The Gambler

Prokofiev The Gambler opera to libretto by the composer. Directed 2008 by Dmitri Tcherniakov at the Berlin Staatsoper unter den Linden. Stars Vladimir Ognovenko, Kristine Opolais, Misha Didyk, Stefania Toczyska, Stephan Rügamer, Viktor Rud, Silvia De La Muela, Gian-Luca Pasolini, Alessandro Paliaga, Plamen Kumpikov, Gleb Nikolsky, Gregory Bonfatti, Robert Hebenstreit, Alexander Teliga, Gianfranco Montresor, Enas Massalha, Alisa Zinovjeva, Elizabeth Laurence, Constance Heller, Borjana Mateewa, Ki Hyun Kim, Otakar Klein, Ilya Kuzmin, Juri Bogdanov, Dmitri Plotnikov, Jens-Eric Schulze, Andreas Neher, Bernd Grabowski, and Peter Krumow. Daniel Barenboim conducts the Staatskapelle Berlin and the Staatsopernchor (Chorus Master Eberhard Friedrich). Sets by Dmitri Tcherniakov; costumes by Dmitri Tcherniakov and Elena Zaitseva; lighting by Gleb Filshtinksy; video direction by Karina Fibich. Gramophone magazine rated this as first runner-up for the best DVD/HDVD released in 2010. Disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio  sound. Grade: B+

Dostoevsky, the great writer and thinker, had dire problems with women, business management, and compulsive gambling. All these troubles show up in his novella The Gambler, which is perhaps the most important literary treatment of the vice of gaming. Under draconian deadline pressure, Dostoevsky wrote the novella in 1867 in one month with the help of a schoolgirl who was a champion at shorthand. He then married her. Prokofiev wrote the opera version in 5 and 1/2 months in 1916. The music is not considered to be particularly great. But it's more than adequate to support the drama presented on the stage, which has few dull moments. As with any adaptation between media, the opera changes much from the book and leaves much out. Anyone expecting the subtlety of the novella might be disappointed with how much weaker the story is in opera form. But then again, the point of the opera is less about the story and more about the music and singing, so the changes can be forgiven. If you don't know The Gambler story, we recommend you watch this cold. It's might be different from what you expect.