Programme:
Tchaikovsky (1840 – 1893)
Don Juan’s Serenade (A.K. Tolstoy)
Amidst the Din of the Ball (A.K.Tolstoy)
None but the Lonely Heart (Goethe)
Mussorgsky (1839 – 1881)
Songs and dances of death (Golenishtchev-Kutusov)
Lullaby
Serenade
Trepak
Commander-in-Chief
Rachmaninov (1873 – 1943)
The Dream (Pleshtsheiev)
When Yesterday We Met (Polonsky)
In the Silence of the Night (Kolzov)
Borodin (1833 -1887)
The Sea (Borodin)
For the Shores of Your Distant Homeland (Pushkin)
Sviridov (1915 – 1998)
Selection from Russia cast adrift (Sergei Yesenin)
Russia Cast Adrift
Autumn
I Left my Home Behind
Russian Song
Tchaikovsky
Don Juan’s Serenade
Gasnut dal’nej Al’puhary Darkness is enfolding
Zalatistyje kraja, distant Alpujara’s golden lands,
Na prizyvnyj zvon gitary to the call of my guitar!
Vyjdi, milaja maja! come out, my darling!
Fseh, kto skazhet shto drugaja All those who claim that another
Zdes’ ravn’ajetsa s taboj, is your rival here,
Fseh, I’uboviju zgaraja, inflamed with love, I challenge them all,
Fseh, fseh, fseh zavu all, every one,
Na smertnyj boj! to fight to the death!
At lunnava sveta zardel nebasklon, Moonlight has brought a glow to the sky,
O vyidi Nisetta, oh, come out, Nisetta,
O vyidi Nisetta oh, come out, Nisetta
Skarej na balkon. quickly onto the balcony.
At Sevil’ji da Grenady From Seville to Granada
F tiham sumrake nachej in the shadowy stillness of the night
Razdajutsa serenady come the sound of serenades,
Razdajotsa svon mechej. and the ringing of the swords.
Mnoga rkovi, mnoga pesnej, Much blood and many songs
Dl’a pelesnyh I’jotsa dam, are dedicated to charming ladies,
Ja zhe toj, kto fseh prelesnej, to the one who is more charming than any other,
Fs’o, fs’o, i pesn’ i krof’ maju atdam! I will give all, my song and my blood!
At lunnava sveta zardel nebasklon, Moonlight has brought a glow to the sky,
O vyidi Nisetta, oh, come out, Nisetta,
Skarej na balkon. come quickly onto the balcony.
Amid the din of the ball
Sret’ shumnava bala, sluchajna, Amid the din of the ball, by chance,
F trevoge mirskoj sujety, In all of vain society’s alarms
Tebja ja uvidel, no tajna I caught sight of you, but a mystery
Tvaji pakryvala cherty. Hid your features from me.
Lish ochi pechal’na gljadeli, Your eyes were gazing sadly,
A golas tak divna zvuchal, But your voice had a wonderful sound,
Kak zvon addaljonnaj svireli, Like notes played on a distant flute,
Kak morja igrajushchij val. Like waves swelling playfully in the sea.
Mne stan tvoj panravilsa tonkij I liked your slim figure
I ves’ tvoj zadumchivyj vit, And your pensive look;
A smekh tvoj, i grusnyj i zvonkij, Your laughter, both sad and musical,
S tekh por v majom serttse zvuchit. Rings in my heart ever since.
F chasy adinokije nochi At night in solitary hours,
Ljublju ja, ustalyj, prilech, Tired, I like to lie back,
Ja vizhu pechal’nyje ochi, I see your sad eyes,
Ja slyshu vesjoluju rech. I hear your cheerful speech.
I grusna ja, grusna tak zasypaju And, melancholy, I fall asleep
I v grjozakh nevedamykh splju… And dream mysterious dreams…
Ljublju li tebja, ja ne znaju, I don’t know if this means I love you,
No kazhetsa mne, shto ljublju! But it seems to me I’m in love!
