Libretto: Modest Tchaikovsky based on the short story of the same name by Alexander Pushkin
Director: Plamen Kartaloff (Bulgaria)
Set designer: recipient of the Francysk Skaryna Medal, laureate of the State Prize of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Kostiuchenko
Chorus master: People's Artist of Belarus, laureate of the State Prize of the Republic of Belarus Nina Lomanovich
Costume designer: Nina Gurlo
Choreographer: Recipient of the Francysk Skaryna Medal Aleksandra Tikhomirova
Lighting designer: Irina Vtornikova
Computer graphics: Elena Akhremenko
Conductors: honoured Art Worker of the Republic of Belarus Nikolai Koliadko, Vladimir Ovodok  
Running time: 3 hour 35 minutes with two intervals
Sung in Russian with English and Russian surtitles
Premiere: 5 June 2014

В партии Германа – Михаил Пирогов (Михайловский театр)

Графиня – Оксана Якушевич

Лиза – Мария Галкина

Граф Томский – Станислав Трифонов

Князь Елецкий – Алексей Макшанцев (1-ое исп.)

Полина – Дарья Горожанко

Чекалинский – Янош Нелепа

Чаплицкий – Александр Гелах

Сурин – Дмитрий Капилов

Нарумов – Дмитрий Трофимук

Гувернантка – Елена Сало

Маша – Анна Гурьева (1-ое исп.)

Распорядитель – Виктор Менделев

Прилепа – Анастасия Михновец

Synopsis
Act 1
Herman is sulky and silent, he spends every night at the card-table without joining the game. His friends, Surin and Chekalinsky, discuss this peculiarity. The reason of Herman’s bleakness is his love. He is in love with an unknown girl from a wealthy family, and she ‘can not belong to him’.
The joy of his happy rival Yeletsky arouses jealousy and vexation. And the old Countess instills deadly fear and foreboding of trouble. The Countess has the same feelings, as well as her granddaughter Liza, Herman’s love and Yeletsky’s bride.
Herman’s friend, Count Tomsky tells a story about the Countess, who is called ‘the Queen of Spades’. She learned a secret of three lucky cards in her youth. She has already revealed this secret to two people, and at the hand of the third one she was predicted to die.
Herman is obsessed by a desire to get hold of the secret of the Countess, it can open him a gate to Liza. 
Lisa’s friends can’t help her to get over her sorrow and sadness. As she’s left alone, she confesses to herself that the reason of her perturbation is her passionate love for Herman. She is overwhelmed by his sudden appearance. After a fervent declaration the two can’t resist their feelings any more. 

Act 2
Yeletsky tries to convince Liza of the sincerity of his feelings. But all her thoughts are about Herman, and she decides to give him the key to her room.
Herman takes great pains over to learn the secret of the three cards. If he learns it, all the obstacles on his path to happiness will have been overcome.
After the pastorale The Tender-hearted Shepherdess Liza gives Herman the key: first he can get into the Countess’ bedroom, and then to Liza’s room. Herman is amazed: ‘Not me, but the fate wants it, I will know the three cards!’.
Herman is at the Countess’ house again. Some mystic force doesn’t let him leave her bedroom.
The servants bring in the tired and annoyed Countess. Being alone, she remembers her youth, the time when she shined at the Versailles, at the court of the French King…
Herman appears suddenly and implores the Countess to tell him the secret of the three cards. The frightened Countess can’t say a word… Herman loses control, points a pistol at her, but suddenly discovers that the Countess is dead. Liza is shocked and charges Herman with murder. 

Act 3
At night Herman reads the letter from Liza: she doesn’t believe in his guilt and asks him for a date at the embankment of the canal before midnight. The requiem is heard: at the nearest church a memorial service is held. The phantom of the old Countess, the Queen of Spades appears in front of Herman. She tells him the secret of the three cards: ‘Save Liza, marry her, and the three cards will win in a row. Remember: three, seven, ace!...’
Liza waits for Herman at the embankment. It’s already midnight, but he’s not there. Liza is in despair. 
Herman appears. All his thoughts are about the winning: now he knows the three cards! He hurries into the gambling house. Liza can’t hold him.
All the attention is compelled by Herman: for the first time he takes part in the game. His rival is the unhappy Yeletsky, left by Liza, and he is plotting revenge. 
Herman banked on three and seven, and they win. At first it arouses surprise, but then it’s changed by a mystic fear. No one wants to continue playing with Herman, except Yeletsky. Herman banks his whole gain on the third card, but instead of the ace the queen of spades is in his hand. The terrible phantom leads Herman away…

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