Scene from Sergei Rachmaninoff's opera "The Miserly Knight." Concert performance

A scene from Sergei Rachmaninoff's opera "The Miserly Knight" was performed by the St. Petersburg Governor's Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Anton Lubchenko and Mariinsky Theatre soloist Yaroslav Petryanik in the Hermitage's Armorial Hall.

Rachmaninoff's one-act opera "The Miserly Knight," based on Pushkin's poem of the same name, was first performed in 1906 at the Bolshoi Theatre under the composer's baton.

The composer himself wrote the libretto, changing virtually nothing in the poem's text, merely shortening it slightly. The orchestra often plays a leading role in creating the characters and the overall atmosphere of "The Miserly Knight," a opera imbued with profound tragedy.

The musicians performed a monologue by the protagonist, who revels in his wealth. This intense, emotional scene is a true triumph for the composer, who created a complex psychological portrait of Baron Philip (The Covetous Knight) through musical means.

PERFORMERS:

Governor's Symphony Orchestra of St. Petersburg

Artistic Director and Conductor: Anton Lubchenko

Soloist: International competition laureate and Mariinsky Theatre soloist Yaroslav Petryanik, baritone

Armorial Hall of the State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg, October 19, 2025