Prokofiev: War And Peace - Bayerische Staatsoper (2023) [Blu-ray]

A colossal work that defies all boundaries: Prokofiev’s monumental setting of Tolstoy’s epic novel War and Peace. The story, set during Napoleon’s Russian campaign between 1809 and 1812, is condensed by the composer into a powerful sequence of scenes in which the love story between Natasha Rostova and Andrei Bolkonsky alternates in striking contrast with the depiction of the Russian army’s battle against the French invasion—interwoven yet deeply connected. The music narrates how the aristocracy’s rigid social hierarchy stands in the way of two young people’s happiness, how seduction succeeds while an abduction fails, how some renounce their love while others fall as heroes—all while people, amidst the grandeur, search for true connection. With a wealth of magnificent themes and poignant moments, Prokofiev’s operatic masterpiece merges social drama and historical chronicle into a sweeping panorama.

Dmitri Tcherniakov’s staging presents a gathering of people in a historically charged setting: the famous Pillar Hall of the House of the Unions in Moscow. Forced into an indefinite coexistence, they instinctively begin to embody characters, reenact conversations, scenes, and celebrations, as if drawing from a vast collective memory. What starts as an impromptu role-play soon turns into an emotional experience where the lines between assumed and genuine feelings blur. An outstanding ensemble performs under the musical direction of General Music Director Vladimir Jurowski.

Live recording from the National Theatre in Munich, March 2023