The Oprichnik

The Oprichnik
Opera by Tchaikovsky
Apollinary Vasnetsov's set design for a 1911 production at Bakhrushin Museum, Moscow
Native title	Russian: Опричник
Librettist	Tchaikovsky
Language	Russian
Based on	The Oprichniks by Ivan Lazhechnikov
Premiere	24 April 1874 (1874-04-24) Mariinsky Theatre, Saint Petersburg

The Oprichnik (Russian: «Опричник», IPA: [ɐˈprʲitɕnʲɪk] ^ⓘ), also translated as The Guardsman, is an opera in 4 acts, 5 scenes, by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky to his own libretto after the tragedy The Oprichniks (Russian: Опричники) by Ivan Lazhechnikov (1792–1869). The subject of the opera is the oprichniks. It is set in Ivan the Terrible's court during the oprichnina times (1565–1573).

Tchaikovsky worked on the opera from February 1870 - March 1872. It includes music from his early opera The Voyevoda (1869). The work is dedicated to the Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolayevich Romanov. It was given its premiere performance at the Mariinsky Theatre in St Petersburg on 24 April 1874, followed by the Moscow premiere on 16 May 1874 at the Bolshoi Theatre.