The Queen of Spades or Pique Dame (Пиковая дама in Russian) is a short story by famed Russian poet Aleksandr Pushkin. It was adapted into a fairly well known opera with music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.

The opera libretto is by Modest Tchaikovsky , the composer's brother. The first performance was on 19 December 1890 in Saint Petersburg.

Pushkin's original story was rewritten dramatically before it was suitable to be turned into an opera. In the operatic treatment, Herman is a an army officer who falls in love with Lisa, the granddaughter of a Countess who was taught the "secret of the three cards", and was subsequently known as the Queen of Spades. She has revealed the secret to two men, but if she reveals it to a third, she will die. Herman becomes obsessed with learning the secret, and it costs him his possessions, Lisa and, ultimately, his own life.

In Pushkin's original story, the love affair with Lisa, although still an important plot event, is subsidiary to Herman's obsession with the secret of the cards. Herman is ultimately driven mad, but does not die, while Lisa goes on to live happily.

The Story

Act I. Scene 1.

Sunny Summer Garden. In conditions of prosperity and pleasure the crowd walks. Officers Surin and Chekalinsky share impressions about strange behaviour of their friend Herman. All the night long without a break he spends in the gambling house, but does not try destiny at all. Soon there is also itself Herman with column Tomskyi. To him Herman opens his soul: he is passionately in love, though a name of the loved-one he does not know. Joined to the company of officers prince Eletsky tells about a marriage forthcoming soon: " the Light angel the consent has given the destiny with mine to combine! " Herman in horror finds out, that the bride of prince and is a subject of his passion when past there passes Countess accompanied by the grand daughter, Lisa.

Both women are covered with heavy presentiments, hypnotised a burning sight of unfortunate Herman. In the meantime Tomskyi tells the present a secular joke about Countess who, being young Moscow "lioness", has lost for all fortune and " by one randez-vous ", having learned the fatal secret of three always winning cards, has overcome destiny: " to the husband those cards she has named. Another time their young handsome man has learned, but the same night, to her the phantom came and has terribly told: " you will receive a mortal blow from the third who, ardently, passionately loving, will come that force to learn from you three cards, three cards, three cards! " Herman listened to the story with a special interest. Surin and Chekalisky play a trick on him and suggest to find out the old woman’s secret of cards. The thunder-storm begins. The garden becomes empty. Only Herman meets the raged elements "openly": " No, prince! While I am alive, I shall not give her to you, I do not know how, but I shall take away! " - he exclaims.

Scene 2. In twilight of the girl play music in room of Lisa, trying to amuse grieved girl, despite of holding engagement with prince. Having remained alone, she tells night the secret: " And all my soul in authority of him! " - she admits love to the mysterious stranger, in which eyes she read " fire of scorching passion ". Unexpectedly on a balcony arises Herman who has come to her before leaving life. His ardent explanation carries away Lisa. Knock of the woken Countess interrupts him. Hidden behind portiere Herman is excited by the look of the old woman, who seems to him as a terrible phantom of death. Cannot hide more the feelings, Lisa submits to Herman.

Act II, Scene 1.

In the house of the rich dignitary is the ball. Eletsky, disturbed with coldness of Lisa, assures her of immensity of his love. Chekalinsky and Surin in masks scoff above Herman, whispering him: whether " you that the third who, passionately loving, will come to learn from her three cards, three cards, three cards? " Herman is excited, their words wake his imagination. Upon termination of representation " Sincerity of the herdess " he faces with Countess. And when Лиза gives him keys from a bedroom of Countess which conducts in her room, Herman perceives it as an omen. Today at night he will learn the secret of three cards - the way to take hold of Lisa’s hand.

Scene 2. Herman makes the way in a bedroom of Countess. With trembling he peers at a portrait of the Moscow beauty to which it is connected by " any secret force ". Countess is dissatisfied, she doesn’t like present customs, she with melancholy recollects the past and falls asleep in an armchair. Unexpectedly before her arises Herman, begging to reveal secret of three cards: " you can make happiness of the whole life, and it to you will cost nothing! " But the Countess who has grown dumb with a fright, is immovable. Under threat of a pistol she dies. " She is dead, and the secret was not found out by me ", - is distressed close to madness Herman in reply to reproaches of Lisa.

Act III, Scene 1. Herman is in a barracks. He reads Lisa’s letter, forgiven him where she appoints to him to come on quay. In imagination there are pictures of funeral of the old woman, doleful singing is heard. The arisen phantom of Countess in a white funeral shroud prophesies: " Rescue Lisa, marry her, and three cards will win in succession. Remember! The three! The seven! An ace! " " The Three... The Seven... The Ace... " - as the spell repeats Herman.

Scene 2. Lisa waits for Herman on quay at the Flute. She is broken off with doubts: " Ah, I am exhausted, I am suffering", - in despair she exclaims. During the moment when hours beat midnight, and Lisa was finally disabused in beloved, he appears. But Herman, firstly repeating for Lisa words of love, was possessed already with another idea. Trying to carry away the girl to hasten behind him in the gambling house, he with shout escapes. Having understood inevitability occurred, the girl rushes to the river.

