| The Maid of Pskov (Pskovityanka) | |
|---|---|
| Opera by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov | |
 Design by Matvey Shishkov for the premiere | |
| Native title | Russian: Псковитянка, Pskovityanka |
| Librettist | Rimsky-Korsakov |
| Language | Russian |
| Based on | drama by Lev Mei |
| Premiere | 1873 Mariinsky Theatre, St. Petersburg |
The Maid of Pskov (Russian: Псковитянка, romanized: Pskovityanka, lit. 'Pskov female resident' ), also known as Ivan the Terrible, is an 1872 opera originally in three acts (six scenes) by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. The libretto is by the composer, after the play by Lev Mei.
The storyline is fictitious, but set against the background of the campaign by Ivan IV Vasilyevich to subject the cities of Pskov and Novgorod to his will.
Pskovityanka was Rimsky-Korsakov's first opera, and he revised it twice; once in 1876-7, when he added a prologue, and again in 1891-2, without the prologue (which was subsequently rewritten and became in 1898 the one act opera Boyarïnya Vera Sheloga). The third version was made famous by Feodor Chaliapin in the role of the Tsar. The opera was introduced to Paris in 1909, also with Chaliapin, by Diaghilev, under the title Ivan the Terrible.