None but the lonely heart
Net, tol’ka tot, kto znal No, only one who’s known
Svidan’ja zhazhdu, Longing to be together
Pajmjot, kak ja stradal Can know what I’ve suffered
I kak ja strazhdu. And how I’m suffering.
Gljazhu ja vdal’… net sil, I gaze at the distance… faint,
Tusknejet oka… My eye grows dim…
Akh, kto menja ljubil Ah, how far away’s the one
I znal — daljoka! Who loved me, knew me!
Akh, tol’ka tot, kto znal Ah, only one who’s known
Svidan’ja zhazhdu, Longing to be together
Pajmjot, kak ja stradal Can know what I’ve suffered
I kak ja strazhdu. And how I’m suffering.
Fsja grud’ garit… My heart’s on fire…
Kto znal Svidan’ja zhazhdu, Whoever’s known Longing to be together,
Pajmjot, kak ja stradal Knows what I’ve suffered
I kak ja strazhdu. And how I’m suffering.
Mussorgsky Songs and Dances of Death
Lullaby
Ston’et rebjonok… Svecha, nagaraja, A child is groaning… A candle, burning out,
Tuskla mertsaet krugom. Dimly flickers onto surroundings.
Tseluju noch, kalybel’ku kachaja, The whole night, rocking the cradle,
Mat’ nezabylasja snom. A mother has not dozed away with sleep.
Ran’im ran’ohan’ka f dver’, astarozhna, Early-early in the morning, carefully, on the door
Smert’ serdabol’naja – stuk! Compassionate Death — Knock!
Fzdrognula mat’, agl’anulas’ trevozhna.. The mother shuddered, looked back with worry…
“Polna pugats’a, moj drug! “Don’t get frightened, my dear!
Bl’ednae utra uzh smotrit fakozhka Pale morning already looks in the window…
Placha, takuja, l’ubja With crying, anguishing and loving
ty utamilas’. Fzdremni ka n’emnozhka You have tired yourself. Have a little nap,
Ja pasizhu za t’ebja I’ll sit instead of you.
Ugaman’it’ ty d’itja ne sumela; You’ve failed to pacify the child;
Slashe t’ebja ja spaju. I’ll sing sweeter than you.”
Tishe! Rebjonak moj mechetsja, bjots’a, “Quiet! My child rushes and struggles,
Dushu t’erzajet maju!“ Tormenting my soul!”
“Nu, da sa mnoju on skora ujmjotsja. “Well, with me he’ll soon be appeased.
Bajushki, baju, baju.” Lullaby, lullaby, lullaby.”
Shotshki bl’edn’ejet, slabejet dyhan’je… “The cheeks are fading, the breath is weakening…
Da zamalchi zhe, mal’u!” Be quiet, I beg you!”
“Dobraje znamen’e: st’ihnet stradan’e, “That’s a good sign, the suffering will quieten,
Bajushki, baju, baju.” Lullaby, lullaby, lullaby.”
“Proch ty, prakl’ataja! “Be gone, you damned thing!
Laskaj svajeju sgubish ty radost’ maju!” With your tenderness you’ll kill my joy!” —
“N’et, mirnyj son ja maladentsu naveju; “No, a peaceful sleep I’ll conjure up for the baby;
Bajushki, baju, baju.” Lullaby, lullaby, lullaby.”
“Szhal’sja, pazhd’i dapevat’ “Have pity, wait at least for a moment
Hot’ gnaven’e, strashnuju pesn’u tvaju!” With finishing your awful song!” —
“Vid’esh, usnul on pad t’ihaje pen’je. “Look, he fell asleep with my quiet singing.
Bajushki, baju, baju.” Lullaby, lullaby, lullaby.”
Serenade
N’ega valshebnaja, noch galubaja, Magical languor, blue night,
Trepetnyj sumrak vesny… Trembling darkness of spring…
Vn’eml’et, pan’iknuf galofkaj, bal’naja, The sick girl takes in, with her head dropped,
Shopat nachnoj t’ishyny. The whisper of the night’s silence.
