51st Season 2006–2007 |
The Queen of Spades (Pikovaya Dama) Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky Libretto by Modest Tchaikovsky Based on a story by Aleksandr Pushkin |
Conductor: Ernest Fredric Knell, Director: David
F. Ostwald
Set Design: Peter Crompton, Costume Design: Callie
Floor, Lighting
Design: Chad Bonaker
Act I, Scene 1
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A crowd gathers to enjoy the spring weather in the Summer Garden Park. |
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Babies are lulled to sleep in the sun… |
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Led by the Boy Commander (Elias Berezin), the little soldiers (from Cantabile) are on guard against Russia’s enemies. |
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As Gherman (Daniel Cardwell) realizes that his secret love, Liza (Elena Yakoubovsky), is engaged to Prince Yeletsky (Torlef A. Borsting), the Countess (Barbara Staffen) tells Count Tomsky (John Minágro) that the stranger frightens her, and Liza’s maid Masha (Lara Bruckmann) waits. |
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As a thunderstorm crashes around him, Gherman (Daniel Cardwell) vows to force the secret of the three cards from the Countess and make Liza his own. |
Act I, Scene 2
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Polina (Raeeka Shehabi-Yaghmai) plays as she and Liza (Elena Yakoubovsky) sing to entertain their friends. |
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The Governess (Julianne Booth) scolds Liza (Elena Yakoubovsky), Polina (Raeeka Shehabi-Yaghmai), and their friends for forgetting their dignity and dancing Russian style. |
Act II, Scene 1
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Guests dance at a ball at the palace of Prince Yeletsky. |
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Prince Yeletsky (Jason Detwiler) fears that his love for Liza (Alaine Rodin) is only a fantasy. |
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The Countess (Barbara Staffen), Liza (Alaine Rodin), Prince Yeletsky (Jason Detwiler), Polina (Kathleen Moss), Count Tomsky (Igor Vieira), and the party guests gather to welcome Catherine the Great. |
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As the party guests cheer, Liza (Elena Yakoubovsky) and Prince Yeletsky (Torlef A. Borsting) bow to Catherine the Great in front of the Countess (Barbara Staffen) and Count Tomsky (John Minágro). |
Act II, Scene 2
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The chambers of the Countess are filled with portraits of her youth. |
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Gherman (Daniel Cardwell) enters, determined to charm the secret of the three cards from the Countess. |
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After the ball, the Countess (Barbara Staffen) reminisces about her days
of glory in the court of Louis XV in Versailles where she sang for the king himself. |
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Gherman (Daniel Cardwell) emerges from his hiding place and begs the Countess (Barbara Staffen) to remember the passions of her youth and reveal the secret of the three cards to him. |
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Gherman (Daniel Cardwell) is horrified when the Countess (Barbara Staffen) dies of fright before revealing her secret. |
Act III, Scene 1
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Confused and frightened, Liza (Alaine Rodin) waits for Gherman on the banks of the Winter Canal. |
Act III, Scene 2
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Gherman (Adam Flowers) bets all his winnings against Prince Yeletsky (Jason Detwiler). |
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Betrayed by the Queen of Spades, Gherman (Daniel Cardwell) loses everything to Prince Yeletsky (Torlef A. Borsting). |
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Surin (Isaiah Musik-Ayala) and Chekalinsky (Christopher S. Corley) cannot prevent Gherman (Daniel Cardwell) from giving up his life on the gaming table that has taken everything else. |
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Dying, Gherman (Adam Flowers) asks Liza and Prince Yeletsky (Jason Detwiler) to forgive him. |
