Music Director Felix Korobov
Conductors Valery Kritskov,Felix Korobov
Director Yuri Grymov
Set Designer Vladimir Maksimov
Costume Designer Maria Danilova
Choirmaster Andrey Lazarev
Lighting Designer Sergey Martynov

This is a story of love – passionate, ardent, scorching and, at times, burning out everything around. This is a story about the Russian soul that has always had room for purity, poetry, self-denial and mercy.

At the same time, this is a story about the atrocious time of total lawlessness in Russia, when the authorities treated an individual as a plaything for their own ends. This is a story about our Motherland, where “high above spreads the sky like a spacious marquee”. “Is the sky in foreign lands the same as here?” sings “the Tsar’s bride”, Marfa Sobakina, and Evgeny Kolobov regarded these words as the leitmotif of the opera.

"Life after death does exist, and ample proof that is provided by The Tsar’s Bride directed by Yuri Grymov for the Novaya Opera. This is a thoroughly Kolobovian production, which carries on the Maestro’s traditions of radical transformation of classical operas. <…> Short and dynamic, the production meets the requirements of the modern audience".

Nezavisimaya Gazeta, January 27, 2005

Following a beautiful unknown girl, whom he accidentally had met in Madrid, the Count Almaviva arrived in Seville under a name of Lindoro. His servant Fiorello managed to find out the girl’s address. To entice Rosina from the house the Count sings her a serenade at night, but all his efforts are in vain… The Count pays off musicians.

The barber Figaro recently moved in Siviglia, enjoying wide popularity here. By chance he is brought together with his former master – Almaviva. Fortunately to the Barber the Count, as it turned out, is in love with Dr. Bartolo’s ward – Rosina, and in this situation a person who can enter Doctor’s house may be extremely useful!

Meanwhile Bartolo is away for a short while. A new serenade by “Lindoro” turns out to be more successful than the first one. The Count demands from Figaro to bring him in to Bartolo’s house. To this the Barber suggests him to pretend to be a drunken soldier. After that he gives a long and confused explanation about his address in Seville, but without success, as it seems. Sums, promised by the Count for his service, makes Figaro to give himself up to rosy dreams…  

Second scene

Rosina is ready to run away with a splendid “Lindoro”, but how to do that? To write a letter! Figaro, as usual, comes to offer his services to Rosina, but she has no time to say a word about the letter as he disappears, hearing Doctor’s steps.

Bartolo suspects that Figaro has come on purpose. He has heard that his ward is noticed by the Count Almaviva and intends without delay to make Rosina his wife tonight. A patient, that has come to him, a military musician Don Basilio, works up a strategy of the battle: first, to defame an enemy spitefully, second, immediately to make a marriage contract between Rosina and Bartolo. Their conversation is overheard by Figaro: the girl should hurry up, if she does not like to marry her guardian! Rosina gives the letter to the Barber, but Dr Bartolo is already here and sets a trap to her, trying to catch her. The Count disguised as a drunken soldier bursts into the house and tries to hand a letter to Rosina. A fight begins between the Count and Bartolo. A noise draws attention of a military patrol. After hearing to confused explanations from all who are present, the Officer takes a decision to arrest the “soldier”. After a short talk with a perspective prisoner tкte­a­tкte, he changes his decision. Nobody understands anything.

SECOND ACT  

First scene

The Count again penetrates Bartolo’s house under a new mask to find a way to Rosina’s heart. Disguised as Don Alonso, a faithful pupil of supposedly ill Don Basilio, he gives the girl a singing lesson. Rosina performs an aria from a popular opera “La Fille mal gardйe”. Old Bartolo does not approve of modern music.

Figaro comes to shave the Doctor so that the lovers could talk without trouble. Suddenly Don Basilio comes… A sum of money helps to diagnose scarlatina with him and to suggest an idea to him to return home and receive medical treatment. Rosina is going to escape with Almaviva at midnight, but Bartolo again suspects of something and casts reproaches upon her. The servant Berta, who has got tired of strange quarrels and shouts, dreams about love…  

Second scene

Dr. Bartolo and Don Basilio work up a plot: it’s necessary to convince Rosina, that Lindoro has another lover and he is an agent sent to kidnap the girl for the Count Almaviva. Rosina agrees to the immediate marriage to Bartolo. At midnight sharp the Count appears, but Rosina meets her “Lindoro” not the way that he has expected. To become reconciled with the girl Almaviva is forced to reveal his real name. The time for escape is missed; Basilio, the Notary and then Bartolo appear. Rosina’s kidnapping is cancelled. The Count has at once to marry lawfully in presence of all witnesses.