Customer Reviews

Mussorgsky - Boris Godunov

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Look no further - finally, Mussorgsky's ideas about his great drama have been realized. This is the ONLY video of Boris Godunov using Mussorgsky's own orchestration. (After the composer's death, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov took it upon himself to create a new orchestration, arrogantly considering that Mussorgsky could not possibly have meant his music to sound the way it did. Unfortunately, this reorchestration was the standard version until very recently - almost all the available recordings of the great Russian basses in this role are the Rimsky-Korsakov version.) Murder, treachery, passion and misery - what more could one want from a great opera? Mussorgsky's epic is brilliantly staged by the great Russian film director Andrei Tarkovsky in a rich production from London's Covent Garden (1983). Tarkovsky succeeds in posing disquieting psychological questions in a brutally faithful rendition of great originality and profundity. There are no cuts in Mussorgsky's music in this production: it is allowed to speak for itself. The film dates from 1990, when the production was given and filmed at St. Petersburg's ornate Mariinsky Theater. A mostly Russian cast, including Olga Borodina as Marina, Alexei Steblianko as the false Dimitri, Sergei Leiferkus as Rangoni and Alexander Morosov as Pimen, is headed by the English bass Robert Lloyd in the title role (and only rarely is his foreign accent noticeable!). The singing is magnificent throughout - I think the recording technology itself is responsible for a loss of sheen from the soloists and the orchestra, conducted with true insight and bravura by a young Valery Gergiev. The chorus is superb. My only criticism is that, throughout, the film is somehow too clean and self-conscious. The extensive subtitles are extremely helpful, as are the all-too-brief notes included with the set. I hope your interest will be piqued enough to delve into this fascinating period of Russian history. Perhaps the greatest triumph of this film is that Mussorgsky's own vision of Russia is at last presented as I feel he would have wished. Bravo to the entire production!

Although this is a valuable record of a memorable production (the great Russian film-maker Andrei Tarkovsky's only operatic staging), purchasers of the DVD should be warned that the picture quality is absolutely diabolical.

It was sourced from a PAL video recording originally made by the BBC, but for some reason (presumably US/Japanese sales) the DVD authors decided to convert it into the NTSC system, which plays havoc with the picture definition. Worse, the low-bitrate transfer has added digital artefacts galore, which get particularly blocky every time the camera pans or zooms.

Thankfully, the sound quality (either PCM stereo or DTS 5.1) is vastly superior, and the set as a whole is clearly a must for Mussorgsky fans and Tarkovsky completists - bad though the picture is, it never completely obliterates the virtues of the original. But it's a real pity that corporate greed has made this such a badly compromised product, as I can't see a separate PAL DVD appearing any time soon.

Boris Godunov is perhaps the most intensely dramatic of all operas, showing the fall of a great man marred by his guilt in the struggle for power. That decline and fall is reflected in the rise of his nemesis, Gregory (the false Dmitri), who in history died shortly after seizing the crown at the hands of the ever conniving Shuisky. Beyond these personal tragedies and intrigues is deeper tragedy of the Russian people; they are forever suffering and misled. "Hungry people,cry" is the last line of the opera.

Mussorgsky's extraordinarily original music makes us live and feel every nuance of his drama. All roles are beautifully sung and powerfully acted. Lloyd is a brilliant Boris. I have never seen another Varlaam portray his role with such humor. Cardinal Rangoni hovers like a spider over Marina as he twists her to his will. Gergiev is a superb conductor of Mussorgsky's original orchestrations.

The staging is also extraordinary: Tarkovsky brilliantly uses the same basic set depict a myriad of scenes, enabling each to flow into the next seamlessly. Actors portray sculptures in the Polish garden scene, changing position to mark shifts of perspective. Nevertheless, some of his devices detract from the inner strength of the drama: Boris recoils in terror from the call for alms of poor in the coronation scene; the ghost of Dmitri (the rightful Tsar whom Boris had had murdered)hovers endlessly through the play. Worst of all: Tarkovsky has everyone fall down dead at the end of the Kromny scene, instead of marching out in false triumph behind the false Dmitri.

