With Sandy Steiglitz feeling under the weather, we emerge from under the thumb of Mother Russia with a recording of the Georgian national opera, “Abesalom and Eteri,” by Zakharia Paliashvili.
Paliashvili (1871-1933) studied composition at the Moscow Conservatory under Sergei Taneyev (a pupil of Tchaikovsky). He then returned to Georgia to collect folk songs, co-found the Georgian Philharmonic Society and head the Tblisi Conservatory.
Though virtually unknown in the West, “Abesalom” is a landmark in Georgian art music. Based on a medieval Georgian folk poem, the opera tells the tale of a star-crossed love between a prince and a shepherdess, the machinations of a treacherous chamberlain, and the gift of a poisoned necklace.
To underscore the work’s continued patriotic appeal, the Tblisi Opera House and Ballet Theatre – a structure which has been through its share of political turmoil and even been burnt to the ground twice – marked its most recent grand reopening in January with a run of performances of what is described as “the traditional season opener.”
You don’t have to be Georgian to be caught up in the haunting melodies of this beautiful, neglected opera. Join me this morning from 7 to 10 a.m. EDT (remember to take into account the change of clocks for Daylight Saving Time), as I sit in for this week’s “Sunday Morning Opera,” on WPRB 103.3 FM and at wprb.com.
Best wishes for a speedy recovery, Sandy!
PHOTO: The 165 year-old Tblisi Opera House and Ballet Theatre has survived burning (twice), civil war, and financial hardship to preserve and promote Georgian culture – including annual performances of “Abesalom and Eteri”
