Cast
Antonida: Horiana Branisteanu
Vanya: Reni Penkova
Sobinin: William McDonald
Ivan Susanin: Matti Salminen
Sigismund: Colin Fay
Messenger: Dennis O'Neill
Russian Warrior: Peter Forest
Dancers: Tessa Jarvis, Anton Elder
Crew
| Director | Michael Hadjimischev |
| Costume Design | Susan Blane |
| Lighting Design | William Bradford |
| Choreographer | Tessa Jarvis |
| Chorus Master | Gordon Kember |
| Chorus Coach | Melanie Crowther |
The Plot
Act 1
The opera begins in the Russian village of Domnino, where Ivan Susanin, a patriotic peasant, lives with his daughter Antonida. The Polish army, led by the traitorous Prince Vasily Golitsyn, has invaded Russia and is searching for the Russian Tsar. Ivan Susanin learns of the invasion and decides to lead the Poles astray to protect the Tsar.
Act 2
Ivan Susanin guides the Polish soldiers through the Russian wilderness, pretending to lead them to the Tsar's location. However, he actually leads them deeper into the forest, away from their intended destination. Meanwhile, Antonida and her lover Sobinin plan to escape from the village and join the Russian resistance against the Poles.
Act 3
As Ivan Susanin continues to mislead the Polish soldiers, he becomes separated from them in the forest. He encounters a group of Russian partisans who mistake him for a traitor and prepare to kill him. However, when they realize his true intentions, they hail him as a hero.
Act 4
Antonida and Sobinin arrive at a Russian camp, where they learn about Ivan Susanin's heroic actions. The Russian army prepares to confront the Poles, and Ivan Susanin joins them. In a final battle, the Poles are defeated, and Prince Golitsyn is captured. Ivan Susanin sacrifices his life to save his country, becoming a symbol of selfless patriotism.
