Etoiles of Bolshoi vol. 2 - Queen of Spades (DVD)
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Etoiles of Bolshoi vol. 2 - Queen of Spades

Opera in three acts and seven scenes by Piotr Tchaïkovski (1890). Composed between the Fifth and the Sixth Symphony, the Queen of Spades is the most achieved opera by Tchaïkovsky (even tough he wrote it in six weeks).

In Saint Petersburg, in the middle of the eighteenth century, Prince Yeletsky introduces to his friends - card players - his young fiancée Lisa - granddaughter of the countess. One of the gamblers, a young soldier – Herman - recognizes in Lisa - the one he loves - and promises to himself that he will tear her out from the Prince ! He sneaks into the young lady’s bedroom. The two of them avow their mutual love. Unfortunately, Herman is the isolating and destructive figure of gambling. As he is trying to force the countess - Lisa’s grandmother - to reveal the secret of the cards, this one dies of fear !

Back to the barrack, Herman witnesses the specter of the countess that orders him to marry her granddaughter and imparts him the secret of the cards : three, seven, ace. Pursued by the card devil, Herman leaves Lisa desperate and takes part in the last fatal card game. His opponent, Prince Yeletsky, takes out a queen of spades that will cause the bankrupt, the madness and the suicide of the young man.

Tracklist: Etoiles of Bolshoi vol. 2 - Queen of Spades Act 1 Overture Act 1 Scene 1 Chorus of children, nannies and others Act 1 Scene 1 Chekalinsky Arioso of Herman Act 1 Scene 1 Herman and Tomsky Act 1 Scene 1 Chorus of the promenaders Act 1 Scene 1 Quintet and scene Act 1 Scene 1 Scene and Tomsky's ballad Act 1 Scene 1 Final Scene and storm Act 1 Scene 2 Duet of Liza and Pauline Act 1 Scene 2 Chorus of Girl-friends ; Pauline's romance Act 1 Scene 2 Governess's scene and Arioso Act 1 Scene 2 Liza's air Act 1 Scene 2 Final scene Act 2 Scene 3 Entr'acte and chorus Act 2 Scene 3 Scene : Master of Ceremonies Act 2 Scene 3 Scene : Herman Act 2 Scene 3 Shepherd's sincirity (pastoral play) Act 2 Scene 3 Prilépa and Milovzor duet Act 2 Scene 3 Final scene Act 2 Scene 4 Scene : Herman ; Chorus Act 2 Scene 4 The Countess's air Act 2 Scene 4 Final scene Act 3 Scene 5 Entracte ; scene Act 3 Scene 5 Scene Herman Act 3 Scene 6 Scene and Liza's Arioso Act 3 Scene 6 Scene and duet of Liza and Herman Act 3 Scene 7 Tomsky's song Act 3 Scene 7 Final scene