Moscow, Cheryomushki
Music by Dmitri Shostakovich · premiered 1959
Moscow, Cheryomushki (Russian: Москва, Черёмушки; Moskva, Cheryómushki) is an operetta in three acts by Dmitri Shostakovich, his Op. 105. It is sometimes referred to as simply Cheryomushki. Cheryomushki is a district in Moscow full of cheap subsidized housing built in 1956, and the word is also commonly used for such housing projects in general. The libretto was written by the experienced team of Vladimir Mass and Mikhail Chervinsky, leading Soviet humorists of the day. The satirical plot dealt with a topical theme geared to one of the most pressing concerns of urban Russians, the chronic housing shortages and the difficulties of securing liveable conditions. 'Cheryomushki' translates to “bird-cherry trees” and the operetta was named after a real housing estate in south-west Moscow. The work was completed in 1958 and was premiered in Moscow on 24 January 1959. The operetta is reminiscent of Shostakovich's popular music of the period, yet at the same time it engages a satirical assessment of the housing redevelopments in Moscow.
Text from the Wikipedia article "Moscow, Cheryomushki", licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
About the Composer
Dmitri Dmitriyevich Shostakovich (25 September [O.S. 12 September] 1906 – 9 August 1975) was a Soviet composer and pianist who became internationally known after the premiere of his First Symphony in 1926 and thereafter was regarded as a major composer. Shostakovich achieved early fame in the Soviet Union, but had a complex relationship with its government. His 1934 opera Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk was initially a success but later condemned by the Soviet government, putting his career at risk. In 1948, his work was denounced under the Zhdanov Doctrine, with professional consequences lasting several years. Even after his censure was rescinded in 1956, performances of his music were…
Text from the Wikipedia article "Dmitri Shostakovich", licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Other Operas by Dmitri Shostakovich
- Orango (1932)
- Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk (1934)
- Katyusha Maslova (1940)