The Snow Bogatyr facts for kids
The Snow Bogatyr is a special opera made for children. It's like a musical fairytale! The full name in Russian is Снежный богатырь, which means "Snow Bogatyr". It was written by a composer named César Cui in 1905. A school teacher named Marina Stanislavovna Polʹ wrote the story, using old Russian folk tales.
A "Bogatyr" is a brave hero or knight from Russian stories. So, the title means "The Snow Hero" or "The Snow Knight." What's cool about this opera is that it was created for children to not only watch but also to perform in themselves!
Contents
Who's in the Story?
Here are the main characters you'll meet in The Snow Bogatyr:
- Tsaritsa: She is the Queen, sung by a soprano (a high female voice).
- Ivan Tsarevich (The Snow Bogatyr): He is the brave hero, sung by a low mezzo-soprano (a medium-low female voice).
- The Dragon Gorynych: A scary three-headed dragon, sung by an alto (a low female voice) or a bass (a very low male voice).
- 11 Princess-Swans: These are the Tsaritsa's daughters, sung by a children's chorus.
- Nurses and mothers: Also sung by a children's chorus.
The story takes place in a magical fairytale land, long, long ago.
What Happens in the Opera?
The opera has two main parts, called "tableaux."
Part 1: The Snowball Fight
The first part of the story happens in a royal courtyard. The Princess-Swans are having a great time singing and dancing. They start a fun snowball fight. But oops! They accidentally hit their mother, the Tsaritsa, in the eyes with a snowball.
The Tsaritsa gets very upset. She wishes for two things: first, she wants a son. Second, she wishes a big whirlwind would take away her eleven naughty daughters! Suddenly, a huge snowstorm appears. The Princess-Swans are swept away by the blizzard, just as the Tsaritsa wished.
But then, something amazing happens. Out of the snowstorm, the son the Tsaritsa wished for appears! He is the Snow Bogatyr. He is strong and brave. He promises his new mother that he will find his lost sisters.
Part 2: The Dragon's Lair
The second part takes place deep in a forest. The Princesses are being held captive in a strange hut. This isn't just any hut; it's a magical one that stands on chicken legs, like the hut of the famous witch Baba Yaga from Russian folk tales!
The brave Snow Bogatyr arrives to rescue his sisters. But he faces a huge challenge: a scary, three-headed Dragon Gorynych guards the hut. The Snow Bogatyr has to fight the dragon. It takes him three tries, but finally, he defeats the powerful beast!
With the dragon gone, the Snow Bogatyr rescues his new sisters. Everyone is happy and they all join in a joyful round-dance. The Snow Bogatyr then tells them it's time to go home.