Son n’e smykajet bl’estjashyje ochi, Sleep does not close her shining eyes,
Zhizn’ k naslazhd’en’u zavjot; Life beckons towards pleasures;
A pad akoshkam fmalchan’i palnochi, Under the window in the midnight silence
Smert’ serenadu pajot: Death sings a serenade:
“Fmrake n’evol’i, surovaj i t’esnaj, “In the gloom of captivity, severe and stifling,
Moladast’ fjan’et tvaja, Your youth is fading away;
Rytsar n’evedamyj, silaj chud’esnaj A mysterious knight, with magic powers
Asvabashdu ja tebja. I’ll free you up.
Fstan’, pasmatri na sebja, krasatoju Stand up, look at yourself: with beauty
L’ik tfoj prazrachnyj bl’est’it, Your translucent face is shining,
Schoki rumjany, valn’istaj kasoju Your cheeks are rosy, with a wavy plait
Stan tfoj kak tuchej abvit; Your figure is entwined, like with a cloud;
Pristal’nyh glas galuboje sijan’e, The blue radiance of your piercing eyes
Jarche n’ebes I agn’a. Is brighter than skies and fire.
Znojem palud’ennym vejet dyhan’e… Your breath flutters with the midday heat …
Ty abal’stila men’a. You have seduced me.
Sluh tvoj pl’en’ilsja majej serenadaj, Your hearing is captured with my serenade,
Rytsarja shopat tvoj zval. Your voice called for a knight.
Rytsar’ prishol za pasl’edn’ej nagradaj; The knight has come for the ultimate reward;
Chas upajen’ja nastal. The hour of ecstasy has arrived.
N’ezhen tvoj stan, upait’el’en trepet. Your body is tender, your trembling is ravishing.
O, zadushu ja t’ebja f krepkih abjatjah; Oh, I’ll suffocate you in my strong embraces:
Ljubovnyj moj l’epet slushaj… Listen to my seductive chatter…
Malchi… Ty maja!” Be silent!… You are mine!”
Trepak
L’es, da pal’any, bezl’ud’e krugom. Forest and glades, no one is around.
Vjuga i plachet i ston’et, A snow-storm is crying and groaning,
Chujetsja, budta va mrake nachnom, It feels as in the gloom of the night
Zlaja kavota haron’it, The Evil One is burying someone;
Gl’ad’, tak I jest’! Ft’emnat’e Look, it is so! In the darkness
Muzhyka smert’ abn’imajet, laskajet; Death is hugging and caressing an old man,
S pjan’en’kim pl’ashet dvajom trepaka, With the drunkard she is dancing a trepak,
Nauha pesn’ napevaet: While singing a song into his ear:
‘Oh, muzhychok, starichok, ubogoj, “Oh, my little wretched man,
Pjan napilsja, papl’elsja darogaj; Got drunk, stumbled along the road,
A mjat’el’ ta, ved’ma, podn’alas, fzygrala, But the witch-blizzard has risen furiously,
Spol’a fl’es dremuchij nevznachaj zagnala. driven you from the glade into the dense forest.
Gorem, taskoj, da nuzhdoj tamimyj, Tortured with sorrow, anguish and need,
L’ag, prikarmi da usn’I, rad’imyj! Lie down, curl up and fall asleep, my dear!
Ja t’ebja, galubchik moj, sn’ezhkom sagreju, I’ll warm you up with snow, my darling,
Fkrug t’ebja vel’ikuju igru zat’eju. And stir up a great game around you.
Fsbej ka past’el’, ty mjat’el’, l’ebjodka! Shake up the bed, you blizzard-swan!
Gej, nachinaj, zapevaj, pagodka! Hey, get going, start chanting, you weather
Skazku, da takuju, chtob fsju noch t’anulas’ A fairytale, that could last all night,
Shtob pjanchuge krepka pod n’ejo zasnulas’. So that the drunkard could fall asleep!
