# Paliashvili - Abesalom and Eteri (Georgian opera)



## Meyerbeer Smith (Mar 25, 2016)

"Abesalom da Eteri (Georgian: აბესალომ და ეთერი; "Abesalom and Eteri") is an opera by the Georgian composer Zacharia Paliashvili and librettist Petre Mirianashvili (b. 1860) based on a medieval Georgian folk poem Eteriani. Composed between 1909 and 1918, the work was partly staged in 1913 and first premiered in its present-day form on 21 February 1919 at the Georgian National Opera Theater in Tbilisi. The opera is an eclectic fusion of folk songs and traditional 19th century Romantic classical themes. In 2004, several excerpts from this opera were adapted as the National Anthem of Georgia."

I came across this opera on David LeMarrec's _Carnets sur Sol_ site. Like Theodorakis's Greek tragedy adaptations, it's a fine work from a repertoire that's well outside the canon.

Two things.

1.) There doesn't seem to be a vocal score or libretto in any language except Russian and Georgian. Has anyone come across this opera, and, if so, knows if there is an English or French (for preference) translation? (Wikipedia has an English synopsis.)

2.) What I've heard really isn't bad...





















And an orchestral piece: 



Eteri's aria:


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## superhorn (Mar 23, 2010)

Back in the 70s , there was a complete recording on DG which was recorded in Moscow but had I believe, a mostly Georgian cast and a (I believe) Georgian conductor whose name I can't recall . 
This may have been the late Dzhansug Kakhidze , the best known Georgian conductor within the past 50 years or so . 
I heard parts of it at the Library and Museum of the Performing arts at Lincoln Center, which is part of the New York city library system , which is directly to the right of the Metropolitan opera house . 
They used to have thousands of LPs which anyone could listen to on turntables on a first come, first serve basis . I haven't been there in ages, so I don't know if they have the same thing with CDs and CD players . But if you planning to visit New York and are going to Lincoln Center, you should definitely visit this marvelous place . 
As far as I know, DG has not reissued this on CD, but they certainly should . I definitely want to hear the whole thing . I will also check to see if youtube has this recording . I believe they have some excerpts from it .


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## Meyerbeer Smith (Mar 25, 2016)

superhorn said:


> Back in the 70s , there was a complete recording on DG which was recorded in Moscow but had I believe, a mostly Georgian cast and a (I believe) Georgian conductor whose name I can't recall .
> This may have been the late Dzhansug Kakhidze , the best known Georgian conductor within the past 50 years or so .
> I heard parts of it at the Library and Museum of the Performing arts at Lincoln Center, which is part of the New York city library system , which is directly to the right of the Metropolitan opera house .
> They used to have thousands of LPs which anyone could listen to on turntables on a first come, first serve basis . I haven't been there in ages, so I don't know if they have the same thing with CDs and CD players . But if you planning to visit New York and are going to Lincoln Center, you should definitely visit this marvelous place .
> As far as I know, DG has not reissued this on CD, but they certainly should . I definitely want to hear the whole thing . I will also check to see if youtube has this recording . I believe they have some excerpts from it .


Thanks for the information, Superhorn! This might be the complete recording - 1971, conducted by Didim Mirtskhulava:





There are also two filmed versions - a 1987 production:





...and a Soviet-era film:





I'd love to settle in New York (or Paris) ... maybe some day! I was there in June last year, and fell in love with the Big Apple.


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