Prokofiev: Semyon Kotko

So, what is this opera like? - bearing in mind that it was written in this all-pervading atmosphere of fear, and that Prokofiev badly needed an idealogical success with the authorities - 'Romeo and Juliet' written 3 years previously had failed (hard to credit!), and only 'Peter and the Wolf' had pleased. Well, the great thing about Prokofiev's music is that his personality imprints itself on every page, and while the music is uneven and at times even banal, it is always fascinating to have the chance to hear a work that has almost disappeared, by a major composer. The story concerns a demobilised soldier (Semyon Kotko - sung by tenor Viktor Lutsiuk with an appealing timbre that only occasionally shows hint of strain)returning to his village in the Ukraine after 4 years absence - this is 1918 and even though the revolutionary Red Army has made peace with Germany, there are still scattered German units that oppose the Red Army and have formed alliances with 'reactionary' Ukrainian nationalists against the communists. Semyon's fiancee, Sonya, has a father, Tkachenko - sung with a wonderful snarl and sense of character by Kirov veteran Gennady Bezzubenkov) who sides with the Germans and the opera tells the story of the conflict - involving public hangings and at the end of the third act (of five) the burning of the village by the Germans. This is why the opera disappeared so quickly: the opera was premiered in 1940 - and in WW2 the Soviets had a short-lived pact with Germany, so Semyon Kotko's anti-German bias was suddenly non acceptable.

The opera is very well paced - the first two acts are mainly a kind of village comedy - then the brutal events of the third act (much the best) change the focus to real tragedy - unfortunately the opera then goes off the rails with the Soviet partisans hiding out and effecting a contrived happy ending with the Red Army victorious. You can sense Prokofiev struggling to keep involved, particularly in the latter stages. The characters are all cardboard cut-outs, and such passages as Semyon explaining to the partisans about different types of guns, and the false uplift of revolutionary ideals at the end bring forth music so perfunctory as to make you wonder if there is an element of send up. However there is some vintage lyrical writing (redolent of Romeo and Juliet) - go to the prelude or the opening of the 3rd act - and this latter act is a tremendous achievement, including the lament of a girl driven mad by publicly witnessing her boyfriend being hanged which is obsessively harrowing and memorable. Prokofiev brings this back at the end of the act when the village burns and turns it into an epic, terrifying climax - it's really worth hearing this scene!

The recording is taken from a series of concert performances in Vienna, the sound is vivid, mellow and only occasionally a little boomy - the big climaxes of the third act are undoubtedly thrilling, both emotionally and and for sonic impact. Not all of the singing is beautiful, but that's not the point, Gergiev and his forces bring out all the drama and variety of this strange piece, and even play the obviously contrived moments to the hilt.

Whether you can dissociate all this from the very suspect idealogy is another matter. One may smile at the naivete of the piece, but this smile is wiped right off when the historical truth of what the Soviets did to the Ukraine (hopelessly whitewashed in the opera - though it is unlikely that the creators knew any of this) is revealed - read the excellent notes accompanying this recording. However you do wonder if we would be listening to this piece now if it were the work of a German composer returning to his homeland to be of use to the state in the 1930's..........

The opera is peopled with characters that are strictly good or bad and it extols the peasant-hero who is victorious over the forces that would crush the Bolshevik utopia. Prokofiev toned down the propaganda element of the story (the libretto was written by the author of the story, Valentin Katayev, that was titled "I am the son of working people"). Semyon Kotko was received with some enthusiasm when it premiered in 1940 but it was withdrawn early in 1941 and not performed until 1958. Since this opera was intended to help the composer find acceptance by the Soviet leadership it could be considered music written to show the composer's desire for acceptance, not reflecting his true desires for the opera. However, this is not the case. It is clear for the opening bars that the music of Semyon Kotko is rich in expression and drama and is connected to the tradition of Mussorgsky and Tchaikovsky in treating the characters with their own vocal style. Until the mid-second act, the story is concerned with young love instead of the tragedy of war. Semyon Kotko has returned from war to resume his old life and marry his sweetheart Sofya. Sofya's father, Tkachenko, a rich peasant or kulak, early on, is more like the opera buffa's reluctant father than the sinister figure he becomes later.

The entry of the German army in the story moves the action into the political realm as the German soldiers seek to round up the Communists in Semyon's village and are abetted by Tkachenko who believes the Russian revolution will fail and the Tsar will be restored to power. The German's hang three of the townspeople and burn a part of the village. Eventually, the partisans re-take the village, Semyon and Sofya are reunited and Tkachenko goes off to his execution. The music is some of the finest by Prokofiev. The lyricism of the first act wonderfully describes the relationship between Semyon and Sofya while the burning of the village and hanging of the Bolsheviks in act three is vividly expressed. This is an opera of lyricism and drama that the Kirov has effectively brought to life in this recording, and which they performed at the Met in 2003. This music deserves to be considered among Prokofiev's great works, with the Fifth and Sixth Symphonies and Cinderella, rather than be relegated as a purely political piece written to curry favor.

I was fortunate to see this live in the summer of 2003, performed by Gergiev and the Kirov Opera at the Lincoln Center Festival. The vivid production alone would have made an impact, but the fact is that this opera has some of Prokofiev's most striking, not to mention listenable music. In Act III, for example, when the small village in the story is destroyed, the score reaches a terrifying climax (among other memorable sequences) with a starring role for Olga Savova, who is just one standout in the committed cast.

Perhaps it's the opportunity to bring to life a seldom-done score, but everyone sings with go-for-broke intensity, and the orchestra -- wow, this orchestra -- is up to its usual high standard. The sound quality is also quite good, as are most of these in this Philips series. The libretto includes a few photographs from the Kirov production as well.

It is almost unthinkable that this score might still be lounging around in some library, waiting for a guide like Gergiev to show us that there is something valuable within. For those who love Prokofiev, unusual opera or are just admirers of the conductor's impressive output with the Kirov, this can be easily recommended.