Glinka: A Life For The Tsar (La Vie Pour Le Tsar) [Czar] [Boris Christoff, Teresa Stich-Randall, Nicolai Gedda, Melanie Bugarinovich; Lamoureux Orchestra; Chorus of the Belgrade Opera; Igor Markevitch, Conductor] [Import]

Glinka (Composer), Igor Markevitch (Conductor), Boris Christoff (Performer), Teresa Stich-Randall (Performer), Nicolai Gedda (Performer), Melanie Bugarinovich (Performer), Lamoureux (Orchestra) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD
• Original Release Date: 1957
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Import
• Label: Great Opera Performances
• ASIN: B0027I4ISI
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #523,796 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

On Great Opera Performances GOP66934; 2 CD's; This 1957 EMI recording of "A Life for the Tsar" has the strongest cast, with Christoff as the unsurpassed Ivan, Nicolai Gedda as Bodgane Sobinin, and the appealing Teresa Stich-Randall as Antonida, his fiance and Ivan's daughter. Gedda, in pristine form, tosses off high Cs with abandon. Igor Markevitch is a fiery yet stylish conductor. There are several cuts in the performace, and this release does not come with a libretto. Mikhail Glinka is considered the father of Russian opera; he was also the first Russian composer who wrote Russian music using Western classical models. He completed only two operas, "A Life for the Tsar" (also known as "Ivan Susanin") and "Ruslan and Ludmilla," both still in the repertory of Russian theatres. The first deals with Russian history; the second is a fairy tale. The music for both makes use of folk melodies, but they are modelled on the operas of Bellini and Donizetti that Glinka got to know during his years in Italy. PLEASE NOTE: OPERA SETS ON "GREAT OPERA PERFORMANCES" DO NOT INCLUDE A LIBRETTO.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best recording, March 2, 2010

By 

Petr Bochkov "Kot Mjaksel" (Moscow, Russia) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Glinka: A Life For The Tsar (La Vie Pour Le Tsar) [Czar] [Boris Christoff, Teresa Stich-Randall, Nicolai Gedda, Melanie Bugarinovich; Lamoureux Orchestra; Chorus of the Belgrade Opera; Igor Markevitch, Conductor] (Audio CD)

Igor Markevitch represents an old Russian Imperial Musical school. To listen an orchestra under his conducting - like to see Aladdin`s treasure:) It sounds so perfectly and naturally that sometimes you just forget how it is difficult and that it performed by professionals of extra class, taking it as just a real life. In the whole Markevitch`s interpretation of Glinka`s opera is very deep and very understandable, as he is native Russian and it is in his flesh and blood.
Boris Christoff as Ivan is a great singer and great artist, but for me his Susanin sometimes sounds too much aggressive. But I believe his opera hero, maybe he just had a not easy character:)
The brilliant of this recording is of course young Nicolai Gedda with his extraordinary performance of Sobinin`s aria. It is so hard and difficult for tenors (mostly because of extremely high tessitura), that even in Russian theatres (including Stalin`s Bolshoi!!!) this aria is always missed as nobody tried singing it. But as well known, no any technical difficulties for Gedda, so this aria recording remains only and reference so far. By the way, nowadays Janez Lotric sings the aria, and sings very nice.
Teresa Stich-Randall is a wonderful Antonida, may be finding fault a little with her Russian pronounce, but it`s only with comparison with her partners - both of them know Russian very well!!!
I am glad and happy to buy and listen this great recording.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Russian grand opera at its finest, October 15, 2010

By 

N. Freidin "Melomane" (Huntington, WV) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Glinka: A Life For The Tsar (La Vie Pour Le Tsar) [Czar] [Boris Christoff, Teresa Stich-Randall, Nicolai Gedda, Melanie Bugarinovich; Lamoureux Orchestra; Chorus of the Belgrade Opera; Igor Markevitch, Conductor] (Audio CD)

I agree fully with the review by Petr Bochkov. This is the version to have of Glinka's opera. You will not find better interpreters in the roles of Susanin (Christoff), Sobinin (Gedda) and Antonida (Stich-Randall). And the conductor, Igor Markevitch, keeps a tight ship. Be warned that this is a moderately cut version. The opera underwent several revisions by the composer himself in 1836 and 1837, and numerous modern mutilations, including a change of title ('Hammer and Sickle' and 'Ivan Susanin' during the Soviet era). For a full score recording, we have the Sofia Festival Orchestra (Bulgaria) under Emile Tchakarov, with a commendable cast in brilliant sound on the Sony label, released in 1989.

This recording, made in Paris in 1957, re-issued on the Italian GOP (NOT to be confused with the US Republican Party !) label from the EMI original release, is sold at a budget price. It does not come with a libretto, only numbered tracks, but the mono sound is excellent.

This is the finest rendition of the masterpiece from the 'father of Russsian opera'.