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A captivating production, but this Boris
just isn’t Godunov
REVIEW: BORIS GODUNOV
Coliseum
MUSSORGSKY'S music drama Boris Godunov is given a compelling new staging at ENO, using the composer’s original score of 1871, in seven scenes, restored by David Lloyd Jones in 1975.
Based on Pushkin’s play of 1825, written when the poet was in exile because of his “dangerous” interest in radical politics, it was at first rejected by the committee of the Imperial Theatre.
Mussorgsky then revised and enlarged the opera with additional scenes, in particular the Polish scene.
Later still, Rimsky Korsakov controversially re-orchestrated and reworked it, even adding some of his own music.
So it was good to see the original piece – albeit without the beautiful Polish music – performed here in two and a quarter hours without any interval. It is riveting; a work like no other, capturing in music the tortured Russian soul and the anguished sweep of a people’s tragedy.
The bleak, all-purpose, basic single set – a rectangular box – transforms by means of doors or sliding panels into courtyard, palace, inn, or monk’s cell, skilfully lit by Adam
Silverman.
Boris wears the traditional gold embroidered robe for his coronation but otherwise he and his nobles are in 19th-century frock coats.
Tim Albery’s direction provides gripping drama but always allows the music to speak for itself, drawing a superbly acted ensemble performance from his team.
The strength of his direction compensates for the vocal weakness of the cast. In particular Peter Rose (pictured above) as Boris, disappointingly, has neither the temperament nor the vocal quality for the role. He sounded as though he were singing English oratorio, too often with that irritating crooning style which should never be heard in an opera house.
Only Brindley
Sherratt as the old monk Pimen had the requisite sonorous bass needed throughout this work, and David Stephenson’s baritone, heard briefly, impressed.
Edward Gardner’s splendid account of the score brings out the extraordinary orchestral effects and the searing emotional intensity.
The chorus are outstanding, almost making you forget at some points, that they are not singing in Russian, so intense is their performance.
Helen Lawrence
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