Mussorgsky - Boris Godunov. Coronation scene. Bolshoi

[windstorm1000]

the music is grand, colorful--and threatening--at the same time....

[BegoneJonah]

I love that beginning orchestral part, that tick tocking, fatalistic music. It is so distinctive.

[kuiperbelt2003]

I know what you mean. I saw a version of Midsummer's Night's Dream at the Lyric in Chicago and Lysander and Hermia were dressed as suburban Americans on vacation...shorts and Hawaiian shirts.

[GerardRatigan]

Grandiose !

[furtunatinho]

puxa! muito bom esse boris!

sei fazer igual xD



[jgesselberty]

Great to see the Bolshoi is still doing opera in the period for which it was written. The Germans or we Americans would have the peasants in hot pants and Boris would cruise in on a skateboard while the clergy would bless him by throwing pies in his face.

[RADAMES1983]

@jgesselberty

I know what you mean...

Yes, I also like the "real" productions.

They can be moders, new, but should be smart, beutiful and serve the music, and not the opposite...

[GEMahler]

@jgesselberty LOL!!!!!!!

[PikaACDC]

@jgesselberty I resent these allegations in that you are being a biased twat. In fact, American companies can produce just as great a production of this fine opera as can any country or opera house. A production much like the one on this video is travelling America at this very moment, and Boris does most certainly not cruise in on a skateboard. Opera is a beloved pastime and quite well respected. Thank you for your time.

[jgesselberty]

@PikaACDC "biased twat" ? - insults are the last bastion of the person who has no real answer and nothing of substance to contribute to a discussion. I will leave you with your hot pants and skateboard. I am sure there are many fine American productions of many operas, but the Lady Gaga versions get all the attention, undeservedly, in my humble opion.

[GarisMom]

In 1983 I was privileged to see Godunov at the Bolshoi. I treasure that memory.

[dalecampbl6]

moussourgsky is such an awesome composers...his music appears to be almost without melody, but a few listens in and it seems like it is full of melodies...so musically cohesive, no singular arias or love duets, but just amazing choruses in general

[RADAMES1983]

@dalecampbl6

You should listen to the original version of the marina- Dimitry duet from the opera.

It's amazing!

[dalecampbl6]

yeah i shouldn't have said there "no arias or duet" just that they're really short and seem to go from one to the other without stoppage...I love all of his stuff..esp. boris and khovanshchina and his songs and his pictures at exhibition

[themouseofevil]

@dalecampbl6 You know, Mussorgsky didn't orchestrate most of his pieces. Some say that he wasn't very good at orchestration, so other composers such as Rimsky-Korsakov and Dmitri Shostakovich, and Maurice Ravel re-orchestrated his music. I think this recording is Rimsky-Korsakov's orchestration.

[Randmeister52]

@themouseofevil Au contraire, Mussorgsky was a great orchestrator, it is just that Rimsky and some other rather self-possessed Russians thought they could do better, but all they did was to re-write music that was great to start with.... they knew it was so good that they could take it and put their own inflection on it and it would still be great. Not a bad idea, but Mussorgsky knew what he was doing and was a true genius! Such a loss to music that he died so young.

[dalecampbl6]

@themouseofevil i have a boris version by Abbado who claims to have recorded the authentic version...besides didn't Mussourgsky finished Boris Godunov (orchestration and all)? But that was his only finished opera.

[minasgekos]

@dalecampbl6 yes, Modest was a pure ''melodist''. He cared less about the form - he went directly to the substance. Great composer

[P1B1U1H1]

@dalecampbl6 Being a drunken slimebag has its advantages. Puccini was his moral equal.

[P1B1U1H1]

This performance is so great it electrifies you every second. Can't stop laughing at the tonalities and how they richly bring out the force of the story. Immensely powerful.

[wodili]

I saw this opera very often in Vienna and twice in Salzburg... It´s a great piece espascially for the basses! as Boris I heard Nesterenko Raimondi Ramea Kotcherga Lloyd Burchuladze ... Really a great opera allthough Chowantschtschina is the better work. Nesterenko is a great Boris!!! I´ve seen him 3 times as Boris. It was great. The italian parts are not his spesciality, but Boris...

