Prokofiev: The Gambler ~ Galusin, Kazarnovskaya, Aleksashkin, Obraztsova, Gergiev

Galuzin (Artist), Kazarnovskaya (Artist), Sergei Prokofiev (Composer), Valery Gergiev (Conductor), Kirov Opera & Orchestra (Orchestra) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Orchestra: Kirov Opera & Orchestra
• Conductor: Valery Gergiev
• Composer: Sergei Prokofiev
• Audio CD (August 10, 1999)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Polygram Records Philips
• ASIN: B00000JSAG
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #330,039 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. The Gambler: Act I: 'What Words Can I Find To Tell You Everything, Paulina?'

2. The Gambler: Act I: 'I Liked Your Remarks...'

3. The Gambler: Act I: 'For Now It's You Who Are Treading On Thin Ice...'

4. The Gambler: Act II: 'My Dear Sir!'

5. The Gambler: Act II: 'General, Things Can't End Like This...'

6. The Gambler: Act II: 'She Was Already Here About Two Years Ago...'

7. The Gambler: Act II: 'The General Has Sent Me To Ask You To Leave Aside Your Intentions.'

8. The Gambler: Act II: 'Gr-gr-gr-gr-andma

Disc: 2

1. The Gambler: Act III: 'The Old Woman Just Keeps On And On Playing

2. The Gambler: Act III: 'Blanche...'

3. The Gambler: Act III: 'They Say That The Old Lady Has Lost About a Hundred Thousand.'

4. The Gambler: Act III: 'Hello, Aleksey Ivanovich.'

5. The Gambler: Act III: 'Yes, Madam! Yes, Madam! Yes, Madam!

6. The Gambler: Act IV: 'I Saw Grandma To The Railway Station.'

7. The Gambler: Act IV: Entr'acte I

8. The Gambler: Act IV: Les jeux sont faits

9. The Gambler: Act IV: 'Monsieur Has Won Sixty Thousand...'

10. The Gambler: Act IV: Entr'acte 2

See all 12 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best Performance Available, July 29, 2005

By 

D. A Wend (Arlington Heights, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Prokofiev: The Gambler ~ Galusin, Kazarnovskaya, Aleksashkin, Obraztsova, Gergiev (Audio CD)

The Gambler was Prokofiev's second opera but his first large scale drama. The score was completed in 1916 and was based upon the Dostoyevsky novella of the same name. Dostoyevsky, being addicted to gambling, knew what he was writing about and the sense of humiliation of loosing was well translated by the composer. The story revolves around Babulenka, an aged wealthy woman whose death is eagerly anticipated by her nephew, the General, whose gambling debts have put him in the power of the sinister Marquis. The General has a daughter named Paulina who he uses as collateral with the Marquis. The hero of the story is Alexsey, who is a tutor in the General's household and has a love-hate relationship with Paulina. Paulina amuses herself by forcing Alexsey to gamble with her money and humiliates him when he looses. The action of the story takes place at an imaginary German city aptly called Roulettenburg.

Such powerful emotions gave Prokofiev a great opportunity to write expressive music and he reflects the emotions of his characters marvelously. The orchestra provides musical commentary on the characters as well as setting the mood for the action; the music is highly expressive. Later, Prokofiev was to create his orchestra suite Four Portraits from the Gambler from the music of the opera. The denouement of the opera comes when Babulenka arrives at Roulettenburg and proceeds to loose her entire fortune. To say Paulina, Alexsey heads for the gambling tables and breaks the bank. He brings this fortune to Paulina who spurns him and gives herself over to the Marquis. The Four Acts of the Opera are neatly compact with music that is very expressive of the action. I was lucky enough to see a production by Lyric Opera (conducted by Bruno Bartoletti) and was entranced by the flow of the action and how descriptive the orchestra is with the story. It is as if the orchestra is telling the story in music.

This recording has a strong cast headed by Vladimir Galuzin as Alexsey and Sergei Alexashkin as the General. Liubov Kazarnoskaya is a splendid Paulina and Elena Obraztsova is a perfect Babulenka whose voice commands attention as she issues orders to one and all. Valery Gergiev and the Kirov Orchestra are wonderful in bringing Prokofiev's score to life, particularly in the impending doom of the Fourth Act. This recording is certainly the best that is available and anyone with an interest in Russian opera will want a copy.

7 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing Gergiev does it again!, June 2, 2005

By 

Lucian Manea "Lucian Manea" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Prokofiev: The Gambler ~ Galusin, Kazarnovskaya, Aleksashkin, Obraztsova, Gergiev (Audio CD)

Superb opera with great sound quality this is Gergiev at his best.
What great orchestra of the Kirov!
And Prokofiev is vitage in this opera.
I wish Philips would put out more of this.