It was the first Soviet rock opera, which, however, due to the features of the regime, the creators - the author of the libretto Andrei Voznesensky and music author Alexei Rybnikov - attributed it to another genre, calling it the modern opera “Juno and Avos”. Its content is based on real events. The plot is based on the tragic love story of the Russian count and navigator Nikolai Rezanov and the daughter of the Spanish governor of San Francisco Conchita Arguello.
The story of the meeting is true and fictitious
The main storyline is true in all cases, it originates from the moment when in 1806 two brigas landed on the shores of California under the flag of the Russian fleet and under the command of the Russian count and chamberlain of His Imperial Majesty, Juno and Avos. The content of the rest of the action allows for different, sometimes contradictory, interpretations because the history has become the occasion for the creation of numerous poems, operas, ballets and simply art studies. And art involves a different degree of error before the truth, which was recognized by the author of the poem Avos, Andrei Voznesensky. And in the production of the Lenkom Theater, in the creative community of music author Alexei Rybnikov and director Mark Zakharov, the work acquired its permanent name - Juno and Avos.
Rock Opera Summary
Forty-two-year-old statesman and naval commander, widower and father of two children, Nikolai Petrovich Rezanov, who dreams of sailing to the shores of North America, but who is denied refusal, seeks intercession from the icon of the Mother of God and confesses to her his unrighteous passion for her as a woman. The Mother of God forgives him and promises her protection. Soon, he really received the highest command from the imperial court to go to the shores of California to deliver food to the Russian colonies in Alaska. And now the Russian ships "Juno" and "Avos" drop anchor in the bay of San Francisco. The content of the action is now developing rapidly. At a ball at Don Arguello, in honor of the Russian expedition arrived, the count meets the owner's daughter, 16-year-old Conchita. Here he learns that the house of Arguello is preparing for the wedding of young Conchita and young hidalgo Fernando. Fascinated by the beauty of the girl, Rezanov secretly penetrates her bedroom, prays for love and takes possession of her. The voice of the Virgin descends to them again, and in the soul of Conchita reciprocal love awakens.
But the count must pay a dear price for his misconduct: the offended Fernando challenges him and dies at his hand. The Russian expedition hastily leaves California. Rezanov secretly engages in love with his beloved, but to get married he needs to get permission from the Pope in St. Petersburg to marry a Catholic. However, they are not destined to see each other again. On the way, Rezanov is seriously ill and dies near Krasnoyarsk. Conchita refuses to believe the terrible news and waits for her lover for more than thirty years, after which she is tonsured a nun and ends her days as a recluse. Such is the schematic content of the opera Juno and Avos.
Stage Incarnation
In Lenkom, the production had a surprisingly happy fate. She was missed immediately, unlike other, less acute performances. The performances of Juno and Avos were shown on the stages of many countries, the content of each tour was invariably triumphant. Not the last, if not the first role, was played by the immeasurable talent, energy and charisma of the leading actors. At different times, the role of Count Rezanov was played by Nikolai Karachentsov, Dmitry Pevtsov, you can see Viktor Rakov and other famous actors in this role. In the role of Conchita - Elena Shanina, Alla Yuganova. Other roles involved Alexander Abdulov, Irina Alferova, Larisa Porgina and others. Despite all the advantages of the subsequent casts, the duet of Nikolai Karachentsov with actress Elena Shanina, according to the reviews of most viewers, has remained unsurpassed in its frantic energy. No wonder the hit of the musical genre “I Will Never Forget You” in this performance still does not lose popularity.
Memory
Conchita Arguello (tonsured by Maria Domingo) died in 1857 and was buried in the monastery cemetery, from where her ashes were transferred to the cemetery of St. Dominic.
Count Nikolai Petrovich Rezanov in 1807 was buried in the cemetery of the city cathedral of Krasnoyarsk. After almost two centuries, in 2000, a white marble cross was erected on his grave, on which on the one side it reads: “I will never forget you”, and on the other it says: “I will never see you.”