War and Peace, Op. 91 (1952)

Synopsis:

Set in Russia around the time of Napoleon’s invasion, this is a love story of Prince Andrei Bolkonsky and Natasha, told against the background of the fighting between the French and the Russian armies.

Tolstoy’s creative works were a constant source of inspiration for Prokofiev. After abandoning an earlier plan to compose music based on Resurrection, he turned with great enthusiasm to War and Peace. Eleven of the thirteen scenes were composed within a single year, with Prokofiev focusing primarily on two central narrative strands: the lyrical and psychological world associated with Natasha, and the patriotic dimension reflecting the ordeal of the Russian people during the 1812 Patriotic War.

The opera underwent a long and complex process of revision, shaped significantly by Soviet official intervention. From its early conception in 1942, when Prokofiev played through the vocal score for Mikhail Khrapchenko and Semyon Shlifshteyn, the work was repeatedly modified in response to official “suggestions.” Across its development, Prokofiev submitted four versions, each containing substantial changes intended to align the opera with Socialist Realist ideals and a suitably patriotic tone, including the ideological association of Kutuzov with Stalin. This prolonged process prevented the emergence of a single definitive version during the composer’s lifetime, and only the “Peace” sections were performed in his final years.

The structure of War and Peace is shaped around a large cast of characters drawn from Tolstoy’s novel, including Prince Andrei Bolkonsky, Natasha Rostova, Pierre Bezukhov, Kutuzov, Napoleon, and many others, alongside figures representing Russian society, military command, and the French occupation forces. The work spans both intimate domestic scenes and large-scale depictions of war, shifting between personal relationships and collective historical events.

A major modern revival took place in 2023 at the Bavarian State Opera under Music Director Vladimir Jurowski, in collaboration with director Dmitri Tcherniakov. Their production aimed to present as complete a version as possible in a single evening, comparable in scale to Götterdämmerung. The staging placed the action in the Pillar Hall of the House of the Unions in Moscow, with characters reimagined as modern-day refugees or hostages, creating a psychological framework in which role-playing becomes a form of collective trauma processing.

Musically, the production drew on the opera’s inherently modular structure, with Jurowski noting that Prokofiev’s method of composing in relatively autonomous segments allows for practical cuts and reordering without disrupting musical continuity. The “War” sections were significantly edited, while the central “Peace” narrative remained largely intact, particularly the love story at its core. Some structural omissions, including the Military Council at Fili (Scene 10), correspond to cuts already suggested by Prokofiev himself in his own planning for abridged versions.

The success of the production depended heavily on the central roles of Natasha, Pierre, and Prince Andrei, whose performances provided the emotional and dramatic anchor of the work. The chorus and orchestra were also noted for their high level of commitment and technical precision. Jurowski’s conducting approach was described as driven and intense, contributing to a performance marked by continuous dramatic momentum.

Overall, the production has been characterized as a significant modern interpretation of War and Peace, demonstrating both the adaptability of Prokofiev’s final opera and its continued relevance in reflecting themes of war, displacement, and human resilience.First performed as a concert of 11 scenes on 7 June 1944 by the USSR State Symphony Orchestra with conductor Samuil Samosud. These 11 scenes were staged for the first time on 31 March 1955 at the Leningrad State Academy's Maly Opera Theatre, conducted by Eduard Grikurov. Ultimately a version for 13 scenes was staged for the first time on 8 November 1957 at the Stanislavsky Opera Theatre in Moscow with Alexander Shaverdov as the conductor.