Читать онлайн «The Pearl: A True Tale of Forbidden Love in Catherine the Great's Russia»

Douglas Smith

Yale University Press

New Haven & London

Copyright © 2008 by Douglas Smith.

All rights reserved.

This book may not be reproduced, in whole or in

part, including illustrations, in any form (beyond that copying permitted by Sections 107 and 108 of the U. S.

Copyright Law and except by reviewers for the public press), without written permission from the publishers.

Set in Caslon type by Tseng Information Systems, Inc.

Printed in the United States of America.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Smith, Douglas, 1962–

The Pearl : a true tale of forbidden love in Catherine the Great’s Russia / Douglas Smith.

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references (p. ) and index.

ISBN-13: 978-0-300-12041-7 (alk. paper)

ISBN-10: 0-300-12041-9 (alk. paper)

1. Kovaleva-Zhemchugova, P. I. (Praskovia Ivanovna) 2. Singers—Russia—Biography. 3. Opera—Russia—

18th century.

ML420. K875S65 2008

782. 1092—dc22

[B]

2007045563

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

The paper in this book meets the guidelines for

permanence and durability of the Committee on

Production Guidelines for Book Longevity of the

Council on Library Resources.

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

To Stephanie

Remember that what you are told is really threefold: shaped by the teller, reshaped by the listener, concealed from both by the dead man of the tale.

—VLADIMIR NABOKOV, The Real Life of Sebastian Knight

Contents

Acknowledgments

x

Note on Style

xiv

Family Trees

xv

Prelude 1

I KUSKOVO

ONE

An Aristocratic Boyhood

13

TWO

The Blacksmith’s Daughter

21

THREE Grand Tour

29

FOUR

The Big House

37

FIVE

First Meeting

42

SIX

Praskovia’s Debut

48

SEVEN Early Success

53

EIGHT Serf Diva, Serf Mistress

61

NINE

Entertaining Catherine

75

vii

Contents

TEN

The Sheremetevs and Their Serfs

85

ELEVEN

The Old Count’s Death

91

Interlude: Serf Theater

97

II OSTANKINO

TWELVE

“I intend to build . . . ”

113

THIRTEEN

Farewell to Kuskovo

121

FOURTEEN

Ostankino’s Premier

130

FIFTEEN

Training the Troupe

138

SIXTEEN

Life in the Troupe

146

SEVENTEEN

To St. Petersburg

154

EIGHTEEN Tsar Paul

160

Interlude: Serf Actress Stories

171

III THE FOUNTAIN HOUSE

NINETEEN

Freedom

181

TWENTY

The Curtain Falls

188

TWENTY-ONE

The Specter of Death

195

TWENTY-TWO

Coronation

200

TWENTY-THREE

Wedding

206

TWENTY-FOUR

Newlyweds

217

TWENTY-FIVE

Dmitry’s Birth

225

TWENTY-SIX

Secrets Revealed

232

TWENTY-SEVEN

Death

239

TWENTY-EIGHT

Scandal

247

TWENTY-NINE

Saint Praskovia

252

THIRTY

Putrid Bones

261

viii

Contents

THIRTY-ONE

Fatherly Advice

266

THIRTY-TWO

Separate Fates

271

Coda

281

Notes

285

Bibliography

301

Index

321

ix

Acknowledgments

It is a pleasure to acknowledge the individuals and institutions without whose help this book could not have been written. Members of the Sheremetev family greeted me warmly when I told them of my plans to write a book on their ancestors. Kyra Cheremeteff, a direct descendant of Nicholas and Praskovia, responded with generosity to my inquiries. Her parents, Nikita and Maïko Cheremeteff, took me in on a cold December night and shared with me family lore, books, and a wonderful meal. I am both touched by their gracious hospitality and grateful for their help.