Chelsea Opera Group present Tchaikovsky’s Oprichnik

The opera is a romantic tragedy set in 16th century Moscow during the reign of Tsar Ivan the Terrible and his feared bodyguards, the oprichniki. At the centre of the dramatic narrative is young boyar Andrey Morozov, who decides to join the Oprichniki – Ivan the Terrible’s personal guards–so that he may obtain justice from the Tsar for the wrongs committed by Prince Zhemchuzhnïy, who killed Andrey’s father, thus leaving the boy and his mother, Princess Morozova, living in poverty. Andrey also is secretly in love with Zhemchuzhnïy’s daughter Natalya, whom her father has promised to the elderly Molchan (a fate she is desperate to escape). Andrey succeeds in driving off Zhemchuzhnïy, but when Morozova learns that her son has taken the blood oath of the Oprichniki, she disowns him, laying a deathly curse on his head. Nevertheless, Natalya and Andrey are happy together at last–that is until Andrey is called upon to fulfill his oath by submitting to theTsar’s demand for a private visit with his new bride. Andrey revolts and is executed for his disloyalty. Morozova’s curse is fulfilled.

Despite the composer's own reservations, the first production of The Oprichnik in St Petersburg was a significant triumph.

This is an excellent opportunity to hear this exciting work by one of the world’s greatest composers, in the first UK performance this century.