Oj, vy lesa, nebesa, da tuchi, Hey you, forests, skies and clouds,
T’em’, vet’erok, da sn’ezhok letuchij, Gloom, wind and fleeting snow,
Sveites’ pel’enoju, sn’ezhnoj duhavoju Wreathe into a shroud, snowy and fluffy;
Jeju, kak mlad’entsa, starichka prikroju. With it I’ll cover our old man, like a baby…
Spi, moj druzhok, muzhychok shasl’ivij, Sleep, my little friend, happy wretch,
L’eta prishlo, rastsvelo! The summer has come and blossomed!
Nad n’ivaj solnyshka smejotsja, Above the fields the sun is laughing
Da serpy gul’ajut; and sickles roam,
Pesen’ka n’esjotsja, The song hovers around;
Galubki l’etajut… The doves are flying about…”
Commander-in-chief
Grahochet bitva, bl’eshut bron’i, The battle is thundering, the armour is shining,
Arud’ja mednyje revut, Copper cannons are roaring,
Begut palki, n’esutsa kon’I The troops are running, the horses are rushing
I reki krasnyje t’ekut. And red rivers are flowing.
Pylajet pold’en’, l’ud’i bjutsa, The midday is blazing, people are fighting,
Sklan’ilas solntse, boj sil’n’ej, The sun is declining, the fight is stronger,
Zakat bl’edn’ejet, no d’erutsa vragi The sunset is fading away — but the enemies
Fsjo jarasn’ej i zl’ej. Are still battling more fierce and hateful.
I pala noch na pol’e bran’i. And night has fallen on the battlefield.
Druzhyny fmrake razashl’is… The armies have parted in the darkness…
Fsjo stihla, I vnachnom human’e Everything’s fallen quiet, and in the night’s mist
Stenan’e k n’ebu padn’al’is. The groans have risen to the heavens.
Tagda azarena lunoju, Then, illuminated by moonlight,
Na bajevom svajom kan’e, On her battle horse,
Kast’ej sferkaja bel’eznoju, Shining with the whiteness of her bones,
Javilas smert’. I v tishin’e, Appeared Death; and in the silence,
Vn’imaja vopl’i i mal’itvy, Taking in moans and prayers,
Davol’stva gordava palna, Full of proud satisfaction,
Kak palkavodets, mesta bitvy Like a field marshal the place of battle
Krugom abjehala ana. She circled around.
Na holm padn’afshis, Having ridden to the top on the hill,
Agl’anulas, astanavilas, ulybnulas… She looked around, stopped, smiled….
I nad ravnínaj bajevoj And above the battlefield
Pran’osja golas rakavoj: Roared her fateful voice:
“Konchena bitva! Ja fseh pabed’ila! “The battle is finished! I won over everyone!
Fsje preda mnoj vy smiril’is, bajtsi! You all submitted before me, soldiers!
Zhizn’ vas passorila, ja pamirila! Life has made you quarrel, I have reconciled you!
Druzhna stavajt’e na smotr, mertvetsy! Stand up as friends for the parade, corpses!
Marshem tarzhestvennym mima prajd’it’e, Pass in front of me in a pompous march,
Vojska majo ja hachy sashitat’. I want to count my troops.
Fzeml’u patom svaji kost’i slazhyt’e, Then deposit your bones into the earth,
Sladka at zhyzn’I fzeml’e atdyhat’! It is sweet to rest from life in the ground!
Gody nezrima prajdut za gadami, Year after year will pass,
Vl’ud’ah izshezn’et i pamjat’a vas. And even the memory of you will disappear.
Ja n’e zabudu I gromka nad vami I will not forget and loudly above you
Pir budu pravit’ fpalunachnyj chas! Will hold a feast at the midnight hour!
Pl’askaj, tjazholaju, zeml’u syruju With a heavy dance the row earth
Ja pritapchu, shtoby sen’ grabavuju I’ll trample, so that the realm of the grave
Kost’i pakinut’ va vek n’e magl’i Your bones will never be able to leave,
Shtob nikagda vam n’e fstat’ iz zeml’i!” So that you’ll never rise from the ground!”