I think that this DVD is the greatest opera DVD in my collection. The production itself is beautiful. All of the singers are fabulous. Rarely (particularly in a live production)are all of the singers first rate. The tessitura for Dimitri is a killer. The tenor handles it beautifully. The singer playing Pimen is a gem. His voice is wonderful and his acting is very entertaining. Borodina is magical in her love duet with Dimitri.

With this production, Boris stands up as one of the world's greatest operatic masterpieces along anything out of Wagner's or Verdi's top drawer.

By the way, the production has a very satisfying psychological quality to it. It is not a bunch of actors that are stiff as a board singing on a stage that is loaded with ornate sets. The production is very involving and really quite modern. The colors are breathtaking.

The DVD is fully entertaining and bears frequent reviewing. If I could, I would give it 10 stars

Post Script: I am not changing my impression of this fabulous performance. It is still probably the best performed opera I have on DVD, but now I have a flat screen LCD television. The Sony Bravia hilites the rather low level resolution of this production. If you have a traditional (not digital or hi-definition) television. the resolution will still look quite good. On and LCD or plasma television, the current version of the DVD may disappoint.

This is an incredibly powerful production of one of the most poignant operas written. The cast is uniformly excellent, with Borodina as particularly fine Marina and Leiferkus as a remarkably sinister Rangoni. Lloyd's Boris is wonderfully acted, but his vocal performance is less than ideal--he is far too woofy in his singing. All other aspects of this performance are epic, and it establishes itself as the definitive version of the Mussorgksy orchestrations (the colors and lighting seem to match the music perfectly). Of particular note is the shattering St. Basil scene, one of the most remarkable scenes in all of opera. I highly recommend this DVD.

Mussorgsky's opera BORIS GODUNOV is not for the faint of heart in any way! The story deals with the deception and treachery of Boris Godunov, a government minister in Russia in the early 1600s who becomes ruler when the reigning Czar he is serving dies, and then has the rightful heir to the throne, a young boy, murdered, thus assuring his ascent to power. Boris is eventually afflicted with guilt and goes mad. Mussorgsky's music is glorious, and there are lighter elements in the story line, but "Boris Godunov" is an opera with deep psychological and political meanings and lessons to be learned. This does not create the light-hearted mood of Rossini's "The Barber of Seville" or Mozart's "Cosi fan tutte", for example.

Valery Gergiev conducts the Kirov Orchestra in a live 1990 performance from St. Petersburg to a packed, enthused audience. English bass Robert Lloyd portrays Russia's tormented ruler with all the commitment I can imagine. The other singers, all Russians are not familiar to me, but they sing with commitment and energy. I'm not sure I like Varlaam's aria as well as Feodor Chaliapin sang it-available in a Naxos overview recording made in the late 1920s- but this "Boris.." is very well sung and acted.

Some viewers may not agree with my praise for this production, but I thought this was a terrific performance, and am overwhelmed by Mussorgsky's music, and the opera plot. I don't watch this very often: it is not for the faint of heart, and I must be in a certain, very strong mood to enjoy it. Recommended if you like (or can handle) the story line and Mussorgsky's music.

First, he has a pretty voice.

It's hard to find pretty bass-voices.

Even great singers like Ghiaurov can't be said without any reservation to posses a pretty voice.

Second, he is a superb actor, both vocally and visually.

He perhaps overacts occasionally, but in opera unlike in a spoken drama it's acceptable.

Mussorgsky's originals are superb to Rimsky-Korsakov's arrangement in any respect except for economy perhaps.

Take for example Boris' great monolog:

the first time the famous tune appear it begins on B flat; in the second time the second half of the tune is transposed a quart higher; and the third time it begins on E flat.

Rimsky transposed the beginnings of the first two, hence we get to hear the same tune three times unchanged.

What for?

