Secrets of the Opera: A Concert-Lecture
February 1, 2025, 6:00 PM
Vilnius Town Hall
February 1, 2025, 6:00 PM
Vilnius Town Hall
Concert Program
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840–1893) – Opera The Queen of Spades
❓ Why did Tchaikovsky make the old Countess younger? In Pushkin's story, she's 87, but in Tchaikovsky's opera, she's 80. What's the reason?
❓ Why is Pushkin's The Queen of Spades a detective story, while Tchaikovsky's version is a tragedy?
❓ This humorous song is performed between two tragic episodes. Why is it needed there?
❓ Why do the main characters die in Tchaikovsky's version, unlike in Pushkin's The Queen of Spades?
❓ What if we looked at Pushkin's The Queen of Spades from a criminologist's perspective and asked, "Who benefited from the Countess's death?"
❓ Why did Tchaikovsky make the old Countess younger? In Pushkin's story, she's 87, but in Tchaikovsky's opera, she's 80. What's the reason?
❓ Why is Pushkin's The Queen of Spades a detective story, while Tchaikovsky's version is a tragedy?
❓ This humorous song is performed between two tragic episodes. Why is it needed there?
❓ Why do the main characters die in Tchaikovsky's version, unlike in Pushkin's The Queen of Spades?
❓ What if we looked at Pushkin's The Queen of Spades from a criminologist's perspective and asked, "Who benefited from the Countess's death?"
- Tomsky's Song from The Queen of Spades: "If only the dear girls..."
- Tomsky's Ballad from The Queen of Spades: "Once in Versailles, au jeu de la Reine..."
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840–1893) - Opera Iolanta
❓ Why did Tchaikovsky exclude string instruments in the opera's introduction? Isn’t that aesthetically unpleasing?
❓ Iolanta is 17 years old, and for all those 17 years, she didn’t know she was blind. How is that even possible?
❓ Why did Tchaikovsky exclude string instruments in the opera's introduction? Isn’t that aesthetically unpleasing?
❓ Iolanta is 17 years old, and for all those 17 years, she didn’t know she was blind. How is that even possible?
- Romance "Night": "Why do I love you, O bright night..."
- Iolanta's Aria from Iolanta: "Why did I never know before..."
- Robert's Aria from Iolanta: "Who can compare to my Mathilde..."
Alexander Porfiryevich Borodin (1833–1887) – Opera Prince Igor
❓ Prince Igor lost the battle, his entire army was destroyed, and he himself was taken prisoner. Why did the unknown author of The Tale of Igor’s Campaign choose a story about defeat rather than victory for his work?
❓ Prince Igor lost the battle, his entire army was destroyed, and he himself was taken prisoner. Why did the unknown author of The Tale of Igor’s Campaign choose a story about defeat rather than victory for his work?
- Prince Igor's Aria from Prince Igor: "No sleep, no rest for my tormented soul..."
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791)
- Suzanna's Aria from The Marriage of Figaro: "Come, my dear friend..."
- Duet of Don Giovanni and Zerlina from Don Giovanni: "Là ci darem la mano..."
Intermission: 20 minutes
Georges Bizet (1838–1875) – Opera Carmen
❓ Why did the premiere of Bizet's Carmen fail, but ten years later in Vienna, it achieved resounding success?
❓ Why was Carmen considered harmful at the time?
❓ What bird is Carmen singing about in the Habanera?
(“Love is like a bird with wings”)
Habanera: "L'amour est un oiseau rebelle..."
❓ Why did the premiere of Bizet's Carmen fail, but ten years later in Vienna, it achieved resounding success?
❓ Why was Carmen considered harmful at the time?
- Toreador's Couplets: "Votre toast, je peux vous le render..."
❓ What bird is Carmen singing about in the Habanera?
(“Love is like a bird with wings”)
Habanera: "L'amour est un oiseau rebelle..."
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840–1893)
❓ Why did Tchaikovsky compose the opera Eugene Onegin but never write any romances to Pushkin's poetry?