Rachmaninov
The Dream
I u men’a byl kraj radnoj; And I had a homeland-
Prekrasen on! So beautiful it was!
Tam jel’ kachalas nada mnoj… There spruce tree swayed above me …
No to byl son! But it was a dream!
Semja druzej zhyva byla. The friend’s family was still alive.
Sa fseh staron From every side about me
Zvuchal’i mn’e l’ubvi slava… Were heard sweet words of love …
No to byl son! But it was a dream!
When yesterday we met
Fchera my fstretil’is: Yesterday we met:
Ana astanavilas, ja takzhe… She stopped and so did I …
My fglaza drug drugu pasmatrel’i… We looked into each other’s eyes …
O bozhe! Kak ana s teh por peremen’ilas, My God! How she had changed since then,
V glazah patuh agon’, Her eyes had lost their light
I shoki pabl’edn’eli… Her cheeks were pale …
I dolga an n’ejo gl’adel ja, molcha, stroga… And long I looked at her, silently, severely …
Mn’e ruku prat’enuf, bedn’azhka ulybnulas, She gave me her hand, sadly smiled.
Ja gavarit’ hat’el, ana zhe, radi boga, I wished to speak but she, for God’s sake,
Vel’ela mn’e malchat’, I tut zhe atvernulas Implored me to be silent, turned away
I brovi sdvinula, i vid’ernula ruku, And frowned, took her hand from mine
I molvila: proshajt’e, da svidan’a! And said: “Farewell, goodbye!”
A ja hat’el skazat’: na vechnuju razluku But I wished to say: “We part forever,
Prashaj, pagibsheje, no milaje sozdan’e! Farewell, lost but dear soul”
In the Silence of the Night
O, dolga budu ja, fmalchan’ji nochi tajnaj, Long will I, in the silence of mysterious night,
Kavarnyj l’epet tvoj, ulybku, fzor, Your sly chatter, smile, glance,
fzor sluchajnyj, casual glance,
Perstam paslushnuju valos, Hair pliant to my fingers,
valos tvaih gustuju prjat’ your thick shock of hair,
Iz mysl’ej igan’at’ i snova prizyvat’; Banish from my thoughts and summon again;
Sheptat’ I papravl’at’ bylyje vyrazhen’ja Whisper and improve past words
Rechej maikh staboj, I spoke to you
ispoln’ennyh smushen’ja, so full of shy confusion,
I v apjan’en’ji, naperekor umu, And in rapture, against all reason,
Zavetnym imen’em budit’ nachnuju t’mu, With your dear name awake night’s darkness,
O, dolga budu ja, f malchan’ji nochi tajnaj, Long will I, in the silence of mysterious night,
Zavetnym imen’em budit’ nachnuju t’mu. Awake night’s darkness with your dear name.
Borodin
The Sea
Mor’e burna shumit, volny sedye katit. The sea is loudly raging, it rolls the grey waves.
Po morju jed’et plavets maladoj i atvazhnyj,There’s a young and brave man is in the sea,
Vezjot on s saboju tavar daragoj, He is bringing home goods expensive
n’epradazhnyj. and rare.
A vet’er I volny nafstrechu begut But wind and waves are rushing towards him
I penaj halodnaj plavtsa abdajut. And the cold water is splashing upon him.
S dabychej bagataj on jed’et damoj: Rare goods he is taking home:
S kamn’jami tsvetnymi, parchoj daragoj, Coloured stones, expensive brocade,
S zhemchugam krupnym, s kaznoj zalatoj, Big pearls, golden treasures,
S zhenoj maladoju. And a young wife.
Zavidnaja vypala moladtsu dol’ja: He’s fate has been good to him:
Dabycha bagataja, vol’naja vol’ja Rich pickings, free spirit
I n’ezhnyje laski zheny maladoj… And the gentle caresses of a young wife…
Mor’e burna shumit, volny sedye katit. The sea is loudly raging, it rolls its grey waves.
Boretsja smorjem plovets udaloj, The brave youngster fights the sea, not fazed;
n’erabejet;
Kazalas on spravitsa zburnaj valnoj, It would seem he’s going to manage and overcome
odalejet. the waves.
