Cherevichki

Tchaikovsky Cherevichki opera to a libretto by Yakov Polonsky. Directed 2009 by Francesca Zambello at the Royal Opera House. Stars Olga Guryakova, Vsevolod Grivnov, Larissa Diadkova, Vladimir Matorin, Maxim Mikhailov, Viacheslav Voynarovskiy, Alexander Vassiliev, John Upperton, Sergei Leiferkus, Jeremy White, Olga Sabadoch, Changhan Lim, and Andrew Macnair. Also stars dancers Mara Galeazzi, Gary Avis, Tara-Brigitte Bhavnani, Cindy Jourdain, Kristen McNally, Pietra Mello-Pittman, Bennet Gartside, Kenta Kura, Ernst Meisner, and Johannes Stepanek. Alexander Polianichko conducts The Orchestra of the Royal Opera House (Concert Master Peter Manning) and The Royal Opera Chorus (Chorus Directors Renato Balsadonna and Stephen Westrop). Set design by Mikhail Mokrov; costume design by Tatiana Noginova; lighting by Rick Fisher; choreography by Alastair Marriott; film direction by Jonathan Haswell. Released  2010, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio. Grade: B

A sparkling, lavish, and enthusiastic production of a rare and almost unknown opera. It's hard to imagine how anyone could do a better production of Cherevichki. I think this is the only video available of this opera; so subject title in HDVD may be the definitive recording for a long time to come. Please leave a comment with a mini-review of this title; it certainly deserves one.