OPERA

OPERA, a form of musical theatrical art; a musical drama piece based on the synthesis of word, music and stage action. The first Bashkir O. were preceded by the musical comedies and perfor‑mances of troupes Nur, Saiyar, Shirket of the 1910–20s, which included folk and ethnographic images based on rituals, legends, and folk songs. An important role in the establishment of the Bashkir opera art was played by O. Saniya (1925) and Worker (1930) by G.S.Almukhametov, S.Gabyashi and V.I.Vinogradov. Those were the first instances of creating national operas in Bashkortostan and Tatarstan. As an independent genre O. formed in the 40s of the 20th century. The development of drama and theater facilitated the development of the national repertoire of the Opera and Ballet Theatre. The premiere of the first Bashkir O. Khakmar (1939; a new rendition under the title Aykhylu was written in 1943 jointly with N.I.Peyko) by M.M.Valeyev took place in 1940. The melodic style of mass song of the 30s is widely used in O. along with folk material; the scenes of people’s life are accompanied by choral performances. During the Great Patriotic War, the musicians and composers, evacuated to Ufa from Moscow, Leningrad, Kiev and Minsk participated in the creation of the Bashkir O.: the heroic history of the Bashkir people, consonant with the patriotic spirit of the Soviet people during the war, unfolds in O. Karlugas (1941) by N.K. Chemberdzhi, For the Motherland (1941–43) by F.E.Kozitsky and Kh.K.Ibragimov. O.Mergen (1940), Ashkadar (1941) by A.A.Eichenwald, created on the basis of Bashkir legends and epic, are distinguished by the harmonious combination of folk music and traditions of opera classics. The heroic line was continued by O. Azat (1948) by R.A.Murtazin.

A new stage in the development of the Bashkir O. began in the middle of the 50s. The problem of creating an original national language of music was successfully solved in Salavat Yulayev O. Lyrical psychological O. Shaura by Z.G.Ismagilov is noted by the search for new dramaturgic techniques and means of expressiveness. Since the end of 1960s, Bashkir composers have expanded their themes: the atmosphere of the Revolution of 1917 and the Civil War is conveyed by Storm O.; Contemporaries O. by Kh.F.Akhmetov is dedicated to the discoverers of Bashkir oil; lyrical drama against the background of modern life of people is shown in Waves of Agidel O.; the accession of Bashkortostan to Russia is reflected in Ambassadors of the Urals O.; the tragedy of two lovers, unfolding against the background of acute social conflict in the feudal‑patrimonial society, – in Nerkes (1987, finished by M.Kh.Akhmetov) by Kh.F.Akhmetov. Chamberness is a new genre line in the Bashkir music (ref. Chamber music) that is traced in Akmulla O. by Z.G.Ismagilov and Black Waters (1986) by S.A.Nizametdinov. The modern Bashkir O. is distinguished by the interpenetration of genres, stylistic synthesis: In the Lunar Eclipse Night, Memento (1999), Star of Love (2000) by S.A.Nizametdinov, Kakhym-turya by Z.G.Ismagilov. Children’s O. were created by R.Kh.Gazizov (Flight of Mars, 1985), A.Kh.Gabdrakhmanov (Gray Neck, 1987), N.A.Dautov (Tarakanishche, 1989), etc.