Lloyd is a real deep-bass, which is another advantage for using Mussorgsky's original.

Because of Rimsky's transposition the bass has to reach the high G flat twice, which is a hard thing for a bass (perhaps it's better to give the part to a baritone whenever using Rimsky's version), and even young Ghiaurov cracked those notes a bit in Karajan's recording.

Mussorgsky's originals fit the bass tessitura better.

Now, for the rest of the cast: in one word - unsurpassable!

Steblianko has a huge voice and an astonishing flexibility.

Borodina is beautiful, both vocally and visually, and her duet with Leiferkus as Ragoni is stunning.

There is no place where Boris Godunov sounds better than where it was premiered - The Mariinsky Theatre!

Gergiev is outstanding.

The stage-direction is unique.

It's the definite "Boris Godunov" production.

Seeing the names "Valery Gergiev" and "Kirov Opera", my interest was instantly piqued. As both are renowned globally for their superb performances, this is the one I chose (from many others) to present to an opera class that I teach. The class and I were definitely pleased.

From the first note, it was obvious that Gergiev and his orchestra were of one mind. Gergiev conducted with fire, brilliance, tenderness and sadness throughout the Prologue-Acts 1, 2, 3 version. His podium prowess was matched by the singers, especially Robert Lloyd in the title role. He maintained a consistent demeanor of heaviness and guilt thruout, coupled with a rich bass-baritone that was even from top to bottom and completely at his command. The Death Scene stands out as superbly acted and tightly focused around the text amd the future of his son.

As Marina, Olga Borodina was a tour de force: she immediately took command of the stage in Act II and delivered the goods vocally from top to bottom. My one complaint is that she appeared to have a number of "stock positions", from which she repeatedly drew. However, the radiance of her voice and her own personal beauty overshone any short-comings in the acting department.

It was slightly disappointing to see that Boris' son, Feodor, was sung by Larissa Dyatkova, when there are several premier countertenors who make the part so believable. Hers was a young voice, so that helped to create the innocence of youth, but her overall delivery kept reminding me of a superlative Octavian.

The one distressing aspect of this performance was the Opera Chorus, that sounded at times as if each singer was auditioning for a part...rather than working with his/her fellow colleagues. The tone was slightly raucus, uneven, and lacked a sense of cohesion--perhaps the Russian language is not conducive to achieving this?

What a relief it was to see that this production was done with a sense of realistic sets and costumes. It rang true historically instead of being moved to modern times, where one has to figure out the symbolism (if any) in addition to listening and "feeling" what is trying to be communicated--even if you do know the plot.

There are many other DVDs from which to choose, with the two best (in my opinion) is the Kirov [traditiona] and the Gran Teatre del Liceu [contemporary]. Of these two, the Kirov wins by 1] having Gergief at the helm; and, 2] a cast where virtually all the singers are Russian.

This is an excellent production of an opera that is in danger of being neglected. The stage director, respected Russian film director Andrei Tarkovsky, respects history and the music while keeping the scenes flowing. The score is drawn from Mussorgsky's final conception, rather than using the re-orchestrations of Rimsky-Korsakov or Shostokovich, so that the opera retains its "Macbeth"-like power. British baritone Robert Lloyd starred while the Kirov Opera was on tour, but he seems emersed in the demanding role.

Reviewing my comments and those written by others about this extaordinary opera, I do not think I can better what has been written in THE GRAMOPHONE

magazine, "This is masterly on almost every count, musical and visual, and would now be the outright choice for this work in all media...Front stage, as it were, are some of the best of the current generation of

Russian singers...Gergiev is another of the recording's heros. Seldom, if

ever...has the score sounded so hauntingly beautiful and apt for this huge

panorama of seventeenth-century Russia.. Don't miss this riveting experience."

Pesonally, I experienced the comment by my father, Dr. D W Stomberg, many years ago that a San Francisco staged production was boring, he almost fell asleep during the presentation. Not now, say I, this is all of the

aforementioned and more!