❓ Why did Tchaikovsky compose the opera Eugene Onegin but never write any romances to Pushkin's poetry?
- "The Nightingale" (from the cycle Songs of Western Slavs): "My nightingale, my nightingale..." (A unique exception — the only romance Tchaikovsky wrote to Pushkin's lyrics.)
Anton Grigorievich Rubinstein (1829–1894)
- Tamara's Romance from the opera The Demon: "The night is warm, the night is calm..."
- The Demon's Romance from the opera The Demon: "On the airy ocean..."
Florian Hermann (1828–1891)
❓ What are the secrets of writing hit songs?
❓ How did a Ukrainian, a German, and a Greek create the most famous Russian romance?
❓ What are the secrets of writing hit songs?
- Waltz "Hommage-Valse"
❓ How did a Ukrainian, a German, and a Greek create the most famous Russian romance?
- "Dark Eyes": "Dark eyes, passionate eyes..."
Imre Kálmán (1882–1953)
- Mister X's Aria from the operetta The Circus Princess: "Back to the place where the sea of lights shines again..."
Participants in the Concert-Lecture
Aleksei Bljahhin
Author and Host of the Concert, Baritone (Estonia)
Alexey Blyakhin (Baritone, Author, and Host of the Concert)
Born in Estonia, Alexey graduated from the University of Tartu with a gold medal in Physics. He works in the field of information technology.
"By education, I am a physicist, and by profession, a programmer.
About 15 years ago, I became interested in psychology and realized that the best way to understand something is to explain it to someone else. This led me to start giving psychology lectures.
Later, I discovered that various psychological situations are better explored through literary works. It’s far more effective than saying, 'So, a friend of mine...'
Around the same time, I met a wonderful person, Mikhail Kazinik, who inspired my love for classical music.
Although I don’t have a formal music education, I realized that talking about music is even more exciting than discussing psychology.
And so, I began creating concert-lectures."
Key Projects:
Additional Accomplishments:
Born in Estonia, Alexey graduated from the University of Tartu with a gold medal in Physics. He works in the field of information technology.
"By education, I am a physicist, and by profession, a programmer.
About 15 years ago, I became interested in psychology and realized that the best way to understand something is to explain it to someone else. This led me to start giving psychology lectures.
Later, I discovered that various psychological situations are better explored through literary works. It’s far more effective than saying, 'So, a friend of mine...'
Around the same time, I met a wonderful person, Mikhail Kazinik, who inspired my love for classical music.
Although I don’t have a formal music education, I realized that talking about music is even more exciting than discussing psychology.
And so, I began creating concert-lectures."
Key Projects:
- 2018: Secrets of the Opera
- 2019: Secrets of the Opera Eugene Onegin
- 2020: Songs and Romances Based on the Poetry of the Silver Age
- 2021: Physics and the History of Music
- 2022: Generators of Hope – a benefit concert for Ukrainian medical institutions
- 2022: Music of Love
- 2022: You Are My Melody
- (Some of these concerts are available as recordings at duoclassico.eu)
Additional Accomplishments:
- Author of a series of lectures on psychology
- Author of the book Kitties Engineers: Theory of Constraints 2023
- Winner of international competitions, baritone.
Natali Remmel
Soprano (Estonia)
Natali Remmel studied at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre as well as the Tartu Music School, honing her vocal skills and musical artistry.
She has participated in numerous master classes with renowned teachers and singers, which helped her achieve a high level of performance in classical music. Natali has gained international recognition, winning first prize at an international performing arts competition.
In addition to her stage performances, Natali is a teacher and the director of the vocal studio "Harmony," where she shares her expertise with students, helping them develop their vocal abilities.
She has participated in numerous master classes with renowned teachers and singers, which helped her achieve a high level of performance in classical music. Natali has gained international recognition, winning first prize at an international performing arts competition.
In addition to her stage performances, Natali is a teacher and the director of the vocal studio "Harmony," where she shares her expertise with students, helping them develop their vocal abilities.
