A1- Opera Essay

The Golden Cockerel

            When analyzing art, a lot of the time every detail, mark, and placement are there for a specific reason. After watching the opera, The Golden Cockerel, I can see that their details are truly significant to the audience. Every prop, backdrop, and outfit brings the overall scene and story together. The Golden Cockerel was completed in 1907 and premiered for the first time in Moscow in 1909. While Rimsky-Korsakov, composer of this opera, was writing, the Russian Empire and the Empire of Japan fought over the imperialism of Machuria and Korea. By using satirical aspects of the Russian government, imperialism, and war going on, he connected his audience in a way to provoke even more emotion. Due to the satirical feel of the opera, some were even against him, such as the Moscow Governor General Sergei Gershelman. Rimsky-Korsakov unfortunately passed before even seeing his last opera be performed, possibly making the opera even more important for some of the audience to see.

            Not only was this opera first performed in Moscow’s Solodovnikov Theatre, but also in the Bolshoi Theatre, London, Paris, and the United States. New productions of the opera are even being performed as recent as 2014 in the Mariinsky Theatre. Influencing even new works today, the content is still relatable to viewers or at least art that people appreciate. This opera is so significant because it could be related to any time period. Although an actually time period was not stated in the opera, the audience could imagine this time of war that Tsar Dadon brought upon himself– as everything in the opera was merely an illusion, both teaching and informing the audience on what became the fatal outcome of human emotions and what allows them to break. The Golden Cockerel also uses their nation’s clothing for costumes, relating to the Russians even more. The opera also includes Italian names such as Duodo and Guidone, but still depicts the simplicity of a day in the life of Russia. By using common colors of historic Russia, directors of this opera were allowed more freedom and choices of what to include on stage. What I loved the most about watching an opera, is that you don’t even need to understand the language that the singers perform in, considering that there is already so much emotion provoked to tell the story. With the help of technology and everything placed on stage for their unique reasons, the story is brought to live.

            The Golden Cockerel serves as symbolism in the opera, having magical powers conveying what karma can arise from one’s actions. This opera also leaves the audience with a bit of suspense, not knowing if the Astrologer and the Tsaritsa were working together against Dodon or if their meeting was a mere accident, both hoping on Dodon’s downfall. With such little dialogue along this tragic comedy, the viewer’s imagination plays a huge role in what this opera means and leaves you with at the end.

            What I found was really interesting was that in The Golden Cockerel, the singers often used spoken words and interjected their voices into the music. This was done to add suspense and dramatize the comic relief left in the scenes. However, the composers were not always happy, being that everything written was written that was specifically, not to be tampered with. The actor playing as the Golden Cockerel’s strong voice really emphasized what I saw as his magical powers.

            Focusing on detail, the costumes in The Golden Cockerel were profound. Opening up the stage to a luxuriously decorated hall, with millions of small details and patches of color, there is so much to take in. The military uniforms stood out substantially, with embellished costumes from head to toe, everything is dramatic to the eye. The darkness of the Astrologer brings an eerie sense that the audience can foreshadow in the opera, knowing the endings aren’t always happy. The cockerel’s majestic dancing and formation from out of the stage add to it’s magic, with every feather on the cape moving, it shines slightly more than the other costumes on stage. The lighting was essential in both the beginning and ending of the opera. In the beginning, there is such dim, almost no lighting to be seen, with just the Astrologer telling the audience that “the tale is false, but has a moral that should be a lesson to good folk.” After Dodon does, the sky darkens, leaving Tsaritsa and the cockerel in the darkness. The lights come back up with them gone, using this light as a way to transition characters. The opera then ends with the Astrologer returning, saying that it was all an “illusion,” making all other characters part of this illusion but him and Tsaritsa real. Technology from the simplest to some complex work, operas are full of inventions to make the story come alive. The trap door allowing the cockerel to arise from the egg is a perfect example. Technology allows us to do the impossible and use our creativity to become something bigger than just a thought.

            When considering this opera to be a video game, the character choice was important to me. I think the best way to make this into a game would be to be playing as Dodon. Your task as Dodon would be to successfully form an army, training your soldiers so a rather unfortunate death like your two sons would not happen again. The Astrologer will be your mentor in the beginning, helping you by giving you the golden cockerel. You essentially want to win the war and make Tsaritsa fall in love with you, having the most power possible. However, hurt the wrong person or do something out of evil and the golden cockerel will put you in your place. Instead of Dodon being a somewhat “bad” character, this video game will give you the chance to create your own journey and do the right things when it comes to battle. I imagine this game on Nintendo’s Swtich, having control of your movement and ability for different fighting skills. You would also be able to build bonds between characters by having conversations and trading, which can help Dodon in the future battles ahead.

Works Cited

Abraham, Gerald (1936). "XIV. – The Golden Cockerel". Studies in Russian Music. London:       William Reeves / The New Temple Press. pp. 290–310. Accessed 5 February 2019.

“Banned in Moscow: Rimsky-Korsakov's 'The Golden Cockerel'.” Home, www.concierto.org/artists/item/2176-banned-in-moscow-rimsky-korsakovs-the-golden-            cockerel. Accessed 5 February 2019.

Interlude. “How Rimsky-Korsakov Used Opera to Make a Political Point.” Interlude.hk, 14 Oct. 2018, www.interlude.hk/front/rimsky-korsakov-golden-cockerel-premiered-today-1909/.       Accessed 5 February 2019.

天皇陛下万歳 . YouTube, YouTube, 6 Dec. 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJnAkpqVDcc. Accessed 5 February 2019.