Kirill Molchanov

Kirill Vladimirovich Molchanov (Russian: Кирилл Владимирович Молчанов; 7 September 1922 – 14 March 1982) was a Russian and Soviet composer.[1]

He was appointed director of the Bolshoi, at the time political disfavour had fallen on the lead soprano Galina Vishnevskaya.[2]

His works are in the Social Realist romantic tradition and were not warmly received when performed abroad.[3]

Works

Operas

Taken from:[4]

  • The Stone Flower (Каменный цветок) inspired by Pavel Bazhov's story of the same name, Moscow, 1950
  • Dawn (Заря) on the play of Boris Lavrenyov "Rift" «Разлом», Moscow, 1956
  • Via del Corno (Улица дель Корно) based on a novel by Vasco Pratolini, own libretto, Moscow, 1960
  • Romeo, Juliet and Darkness (Ромео, Джульетта и тьма) based on the novel of Jan Otčenášek, own libretto. Leningrad, 1963
  • The Unknown Soldier (Неизвестный солдат) own libretto. Voronezh, 1967
  • Russian woman (Русская женщина) (on the novel by Yuri Nagibin "Petticoat Government" «Бабье царство» own libretto. Voronezh, 1969)
  • The Dawns Here Are Quiet (Зори здесь тихие) on the novel by Boris Vasilyev own libretto, Frunze, 1973

Musicals
  • Odysseus, Penelope, and others (Одиссей, Пенелопа и другие) inspired by Homer, own libretto, 1970

Works for soloist, chorus and orchestra
  • Cantata poem "Song of Friendship" (lyrics by N. Dorizo, 1954)

Works for piano
  • A cycle of Russian paintings (1953)

Works for voice and piano
  • Cycle to words by the Cuban poet Nicolás Guillén (1956),
  • Cycle to words by Langston Hughes (1958),
  • Cycle to the words of Soviet poets (1961)
  • Cycle to the words of F. Garcia Lorca (1963),
  • Hiroshima Song (lyrics by modern Japanese poets, 1964)
  • Black Box "Черная шкатулка", lyrics of the Czech writer Ludwig Ashkenazy, (1967)
  • Love lyrics of contemporary poets from different countries, (1972)
  • To the words of Sergei Yesenin (1972)
  • The Sonnets of Petrarch (1974)
  • Miniatures, lyrics of Bai Juyi, (1974)

Songs including:

  • Here are the soldiers go (lyrics by Mikhail Grigorievich Lvovskii 1919-1994)
  • Fires are so many gold (lyrics by N. Dorizo)

Theatre Music

To over 30 dramatic productions, including:

  • "Mary Stuart" Schiller (Moscow Art Academic Theatre MAT, 1956)
  • "Three Fat Men" Olesha (MAT, 1961)
  • "Kola Bryunon" R. Rolland (MAT, 1972)

Music for films

More than 30, including:

  • Great is my Country Shyroka Strana Moya Rodnaya (1958)
  • It Happened in Penkovo «Дело было в Пенькове» (1957)
  • "Intractable" «Неподдающиеся» (1959)
  • "On the Seven Winds" «На семи ветрах» (1962)
  • "Shore" «Увольнение на берег» (1962)
  • "Halt" «Полустанок» (1963)
  • We'll Live Till Monday «Доживём до понедельника» (1968)
  • The Dawns Here Are Quiet «А зори здесь тихие» (1972).

Ballets

Recordings
  • Macbeth, Ballet: Alexei Fadayechev, Nina Timofeyeva, staged by Vladimir Vasiliev, the Bolshoi theater orchestra conducted by Fuat Mansurov, D1115 Kultur.

References
  1. Peter Rollberg (2009). Historical Dictionary of Russian and Soviet Cinema. US: Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 461–462. ISBN 978-0-8108-6072-8.
  2. Galina Vishnevskaia Galina: a Russian story 1984 ..I decided to decline the tour, and went to see the Bolshoi's recently appointed director, Kirill Molchanov. Kirill Vladimirovich, you're a decent and intelligent man. I don't have to give you a long explanation about the situation I've found myself in. You know that in accordance with orders from the Central Committee, I've been driven out of radio and television like a leper, and that to mention my name in the press is prohibited." "Yes, I know that, and I sympathize with all my heart." "Then what do you think of my situation now that the Bolshoi is going to Milan? Of course my name will be deleted from all the Italian reviews when they're reprinted in the Soviet press. I have no intention of undergoing such humiliation in front of the whole company, and I can't answer for what.."
  3. World affairs report 1975 "The Bolshoi Opera performed "The Dawns Are Quiet Here," by Kiril Molchanov at Lincoln Center's Metropolitan Opera House (NYT, 7/14). It is a piece of socialist realism about the heroism of women in an anti-aircraft company during World War II. It was panned by Harold C. Schonberg, who suggested the only reason it was performed was because Molchanov is director general of the Bolshoi Opera."
  4. Emily Olin (2012). Singing in Russian: A Guide to Language and Performance. Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 157–. ISBN 978-0-8108-8116-7.
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