Tony: Added comma for clarity of meaning

2024-03-21T13:20:43Z

Added comma for clarity of meaning

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:20, 21 March 2024
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	2) In the 1st scene of the 3rd act, where, according to the libretto, Vakula, sitting on the devil, rises aloft with him — this turns out to be impossible to stage, since neither [[Komissarzhevsky]] nor [[Melnikov]] would agree to fly. Therefore they asked me, and in my turn to ask you, to change this place in the libretto as follows: "Vakula and the Devil disappear". This will be arranged on stage so that both characters go backstage, and models depicting them will fly out from behind the curtains.		2) In the 1st scene of the 3rd act, where, according to the libretto, Vakula, sitting on the devil, rises aloft with him — this turns out to be impossible to stage, since neither [[Komissarzhevsky]] nor [[Melnikov]] would agree to fly. Therefore they asked me, and in my turn to ask you, to change this place in the libretto as follows: "Vakula and the Devil disappear". This will be arranged on stage so that both characters go backstage, and models depicting them will fly out from behind the curtains.

	3) In the 2nd scene of the same act (''the palace reception'') the words "''Vakula flying on the Devil's back jumps to the floor''" need to be changed. Lukashevich, it seems to me, quite rightly remarked that flying into the wings could only be done by means of the chimney. A change needs to be made to this concept.		3) In the 2nd scene of the same act (''the palace reception''), the words "''Vakula flying on the Devil's back jumps to the floor''" need to be changed. Lukashevich, it seems to me, quite rightly remarked that flying into the wings could only be done by means of the chimney. A change needs to be made to this concept.

	4) In the 3rd scene of the same act the words "fly away" again need to say "disappear".		4) In the 3rd scene of the same act, the words "fly away" again need to say "disappear".

	It may well have been extremely impertinent on my part to commit to the aforementioned changes without discussing them with you, but I hope, most kind [[Yakov Polonsky\|Yakov Petrovich]] that you will forgive my boldness, in view of the fact that it was necessary to put an end to all the committee's misunderstandings, and also taking into account that the concessions required from me were so insignificant and unimportant.		It may well have been extremely impertinent on my part to commit to the aforementioned changes without discussing them with you, but I hope, most kind [[Yakov Polonsky\|Yakov Petrovich]] that you will forgive my boldness, in view of the fact that it was necessary to put an end to all the committee's misunderstandings, and also taking into account that the concessions required from me were so insignificant and unimportant.

Brett: 1 revision imported

2022-07-12T12:28:20Z

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← Older revision	Revision as of 14:28, 12 July 2022
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Brett at 16:11, 23 February 2020

2020-02-23T16:11:00Z

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{{letterhead
|Date=4/16 May 1876
|To=[[Yakov Polonsky]]
|Place=[[Moscow]]
|Language=Russian
|Autograph=[[Saint Petersburg]] (Russia): {{RUS-SPil}} (No. 12580)
|Publication={{bib|1961/38|П. И. Чайковский. Полное собрание сочинений ; том VI}} (1961), p. 38–39
}}
==Text and Translation==
{{Lettertext
|Language=Russian
|Translator=Brett Langston
|Original text={{right|''Москва''<br/>4 мая 1876 г[ода]}}
{{centre|Многоуважаемый Яков Петрович!}}
Я был на днях в Петербурге по делу о постановке моей оперы. Пробыл я там всего 1½ суток и, несмотря на живейшее желание, не поспел побывать у Вас. Между тем, у меня есть к Вам дело. В день моего приезда состоялся в Дирекции театров, в квартире ''Лукашевича'' комитет, где между прочим обсуждались различные подробности постановки, и по поводу их то я и обращаюсь к Вам с нижеследующей просьбой. Так как либретто печатается под Вашим руководством, то не потрудитесь ли, Многоуважаемый Яков Петрович, сделать в нем некоторые маленькие поправки, обуславливаемые требованиями сцены.

1) Во время сцены вылетания из трубы Солохи и Беса, там где в скобках сказано: «Бес вбегает в хату ''и уже в другом, натуральном виде вылетает и т. д.''» этих подчеркнутых слов не нужно, потому что по заверению Лукашевича (''от которого постановка зависит'') весьма сомнительно, чтоб можно было пустить чёрта в натуральном виде. Право, я хорошенько не помню, почему он и другие напирали на эту подробность, помню только, что они просили настоятельно, чтобы в либретто этого не стояло.

