Customer Reviews

Rimsky-Korsakov: Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh

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

 

 

This recording has the field to itself, as the only competitor (on KOCH, from the Harry Kupfer production at the 1995 Bregenz Festival) cuts 1 hour (out of 3) from the running time. 'Kitezh' is a strange, complex, beautiful and infuriating work. It combines two ancient legends, that of the saintly maiden Fevronia who heals and cures a Prince, with the legend of Kitezh, a holy city that avoids destruction by a Tartar invasion by becoming invisible. Some tableaux are contemplative and static, others represent tumultuous happenings, such as the Tartar invasion interrupting a wedding feast, others depict strong psychological conflict between the saintly heroine Fevronia and a befuddled atheist drunkard, Grishka Kuterma, who betrays the position of the holy city to the Tartars, blames it on Fevronia, and ends up running deranged into a vast forest, the bells of the holy city echoing in his head(a moment of rare psychological frisson in Rimsky's operas). The final scene in Paradise where everyone dead is resurrected and a letter sent to the lost Grisha (the scene that is almost completely missing in the KOCH recording) is possibly overlong, anti-climactic and repetitious, yet contains some of Rimsky's most spell-binding music. Other highlights are the scene of the Tartars flight when they see the reflection of the invisible city in the lake, and not the city itself (CD 2 track 25), a rapt tonally unvarying scene where a magic mist descends over the beseiged city (CD 2 tracks 14-15)- (some people find this exasperatingly long, but in the age of wholesale minimalism a la Philip Glass, a few static long drawn out sequences shouldn't frighten anyone), the transformation of the dark forest into a paradise in act 4, in fact almost the whole final act is inspired at the highest level. In the psychological scenes Rimsky tries hard, but he was not a natural dramatist and you do miss the hallucinatory intensity that Mussorgsky would have provided. In fact Rimsky appropriates quite a few ideas from the mad scenes of 'Boris Godunov'. So, an uneven, ambitious work that has a unique and compelling flavour.

The performance, a live one from 1994 (why has this taken nearly 6 years to appear?)is musically on a very high level. Gergiev paces the work unerringly and the orchestral playing is alternately exquisite and forceful and in general the singing is fine. Galina Gorchakova as Fevronia sings with glorious tone. Unfortunately she cannot begin to suggest the other-worldly saintly quality of the heroine with such a timbre, but she sings a long role tirelessly, and compared to some of her other recordings, is genuinely involving and her intonation is fine. Yuri Marusin as her fiance has one of the strangest tenorial timbres I have heard - almost vibratoless and rather plummy. I rather like it, though I can imagine it is not to all tastes. He does have intonation problems in the last act, but attempts to bring to life what is a thankless role. The mad Grisha is the same tenor as on the KOCH abridgement, Vladimir Galuzin. This performance predates the KOCH one by a year - there he is gripping but all over the place as regards the score, here he is reined in, much more accurate and just as intense - a great deal better for repeated listening. Nicolai Ohotnikov is disappointing as the patriarch Prince Yury, he has a gravely beautiful solo (recorded with real gravitas in the past by Boris Christoff) which lacks breadth and grandeur here, mainly due to an infuriating habit of anticipating the beat. Luxury casting to have Larissa Diadkova as a bird of paradise, and other solo roles vary from good to characterful. The recording quality is not great - some orchestral details get lost, particularly muted brass and woodwind and the live aspect is trying: the audience is enthusiastic but bronchial (noticeably worst in Act 3), applause ruins the (what should be) shocking end of Act 3, which never resolves - brass depicting a vast tolling bell that fades into nothingness is drowned out. Luckily the fading chord at the end of the opera is able to fade before the understandably enthusiastic audience takes over - ideally silence would be best. The Tartar invasion in Act 2 sounds as if someone is trying to force your front door. But all reservations aside, this is an essential release for lovers of russian opera - there's nothing quite like it in the repertoire, and here it packs a powerful, if discursive, punch.

I think some folks have gotten their wires crossed in terms of recordings here. The Philips release was recorded live in St. Petersburg in 1994, but there isn't the slightest trace of crowd noises, and if I hadn't gone back to check just now, I would have sworn it was a studio recording.

That said, I'm afraid I don't have the expertise to comment on the vocal talents of individual performers. I might be an opera buff, but I'm not knowledgeable enough to make skilled critiques of individual performances. What I CAN say is that in spite of my lack of formal training, this opera (this recording, specifically) quickly became one of my favorites in my collection of over one hundred operas. The vocalists certainly don't sound bad, and the orchestra plays with all the passion due an opera by a Russian Nationalist composer. Maybe it's just wishful thinking, or maybe it's just that I love magic opera of the romantic persuasion, but I think that Rimsky-Korsakov's operas are starting to get some more attention among fans in the US.