No vet’er I volny na fstrechu begut But wind and waves are charging to meet him
I lodku at berega dal’she n’esjut. And takes the boat further away from the shore.
On sily udvoil, na vjosla naljog, He doubles his efforts, he leans into the oars,
No smorem uprjamym on slad’it’ n’e mok. But he fails to manage the stubborn sea.
Lodka fsjo dal’she I dal’she plyvjot, The boat floats further and further away,
Lodku valnoju fmore n’esjot. The waves are taking the boat into the sea.
Tam, gd’e n’edavna lodka plyla, There, where once there was a boat,
L’ish vet’er gul’al da sedaja valna. Now only the wind wanders and the grey wave.
For the Shores of your Distant Homeland
Dlja beregov atchizny dal’noj For the shores of your distant homeland
ty pakidala kraj chuzhoj; You left this foreign land;
v chas nezabvennyj, v chas pechal’nyj Within this unforgettable hour, this hour of sadness,
ja dolga plakal pred taboj. I wept lingeringly before you.
Moji hladejushchije ruki My cold hands
t’ebja staralis’ uderzhat’; Tried to stop you;
tomlen’ja strashnava razluki Dreading the anguish of parting
moj ston molil ne preryvat’. My moan beseeched you not to go.
No ty ot gorkovo lobzan’ja But you wrenched your lips away
svoji usta atarvala; From our bitter kisses;
iz kraja mrachnava izgnan’ja From this country of gloomy exile
ty v kraj inoj menja zvala. You bid me to another land.
Ty govorila: “V d’en svidan’ja, You said: “On the day of our rendezvous
pad nebam vechna galubym, Under the ever-blue skies,
f ten’i ol’iv l’ubvi labzan’ja In the shade of olive trees,
my vnov’, moj drug, sajed’in’im.” Our kisses, my friend, will again re-unite us.”
No tam, uvy, gd’e n’eba svody But there, where the horizons
sijajut v bleske galubom, are radiant blue,
gde pad skalami dremljut vody, and the waters dream beneath the cliffs,
usnula ty posl’edn’im snom. you fell into eternal slumber.
Tvoja krasa, tvoji stradan’ja Your beauty, your suffering
ischezli v urn’e grabavoj, has disappeared into the grave;
ischez I patseluj svidan’ja… has disappeared the kiss of our reunion too,
No zhdu jevo: on za toboj! But I await it: You owe it me!
Sviridov
Russia Cast Adrift
Zeml’a maja zlataja! Oh, my golden land!
Asenn’ij svetlyj hram! Bright autumnal church!
Gusej kriklivyh staja A flight of clamorous geese
Nesjotsa k ablakam. Is chasing towards the clouds.
To dush preobrazhonnyh They are a legion
Neschislimaya rat’, Of souls reincarnate,
S azjor padn’avshis’ sonnyh, Having lifted off sleepy lakes,
L’et’it v nebesnyj sad. Flying towards the heavenly gardens
A fpered’i ih l’ebed’. And they are headed by a swan
F glazah, kak roshcha, grust’. Whose eyes, like a grove, are sad.
Ne ty l’i plachesh’ v n’ebe, Is it you crying like that in the skies,
Ochalivshaya Rus’? Russia that left its shores?
L’et’i, l’et’i, n’e bejsya, Fly on, don’t agonise,
Vsemu sfoj chas i breg. There’s always a time and a shore.
Vetra st’ekayut f pesnyu, Winds produce a song,
A pesn’a kan’et v vek. And the song will disappear with passing time.
L’et’i, l’et’i zlataya Rus’! Fly on, golden Russia!
Autumn
T’iha fchashe mozhevel’ja pa abryvu, In the juniper thicket by the precipice
Osen’ – ryzhaja kabyla – cheshet grivu. Like a chestnut mare, autumn tosses her mane.
