Aleko (opera)

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Aleko (Russian: Алеко) is the first of the four operas by Sergei Rachmaninoff, written as a graduation work at Moscow Conservatory. The Russian libretto was written by Vladimir Nemirovich-Danchenko which in turn was adapted from the poem Tsygany (The Gypsies) by Alexander Pushkin. It premiered at the Bolshoi Theatre on May 9, 1893. Like Rachmaninov's two other operas, Aleko shows Rachmaninov finding his own individual style, independent of the traditional number opera or Wagner's music-dramas.

[edit] Noted Excerpts

• Men's Dance
• The Young Gypsy's Romance
• Aleko's Cavatina

[edit] Synopsis

Weary of his boring upper-class life, Aleko runs off with a band of Gypsies. He moves in with Zemfira, a young gypsy, and she bears him a child. The Old Gypsy, Zemfira's father, warns Aleko not to become too possessive of Zemfira, however, Aleko kills a man in love with her. The Gypsies cast him out and disown him.