Kitezh has everything that you'd expect from Rimsky-Korsakov-- highly romanticized, mythological themes, lush orchestration (and I can say with some confidence that Gergiev conducts the music with emotion and fire to spare), and drawn-out arias that highlight the emotions and sincerity of the lead characters. One frequent criticism that just plain confuses me is that this opera is long-winded and dull. Unfortunately, the only response I can think of is 'No, it's not.' Perhaps what it comes down to is an individual take on Rinsky-Korsakov's music. If you're drawn toward his lush sound and devotion to larger-than-life themes, then Kitezh will most likely satisfy you with its aural richness, unfailingly romantic themes (of a Brothers Grimm meets Andersen bent), and epic scope. If you're looking for gritty realism or head-on engagement of contemporary philosophical themes, then you've come to the wrong place. This opera is strictly for adults who retain a special place in their hearts for a fantasy world that never was, and may never be, but can always be dreamt of. This is that world's soundtrack.

I adore this opera, but this recording skips between tracks. While one is listening, appreciating the supernal voices--CLICK. Although the gaps are minimal, it is cruelty because it removes the work from achieving perfection.

A few months ago I discovered Boris Godounov which caused this Mozart and Wagner opera lover to go Russian mad! After hitting Boris, Khovanschina and Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin and Pique Dame, I decided Rimsky-Korsakov would be my next target. Not knowing quite what piece I should start with I choose this- because I fit it's subject matter appealing.

This really is a wonderful opera and the previous reviewer certainly has posted a top notch review, so there isn't much to add to it other than that I agree with him.

While this certainly is not at the level of Moussorgsky's Boris Godounov or even his unfinished Khovanschina, it is a wonderful piece that is worthy of many listens. Kitezh is full or beautiful and thrilling chorus', great orchestral interludes, and just plain great musical tunes.

The scenes described by the previous reviewer are indeed compelling and beautiful, however, I don't think the ACT III finale is necessarily ruined- fading off to silence is hardly a point that is much missed.

It's a wonderful opera full of great tunes. If you are a Russian opera lover- get it. If this is one of your first Russian operas and/or you don't have Moussorgsky's Boris Godounov- get that instead. The Kirov recording of Boris is incredible and Philips went way above and beyond the call of duty by recording both the 1869 version (2 discs) and the 1872 version (3 discs)-- giving us 5 discs for the price of 3 and two complete libretto's. Boris is the greatest of Russian operatic masterpieces.

Maestro Gergiev and his team have done us a great service by introducing the western world to the brilliance and stunning beauty of Rimsky-Korsakov. It is unfortunate, however, that they give with one hand yet take away with the other. It's been some time since this great composition has been readily available in the UK/US. Why then, have there not been efforts to produce a better recording?

Ms. Gorchakova starts out very well. I agree that the role would have been more convincing with a more 'youthful' voice but this is, after all, grand opera and a lighter voice may not be able to go the marathon. Not impossible though- as Dame Margaret Price proved in moving from Mozart to Wagner's best Isolde in my opinion. But Ms. Gorchakova's loverly, rich (but unwobbly) soprano is delight. As the performance goes on, however, she seems less involved. I do not believe that every singer is given to sighs and gasps but with such a long work, a few would have gone some way to convey a greater sense of drama despite the singer's lack of involvement. This isn't spite; as said below, Ms. Gorchakova herself said that she was bored. Nevertheless, had it been a studio recording, the beauty of her voice alone may still have won through.

Yuri Marusin's tenor isn't exactly Sergei Larin's heart-stopping charm or Evgyeny Akimov's endearing youthful glow. I found it a little too rustic, given the already rough-hewn sound quality. He sings well enough though and so do the other performers. Larissa Dyadkova, for example is consistent in her quality and it was happy to discover Olga Korzhenskaya's voice within the Kirov team. Mikhail Kit's depthless bass is another consistent pleaser but he too deserved a better recording.

This brings me to the debated issue here. With all respect to the other reviewers, I found it imposible to even consider for a second that this was a studio recording. Perhaps there are different/improved recordings being sold under the same cover. This is the only explanation I could find for saying that this live recording isn't distractingly so. There are many stage noises and coughs from the audience and there is regular applause at the end of each scene.

I appreciate that this work is monumental but frankly, so is Boris Godinov and we have the excellent von Karajan and Abbado recordings. There are even longer works such as Wagner's Parsifal and indeed his entire dramatic Ring Cycle. These works have been performed in the studio to great acclaim. I do not exclusively hate live recordings but when there are this many obtrusive noises, it does a great injustice to the composer, the performaers and us as listeners to have such a large price tag to contend with, given the recording quality. Consider Abbado's Khovanshchina- a live recording of a monumental work reaching a zenith status, yet I didn't even know that was live until the end. I would happily pay full-price for a good recording of this work. The opera is more than worth it but this set is not. We are making too much of substandard productions in what is/ought to be a buyer's market. The names Gergiev and Phillips alone should not absolve this set let alone inflate it to its current monopoly position.