[Rigoletto69]

Thank you Radames I fully enjoyed... such good singers and music from Mussorgsky... by the way now there is singing Boris Vladimir Matorin... He is a monstor...

[jollekotte]

This brings back memories, when i was 13 i was in this opera at Gothenburgs Opera house.

The whole production of it was amazing!

Thanks for posting this video.. also, I'm 15 years old now. hehe

[RADAMES1983]

Hehe :)

Thanks for the comment.

I'm in love with this opera since 13 as well, and sow this production twice on the Bolshoi on 2007.

If you like it - Watch Mussorgsky's "Khovanshchina". Great Opera as well, but a bit less known that "Boris".

[vivascargill]

I tried Khonanshchina  but it had not the power--perhaps because I heard Boris Christof sing Boris when i was young and I never had heard anything like it,

[I2like2eatpies]

Opera is for homosexuals ;)

(joke)

[jollekotte]

...Just tell me when to laugh...

[KZM9484]

thanks for posting :)

[jnsii]

As you notice, i am definitely on a theme here. I am re-reading Dostoyevsky as well.

[jnsii]

No this is not an ordinary performance. I think people who think such a thing would- to quote a phrase- argue over deck chairs on the Titantic! Put the teacup down.

[lewtroop]

I once saw this opera at Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires. Sam Ramey sang Boris and it was altogether a stunning production. As may be known, the Colon has one of the largest stages in the world which fits both the intimacy and the heroics of this piece. The first "Boris" I heard was Cristoff who was magnificent. One cannot slight the Bolshoi on production values but, in places, the chorus looks more "herded" than choreogaphed.

[iskajipig]

This is not good interpretation.... Nesterenko is a ordinary singer. Many western sngers are more better/ And now in Bolshoi is interesting stating of this opera by Alexander Sokurov. Its a real success

[RADAMES1983]

Look, I wouldn't take the responsebility to say that Nesterenko is "Ordinary singer"...

You can critisise him, for good and for bad, but he is defenetely not "ordinary"....

This kind of critic in generally says nothing...

[negritina]

Pure rubbish. Nesterenko is not an "ordinary" singer. What kind of prejudices are you bringing to your reviews with a comment like "many Western singers are better". By the way, "more better" doesn't exist in English!

[JorPove]

Aunque la carrera de escenografia modernamente se hace en universidades, prefiero las puestas en escena tradicionales,ricas en folklor , basadas en las costumbres ancestrales que narran las operas.Por ejemplo esta opera puesta en escena modernamente con vestidos occidentales no tendria el dramatismo que requiere la obra. Por eso suelo leer muchas criticas a las puestas en escena de operas alemanas y francesas tradicionales que ceden el folklor a la modernidad escenografica.

[texman210]

By far the best coronation scene I've seen for this opera.

[oegaziz43]

A great scene in a fine production of one of my very favorite operas. No "alcoholic paranoia" projected onto Boris.

Instead a profound psychological drama of guilt, mixed with possible pathological guilt which is a symptom of depression. Many symptoms of depression were included. Political intrigue also warranted guardedness' add in a brilliantly depicted corrupted, yet Holy, and powerful Church, the glory and suffering of the Russian soul and people, and you have a great opera.

[Avarakedavra]

Many Russia artists have this problem...

[Ferdinand300]

This is much better as Talvela.

Mussorgsky has compost songs of death too, who are very strong.....

[vvZAPHODvv]

The only opera I do like very much is russian opera, and this here is great! By the way, how are those axemen in white fur called?

[beginner57]

It's easy to realize that Boris'drama is the drama of his own composer,the allucinated paranoids of a genius wasted by alchool, too advanced to be understood by the men of his times.

[RADAMES1983]

Let me gisegree with you :)

Mussorgsky was't a crazy paranoid.Yes, he had big problems with alcohol (aspecially on the end of his life),but he had a lot of friends, he used to take a part in many public events, and had a full life.He had another problem,to bring his ideas to the end and finish them,but many people have this problem and they are not paranoids...

