# Are any of Prokofiev's Operas Worth Trying out?



## Manok (Aug 29, 2011)

I browse itunes and amazon constantly for new things to listen to, and I recently discovered that Prokofiev wrote a few operas, and was wondering if those are interesting enough to give at least a listen to?


----------



## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

LOL, yes more than 'interesting,' they are really wonderful. 
Go for "War and Peace," and "The Gambler."


----------



## arpeggio (Oct 4, 2012)

*Fiery Angel*

I love most of the operas of Prokofiev. My favorite is the _Fiery Angel_. This opera had been accepted for performance in the 1927-28 season at the Berlin State Opera by Bruno Walter, but this production never materialised. In fact, it was never staged until 1955, after Prokofiev's death. Well Sergie could not let all of the music go to waste, so he he adapted parts of the opera to make his _Third Symphony_.

If you like the _Third Symphony_, you will love the opera. It has a wild plot:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fiery_Angel_(opera)

Link to a concert version of the complete opera on You Tube:

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCD660A53D28876B4


----------



## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Definitely, some great ones.

_Love for Three Oranges _and _War and Peace_ are my two favourites. I like _Betrothal in a Monastery_ too.


----------



## Ukko (Jun 4, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> Definitely, some great ones.
> 
> _Love for Three Oranges _and _War and Peace_ are my two favourites. I like _Betrothal in a Monastery_ too.


There was mention of these in a fairly recent thread, and I was ready to bite - until I saw the prices on amazon.com.


----------



## quack (Oct 13, 2011)

$45 for most of them, 14CD too rich for your blood?

http://www.amazon.com/Prokofiev-Six-Operas-Sergei-S/dp/B0033KR5YS


----------



## Manok (Aug 29, 2011)

Nope I've actually been eyeing that set


----------



## Aksel (Dec 3, 2010)

I only know The Love for Three Oranges, but I rather love it. The Opera de Paris production is rather good. I saw it live this summer.


----------



## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

I had the Fiery angel on CD's - gave them away. Not my cup of tea - YMMV.


----------



## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

The only one I have is Semyon Kotko but I like it, and any opera which was frowned upon in any way by the Soviet authorities probably has something going for it. The plot, mainly consisting of a clash between the old and new in a Ukrainian village in 1918, is actually quite in keeping with the required parameters of Socialist Realism but Prokofiev with characteristically unlucky timing decided to cast a unit of marauding Germans as baddies just in time for Molotov and von Ribbentrop to sign the Soviet-German non-aggression pact in 1939. There is a parallel with works like Carmen insofar as it's one of those operas that starts off in a light-hearted fashion and then carries on for a fair while in a similar vein before a more sinister mood takes over. I have the Philips recording with Gergiev. Worth checking out, I'd say.


----------



## TxllxT (Mar 2, 2011)

Actually I like the later Prokofiev operas more than the early ones: Semyon Kotko (Gergiev conducting) is the best IMO & The Story of a Real Man (Mark Ermler conducting) show Prokofiev's lyrical talent much more profound than The Love for 3 Oranges, which is probably too _Avant-garde_ & noisy for a try-out. War and Peace I have in - I think - four complete versions, with Alexander Melik-Pashayev on Melodiya having the best cast & Russian atmosphere, while Richard Hickox on Chandos enjoys the best recording.


----------



## Ukko (Jun 4, 2010)

quack said:


> $45 for most of them, 14CD too rich for your blood?
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/Prokofiev-Six-Operas-Sergei-S/dp/B0033KR5YS
> View attachment 10756


Aha! If it's still there in mid-January... . I've bookmarked the page.


----------



## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Aksel said:


> I only know The Love for Three Oranges, but I rather love it. The Opera de Paris production is rather good. I saw it live this summer.


Aksel, have you not seen War and Peace? You've got to get this pronto-rapido.










You will die for Nathan Gunn's Prince Andrei and Olga Gouriakova is perfect as Natasha. And the production is mighty fine.

Quick, put it on your Christmas list.


----------



## Aksel (Dec 3, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> You will die for Nathan Gunn's Prince Andrei and *Olga Gouriakova* is perfect as Natasha. And the production is mighty fine.
> 
> Quick, put it on your Christmas list.


Ugh. I saw her as Butterfly earlier this autumn. One was not impressed. But I'll se what I can do.


----------



## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Hilltroll72 said:


> There was mention of these in a fairly recent thread, and I was ready to bite - until I saw the prices on amazon.com.


I found both at my library. I didn't come close to digesting War & Peace, but Three Oranges is much shorter, and a fun listen.


----------