2) В 1-ой картине 3-го действия там, где по либретто Вакула, сидя на чёрте, подымается вместе с сим последним, — это оказывается по сцене невозможно, так как ни Комиссаржевский, ни Мельников ни за что не согласятся лететь. Поэтому меня просили, чтобы я в свою очередь просил Вас изменить это место в либретто таким образам: ''Вакула и Бес исчезают''. На сцене эта будет устроена так, что оба действующие лица зайдут за кулисы и уже из-за кулисы вылетят изображающие их куклы.

3) Ва 2-ой картине того же действия (''приемная во дворце'') нужно изменить слова: «''Влетает Вакула на спине Беса и соскакивает на пол''». Лукашевич, мне кажется, справедлива замечает, что влететь в ''приёмный покой'' можно не иначе, как из трубы. В этом смысле и следует сделать изменение.

4) В 3-ей картине того же действия вместо слова ''улетают'' опять нужно ''исчезают''.

Очень может быть, что с моей стороны было крайне дерзко, не переговоривши с Вами, обещать вышеозначенные изменения, но я надеюсь, добрейший Яков Петрович, что Вы простите мою смелость ввиду того, что необходимо было покончить на комитете всё недоразумения, а также приняв во внимание незначительность и несущественность потребованных от меня уступочек.

Пользуюсь сим случаем, чтобы от души поблагодарить Вас за прелестный сборник стихов Ваших, коими я, ежедневно наслаждаюсь.

Искренно преданный Вам,
{{right|П. Чайковский}}

|Translated text={{right|''[[Moscow]]''<br/>4 May 1876}}
{{centre|Most respected [[Yakov Polonsky|Yakov Petrovich]]!}}
A few days ago I was in [[Petersburg]] for the matter of staging my opera. I stayed there for 1½ days in all, and in spite of my fervent wish, I did not manage to visit you. Meanwhile, I have some business for you. On the day of my arrival, a committee of the theatre directorate was held in ''Lukashevich'''s apartment, where, amongst other things, various details of the production were discussed, and it is in relation to these that I appeal to you with the undermentioned request. Since the libretto is being printed under your direction, most respected [[Yakov Polonsky|Yakov Petrovich]], would you kindly make some small corrections to it, dictated by the requirements of staging.

1) During the scene with Solokha and the Devil flying out of the chimney, where in brackets it says: "The Devil runs into the hut ''and already in a different, natural form flies out, etc.''", these underlined words are unnecessary, because according to Lukashevich's assurances (''on which the performance depends''), it is highly doubtful that the devil could be shown in a natural form. I truly don't quite remember why he and the others were arguing about this detail, and I remember only that they insisted this should not be in the libretto.

2) In the 1st scene of the 3rd act, where, according to the libretto, Vakula, sitting on the devil, rises aloft with him — this turns out to be impossible to stage, since neither [[Komissarzhevsky]] nor [[Melnikov]] would agree to fly. Therefore they asked me, and in my turn to ask you, to change this place in the libretto as follows: "Vakula and the Devil disappear". This will be arranged on stage so that both characters go backstage, and models depicting them will fly out from behind the curtains.

3) In the 2nd scene of the same act (''the palace reception'') the words "''Vakula flying on the Devil's back jumps to the floor''" need to be changed. Lukashevich, it seems to me, quite rightly remarked that flying into the wings could only be done by means of the chimney. A change needs to be made to this concept.

4) In the 3rd scene of the same act the words "fly away" again need to say "disappear".

It may well have been extremely impertinent on my part to commit to the aforementioned changes without discussing them with you, but I hope, most kind [[Yakov Polonsky|Yakov Petrovich]] that you will forgive my boldness, in view of the fact that it was necessary to put an end to all the committee's misunderstandings, and also taking into account that the concessions required from me were so insignificant and unimportant.

May I take this opportunity to thank you from my heart for the lovely collection of your poems, which I appreciate every day.

Your sincerely devoted,
{{right|P. Tchaikovsky}}
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Letter 0463}}

Letter 463 - Revision history

Tony: Added comma for clarity of meaning

Brett: 1 revision imported

Brett at 16:11, 23 February 2020