BORIS GODUNOV
Opera in four acts with a prologue by Modest Mussorgsky
Libretto by the composer, based on Pushkin's historical tragedy "The Comedy of the Distress of the Muscovite State" and Nikolai Karamzin's "History of the Russion State"
There are several versions of this opera:
Mussorgsky:
First version completed in 1869, premiered on 16 February 1928
Second version completed in 1872, premiered on 8 February 1874
Rimsky-Korsakov
First revision completed in 1896, premiered on 10 December 1896
Second revision completed in 1908, premiered on 19 May 1908
Shostakovich
Revised the opera during 1939/40
Karol Rathaus
Revised the opera during the early 1950s.
David Lloyd-Jones
Critical edition published in 1975
There are also other revisions in existence. All these versions have been used to some extent, but for a long time Rimsky-Korsakov's second revision was the most popular. Lately, Mussorgsky's own versions (either one) or the Lloyd-Jones critical edition are preferred.
For this 1990 performance, filmed at the Mariinsky Theatre in St Petersburg, the complete second version by Mussorgsky was used.
CAST
Boris Godunov - Robert Lloyd
Feodor, Boris's son - Larissa Dyatkova
Xenia, Boris's daughter - Olga Kondina
Nurse - Yevgenia Perlassova
Prince Vassily Ivanovich Shuisky - Yevgeni Boitsov
Andrei Shchelkalov, secretary of the boyar's council - Mikhail Kit
Pimen, a monk anc chronicler - Alexander Morosov
Grigory Otrepiev, the false Dmitri - Alexei Steblianko
Marina Mnishek, daughter of a Sandomir nobleman - Olga Borodina
Rangoni, a Jesuit- Sergei Leiferkus
Varlaam, a vagabond monk - Vladimir Ognovenko
Missail, a vagabond monk - Igor Yan
Hostess- Ludmila Filatova
Simpleton - Vladimir Solodovnikov
Nikitich, a police officer - Yevgeni Fedotov
Mitiukha, a peasant - Grigory Karasyov
Orchestra and Chorus of the Kirov Opera, St Petersburg
conducted by Valery Gergiev
For this performance, the Royal Opera House (Covent Garden) production by Andrei Tarkovsky was used, under the direction of Stephen Lawless.
It is sung in Russian, with English subtitles.
SYNOPSIS
The action takes place between 1598 and 1605. It concerns the reign of Tsar Boris Godunov who has murdered the Tsarevich Dmitri in order to obtain the succession, and the challenge made to it by the Pretender Dmitri.
PROLOGUE - Moscow
The people are compelled to urge Boris to accept the throne. Boris is acclaimed Tsar and prays for blessings on his reign.
ACT ONE
Scene 1 - Pimen's cell in the Chudov Monastery
The monk Pimen, writing his chronicle of Russia, tells the novice Grigory that the murdered Dmitri would have been his age.
Scene 2 - An inn on the Lithuanian border
Trying to reach Poland to pose as Dmitri, Grigory, arriving with two vagabond monks, Varlaam and Missail, narrowly escapes arrest.
ACT TWO - Moscow: the Tsar's rooms in the Kremlin
Boris's children are with their nurse. The wily boyar, Shuisky, comes to Boris, now tormented by the woes of Russia and his own guilt, with news of growing support for Dmitri.
ACT THREE
Scene 1 - Marina Mnishek's room in the Castle of Sandomir
In Poland, Dmitri has fallen in love with Marina, who is ambitious to reign as Tsarina and is now urged by the Jesuit Rangoni to convert Russia to Roman Catholicism.
Scene 2 - The gardens of the Castle of Sandomir
Marina tells Dmitri that the price of her love is the throne of Russia.
ACT FOUR
Scene 1 - A square in front of the Cathedral of St Basil the Blessed in Moscow
Boris refuses to punish the Simpleton for accusing him of killing the infant Dmitri, asking instead for his prayers.
Scene 2 - The Granovitaya Hall in the Kremlin, 13 April 1605
Shuisky interrupts the Council of Boyars to report the mental derangement of Boris who now enters and, having taken leave of his son, collapses and dies.
Scene 3 - A clearing in the forest near Kromy
Dmitri passes with his army on his triumphal progress to Moscow, leaving behind the Simpleton bewailing the troubled times ahead for Russia.
