The Hvorostovsky Krasnoyarsk Opera and Ballet Theatre won a grant for staging the opera Without a Dowry by Daniil Frenkel.

Composer Daniil Frenkel was born in 1906, he created many musical and theatrical works. The traditions of Russian classics of the 19th century, primarily Tchaikovsky and Mussorgsky, affected the music style of Frenkel's operas marked by spectacular tunefulness. Among his last works, there is the opera Without a Dowry (libretto based on the eponymous play by Alexander Ostrovsky) staged at the Leningrad Maly Opera Theatre in 1959. After that, the opera was undeservedly forgotten. 

A young team will work on staging the opera; the production director is Daniil Dmitriev.

“The name Without a Dowry is well-known in the drama theatre art and has not been staged at opera venues for the last 70 years: that makes it more interesting. Public opinion that makes gullible Larisa feel shame is relevant for us. The theme of public opinion will run through the entire performance: men in the street whispering behind her back, teenagers writing obscenities on the wall. This will remind the audience of the persecution of the heroine in the Scarecrow film of 1984. Karandyshev, the groom of Larisa, is part of this society. He does not like Larisa: she is a beautiful trophy for him, an opportunity to get into high society, which is not averse to taking a beautiful trinket in their hands. In this production, I would like to show how the strong and sincere character of Larisa is gradually melting under the public gaze because she is not like everyone else and, of course, because of her unrequited love. Larisa often talks about how she wants to fly away, but at the end of the play, it turns out that her dream is just to be loved because she never had love, even from her mother,” Daniel shared his vision. 

The premiere will take place next season within the celebration of the 200th anniversary of Alexander Ostrovsky.