ENO Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk: Production Gallery
Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk Synopsis
Act I Scene 1
The Ismailov family, father Boris Timofeyevich and son Zinovy Borisovich, are owners of a family business. Katerina, Zinovy’s wife, leads a life full of loneliness and anguish here. Her father-in-law, Boris, shows interest towards Katerina, but he is irritated by her coldness. Zinovy is called away from home to attend to a case of damage. Before leaving, he introduces the new worker Sergei to Boris. Katerina hears from Aksinya, one of the female workers, that Sergei is a womanizer.
Interlude
Scene 2
The workers pursue Aksinya with sexual frenzy. Sergei takes over the leading role. The turbulent revel is brought to order by the sudden appearance of Katerina. Sergei challenges her to a trial of strength in a playful wrestling match. Katerina accepts the challenge. She and the others are thrown into confusion by Boris’s appearance.
Interlude
Scene 3
Katerina has been confused since Sergei showed up at the family business. She is desperate in her loneliness. In the night Sergei knocks on Katerina’s bedroom door. Their encounter ends in bed. Blind to reason, Katerina senses an inner upheaval.
Act II Scene 4
One night Boris also tries to come to Katerina and he discovers her unfaithfulness. He has Sergei brutally beaten in front of Katerina. She mixes poison into the evening meal of her hated father-in-law. Boris dies of it. The summoned priest is puzzled by the sudden death.
Interlude
Scene 5
Nothing holds Katerina back from indulging her secret passion for Sergei. Notified of the state of affairs, Zinovy returns unannounced and surprises the lovers. Before he can make the scandal public they kill him and conceal his corpse. Sergei has now become Katerina’s idol.
Interval of 20 minutes
Act III Scene 6
Katerina and Sergei now head the family business, but she is obsessed only by Sergei. She plans to celebrate her wedding to him. During the wedding preparations, a drunken peasant spreads the rumour that Zinovy is dead and that his corpse lies hidden on the premises.
Interlude
Scene 7
Local policemen who were not invited by Katerina to her wedding try to find any pretext to make up accusations against her.
Interlude
Scene 8
In the middle of the wedding, policemen force entry into Katerina’s house. She cracks under the strain and confesses to being a murderess. Katerina and Sergei are arrested.
Act IV Scene 9
Even in prison Katerina does not cease to believe in Sergei’s love. But Sergei responds with mockery and repulsion. He flirts with the prisoner Sonyetka, who demands Katerina’s woollen stockings as a reward for her sexual favours. Sergei procures the stockings for Sonyetka. Katerina is mocked by the prisoners. Determined to destroy her rival, she brings about Sonyetka’s death together with her own.