There is Sadko in the underwater kingdom. Now he is receiving a Viking guest.
I do not really know a great deal about opera, and I did not know this opera, but listen to the song of the Viking Guest!
The sea waves rage against the rocks
but broken they retreat in a cloud of spray
And the rocks steadfastly withstand
this ceaseless assault of the sea
Those steadfast mountains are in Vikings’ very bones
and the raging seawater is in their veins
And their cunning thoughts are like fogs of their motherland
They are born in the sea and in the sea they die
Axé.
coldhearted scientist وداد 
It refuses to post but look also for Maxim Mikhaylov on this. From here: Maxim Mikhaylov – sadko – song of the viking guest – http://youtu.be/A2yBOjZL19I
I got very interested in opera just a few years ago. At the beginning I thought I’d mastered the art. I love the music and the “mis en scene” but I have had difficulty in understanding the lyrics. With time I continue to do so and I am getting discouraged. Also the fact that most operas are in European languages, rarely in English that I can understand, is making my love for opera less and less compelling to myself.
Maybe it was a hobby I wasn’t really gifted to master in the first place.
Sadko is awesome. A huge splashy canvass written by a master at the height of his powers. The whole thing is something like three hours long. I played it over and over again while I was dissertating. I might take it out again sometime soon.
I didn’t even know it existed. It seems amazing. This seems to be the story, is it really all? http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/russian/oldpetersrussiantales/sadko.html
Here is the plot more or less…
http://telasiado.suite101.com/nikolai-rimskykorsakov-opera-sadko-a143825…
It is all rather improbable… but intellectually there are things that one can do with it… in the end, though, the music for voice and orchestra is loaded with presence and colour.
It’s a marvelous (and eccentric) story and I love the music – and those paintings which have been made.
Nice fairytale!
It’s a fantastic plot with the nicest happiest end, Sadko returns to his wife exchanging warm deep ocean waters for his seemingly cold earthland. Homesickness brings everyone to his senses even in the most imaginary world.
Here’s the song of the Indian Guest, with Koslovski 1949. I have not figured out where the guests are guests – in Novgorod or in the Undersea Kingdom? http://youtu.be/xfA1PINYFJM