Sadko (Russian: Садко) is a 1897 opera by Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov, based on legends and songs about the eponymous character.
Sadko, a poor gusli player, dreams of becoming a seafaring merchant and bringing riches and glory to his native Novgorod, but the other merchants mock him. However, Princess Volkhova, the daughter of the Sea-King, is enchanted by his songs and falls in love with him. When she appears to him, he is enamored and, despite being already married, pledges himself to her. With Volkhova's help, he is able to catch magical gold-finned fish in Lake Ilmen and can finally finance his expeditions.
Twelve years later, his ship is caught in a storm, and when the sailors draw lots, they realize the Sea-King wants Sadko to be thrown overboard. Sadko isn't frightened, since he knows Volkhova is waiting for him. He delights the Sea-King with his song and gets the permission to marry Volkhova.
The underwater kingdom's merry wedding feast causes horrible storms above, so a mysterious Ancient suddenly appears, tells the Sea-King his rule is over, and commands Volkhova to turn into a river forever in Novgorod.
Volkhova and Sadko resurface (literally) in Novgorod, she bids farewell to him and turns into the Volkhov River. Sadko returns to his mortal wife and (probably because Volkhova is lost to him for good) is a lot nicer to her than before, and Novgorod now has a waterway.
Tropes featured in the opera:
- Aroused by Their Voice: Volkhova falls in love with Sadko because of his sweet songs.
- Call a Pegasus a "Hippogriff": The visitor from India describes the wonders of his land, including The Phoenix. Except the description he gives is that of the Siren, or Sirin, as it is known in Russian mythology.
- Crosscast Role: Nezhata, the young gusli player from Kiev, is a boy played by a contralto.
- Deus ex Machina: The mysterious Ancient appears out of nowhere to stop the Sea-King's storms and order Sadko to return to Novgorod.
- "Just So" Story: The story features the creation of the Volkhov River.
- Karma Houdini: Unlike other Rimsky-Korsakov characters, Sadko never gets punished for his cheating or even feels guilty about it (he does ask the Novgorod people to take care of his wife while he's gone, but he is perfectly okay with leaving her for Volkhova for good). The worst that happens to him is being scolded by the Ancient (and even then, the Ancient is mostly concerned with Sadko returning to his homeland rather than with Sadko returning to his wife).
- Muggle and Magical Love Triangle: Sadko has a mortal wife Lyubava who loves him and whom he used to love, but he has grown distant. Meanwhile, he falls madly in love with Volkhova, princess of the underwater kingdom, and is ready to stay with her for good (though he doesn't seem too disheartened when he is forced to return to Lyubava, either).
- Rags to Riches: Sadko bets he will catch gold-finned fish in Lake Ilmen, and the merchants, thinking he's being ridiculous, don't hesitate to wager all their riches against it. With Volkhova's help, Sadko does catch the fish and immediately becomes the wealthiest man in Novgorod.
- Rule of Three: There are three foreign merchants who praise their homelands (Scandinavia, India, and Venice), and the Novgorod consider the third option (Venice) to be the best destination for Sadko.
- Setting Update: The folk tales about Sadko usually take place in the 11th-12th centuries, but Rimsky-Korsakov pushes it back to the 10th century when Christianity is only just spreading in Kievan Rus and paganism is still going strong.
- Time Skip: Twelve years pass between Sadko leaving on his first voyage and him coming to the underwater kingdom.
