LEADER 03638nam 2200733 a 450 001 9910819664303321 005 20240418003025.0 010 $a1-282-35237-7 010 $a9786612352379 010 $a0-300-15055-5 024 7 $a10.12987/9780300150551 035 $a(CKB)2430000000010720 035 $a(StDuBDS)AH23050000 035 $a(SSID)ssj0000305680 035 $a(PQKBManifestationID)11247058 035 $a(PQKBTitleCode)TC0000305680 035 $a(PQKBWorkID)10286181 035 $a(PQKB)10699766 035 $a(MiAaPQ)EBC3420460 035 $a(DE-B1597)484808 035 $a(OCoLC)1024024800 035 $a(OCoLC)1029818215 035 $a(OCoLC)1032684363 035 $a(OCoLC)1037967377 035 $a(OCoLC)1041976808 035 $a(OCoLC)1046602857 035 $a(OCoLC)1047005014 035 $a(OCoLC)1049619404 035 $a(OCoLC)1054878418 035 $a(DE-B1597)9780300150551 035 $a(Au-PeEL)EBL3420460 035 $a(CaPaEBR)ebr10343507 035 $a(CaONFJC)MIL235237 035 $a(OCoLC)679314525 035 $a(EXLCZ)992430000000010720 100 $a20071119d2008 uy 0 101 0 $aeng 135 $aur||||||||||| 181 $ctxt 182 $cc 183 $acr 200 14$aThe Pearl $ea true tale of forbidden love in Catherine the Great's Russia /$fDouglas Smith 205 $a1st ed. 210 $aNew Haven $cYale University Press$dc2008 215 $a1 online resource (352 p.) 300 $aBibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph 311 $a0-300-12041-9 320 $aIncludes bibliographical references and index. 327 $tFrontmatter -- $tContents -- $tAcknowledgments -- $tNote on Style -- $tPrelude -- $tI KUSKOVO -- $tII OSTANKINO -- $tIII THE FOUNTAIN HOUSE -- $tCoda -- $tNotes -- $tBibliography -- $tIndex 330 $aFilled with a remarkable cast of characters and set against the backdrop of imperial Russia, this tale of forbidden romance could be the stuff of a great historical novel. But in fact The Pearl tells a true tale, reconstructed in part from archival documents that have lain untouched for centuries. Douglas Smith presents the most complete and accurate account ever written of the illicit love between Count Nicholas Sheremetev (1751-1809), Russia's richest aristocrat, and Praskovia Kovalyova (1768-1803), his serf and the greatest opera diva of her time. Blessed with a beautiful voice, Praskovia began her training in Nicholas's operatic company as a young girl. Like all the members of Nicholas's troupe, Praskovia was one of his own serfs. But unlike the others, she utterly captured her master's heart. The book reconstructs Praskovia's stage career as "The Pearl" and the heartbreaking details of her romance with Nicholas-years of torment before their secret marriage, the outrage of the aristocracy when news of the marriage emerged, Praskovia's death only days after delivering a son, and the unyielding despair that followed Nicholas to the end of his life. Written with grace and style, The Pearl sheds light on the world of the Russian aristocracy, music history, and Russian attitudes toward serfdom. But above all, the book tells a haunting story of love against all odds. 606 $aSingers$zRussia$vBiography 606 $aOpera$zRussia$y18th century 615 0$aSingers 615 0$aOpera 676 $a782.1092 676 $aB 700 $aSmith$b Douglas$f1962-$01687793 801 0$bMiAaPQ 801 1$bMiAaPQ 801 2$bMiAaPQ 906 $aBOOK 912 $a9910819664303321 996 $aThe Pearl$94061549 997 $aUNINA