*Anton Rubinstein’s operatic masterpiece Demon first premiered to great acclaim in 1871. Although performed frequently in Russia, the work remains something of a rarity in the West today.
Based on the renowned fantasy poem by Mikhail Lermontov, Demon boasts rich choral writing and a fiery libretto. The work vividly depicts the isolation and despair of a fallen angel doomed to eternal damnation. All is upended by a chance encounter with the princess Tamara with whom he falls desperately in love. Tamara’s attempts to resist him and her eventual submission end in tragedy.
