Customer Reviews

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]

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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.

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'.