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The Pearl : a true tale of forbidden love in Catherine the Great's Russia / Douglas Smith.
| Author/creator | Smith, Douglas, 1962- |
| Format | Book |
| Publication Info | New Haven : Yale University Press, ©2008. |
| Description | xiv, 328 pages, 16 pages of plates : illustrations, (some color), portraits ; 24 cm |
| Subjects |
| Contents | I. Kuskovo. An aristocratic boyhood ; The blacksmith's daughter ; Grand tour ; The big house ; First meeting ; Praskovia's debut ; Early success ; Serf diva, serf mistress ; Entertaining Catherine ; The Sheremetevs and their serfs ; The old count's death ; Interlude: serf theater -- II. Ostankino. "I intend to build..." ; Farewell to Kuskovo ; Ostankino's premier ; Training the troupe ; Life in the troupe ; To St. Petersburg ; Tsar Paul ; Interlude: serf actress stories -- III. The fountain house. Freedom ; The curtain falls ; The specter of death ; Coronation ; Wedding ; Newlyweds ; Dmitry's birth ; Secrets revealed ; Death ; Scandal ; Saint Praskovia ; Putrid bones ; Fatherly advice ; Separate fates. |
| Abstract | This is an unforgettable story of the serf who became one of Russia's greatest opera singers and her noble master, a man who defied all tradition to marry her. Filled with a remarkable cast of characters and set against the backdrop of imperial Russia, this tale of forbidden romance could be the stuff of a great historical novel. But in fact this book tells a true tale, reconstructed in part from archival documents that have lain untouched for centuries. The author presents the most complete and accurate account ever written of the illicit love between Count Nicholas Sheremetev (1751-1809), Russia?s richest aristocrat, and Praskovia Kovalyova (1768-1803), his serf and the greatest opera diva of her time. Blessed with a beautiful voice, Praskovia began her training in Nicholas's operatic company as a young girl. Like all the members of Nicholas's troupe, Praskovia was one of his own serfs. But unlike the others, she utterly captured her master?s heart. The book reconstructs Praskovia's stage career as "The Pearl" and the heartbreaking details of her romance with Nicholas--years of torment before their secret marriage, the outrage of the aristocracy when news of the marriage emerged, Praskovia's death only days after delivering a son, and the unyielding despair that followed Nicholas to the end of his life. Written with grace and style, this book sheds light on the world of the Russian aristocracy, music history, and Russian attitudes toward serfdom. But above all, the book tells a haunting story of love against all odds. |
| Bibliography note | Includes bibliographical references (pages 301-319) and index. |
| LCCN | 2007045563 |
| ISBN | 9780300120417 (alk. paper) |
| ISBN | 0300120419 (alk. paper) |
Availability
| Library | Location | Call Number | Status | Item Actions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Music | Closed Stacks - Ask at Circulation Desk | ML420.K875 S65 2008 | ✔ Available | Place Hold |