Russian Music
Dr. Ermolaeva's primary research focus is the composer Sergei Prokofiev and his works for stage and and screen. Ermolaeva is particularly enjoys bringing her historical research to life through concert and stage performances. Her co-edited critical edition of the first version of Prokofiev's opera "War and Peace" was premiered by the Welsh National Opera in 2018 under director Sir David Pountney and conductor Tomáš Hanus.
In 2018-2019, she collaborated with the conductor Thomas Dausgaard in setting Russian & Old Church Slavonic texts to Dausgaard's arrangement of Mussorgsky's "Pictures at an Exhibition" for chorus and orchestra.
Dr. Ermolaeva is currently working on an a critical edition of Prokofiev's film score to Sergei Eisenstein's "Ivan the Terrible" for chorus and orchestra to be performed with simultaneous projection of the film.
Published Research
"Audiovisal Montage in Ivan the Terrible: Understanding Prokofiev's Film Score Through Eisensteinian Sound-Image Theory"
Published in: Rethinking Prokofiev, edited by Rita McAllister and Christina Guillaumier. New York: Oxford University Press, 2020.
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Abstract: For Soviet film director Sergei Eisenstein, sound was equally as important as image in the language of film, and composer Sergei Prokofiev was the "most wonderful film composer." In this article, Ermolaeva provides a close-reading of a scene in "Ivan the Terrible" in which Eisenstein's theory of audio-visual montage can be observed.
"The Ivan Trichord: Mediaeval Music Images in Prokofiev and Eisenstein's Ivan the Terrible"
Published in: Orthodoxy, Music, Politics and Art in Russia and Eastern Europe, edited by Ivan Moody and Ivana Medić. London and Belgrade: Centre for Russian Music, Goldsmiths, University of London and Institute of Musicology, Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, 2020.
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Abstract: In this article, Ermolaeva reveals the musical connection between Prokofiev's film score to "Ivan the Terrible" and medieval Slavic liturgical music through the musical kernel of the trichord, which can be heard throughout Prokofiev's music and the liturgical borrowings heard on the film's sound track.
Musical Editions
"War and Peace" (Op. 91) by Sergei Prokofiev
Critical edition of the first version of the opera for chorus, soloists and orchestra. Co-edited by Katya Ermolaeva and Rita McAllister.
Co-edited with Prof. Rita McAllister, this critical edition of the first version of Prokofiev's opera reveals Prokofiev's original vision of the opera before it underwent substantial revision due to Soviet censorship. This score can be rented from Boosey & Hawkes.
"Pictures at an Exhibition" by Modest Mussorgsky
Arrangement for chorus and orchestra by Thomas Dausgaard, text in Russian Old Church Slavonic by Katya Ermolaeva.
Katya Ermolaeva provided the Russian and Old Church Slavonic texts for this arrangement of "Pictures At An Exhibition" for chorus and orchestra by conductor Thomas Dausgaard. Please contact Katya Ermolaeva if you wish to perform this score.
"Ivan the Terrible" (Op. 116) by Sergei Prokofiev
Critical edition for simultaneous performance with film projection. Edited by Katya Ermolaeva.
(In Process) This edition of Prokofiev's film score contains the all the cues heard in the film, cincluding instrumental music, Orthodox liturgical choral excerpts, and bell music. Please contact Katya Ermolaeva if you wish to perform this score.
Performances
"War and Peace" (Op. 91) by Sergei Prokofiev, edited by Katya Ermolaeva and Rita McAllister
Performed by the Welsh National Opera directed by Sir David Pountney. Conducted by TomáÅ› Hanus. Season 2018-2019.
In this performing version of Ermolaeva & McAllister's critical edition, director Sir David Pountney incorporated some scenes and excerpts from later versions of the opera.
"Pictures at an Exhibition" by Modest Mussorgsky, arr. Thomas Dausgaard, texts by Katya Ermolaeva
Performed by the Swedish National Orchestra and the Swedish Radio Chorus. Conducted by Thomas Dausgaard. May 2019.
Katya Ermolaeva provided the Russian and Old Church Slavonic texts for this arrangement of "Pictures At An Exhibition" for chorus and orchestra by conductor Thomas Dausgaard. Please contact Katya Ermolaeva if you wish to perform this score.
