Presented By: University Musical Society (UMS)
Film with Live Music: Prokofiev’s Alexander Nevsky
(Presented by UMS)
Although known more for his ballet music, symphonies, and concertos, Sergei Prokofiev wrote several film scores: Lieutenant Kijé, The Queen of Spades, and his third score, Alexander Nevsky. The 1938 Soviet historical drama, directed by Sergei Eisenstein during the Stalinist era, was the first of his dramatic films to use sound, and it depicts the attempted invasion of Novgorod in the 13th century by the Knights of the Holy Roman Empire and their subsequent defeat by Prince Alexander, aka Alexander Nevsky.
The film and music were a true collaboration in that some of the film was shot to Prokofiev’s music and some of Prokofiev’s music was composed to Eisenstein’s footage. A year after the film’s premiere, Prokofiev arranged the film score as a cantata, which is more frequently performed today. The cantata was first performed at UMS at the 1946 May Festival, less than a decade after its premiere, and most recently as part of the 1991 May Festival. The UMS Choral Union and the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra perform the full score for the first time, presented alongside the original film.
Featured Artists bringing the film to life:
UMS Choral Union
Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra
Scott Hanoian, conductor
Meredith Arwady, contralto
The film and music were a true collaboration in that some of the film was shot to Prokofiev’s music and some of Prokofiev’s music was composed to Eisenstein’s footage. A year after the film’s premiere, Prokofiev arranged the film score as a cantata, which is more frequently performed today. The cantata was first performed at UMS at the 1946 May Festival, less than a decade after its premiere, and most recently as part of the 1991 May Festival. The UMS Choral Union and the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra perform the full score for the first time, presented alongside the original film.
Featured Artists bringing the film to life:
UMS Choral Union
Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra
Scott Hanoian, conductor
Meredith Arwady, contralto
Cost
- Starting at $14 (+ fees). Student tickets on sale Mon Aug 26
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