On the face of it, the protagonist of Mikhail Lermontov’s The Demon (1839) seems to be a Russian Mephistopheles. But the writer saw this character differently. His Demon is a disappointed, lonely sufferer, longing for an unattainable ideal. The poem itself is a masterpiece of romantic literature, praising unearthly love and eternal femininity.

Those features inspired Anton Rubinstein to turn his attention to Lermontov’s story. The main character of Rubinstein’s The Demon (1875) is a strong and controversial figure. He seeks salvation in his love for Tamara, but is doomed for loneliness.

It is not the first time the Novaya Opera turns to Rubinstein’s score. A production of The Demon, directed by Mikhail Efremov, was in the theatre’s repertoire in 1999–2010. During the Epiphany Festival the opera will be performed again, now in a concert version.