In the 13th century, the rich merchants of Novgorod mock the dreams of far-away journeys and of commercial conquests brought forth by Sadko, a musician and singer. But Volkhova, the Sea King’s daughter, is enchanted by Sadko’s voice, and promises to help him fulfill his dreams...

Sadko is a decisive work in Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s aesthetic evolution. As in many operas, the composer draws his artistic material from Russian folk and fairytales, but also from old musical and poetic forms. The result is a prodigious opera, whose modernity – both dramatic and musical – erupts from the fabulous resources of traditional Russian epics, but also from the wonders of the marine universe, close to his former navigator self’s heart.

A subtle analyst of the slavic soul, stage director Dmitri Tcherniakov comes back to the great stage of the Bolshoi Theatre and devises a surprising production that perfectly underlines the ambiguities of this paradoxical opera, between past and present, fantasy and reality. He surrounds himself with magnificent Russian soprano Aida Garifullina, but also some of his favourite singers: Mikhail Petrenko, Ekaterina Semenchuk... In the pit and at the head of the Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra, young Russian conductor Timur Zangiev breathes in this little-know masterpiece all the energy, all the poetry, and all the passion it requires.

Cast:
- Sadko: Nazhmiddin Maylyanov
- Volkhova: Aida Garifullina
- Lubava Buslaevna: Ekaterina Semenchuk
- Nezhata: Yuri Minenko
- Ocean-Sea, the Sea Tsar: Stanislav Trofimov
- Whistle: Mikhail Petrenko
- Fife: Maxim Paster
- Varangian Merchant: Dmitry Ulianov
- Indian merchant: Alexey Nekludov
- Venetian merchant: Andrey Zhilikhovsky
- Vision of the old mighty Warrior: Sergey Murzaev
- Foma Nazaryich: Roman Muravitsky
- His Wife: Alexandra Durseneva
- Luka Zinovyich: Vladimir Komovich
- His Wife: Irina Rubtsova

Stage director and set designer: Dmitri Tcherniakov
Costumes designer: Elena Zaitseva
Lighting designer: Gleb Filshtinsky
Video director: Andy Sommer

Subtitles: FR / ANG / GER / ESP / JAP / KOR
Booklet: 20 pages
Running time: 186’
Sound format: PCM 2.0