Page "Sergei Prokofiev" Paragraph 28

In 1938, Prokofiev collaborated with Eisenstein on the historical epic Alexander Nevsky.

For this he composed some of his most inventive and dramatic music.

Although the film had a very poor sound recording, Prokofiev adapted much of his score into a large-scale cantata for mezzo-soprano, orchestra and chorus, which was extensively performed and recorded.

In the wake of Alexander Nevskys success, Prokofiev composed his first Soviet opera Semyon Kotko, which was intended to be produced by the director Vsevolod Meyerhold.

However the première of the opera was postponed because Meyerhold was arrested on 20 June 1939 by the NKVD ( Joseph Stalin's Secret Police ), and shot on 2 February 1940.

Only months after Meyerhold's arrest, Prokofiev was ' invited ' to compose Zdravitsa ( literally translated ' Cheers!

', but more often given the English title Hail to Stalin ) ( Op.

85 ) to celebrate Joseph Stalin's 60th birthday.