There is no doubt that this opera is a strange hybrid of Christian legend and Russian folklore which is probably more resonant both musically and dramatically to a native audience than to Western ears. Then there are the composer's habitual problems with pacing, sustaining drama and creating psychological depth; too much of this work remains static and unvarying despite the profusion of lovely melodies, particularly those associated with Fevronyia. This is an expensive set and although the sound is good for a live recording there are some imbalances and slightly obtrusive noises - but not too much of that. The two lead tenors are unlovely of timbre, being throaty and whining; Yuri Masurin's Prince hardly sounds heroic and Galusin's Grishka Kuterma is a pain in the ears in the same way that Klauss-Narr is in Schoenberg's "Gurrelieder" and Mussorgsky's Fool in "Boris" can be - and he has far too much music to sing. Not all the supporting parts are especially well sung: Nicolai Ohotnikov, for example, with his gravelly bass, makes little of Prince Yury's aria.

And yet...to me, despite Masurin's odd tone, the opening scene is made a delight by Gorchakova's gorgeous singing and Gergiev's sensitive direction. Gorchakova might not have the naivety the character of Fevroniya demands, but she has such a big, stirring, pure-toned instrument that she is thrilling to hear. Some of the orchestral passages such as the transformation scene and the forest music are magical and even hypnotic in their effect. I can well imagine how this over-long and uneven opera might succeed on stage if there is sufficient pageantry. I must contradict the assertions of a previous reviewer by observing that the influence of Wagner seems to me to be overwhelming. The composer might well have written such music before he had even heard the "Ring" - but he is clearly and frequently quoting directly here from "Forest Murmurs" and "The Magic Fire Music". It is not an opera perhaps that one thirsts to hear often but there is much here that repays listening when you are in the mood.

Though I do not agree with Rimsky-Korsakov being "knee-height" to Wagner's "towers" (which certainly have ther due greatness BUT, as one reviewer of his Parsifal so aptly pointed out, are packed with a lot of "detritus"....they really do lumber on with those long arias) I certainly have my reservations about THIS Rimsky-Korsakov recording. I am yet to discover a digital, studio recording of Kitezh. I share the previous reviwers' relief that this is a complete recording but what a bad one!

I do not share the view that the noise is acceptable. One particular hacking cough from the audience had me wondering if the cougher was cast as a part of the performance, given how well-miked she was. The applause, though well-derserved for a live performance, is never welcome on CD until perhaps the end (at least not for me). But considering it is present at the end of each Act, to hear these audial obstructions in the same place EVERY time (i.e., the fact that they are recorded) is maddening.

The next matter is Galinan Gorchakova. Stunning voice, though not a very "involved" reading (she later admitted in an interview that she found the performance 'boring') AND sadly miscast. Fevroniya's character is that of a young and innocent maiden. Despite her talent, Gorchakova's voice is much too rich...much too mature for this role to be as convincing as it should be. Here, Marina Shaguch would have been IDEAL...if only she exercises more control over her breathing. I yearn for the day when this lovely soprano will silence her critics for calling her singing "edgy".

The next matter concerns the full-price of these recordings from Gergiev's Philips series. Many of his recordings are, of course, well worth it. However, the full-price of THIS Kitezh cannot be justified (3 discs or NOT) given such a noisy recording. The music IS stunning and this opera DESERVES to be made MUCH more popular than it is. Along a similar vein, I also have no doubt that Rimsky's Sadko is every bit as musically mesmerising (given the exerpted concert arias I have come across), however, as the Philips/Gergiev production of Sadko is another reputedly NOISY recording, I refuse to purchase it at full-price (Gergiev or NOT!). Reissue or re-make is my position.

We certainly deserve better; therefore: 1 star for the stunning composition; 1 for the monumental work of producing it; 1 for the other well-sung roles.

I, too, believe that Julian Grant got his recordings mixed up. The Gergiev is quite free from noise. There is some stage noise associated with a live performance but the audience was quiet except for applause, which came a short period of silence.

I also agree on the excellent quality of the singers. If one is interested in hearing the operas of Rimsky, Gergiev is a good choice. I find myself wanting to see these operas performed in the US. Tchaikovsky is performed regularly so why not Rimsky Korsakov?

There is an highlights productionm by Gergiev on Philips. This copie I own. Next to this opera, highlights are presented from the Maid of Pskov, Sadko, The tsar`s bride and Kaschey the immortal. Oustanding production!

...the audience IS relatively quiet throughout the performance; they do NOT applaud too early at the ends of acts and, when they do, it is polite, muffled applause.

The recorded sound is extraordinary for a live performance. The orchestra is clearly in focus; the voices benefit from the good stage acoustic of the Kirov Theatre, with just enough reverberance to make the voices ring naturally.

My problem is with the music. It's mediocre at best. All of these type of Russian operas sound alike to me; they just go on and on and on interminably, very little change or variation, and in the case of Rimsky, lack of inspiration was often a factor. If you like Russian opera and/or "Kitezh," however, I am sure that this recording will please you. Gorchakova's voice is absolutely gorgeous, and the rest of the cast is fine if not on the exalted level of individual singers of the past.