June 26, 2024 on stage at the MAMT named after. Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko hosted the premiere of Dargomyzhsky’s opera “Rusalka” staged by the artistic director and chief director of the theater Alexander Titel. In this performance, Dmitry brilliantly performed the role of the Miller. Dmitry's partners on stage were Elena Guseva (Natasha), Vladimir Dmitruk (Prince), Ekaterina Lukash (Princess). The musical director of the production, Timur Zangiev, was at the conductor's stand.
PRESS:
“I would like to address special words to two artists who turned out to be the real stars of the performance: Dmitry Ulyanov in the role of the Miller and little Wanda Pariya in the role of the Little Mermaid. Ulyanov is a grand Melnik. The range from the comic old man in the first act to the tragic madman in the second is the highest acting and vocal aerobatics. ."
— Ekaterina Kretova (mk.ru, 27.06.2024)
“The scene in which the Miller is already crazy, imagining himself to be a raven, belongs to the treasury of the world operatic repertoire, and Dmitry Ulyanov conducts it brilliantly. He generally reigns on the stage - the hero’s efficiency in the first scenes (every small movement seems to have been worked out personally with Stanislavsky: how he enthusiastically evaluates the stones on the headband donated by the Prince - it seems that “my beauty is about to sigh”) is replaced by a medically accurate picture of madness . The Miller’s concentration and his sudden expansiveness make a special impression - one minute he was, it seems, a harmless tramp, saying something almost without intonation, but now he rushes at the Prince, and only the servants save him from certain death.”
— Anna Gordeeva (Tass, 27.06.2024/XNUMX/XNUMX)
“The most extraordinary character in the opera “Rusalka”, the most desirable for singers, is Melnik. I’m trying to remember something comparable in depth and paradox in European operatic literature for bass - and I can’t! Well, perhaps if Verdi had “married” his Sir John Falstaff to the destroyed King Lear.
The miller opens the first act with a big hit aria: “Oh, all you young girls, look, you’re of little use.” First impression of Melnik - Dmitry Ulyanov, whom I have known and respected for a long time - hasn’t his central bass brightened? And the father of the bride-daughter is too young!
But then the extreme low, dark velvety notes began to play in the part, a variety of timbre shades began, culminations that covered the orchestra’s tutti, word play with impeccable diction. This Miller had it all: calculating peasant cunning, teasing his daughter’s love, and ingratiating himself with a rich lover. Then - resentment towards his daughter, who reproaches him: “Your reproaches have no strength to bear, they will bring your father to the grave!”
The big duet scene between the Prince and the Miller in Act III, where the old man, aged 12 years and half-mad from the loss of his daughter, either recognizes his “son-in-law” or imagines himself as Raven, was performed by Dmitry Ulyanov without grotesque clichés, without unnecessary “bird-like” movements. He matured not only in appearance (thanks to the make-up artists), but also in his voice. Through sometimes trivial melodic turns he was able to convey the grief of a man losing his mind. The lines that caused laughter in my student days were spoken with insight: “Yes, I have become old and playful, it’s not bad to look after me...” But how true it is about old age’s playfulness! Anyone who has looked after loved ones with dementia will understand!
And with a menacing trumpet voice at the end of the picture: “Thank you, I don’t want to go to your mansion, you will lure me, and then, perhaps, you will strangle me with a necklace.”
I believe that such a voluminous, vocally and stage-perfect image created by Dmitry Ulyanov will remain in the history of performance, comma after the Melnikov Fyodor Chaliapin and Alexey Krivcheni.”
— Tatiana Elagina (classicalmusicnews.ru)
“Dmitry Ulyanov is a miller. A game in which it was not just anyone who shone, but Fyodor Ivanovich Chaliapin himself. When his daughter drowns in the river, the miller goes crazy, claiming that he has turned into a raven. Ulyanov, together with the director, play this role in such a way that it is not clear: either the miller has gone crazy, or simply left everyone - they say, don’t bother me, I’m not myself. The result is a powerful character. Like all the characters in this play, he is ambiguous. Here you have to think about any fate, which, you see, doesn’t happen so often in opera.”
— Andrey Maksimov (rg.ru, 30.06.2024/XNUMX/XNUMX)
“I would especially like to mention the performers: Dmitry Ulyanov, who, in my opinion, is the most luxurious bass of our generation, did a brilliant job with Melnik’s part. His performance was a real gift: excellent phrasing, subtle acting and powerful vocal performance.”
— Maria Mitina (The Art Of Opera)
All photos - Sergey Rodionov