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.
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.
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.
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".
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...
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.
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.
Mussorgsky - Boris Godunov. Coronation scene. Bolshoi bells heard at 8:15 - 8:30 can be heard better on CAPITOL ANGEL RECORD's Mussorgsky ''Boris Godunov'' EXCERPTS LP(CD now?) from Late 1960's - Early 1970's.
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...
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...
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.
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 :)
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...
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.
@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.
This is so true.... I absolutely detest the liberties that are taken with many great operas.. Lyric Opera Chicago did a Tannhauser a few seasons ago in which Tannhauser was a televangelist, and only God knows what the other characters were.. I blame Patrice Chereau, Wieland Wagner and others who had an early hand in starting this trend of directors serving themselves rather than the music.
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.
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.
@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...
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.
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.
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.
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...
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!
@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.
I love that beginning orchestral part, that tick tocking, fatalistic music. It is so distinctive.
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.
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.
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.
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".
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...
In 1983 I was privileged to see Godunov at the Bolshoi. I treasure that memory.
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.
the music is grand, colorful--and threatening--at the same time....
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.
Mussorgsky - Boris Godunov. Coronation scene. Bolshoi bells heard at 8:15 - 8:30 can be heard better on CAPITOL ANGEL RECORD's Mussorgsky ''Boris Godunov'' EXCERPTS LP(CD now?) from Late 1960's - Early 1970's.
Beautiful
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...
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...
Listen to the incipit...it's astonishing! It was written 100 years before Philip Glass...
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.
@dalecampbl6 yes, Modest was a pure ''melodist''. He cared less about the form - he went directly to the substance. Great composer
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 :)
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...
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.
This is much better as Talvela.
Mussorgsky has compost songs of death too, who are very strong.....
Grandiose !
@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
You should listen to the original version of the marina- Dimitry duet from the opera.
It's amazing!
I agree!
This is so true.... I absolutely detest the liberties that are taken with many great operas.. Lyric Opera Chicago did a Tannhauser a few seasons ago in which Tannhauser was a televangelist, and only God knows what the other characters were.. I blame Patrice Chereau, Wieland Wagner and others who had an early hand in starting this trend of directors serving themselves rather than the music.
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.
Евгений Евгеньевич ?
Not at AZ (Arizona) Opera. We do things in a VERY traditional style.
This is pretty traditional though :).
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.
@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...
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.
über den Erwartungen, über den erhabenen
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.
puxa! muito bom esse boris!
sei fazer igual xD
Нестеренко :))
пардон.. Забыл написать.. :))
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.
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...
sorry, is musorgsky, not double s
"Nesterenko is a(sic) ordinary singer." Get your ears syringed!
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!
@jgesselberty LOL!!!!!!!
Many Russia artists have this problem...
@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.