Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh (New Suite)

In 1970 at the UNC music library, I first saw and studied the score of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's second to last opera, Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh, and fell in love with the rich orchestration. During a concert tour to the Soviet Union in 1973, I found at G.U.M. a recording of the opera on Melodya, and the last opera, Le Coq d'Or, performed by the USSR State Symphony Orchestra, Yevgeny Svetlanov conducting.

I heard the few rare recordings of the suite- a trio of excepts haphazardly patched together as filler music for other Rimsky Korsakov works on obscure record labels. They always left me wanting more.

I converted the USSR State recording digitally and then carefully edited a better suite to showcase this remarkable music. In my opinion, nowhere is Rimsky-Korsakov's colorful, masterful orchestral genius better shown than in this music.

The story is about a girl, Fevronia, captured by invaders, who prays for salvation of her city of Kitezh from the marauders. When they crest a hill to attack, Divine intervention makes the city rise in the air and vanish. Only its reflection is left in a lake below. The terrified invaders flee, and Kitezh is saved.

How to really stage that? Is there anyplace on earth that captures that kind a magic in reality?

Uyuni Lake and Salt Flats in Bolivia does. Its unbelievable scenery as the worlds largest mirror needs no enhancement or digital effects. It was a set for movies like Star Wars, for its unearthly, almost heavenly beauty in the high altitude of the Bolivian Andes. In fact, a set for the story of the fabulous Rimsky Korsakov opera.

I don't know who owns USSR State copyright now. No doubt You Tube will assign it to some claim. The assembly of this "new suite" is an effort to rectify a long overlooked opportunity for the world to experience a truly stunning orchestral masterpiece set to imagery that reflects its rich and unbelievably subtle orchestral colors.