Why The Queen of Spades is Tchaikovsky s lesser-known masterpiece (The Royal Opera)

Tchaikovsky’s most ambitious opera contains some of his greatest music and is a powerful study of destructive obsession. Cast Vladimir Stoyanov, Eva-Maria Westbroek, Aleksandrs Antonenko, Conductor Antonio Pappano, Director Stefan Herheim and Designer Philipp Fürhofer discuss why they love performing this powerful opera. Find out more https://www.roh.org.uk/productions/the-queen-of-spades-by-stefan-herheim Tchaikovsky began work on The Queen of Spades in 1889. He based it on a short story by Alexander Pushkin, one of his favourite writers. He and his brother Modest (his co-librettist) dramatically altered Pushkin s plot, turning Gherman from a cynical opportunist into an ardent lover and Liza into a tragic figure. Tchaikovsky put a great deal of work into the opera s premiere at St Petersburg s Mariinsky Theatre in 1890, and was thrilled by its success. The Queen of Spades is one of Tchaikovsky s most impressive and varied scores, containing grand choruses, intimate arias and duets (such as Liza and Gherman s passionate Act I love duet), a masquerade paying tribute to Mozart and a terrifying supernatural episode. Stefan Herheim s spectacular production places Tchaikovsky himself at the heart of the action, and asks searching questions about the nature of creativity and the parallels between life and art.