Scene 3. Players have fun behind a card table. Them entertains Tomskyi with a playful song. At the height of game appears excited Herman. Twice successively, offering large rates, he wins. " Itself fortune with you plays at the same time ", - proclaim present. Game proceeds. On this time against Herman is prince Eletsky. And instead of a non-risk ace in his hands there is a queen of spades. Herman sees on a card the features of the died old woman: " Damned! That you need! My life? Take, take it! " He is pinned up. In consciousness there is an image of Lisa: " the Beauty! The goddess! An angel! " With these words Herman dies.

The History

The opera has been ordered to Tchaikovshy by management of imperial theatres. The plot was offered by I.A.Vsevolozhskyi. The beginning of negotiations with management concerns to 1887/88. Originally Tchaikovsky has refused and only in 1889 has decided to write an opera on this plot. At meeting in management of imperial theatres at the end of 1889 the script, a lay-out of stages of an opera, elements of registration of performance have been discussed. In sketches the opera is composed from 19/31 Jan. to March, 3/15 in Florence. In July - Dec. 1890 Tchaikovsky has brought in set of changes to the partita, in the literary text, recitatives, voice parts; at with N.N.Fignera also it has been created two variants of Herman’s aria from 7-th scene. (different tonalities). All these changes are fixed in proof sheets of transposition for singing, various inserts of 1-st and 2-nd editions.

At creation of sketches Tchaikovsky actively processed the libretto. He has essentially changed the text, has entered scenic notes, has made reductions, has composed own texts for aria Eletsky, Lisa, chorus.

In the libretto Batyushkov verses (in Polina’s romance) are used, V.A.Zhukovskyi (in duet of Polina and Lisa), G.R.Derzhavin (in a drop scene), P.M.Karabanov (in an interlude).

In a stage in a bedroom of countess the ancient French song " Vive Henri IV " is used. In the same stage with insignificant changes the beginning of Loretta’s aria from A.Gretri's opera " Richard III" is borrowed.

Before the beginning of work Tchaikovsky was in a dejectedness which he admitted in the letter to A.K.Glazunov: " I suffer very mysterious stage on a way to a tomb. Something such is made inside me, for me not clearest. Any weariness from life, any disappointment: from time to time mad melancholy, but not that, in which depth a prediction of new inflow of love to life, and something hopeless, final... And together with it hunting to write terrible... On the one hand I feel, that as though my song is already over, and with another - insuperable desire to delay all the same life, or even better to start a new song...

Tchaikovsky liked very much the opera "Queen of spades", naming its his masterpiece. It has been written in sketches within 44 days in Florence. The plot is borrowed from Pushkin's same story. The libretto is written by the brother of composer M.I.Chajkovskim though some texts has written Tchaikovsky himself. The opera was composed soon and with special passion. After its end the composer has written a string sextet " memoirs on Florence ", having devoted to the city in which he has created his favourite child.

Tchaikovsky well realized the value of "Queen of spades" even during work. Lines of his letter to prince Konstantin Konstantinovich: " I wrote it with unknown fervor and hobby, vividly suffered and have experienced all event in it (even that one time was afraid of occurrence of a phantom of "Queen of spades") and I hope, that all my author's delights, excitements and hobbies will respond in hearts of sympathetic students " (from 3 Aug. 1890). And one more eloquent self-estimation: "... Or I awfully am mistaken, or "Queen of spades" really is a masterpiece... " This self-estimation appeared prophetical. It - the fate, is that fatal force which prevents an impulse to reach fortunately the purpose ". " All new, compared with Pushkin, in a plot... - the librettist of an opera M.I.Chajkovsky, - marks transferring of time of action to Ekaterina's epoch and introduction of a love-drama element ". We shall add, that Herman in the opera is not a prudent and ambitious player with "soul of Mephistophel", Lisa is transformed from poor ward into the grand daughter of old countess. Besides she is a bride and, as against deprived Herman, her fiancé - notable and rich prince Eletsky. All this strengthens the motive of a social inequality dividing heroes. Interpreting in own way Pushkin’s story, Tchaikovsky has simultaneously integrated it.

The feature of this opera is that the main hero Herman is present on a stage and sings in all seven scenes that demands from the singer a great skill and endurance. Herman’s part was written counting upon the remarkable Russian tenor N.N.Figner, who became its first performer.

The composer himself took part in preparation of Petersburg premiers. On responses of criticism, " bright temperament of Figner has given to each phrase in the corresponding strong moments very big relief. In only lyrical places... Figner’s singing was awestruck with charming softness and sincerity ". " Figner and the Petersburg orchestra... have made true miracles ", - wrote subsequently Tchaikovsky. Success of "Queen of spades", as well as its author expected, was tremendous. With the same improbable success "Queen of spades" have accepted in Kiev 12 days later after Petersburg premier. On November, 4 1891 "Queen of spades" was performed in Moscow at the Bolshoy theatre’s stage. The author was present at performance, as well as on the first presentations in Petersburg and Kiev and took part in rehearsal work.