Shchedrin: The Left-Hander

It fizzes with energy … I enjoyed this hugely. — CD Review, 11th April 2015 More…

Release Date: 8th Jul 2016
Catalogue No: MAR0588
Label: Mariinsky

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Andrei Popov, Edward Tsanga, Vladimir Moroz, Kristina Alieva, Maria Maksakova
Mariinsky Orchestra and Chorus
Valery Gergiev (conductor) & Alexei Stepanyuk (stage director)

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ANNA MATISON: FILM DIRECTOR

ALEXANDER ORLOV: SET DESIGNER

IRINA CHEREDNIKOVA: COSTUME DESIGNER

ALEXANDER SIVAEV: LIGHTING DESIGNER

Specially written for Gergiev on the occasion of his 60th birthday, Rodion Shchedrin’s 'The Left-Hander' is a comedy of Russians and Englishmen, new technology, old traditions and strong drink. The premiere was given by the Mariinsky Opera in St Petersburg in July 2013.

Rodion Shchedrin is one of music’s greatest living humourists and his work is laced with pitch-black irony and deadpan wit. Based on Nikolai Leskov’s classical satirical novella of 1881, 'The Tale of Cross-Eyed Lefty From Tula and the Steel Flea', 'The Left-Hander' is a gloriously wry exploration of Russia’s relationship with the West in general and England in particular. The work recently received its UK premiere and was met with great acclaim.

FILMED AT MARIINSKY II, ST PETERSBURG, JULY 2013

BD50 NTSC 16:9 DVD9 NTSC 16:9 2.0 PCM STEREO 5.1 DTS SURROUND

Reviews

CD Review 11th April 2015

It fizzes with energy … I enjoyed this hugely.

Diapason

Andrei Popov gives way to joy in the title role, passing by all states, excitement to dejection. The Flea is a small mechanical doll alla Offenbach, a light coloratura of course, much applauded after her numbers...the beautiful lyric soprano Maria Maksakova as Princess Charlotte deserved much applause.

June 2015

Gergiev conducts a sharp performance, one fully alert to the satires that enmesh the work.

24th June 2015

The SACD recording is very fine, the booklet impeccably presented. If you love opera and are attracted by the Russian traditions of surrealism and dark humour, then this is an extremely fertile place to plant your flag.

21st March 2015

All in all, a useful addition to the catalogue, if maybe not a sure-fire hit.

Opera News

Shchedrin parses and sets the text very cleverly, with lively and often humorous orchestration, folkish when needed… Levsha is definitely an ensemble piece best suited to a company like the Mariinsky, with its expert chorus and strongly enacted minor parts.

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Shchedrin: The Left-Hander

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