Firma Melodiya presents a unique recording of Sergei Prokofiev’s last opera The Story of a Real Man.
This work is arguably the least known one in Prokofiev’s musical theatre legacy. Finished in 1948, it was never staged in the composer’s lifetime (its “private” performance led to banning the opera and accusing the composer of formalism). Only many years later it saw spotlights, but none of the production lasted long.
The opera, so uncommon in terms of plotline and musical drama, seemed incredible even for an innovator like Prokofiev. The composer who had brought to the stage the characters of Tolstoy, Dostoyevsky and Bryusov was carried away with Boris Polevoy’s novel about pilot Alexei Meresiev (he lost his legs as a result of a severe injury, but at the cost of unbelievable efforts and exercising he returned to the battle ranks). The main character is shown crawling from a shot down plane, in a hospital ward and mastering his artificial limbs at hospital. The character of Alexei, a winner in his own life drama, a man of enormous fortitude who did something seemingly impossible, was an incentive for the composer’s creative imagination.
The dramatic concept of the opera is built on a frame-like sequence of short scenes set off with moving lyrical episodes. The musical language of the opera predominantly consists of declamation and recitative and is full of songful intonations.
The only recording of The Story of a Real Man that now exists was made by the company of the USSR Bolshoi Theatre in 1961 and conducted by young maestro Mark Ermler. The character of Alexei Meresiev became one of the highest achievements of prominent singer Evgeny Kibkalo. The recording also features other celebrated soloists of the theatre such as Glafira Deomidova, Margarita Miglau, Kira Leonova, Alexei Maslennikov, Mark Reshetin and Artur Eisen.
