Abesalom da Eteri

Background and historical context

Opera was introduced to present-day Georgia in the 1840s, with performances in Italian and other Western European languages. Russian Viceroy Mikhail Vorontsov, as part of his conciliatory reforms, patronized Georgian-language theater at the newly established Tiflis Imperial Theater. This caused controversy, as some Russians objected to Georgian works and had them moved to different days rather than preceding regular opera performances. These early works reached a limited audience. Paliashvili's Abesalom da Eteri marked a high point of the Georgian operatic movement in the late Russian Empire, becoming the first Georgian-language opera to gain widespread recognition in Georgian and later Soviet artistic society. It has traditionally opened the season at the Georgian National Opera Theater for several decades.

Synopsis

A peasant girl, Eteri, flees an evil stepmother and sits crying alone in the woods. She hears hunters singing—Prince Abesalom and his courtier Murman are hunting with their retinue. Eteri follows the sound and runs into Murman; startled, she flees but is intercepted by Abesalom, who is bewitched by her beauty and pledges his love. Murman also desires Eteri but, as a courtier, does not express his feelings; privately, he is overcome by an evil desire to take her from Abesalom.

At the wedding of Abesalom and Eteri in the palace, King Abio blesses the couple as they take an oath of loyalty. Murman presents Eteri with a small box containing an enchanted necklace that will afflict her with an incurable illness from which only Murman can save her. Eteri begins to feel unwell, but King Abio tries to keep guests entertained by asking Marekh to sing; the wedding proceeds with dancing and singing. Great misfortune befalls the palace as Eteri is overcome by the incurable illness.

Abesalom despairs, and the Queen advises him to let Eteri go, suggesting mountains and sun might restore her health. Abesalom reluctantly agrees, and Murman takes Eteri to his tower, where she recovers with the care of Murman's mother and sisters. Hearing of this, Abesalom longs for Eteri and weakens from suffering. Trumpets sound as Abesalom visits Murman's tower; to get rid of Murman, Abesalom sends him to find the elixir of life.

Queen Natella implores Eteri to meet Abesalom, but Eteri refuses, angry that her love gave her up. Marekh finally convinces Eteri to meet Abesalom, but the weakened prince dies in her arms. Struck by grief, Eteri kills herself with the same knife the prince had given her as a sign of their love.