Mikhail Glinka

Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka (??????? ????????? ???????) (June 1, 1804 – February 15, 1857) was the first Russian composer to gain wide recognition inside his own country, and is often regarded as the father of Russian classical music.

Operas

His first opera A Life for the Tsar -- in Soviet times renamed "Ivan Susanin" -- was composed in 1836 to an original Russian libretto by Nestor Kukolnik and George von Rosen. It was immediately hailed as a great success. It was one of the first Russian operas to be widely accepted outside Russia. Many parts were based on Russian folk songs but most of the opera was structured according to the conventional Italian style of the period.

Related Topics:
A Life for the Tsar - 1836 - Libretto - Nestor Kukolnik - George von Rosen

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His second opera, Ruslan and Lyudmila was composed in 1842. This one was not as well received because of the poor quality of the performance. The opera can be characterized by its liberal use of folk songs as well as some innovative use of dissonance, chromaticism, and whole-tone scales. Nevertheless, this second opera confirmed the existence of a Russian national classical style that was to be built upon by the next generation of Russian composers.

Related Topics:
Ruslan and Lyudmila - 1842

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