The first production of "Aladdin’s Magic Lamp" by Nino Rota in Russia. In the hope of a miracle Automatic translate

MOSCOW. In the theater of Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko, the premiere of Nino Roth’s opera Aladdin’s Magic Lamp

The name Nino Rota (Nino Rota) causes many quite predictable associations. “The Godfather”, “Amarkord”, “Rehearsal of the orchestra”, “8 1/2”, “Nights of Cabiria”. A gentlemanly set of an intellectual cinephile in the golden glow of the Oscars, Globes and Grammys. But this is only the visible part of the iceberg. The first serious work of the child prodigy Giovanni Roth Rinaldi was the oratorio "Childhood of St. John the Baptist" ("L’infanzia di San Giovanni Battista"), written by him at the age of 12. At the same age, he became a student at the Milan Conservatory, and after 3 years composed the first opera. The classical heritage of Rota includes operas, ballets, instrumental works.

For 29 years, he served as director of the Niccolo Piccini Conservatory in Bari. The opera Ariodante, in which the great Mario del Monaco and the Straw Hat from Florence debuted on a well-known story, enjoyed great success. Often condemned for the alleged elements of borrowing from mastodons of Italian and Russian classical music, he was simply open to the very best, talented, experiencing the inevitable influence.

The fate of the opera “The Magic Lamp of Aladdin” was very successful. The Roman premiere of 1968 was followed by performances around the world. Aladdin reached Russia only in 2015. One of the reasons for Rota’s rare appearance on the stages of opera houses is that he showed the qualities of a unique melodist precisely in film works. Attempts to show greater academicism, to distance oneself from the popular in classical works did not always benefit them. To some extent, this also applies to Aladdin, especially in his first act. But interesting scenography, colorful costumes, wonderful animation and lighting effects easily transfer to the atmosphere of an oriental fairy tale with all the positive consequences that follow.

Crossing the equator, the opera also pleases with melodic finds that frame a fairy-tale story familiar from childhood. It is worth going to Aladdin without a musical score in your hands, with a kind, open heart and hope for a miracle. And then it is simply inevitable.

Elena Tanakova © Gallerix.ru