
- Slushay, Sergéy, Sergéy! - Katerina, Sergey
- Katerina!....Kto tam? - Zinovy, Katerina, Sergey
- Tepyér shabásh - Sergey, Katerina
Act 3
Scene 6
- Interlude
- Shto ty tut stoish? - Sergey, Katerina, Shabby Peasant
- U menyá bylá kumá - Shabby Peasant
- Interlude
Scene 7
- Sozdan politséysky byl vo vrémya ono - Sergeant, Policemen
- U Izmaylovoy seychás pir goroy - Sergeant, Policemen, Policeman, Teacher
- Váshe blagorodie!...Chevo tebyé - Shabby Peasant, Sergeant, Policemen
- Interlude
Scene 8
- Sláva suprugam - Chorus, Priest, Katerina
- Shto takoe? ..Zamok sorvan - Sergey, Chorus, Katerina, Priest, A Drunken Guest
- Shto takoe? Pozdno! - Katerina, Sergey, Policemen, Sergeant
Act 4
Scene 9
- Vyorsty odna za drugoy - Old Convict, Chorus
- Stepánych! Propusti menyá - Katerina, Sentry, Sergey
- Nye lekhko posle pochota da poklonov - Katerina
- Moyo pochtyénye! - Sergey, Sonyetka
- Ládno dostánu! - Sergey, Katerina
- Na chulk! Idyom, tepyér ty moyá - Sergey, Sonyetka, Katerina, Chorus, A Female Convict, Sentry
- V lesu, v sámoy cháshche yest' ozero - Katerina
- Znáesh li, Sonyétka - Sergey, Sonyetka
- Vstaváy! Po mestám! Zh' vo - An Officer, Chorus, Old Convict
- Akh!...Bozhe moy! Shto takoe? - Sonyetka, Chorus, An Officer, Old Convict
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.
Monologues
Scenes
Key Terms
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Videos
Quizzes
Themes, Symbols & Motifs
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Quote Analysis
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Guide Written By:
Wendy Silvester
Singer and vocal coach based in the UK.