Andranik Kechek
Piano (Estonia)
Andranik Kechek is a composer, improviser, and pianist. His creative role is broad and diverse. He has performed at author’s evenings, solo concerts, in ensembles, and at improvisation concerts.
He is the author of a method for teaching improvisation, which he successfully uses in his work with students.
Piano (Estonia)
Andranik Kechek is a composer, improviser, and pianist. His creative role is broad and diverse. He has performed at author’s evenings, solo concerts, in ensembles, and at improvisation concerts.
He is the author of a method for teaching improvisation, which he successfully uses in his work with students.
Koilen, Instrumental Version – Andranik Kechek
The Little Song About the Sack of Coal
The origins of this song and its author are unknown, but it is known to have been performed in Odessa before the 1917 revolution.
"It’s cold in the house, everyone is sneezing and coughing.
Where could I get a sack of coal to warm up?
But coal is expensive."
The Little Song About the Sack of Coal
The origins of this song and its author are unknown, but it is known to have been performed in Odessa before the 1917 revolution.
"It’s cold in the house, everyone is sneezing and coughing.
Where could I get a sack of coal to warm up?
But coal is expensive."
Concert "Spanish Night" August 13, 2022 Vääna Manor
The Lecture Segment of Our Concert
The lecture part of our concert is based on materials from films, concerts, and radio programs about music by
Mikhail Semyonovich Kazinik.
The lecture part of our concert is based on materials from films, concerts, and radio programs about music by
Mikhail Semyonovich Kazinik.
Mikhail Semyonovich Kazinik (born November 13, 1951, Leningrad) is a Russian and Swedish violinist, lecturer-musicologist, art historian, educator, cultural scholar, writer-publicist, and poet.
He is the author and host of original programs on music and art history.
He is the author and host of original programs on music and art history.
"Music is a Great Covenant with the Creator"
"I am not a popularizer of music or any other form of art. I don’t tell anecdotes or jokes, nor do I try to simplify the perception of music.
Those who do so destroy it. My mission is entirely different—to spiritually attune a person to the wave, to the radiation emanating from works of art: poetry, music, literature...
All great art is a transmitter, and a person who is not tuned to its frequency is like a broken receiver. I repair that receiver."
"I am not a popularizer of music or any other form of art. I don’t tell anecdotes or jokes, nor do I try to simplify the perception of music.
Those who do so destroy it. My mission is entirely different—to spiritually attune a person to the wave, to the radiation emanating from works of art: poetry, music, literature...
All great art is a transmitter, and a person who is not tuned to its frequency is like a broken receiver. I repair that receiver."
Mikhail Kazinik
Fifteen years ago, I met Maestro Mikhail Kazinik. He immediately impressed me with his paradoxical and fascinating stories about culture.
I started reading, watching, and listening to everything I could find about him online. And believe me, there’s an incredible amount of material. For example:
Mikhail Semyonovich is also the author of books, the most monumental of which is "The Secrets of Geniuses."
I started reading, watching, and listening to everything I could find about him online. And believe me, there’s an incredible amount of material. For example:
- Search "Mikhail Kazinik ad libitum" on YouTube, and you’ll find dozens of his films about art.
- Search "Mikhail Kazinik. The Music That Returned" on Google, and you’ll find hundreds of his radio programs.
Mikhail Semyonovich is also the author of books, the most monumental of which is "The Secrets of Geniuses."
Aleksei Bljahhin
Audience Reviews
Tickets
❗ Those who have attended our concerts before may have noticed that ticket prices are not fixed and change constantly. However, the general rule is simple: the earlier you buy your ticket, the cheaper it will be.
❗ Ticket prices increase approximately every two or three days.
It’s similar to booking flights—the closer to the event, the more expensive the tickets become.
❗ Ticket prices increase approximately every two or three days.
It’s similar to booking flights—the closer to the event, the more expensive the tickets become.
Find out the ticket prices
Contact information
- Aleksei Bljahhin
This concert is one of many that I organize in support of medical institutions in Ukraine. This time, all proceeds from the concert will go to the Kyiv Children's Hospital.