Béla - Revision history

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	Two months later, on 19/31 January 1890, [[Modest Tchaikovsky]] wrote to the composer from [[Florence]]: "I've seen [[Chekhov]] on two occasions... He wants to suggest to you [[Lermontov]]'s ''Béla'' for an opera subject" <ref name="note1"/>. Unfortunately the composer's response is not known, but Mikhail Chekhov recalled a meeting between his brother [[Anton Chekhov]] and Tchaikovsky: "I remember both of them discussing the contents of an intended libretto for an opera ''Béla'', which Tchaikovsky was preparing to compose. He had wanted the libretto to be written for him after [[Lermontov]] by my brother [[Anton Chekhov\|Anton]]. Béla was to be a soprano, Pechorin—a baritone, Maksim Maksimovich—a tenor, Kazbich—bass. "Only, you know, [[Anton Chekhov\|Anton Pavlovich]]", said Tchaikovsky, "there must be no processions with marches. Speaking candidly, I do not like marches" <ref name="note2"/>.		Two months later, on 19/31 January 1890, [[Modest Tchaikovsky]] wrote to the composer from [[Florence]]: "I've seen [[Chekhov]] on two occasions... He wants to suggest to you [[Lermontov]]'s ''Béla'' for an opera subject" <ref name="note1"/>. Unfortunately the composer's response is not known, but Mikhail Chekhov recalled a meeting between his brother [[Anton Chekhov]] and Tchaikovsky: "I remember both of them discussing the contents of an intended libretto for an opera ''Béla'', which Tchaikovsky was preparing to compose. He had wanted the libretto to be written for him after [[Lermontov]] by my brother [[Anton Chekhov\|Anton]]. Béla was to be a soprano, Pechorin—a baritone, Maksim Maksimovich—a tenor, Kazbich—bass. "Only, you know, [[Anton Chekhov\|Anton Pavlovich]]", said Tchaikovsky, "there must be no processions with marches. Speaking candidly, I do not like marches" <ref name="note2"/>.

	Nothing more was heard of ''Béla'' until 1892, when press reports appeared in [[Moscow]] and [[Saint Petersburg]] that the composer was about to write an opera on this subject. In April 1892, Tchaikovsky was interviewed for the [[Moscow]] newspaper ''Daily News'' (Новости дня), when he was asked: "What truth is there in the rumour that you are composing an opera based on [[Lermontov]]'s ''Béla'' and that the libretto is being written for you by V. I. Nemirovich-Danchenko?". "Yes, Vasily Ivanovich, whose acquaintance I recently made in [[Moscow]], very much tried to talk me into writing an opera on this subject", the composer replied, "In view of his exhortations I suggested to Vasily Ivanovich that he should draw up a libretto. Anyway, once I have returned from my trip abroad I shall meet up with him again" <ref name="note3"/>,		Nothing more was heard of ''Béla'' until 1892, when press reports appeared in [[Moscow]] and [[Saint Petersburg]] that the composer was about to write an opera on this subject. In April 1892, Tchaikovsky was interviewed for the [[Moscow]] newspaper ''Daily News'' (Новости дня), when he was asked: "What truth is there in the rumour that you are composing an opera based on [[Lermontov]]'s ''Béla'' and that the libretto is being written for you by V. I. Nemirovich-Danchenko?". "Yes, Vasily Ivanovich, whose acquaintance I recently made in [[Moscow]], very much tried to talk me into writing an opera on this subject", the composer replied, "In view of his exhortations I suggested to Vasily Ivanovich that he should draw up a libretto. Anyway, once I have returned from my trip abroad I shall meet up with him again" <ref name="note3"/>.

	On 17 February/1 March 1893, the ''Odessan Herald'' (Одесский вестник) newspaper reported that "We are pleased to be able to pass on some information concerning the new grand opera ''Béla'' by P. I. Tchaikovsky, on which the talented composer is at present working. According to the author, the opera will not be ready until the next season, so that its production on the stage of the Mariinsky Theatre in [[Saint Petersburg]] will not take place this year. The successful composition is being hindered by the disruption caused to Pyotr Ilyich's work as a result of his frequent tours. The title role is written for a dramatic soprano. Pechorin, the hero of the opera, is a baritone, as in ''[[Yevgeny Onegin]]''. The opera is in 4 acts" <ref name="note4"/>.		On 17 February/1 March 1893, the ''Odessan Herald'' (Одесский вестник) newspaper reported that "We are pleased to be able to pass on some information concerning the new grand opera ''Béla'' by P. I. Tchaikovsky, on which the talented composer is at present working. According to the author, the opera will not be ready until the next season, so that its production on the stage of the Mariinsky Theatre in [[Saint Petersburg]] will not take place this year. The successful composition is being hindered by the disruption caused to Pyotr Ilyich's work as a result of his frequent tours. The title role is written for a dramatic soprano. Pechorin, the hero of the opera, is a baritone, as in ''[[Yevgeny Onegin]]''. The opera is in 4 acts" <ref name="note4"/>.

