A Review of a Classic Russian Thriller: "The Queen of Spades"
A soldier obsesses over his desire to learn three winning cards. A young woman trusts a nighttime intruder and is tainted and destroyed. A prince loses his fiancée and challenges his enemy to a game of chance. And an aging countess tries to regain her former beauty.
As one of Alexander Pushkin’s most renowned works, “The Queen of Spades” is a complex psychological tale of madness and greed. It is a classic Russian thriller. And Tchaikovsky’s rendition at the Lyric Opera of Chicago only increases the drama. There’s more death, more romance, and more tragedy. Viewers are left shocked, not just by the impressive music and settings, but also by the intense suffering and mania of the main character, Gherman.
As four hours pass by, Gherman’s situation becomes increasingly dire. He crawls on the roof of a young woman’s bedroom - managing, impressively, to sing all the while. He points a gun at an old woman. And he bets everything he has on a card game. As such, while I was sometimes frustrated by Tchaikovsky’s deviations from the original Pushkin tale, the opera was captivating. After writing a paper all afternoon, I managed, not only to stay awake for the entirety of the show, but to become fully immersed in the stories of the characters - which is a high compliment from an opera rookie, who was reading subtitles at 11:00pm, in order to understand the lyrics.
More than that, as an undergraduate who rarely leaves Hyde Park these days, I’ve learned to really celebrate the moments I spend downtown. My Russian professors obtained the tickets for my classmates and I; and they kindly provided the opportunity for us to get dressed up and see the show for free. We spent the night amidst the glamour of opera societies and ball gowns and greed-themed mixed drinks. My former Russian language professor showed me how to check out opera glasses for the first time. And my friend and I marveled at how much they helped us see the performers’ expressions, from the upper balcony. More than that, we felt like we’d entered Vronsky’s race in Anna Karenina, and this made us happy.
During intermission, my friend and I ordered popcorn and wandered the opera. We were surrounded by jewels, heels, and immaculate suits - and the people watching only added to the glamorous atmosphere.
“The Queen of Spades” was my second experience at the Lyric Opera, and I have learned that these performances are much more than passive evenings spent staring at a stage. They are events, and they demand full engagement.
After all, it is a commitment to get all dressed up on a Saturday night, to trek across town in the cold, and to stay focused on a performance in a foreign language for hours. But, by accepting the commitment, I had the opportunity to see a different side of Chicago life, to watch as groups of friends argued in Russian over the twists of their favorite short story and as couples posed upon the opera’s "red carpet.” And, between the glamour of the venue, the sophistication of the audience, and the beauty of Tchaikovsky’s compositions, it was well worth the effort.
More Details:
When: Now-March 1
Where: The Lyric Opera of Chicago
Run-time: 3 hours 45 minutes (+2 intermissions)
Language: Russian, with English subtitles
Click here for more info.
P.S. This wasn’t the only opportunity to attend a free/discounted arts event, this Quarter! UChicago Student ID’s provide access to 70+ arts and culture venues, across the city. And while these opportunities are sometimes kept quiet on campus, they’re listed on the quarterly ArtsPass Calendar and the UChicago Arts newsletter.
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