“Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District” by Dmitri Shostakovich

“Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District” is an opera in four acts composed by Dmitri Shostakovich, with a libretto by the composer Alexander Preis. The opera is based on an 1865 novella of the same name by Russian writer Nikolai Leskov. The story revolves around the tragic life of Katerina Izmailova, who commits multiple crimes, including murder, to escape her loveless marriage. The opera’s premiere took place on January 22, 1934, and it initially received critical acclaim, only to be denounced later by the Soviet regime.

• Dmitri Shostakovich began composing the opera in 1930, completing it in 1932
• The premiere took place on January 22, 1934, at the Maly Opera Theatre in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg), and Samuil Samosud conducted it
• The opera was initially well-received and gained popularity in the Soviet Union and abroad, with performances in the United States, the United Kingdom, and other European countries.
• The story’s protagonist, Katerina Izmailova, is a strong, independent woman who defies societal norms and expectations, a characteristic unusual for operatic heroines at the time.
• However, in January 1936, an anonymous editorial, believed to be written by Joseph Stalin, appeared in the Soviet newspaper Pravda, harshly criticizing the opera as “chaos instead of music” and “formalist”
• The opera was subsequently banned in the Soviet Union, and Shostakovich faced severe repercussions, including the cancellation of the premiere of his Fourth Symphony and a decline in his career prospects.
• The ban on “Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District” lasted until 1956, three years after Stalin’s death, when it was performed in a revised version titled “Katerina Izmailova”
• The opera’s controversial history and its reflection of the political climate in the Soviet Union have made it an important part of 20th-century music history.

Dmitri Shostakovich’s “Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District” is a significant opera that initially enjoyed success, only to be denounced and banned due to the shifting political landscape in the Soviet Union. The opera’s controversial history and its portrayal of a strong, independent woman defying societal norms have left a lasting impact on 20th-century music and culture.