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Tchaikovsky considered writing an opera '''''Béla''''' (Бэла) ([[TH]] 233 ; [[ČW]] 463), after the first part of the novel ''A Hero of Our Time'' (Герой нашего времени) (1839) by [[Mikhail Lermontov]], on at least two occasions between October 1889 and March 1893, with either [[Anton Chekhov]] or Vladimir Nemirovich-Danchenko as possible librettists.

On 15/27 October 1889, the composer visited the playwright [[Anton Chekhov]] in [[Moscow]] to thank the writer personally for dedicating to him his new collection of stories ''Gloomy People'' (Хмурые люди), which was soon to be published. It appears that amongst other things they discussed a possible opera libretto, although it is not known which subjects were considered. The composer's library contains a collection of stories by Chekhov, inscribed by the author on 14/26 October 1889: "To Petr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, from his future librettist".

Two months later, on 19/31 January 1890, [[Modest Tchaikovsky]] wrote to the composer from [[Florence]]: "I've seen [[Chekhov]] on two occasions... He wants to suggest to you [[Lermontov]]'s ''Béla'' for an opera subject" <ref name="note1"/>. Unfortunately the composer's response is not known, but Mikhail Chekhov recalled a meeting between his brother [[Anton Chekhov]] and Tchaikovsky: "I remember both of them discussing the contents of an intended libretto for an opera ''Béla'', which Tchaikovsky was preparing to compose. He had wanted the libretto to be written for him after [[Lermontov]] by my brother [[Anton Chekhov|Anton]]. Béla was to be a soprano, Pechorin—a baritone, Maksim Maksimovich—a tenor, Kazbich—bass. "Only, you know, [[Anton Chekhov|Anton Pavlovich]]", said Tchaikovsky, "there must be no processions with marches. Speaking candidly, I do not like marches" <ref name="note2"/>.

Nothing more was heard of ''Béla'' until 1892, when press reports appeared in [[Moscow]] and [[Saint Petersburg]] that the composer was about to write an opera on this subject. In April 1892, Tchaikovsky was interviewed for the [[Moscow]] newspaper ''Daily News'' (Новости дня), when he was asked: "What truth is there in the rumour that you are composing an opera based on [[Lermontov]]'s ''Béla'' and that the libretto is being written for you by V. I. Nemirovich-Danchenko?". "Yes, Vasily Ivanovich, whose acquaintance I recently made in [[Moscow]], very much tried to talk me into writing an opera on this subject", the composer replied, "In view of his exhortations I suggested to Vasily Ivanovich that he should draw up a libretto. Anyway, once I have returned from my trip abroad I shall meet up with him again" <ref name="note3"/>,

On 17 February/1 March 1893, the ''Odessan Herald'' (Одесский вестник) newspaper reported that "We are pleased to be able to pass on some information concerning the new grand opera ''Béla'' by P. I. Tchaikovsky, on which the talented composer is at present working. According to the author, the opera will not be ready until the next season, so that its production on the stage of the Mariinsky Theatre in [[Saint Petersburg]] will not take place this year. The successful composition is being hindered by the disruption caused to Pyotr Ilyich's work as a result of his frequent tours. The title role is written for a dramatic soprano. Pechorin, the hero of the opera, is a baritone, as in ''[[Yevgeny Onegin]]''. The opera is in 4 acts" <ref name="note4"/>.

It is possible that the source for this story was V. P. Sokolnikov, who was present in January 1893 when Tchaikovsky attended a dinner with artists from the [[Odessa]] Opera Theatre. Sokolnikov recalled that on this occasion, Tchaikovsky showed him a scenario for the opera ''Béla'', and even played some of the themes from the opera <ref name="note5"/>. However, there are no later references to the subject.

==Notes and References==
<references>
<ref name="note1">Letter from [[Modest Tchaikovsky]] to the composer, 19/31 January 1890 — [[Klin]] House-Museum Archive.</ref>
<ref name="note2">M. P. Chekhov, {{und|Вокруг Чехова}} (1933), p. 134. Mikhail Chekhov, in his memoirs, suggests that this conversation about ''Béla'' took place during Tchaikovsky's visit to [[Chekhov]] on 14/26 October 1889, but all the evidence suggests that on that day they merely agreed to work together on an opera without actually having decided on a subject.</ref>
<ref name="note3">See ''[[With P. I. Tchaikovsky (TH 323)|With P. I. Tchaikovsky]]'' (TH 323).</ref>
<ref name="note4">''Одесский вестник'' (17 February 1893).</ref>
<ref name="note5">Quoted in ''{{bib|1958/14|Музыкальное наследие Чайковского}}'' (1958), p. 147.</ref>
</references>
[[Category:Projected Works]]
[[Category:Operas]]