Mlada

I love the music from this opera. Some very gifted Russian composers collaborated on this project which, in itself, was ambitious what with egos and all but what made it work to the extent that it did is that Russian "romantic era" music had a uniquely "Russian" sound...no mistaking it.

Read the synopsis and then take a few minutes and give a listen to a suite from the opera....no singing...just wonderful music.

Synopsis

Time: The 9th to 10th centuries

Place: The land of the Polabian Slavs, between the Baltic Sea coast and the Elbe River.

Note: Certain elements of the plot below are conjectural, owing to the paucity of documentation of the 1872 project, and are taken from the plots of Minkus' ballet (1879) and Rimsky-Korsakov's complete operatic setting (1890).

Act 1[edit]

The castle of Mstivoy, Prince of Retra

Voyslava has killed Mlada, Yaromir's bride, to have him for herself. With the help of Morena, the goddess of the underworld, she has captivated Yaromir. But he sees the murder in his dreams.

Act 2[edit]

The plain near Retra on the banks of Lake Dolinskoye

At the midsummer festival the people dance, however the spirit of Mlada intervenes between Yaromir and Voyslava.

Act 3[edit]

Night. A gorge on Mount Triglav

By night Mlada leads Yaromir up Mount Triglav, where the dead gather, before the Witches' Sabbath in which Yaromir is shown a vision of Cleopatra.

Act 4[edit]

Outside the Temple of Radegast in Retra

Yaromir, at the Temple of Radegast, is shown by the spirits that Voyslava is guilty. She confesses her sin and he kills her. Morena, with whom Voyslava had made a compact, destroys the temple and the city of Retra, but Yaromir is united with Mlada in heaven.