Mazeppa
TCHAIKOVSKY
Mazeppa is marshalling the Cossack troops to fight for Ukraine and the fearless Mariya is in his thrall
She sees her family destroyed by this mighty man yet her love goes on. Driven to madness, her heartache is conveyed in the soaring melodies of Tchaikovsky.
The orchestra of English National Opera will thrill you with Tchaikovsky’s rich, multi-layered score.
Sung in Russian with English surtitles
Cast & Creatives
MAZEPPA, leader of Ukraine ∙ DAVID STOUT
KOCHUBEY, a landed gentleman ∙ LUCIANO BATINIC
LYUBOV, his wife ∙ SARA FULGONI
MARIYA, their daughter ∙ RACHEL NICHOLLS
ANDREI, her childhood friend ∙ JOHN FINDON
ORLIK, Mazeppa’s henchman ∙ ANDREAS JANKOWITSCH
CONDUCTOR ∙ MARTYN BRABBINS
DIRECTOR ∙ DAVID POUNTNEY
DESIGNER ∙ FRANCIS O’CONNOR
LIGHTING DESIGNER ∙ TIM MITCHELL
Orchestra of English National Opera
Sponsored by a syndicate led by Natasha Tsukanova
The Gopak dance sponsored anonymously
Synopsis
Mazeppa, Hetman of the Ukraine, is a powerful and trusted ally of Tsar Peter the Great who wishes to extend his empire into Europe. Mazeppa wants to marry his own god-daughter, the young Maria. Her family are opposed to this.
ACT 1
Kochubey’s estate
Maria, Kochubey’s daughter, refuses to join the other girls because Mazeppa is visiting her father. She is infatuated with him and has no feelings for her Cossack admirer, Andrei.
The guests dance a Gopak. Mazeppa takes his host aside to ask permission to marry Maria. Kochubey is affronted. Their quarrel develops into uproar and Maria intervenes.
Mazeppa invites Maria to choose between him and her parents. To everyone’s astonishment, she chooses Mazeppa.
Liubov, Maria’s mother, urges Kochubey to avenge this insult by murdering him. Instead Kochubey will betrayal him. He will disclose to the Tsar Mazeppa’s dealings with the Swedes.
Andrei agrees to take the information to Moscow.
ACT 2
The Byelotserkovsky Palace
Kochubey’s plan misfired.
The Tsar did not believe Andrei and has arrested Kochubey, who will be handed over to Mazeppa. Orlik, Mazeppa’s henchman, demands to know where Kochubey has hidden his treasure. Kochubey refuses to co-operate.
Mazeppa orders Orlik to go ahead with Kochubey’s execution but is tormented; he hasn’t told Maria.
Maria reproaches Mazeppa for neglecting her, and he reveals his plan for a Ukraine independent of Warsaw and Moscow by joining forces with Charles of Sweden. Maria promises to stay by his side in victory or defeat. Mazeppa still has not told her of her father’s imminent execution.
Liubov begs Maria to stop the execution. Maria is stunned to hear of it.
A crowd has gathered for the execution and Maria and Luibov are too late to stop it.
LONG DINING INTERVAL
ACT III
The battle of Poltava. Mazeppa’s Cossacks, in alliance with the Swedes, fight Peter the Great’s army. Peter wins.
Kochubey’s estate
Andrei, unable to find Mazeppa in the battle, has returned to his sweetheart’s house. He hides when he hears voices. It is Mazeppa and Orlik, escaping from their disastrous defeat. Andrei attempts to kill Mazeppa and is shot.
Maria appears. She is mad. Mazeppa tries to reason with her but Orlik says they must make their escape. Maria finds Andrei’s body and sings a lullaby to the corpse.