[beginner57]

I didn't say"a crazy paranoic"!

I said a "genius wasted by alchool". And if you talk with persons who passed through alcohoolism, they will confirm you that deliriun for alcohool is terrible: you REALLY SEE your paranoids, the monsters of your mind taking visible form...

[zenek78]

And you really think that ,,Boris Godunov'' was made by his alcohol allucinations? That is not true. 1/2

[RADAMES1983]

I can see throug his music a genius man, incredeble musician and dramatist, with a great love to Russia,her history and people, and extraordinary understanding of human nature and relations.

[beginner57]

I agree!

[RADAMES1983]

Oh sei Italiana? Mi piace :)

Devi sentire del "Polacco atto" al redazione originale del Mussorgski. E meraviglioso!

E piu lungo del Korsakov versione, e piu molto dramatico, romantico e belle.

Anche tutta la parte del Dimitry e altra, e la autentica parte per un Tenore...

[zenek78]

Mussogorsky finaly wrote this opera in 1872 (exactly 22'nd June 1872 he had ready score). He lived in Opochinyn house in that time. Very happyfully time for him. He started drinking after writing ,,Boris Godunov'', afer 1873. At first, ,,Boris Godunov'' was denied to show by censors (first version 10'th February 1871, after thad Mussogorsky made some changes in score and later, in summer 1973 second version was studied by censors - they reject second version too). After this he started drinking.

[beginner57]

Sorry, I disagree. The first version was written in 1868-69; he started drinking while he was working as an officier(long time before).In 1874 he was already alcohol-addicted since a long time; his addiction got worse and worse in the following years,until he died in 1881.

[beginner57]

Actually, this version is more full of strenght and blood, I don't know if it's only for the director or for something else. Can you tell me the difference between Mussorgskij's score and Rimskij-Korsakov version? Thank you.

However, is a wonderful music. Thank you for posting this opera.

It's a music that enter into blood and bones, I have no words to express the emotion it gaves to me...

[RADAMES1983]

The difference is mostly the orchestration, and because of it all the scene (and all the opera acctually).

Korsakov have done a great wotk to push Mussorgsky music to be performed and famous, but he also "corrected" the music because he thought it's not "estetic" anough...

But now, and some people also then, could see that there is nothing to be corrected, and Korsakov "cleaned" by this many of Mussorgsky's great new ideas of harmony.

[RADAMES1983]

2: So, when you hear the original version (that mostely performed on the last 30 years), you can see that it's much mor complicated than Korsakov made it. It's full of fear, darknes, and all the story of Dimitry - Marina - Rangoni is also much longer and dramatic.

Korsakov made it as a beautiful opera, but Mussorgsky version is a deep sicological drama (and musically much more interesting and powerfull)..

that's my oppinion.

[eppurs1muove]

Is the Talvela record the 1st recorded original orchestration? He was a great Bosis too.

Btw, I think Shostakovich was wrong blaming Mussorgski's orchestration is messy here because he couldn't orchestrate. With the crowd & all, a scene like this ought to sound messy, I think that's what Mussorgski was after.

[beginner57]

Listen to the incipit...it's astonishing! It was written 100 years before Philip Glass...

[RADAMES1983]

This is a version which "corrected" by Rimsky - Korsakov.

Listen to the original Mussorgsky vertion of it and you will be even more surprise... :)

(I will add it now as a video responce to this one, so you will easyally find it :)

[KnusperhexeRosmer]

wonderful! i hope, they will not change this production.

[srg2457]

I don't think there's a better-sung version on youtube.

[Northside777]

Mussorgsky was way way ahead of his time in terms of far-flung harmonic writing, combining old church modes with modern chromatic progressions and rhythmic mirroring of chords.

[mvtp47]

Beautiful

[RADAMES1983]

Нестеренко :))

пардон.. Забыл написать.. :))

[kornevgen]

Евгений Евгеньевич ?