Nad rechnym pakrovam beregof Over the river’s shrouding banks
Slyshen sin’ij l’azg ejo padkov. The blue ring of her hooves is heard
Vet’er shimn’ik shagam astarozhnym, The wind, like a hermit, with careful tread,
Mn’ot listvu pa vystupam darozhnym Tramples the leaves on the rutted road,
I tselujet na rjabinavam kustu And kisses, on a rowan bush,
Jazvy krasnye nezrimamu Hristu. The scarlet wounds’ of the invisible Christ.
I left my home behind
Ja pakinul rad’imyj dom, I left my home behind,
Galubuju astavil Rus’. Renounced my blue Russia.
F tri zvezdy berezn’ak nad prudom Tree stars of birch hang over the pond,
Tepl’et mat’eri staroj grust’. Melting my old mother’s grief.
Zalatoju l’agushkaj luna The moon, like a golden frog,
Rasplastalas na t’ihaj vade. Was splayed out on the still water.
Slovna jablannyj tsvet, sed’ina Like apple blossom, flecks of grey
U atsa pral’ilas’ fbarad’e. Appeared in my father’s beard.
Ja n’e skora, n’e skora vernus! I will not return for a long, long time now!
Dolga pet’ i zven’et’ purge. Long will the blizzard sing and ring out.
Sterezhot galubuju Rus’ An old one-legged maple
Staryj kl’on na adnoj nage. Keeps watch over blue Russia.
I ja znaju jest’ radast’ vn’om And I know that it would be joy
T’em kto list’ef tselujet dozh, To kiss its rain of leaves,
At tavo shto tot staryj kl’on For the head of the maple tree
Galavoj na men’a pahozh. Closely resembles mine.
Russian Song
Podl’e rechki na berezhku On the river, on the bank
Tut sid’el’i krasavitsy There were sitting beauties,
Pozdna vecheram adn’i. One late night, alone.
Oj, gavarila mn’e adna Oh, one of them was telling me
Vsjo prijatnyje slava. All the pleasant words.
“Ah, pa kakoj zhe ty sud’be “Oh, what fate did make you,
Prishol, mil’en’kij, ka mn’e?” My darling, come to me?”
Oj, ja n’e medl’il n’i chasa, Oh, I did not delay even for a minute,
Pal’ubilas tvaja krasata. I fell in love with your beauty.
Pauls Putnins bass-baritone
Latvian born Pauls Putnins’ appearances in opera include La bohème (ENO, Opéra de Nancy); Lucia di Lammermoor (Opera Colorado, Denver and Russian National Orchestra, Moscow); Carmen (New Zealand Opera, Blackheath Opera); Don Giovanni, Le nozze di Figaro (Latvian National Opera, Teatru Manoel, Valletta, Malta); Boulevard Solitude (Teatro Carlo Felice, Genoa and Gran Teatre del Liceu, Barcelona); The Rape of Lucretia (St Petersburg and Riga); Tannhäuser (Barcelona); and I Capuleti e i Montecchi (Moscow Philharmonic). Opera appearances in UK include Idomeneo and Die Zauberflöte (Glyndebourne Festival Opera); Idomeneo and Tosca (ENO); Fidelio (Garsington); Das Rheingold (Longborough), Madama Butterfly and Aida (Royal Albert Hall); Flavio (Early Opera Company); Ariadne and La traviata (Birmingham Opera Company).
Pauls also has an international concert career and has sung with orchestras including the Philharmonia, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Israel, Moscow and Bucharest Philharmonics and Russian National Orchestra ranging in a wide repertoire including all Bach Passions, Mendelssohn’s Elijah, and Beethoven’s 9th Symphony. His audio recording include Ferrondo in Mercadante’s Maria Stuarda regina di Scozia, Ricardo in Meyerbeer’s Margherita D’Anjou (Opera Rara); Everyman in Walford Davies’ Everyman (Duton); as well as DVDs of Jonathan Miller’s production of La bohème at ENO (Warner Classics) and Lehnhoff’s production of Henze’s Boulevard Solitude at the Liceu, Barcelona (Euroarts).
