Pytor Il'ich Tchaikovsky: Pique Dame

This is a powerful performance and the singing is strong throughout. Although I have not heard other recordings (by all accounts there are only one or two others), I must say I am impressed with Grigorian in the lead role, and the lyricism of his instrument, far from being a drawback as suggested by another reviewer who compares him to Atlantov, is a strength. Grigorian sings with a wonderful legato, his musical phrasing is tasteful and intelligent while at the same time hinting at an undercurrent of melancholy and inner turmoil. Grigorian also has a good top, which is all the more effective because of the restraint he employs in the lyrical passages. Grigorian's subtle reading of Herman avoids the pitfalls of simply painting him with two colors: obsessive gambler and irrational lover. This is important, since the two poles of Herman's obsession essentially converge, and the singer must be able to convey that. Unlike other fashionable tenors in Europe and America, Grigorian does not have recording contracts and has not made cd's of either third rate music or first rate music sung with third rate interpretations. Instead, he has done what real opera singers do: sung in live performances, perfecting his vocal technique and his skills of dramatic characterization. Listening to this performance, it is evident that Grigorian has thought about this character, has performed this role often, and has arrived at a psychologically complex and, ultimately, aesthetically edifying interpretation.

Although Tchaikovsky is most famous for his orchestral music, he wrote a number of operas -- of which Pique Dame (The Queen of Spades) and Eugene Onegin are best known in the west. Eugene Onegin is a brilliant, vibrant opera (somewhat analogous to the ballet Sleeping Beauty) whereas Pique Dame is more atmospheric and brooding, although still very melodic (like Swan Lake). Both operas contain much beautiful music -- as one would expect from Tchaikovsky. The performances of both the singers and conductor on this set are quite good and idiomatically Russian. If you like Tchaikovsky but are not familiar with his operas you should definitely give both Pique Dame and Eugen Onegin a hearing. The same is true if you like opera but are unfamiliar with Russian opera. These two operas are outstanding.

This is the best of the more recent recordings of the Queen of Spades since it waas recorded by Mark Ermler and the Bolshoi enseble in 1974. Since the Bolshoi version is available only in Russia, where critics consider it the best recording of the opera, I will try to compare the two in this review. First comes the conducting. Ermler is more symphonic and powerfull, but at the same time more lirical. Gergiev is more mesterious and gives more attention to the orchestra than to the singers. Both conduct slowly and pay attention to the dramatic part that the orchestra plays in the opera. The singing on the Bolshoi version is, without question better in every way. The one exeption may be Tamara Milashkina, who sang a much better Liza on the recording made by Boris Khaikin about a decade earlier. Gulegina, who is a much better soprano then the over-rated Galina Gorchakova may be more pleasing to western ears. Vladimir Atlantov from the Bolshoi is in every way a better Gherman than Gegam Gregorian. Atlantov is the modern equivalent of Mario del Monaco - he has the same ring at the top, same power, which is rare among tenors and he is an actor. Gegam Grigorian has a tight, but lirical voice, which sounds very obscure in such a role as German. The two baritones singing Yeletskiy are difficult to compare. Vladimir Chernov from Leningrad has a more powerfull and darker voice, than the Moscovite Andrey Fedoseyev, who is more lirical and romantic. Since the best Yeletskiy - Yuriy Mazurok - is not featured in any of the recordings, the listener should choose what is better for him. The Tomskiy of Moscow's Vladimir Valaitis is in every way better then Nikilay Putilin. Putilin is a very good Boris Godunov and Shaklovitiy, but valaitis has a derker, and more mysterious voice. His interpritation of the ballad in the first act is the best, since Alexey Ivanov. The Pauline of Galina Borisova, who I heard live twice this year in the Bolshoi as the countess is much better than Olga Borodina. Her greatest moments are the high notes in the romance. Borodina seems too sentimental and lacks the tipical Russian vibrato and ring at the top. The countess of Irina Arkhipova, who obviously never sang in the Mariinskiy, but was invited by Gergiev to record the Queen of Spades is a better singer than Valentina Levko, in the bolshoi version, but Levko has more experience as the countess (Arkhipova sang mostly Pauline) and that also counts. After all, the countess is supposed to be over eighty, and a young and fresh voice would seem a bit strange. The Bolshoi Chloe is the future international star, Georgian soprano Makvala Kasrashvili. She is the best Chloe ever recorded, and when I heard her as Liza in April 2000, her voice, surprisingly, did not change very much. The chorus in the Bolshoi is better, but the Kirov recording, on this perticular occasion, sounds like a real company effort.

See previous review! I wanted to extend my review to include a comparison with another GREAT Russian recording of Pique Dame- the 1974 Bolshoi recording with Mark Ermler at the helm. This was my first Pique Dame, purchased in 1999...before I knew about this one!

Anyways- these are both fantastic recordings and quite different. When I first got this one (Kirov) it took me a while to get used to it. Amazon says he "attacks" the score. I don't think so- not in comparision to Ermler. The slower more elegant Kirov speeds and vocals took more time to get used to.

Kirov singing- definitely superior, but surprisingly I prefer the Bolshoi's Pauline, Galina Borisova to Olga Borodina... Borisova ATTACKS her part, which seems to make sense. Borodina sings very slowly and more gracefully and certainly has better tone- but sometimes that isn't enough. I also like Vladimir Valaitis as Count Tomsky better than Putilin. Valaitis and Borisova are teamed up for the great ACT II Duet as in Ermler's version Pauline (Borisova) sings the part of Milovzor in "Kak ty mila" in ACT II, whereas Kirov has Gulegina (Liza)singing that part. Interesting change.

The Ermler set is more driven, louder, and seems more "Tchaikovsky" than this set- however this set is so beautiful---it really has the beauty where the Ermler set sometimes lacks, and the Ermler set has the excitement the Gergiev set at times lacks- however sometimes Gergiev kicks it in- then LOOK OUT!

It's a tough call... I would say the Kirov is slightly better, but there is another option out there, if you can find it- Ermler is hard to find now because of Gergiev's popularity!

We all are familiar with Tchaikovsky's ballets, his wonderful symphonies, and his time worn 1812 Overture, which he himself called "bombastic." However, few of us are fimilar with the composers operas, particularily Pique Dame (The Queen of Spades) and Eugene Onegin.

Eugene Onegin snagged itself a permanent place in the repitoire a long time ago- but it was slow coming for Pique Dame.

For me, the two greatest things in opera are: 1) Mozart, and 2) Russian opera. Pique Dame offers the best of both world's here. Tchaikovsky's favorite operas where Mozart's "Don Giovanni" and Bizet's "Carmen." The man had great taste. The influence of Bizet and Mozart shines through in Pique Dame, yet the opera still maintains the Russian tradition of big chorus' and big/rich/lavish score, yet this is certainly a "classical opera." The score is incredible and this cast is the best- unbeatable combination.

Act II (my favorite act) is simply phenomenal.

Borodina is entirely unforgettable as Pauline..and this cast as a whole is stupendous. There is nothing like real Russian's singing a real Russian masterpiece.

Pique Dame shines so much it is much preferred (by me) to that of Eugene Onegin- which is fantastic in its own right.

Both Pique Dame, Eugene Onegin, and even the overlooked Mazeppa should be in every opera lovers collection.

Wonderful! Simply Wonderful!