Christmas Eve / Night on Mount Triglav

"worthy performances of wonderful music "
- Fanfare

Born in 1844 Nikolay Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov showed exceptional promise as a musician as early as six years of age, yet he was to follow in the family tradition and entered naval college in 1856. He continued his career in the navy until 1872, and it was to be the sea and travel to exotic places that was to colour much of his music. It was in 1861 that he met the great Russian trio of Balakirev, Cui and Mussorgsky, and it was that contact which convinced him music should be his future life.

On his next tour of duty aboard ship he composed his first symphony, which was conducted by Balakirev in 1865.

His interest in the navy quickly diminished, and he was writing a considerable amount of music in all forms. But from childhood he had been fascinated by opera, and it was in that area of music he thought himself most suited. His first venture was The Maid of Pskov completed in 1872. That coincided with his marriage to a very beautiful, but strong-willed young lady who was to shape his career. Life also took a most favourable turn when he was given the post of Inspector of Naval Bands, a not particularly arduous post, but one that carried a handsome salary. It also allowed him time to listen to and understand band instrumentation.

Yet he was to prove a fitful composer, with practically nothing of importance written in the mid 1880's. But then came his two orchestral masterpieces, the Capricco Espagnol and Sheherazade, quickly followed by the Russian Easter Festival Overture.

They were completed by 1888, at which time he first saw Wagner's The Ring, and decided to dedicate himself to opera.

It was, in many ways, to mark the end of his career, as his works in this field, with the exception of The Golden Cockerel, have never held a place in the international opera repertoire. He suffered the severe disability of an inability to create drama, and his librettos contained so many unreal characters, that he was never to find personalities in his stories. It seems ironic that he was to die before his one operatic masterpiece, The Golden Cockerel, was first performed in 1909.