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Product Description
Boris Godunov is the story not only of a troubled leader but of an entire nation, and its history is as eventful as that of Mother Russia herself. In this new production, the legendary director Andrei Konchalovsky presents a personal vision of the opera that takes Mussorgskys bare and monumental first version as its basis, while adding the final scene from the composers revision, in which not only the Tsar but the people themselves reveal their fatal flaws. Orlin Anastassov stars in the title role, conducted by Gianandrea Noseda.
Review
I rate the performance highly --IRR,Oct'11
The staging if this new production should please traditionlists with its literal evocation of late 16th-century Russian clothing.Francesca Nesler's filming is sensitive to the angles of Graziano Gregori's set and to its lighting. --Gramophone,Jan'12
The staging if this new production should please traditionlists with its literal evocation of late 16th-century Russian clothing.Francesca Nesler's filming is sensitive to the angles of Graziano Gregori's set and to its lighting. --Gramophone,Jan'12
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
18 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Format:Blu-ray|Amazon Verified Purchase
I bought this blu-ray wondering if a cast list of names I had never seen before, a conductor unkown to me, and production by someone I had never heard of with an Italian orchestra and chorus, I wondered whether they could deliver. I need not have worried, this whole production performed in October 2010 was outstanding in every possible detail. This version was the 1869 version of the opera with the scene in the Kromy forest added. The latter scene is often the final scene, but in this production like some others, the opera concludes with death of Boris. [The Polish act is not in this production.]
The music. You feel all the time the rawness of Moussorgky's music. This is never an opera with heavy orchestral accompaniment or nicely crafted arias and choruses. Every aspect of this production is sensitively intertwined. The music supports the story.
The costumes and make up. There has been some real thought in this. Although the costumes are in some ways traditional for Boris, they accentuate the characters, especially the peasantry. You feel there is a seething mass of public opinion coming from people who had nothing and as the opera points out, almost certainly going to find things going from bad to worse.
The production. As I said, I had never heard of the producer, Andrei Konchalovsky, but I have learnt that he has links with Andrei Tarkovsky, who made the film Andrei Rublev and as it happened made a production of Boris, in which Robert Lloyd sang the role both at Covent Garden and Leningrad. Konchalovsky has clearly produced a masterpiece that brings out the depth of this extraordinary opera, and it is not bound by any operatic conventions. There is practically no scenery in this production so that nothing distracts you from the characters and the story they play out. The picture quality is excellent and pin sharp clear at all times.
The conductor. Gianandrea Noseda puts his heart and soul into this performance. Do have a look at the 'extras' and what he has to say about the performance or indeed any performance that he undertakes. He helps bring it all alive. He is anxious that we all feel the emotion and power, which in many ways is topical today and sadly reflects similar tragedies in nations past and present. We are given a picture of democracy out of control with mob rule taking over and rulers lashing out trying to control the uncontrollable.
Finally, credit must go to all the performers, an outstanding Anastassov delivers the most tormented and demented Boris I have ever seen. He delivers a stunning performance with a voice to match. Any hope that these people could team up and a make a production of Khovanschina?
The music. You feel all the time the rawness of Moussorgky's music. This is never an opera with heavy orchestral accompaniment or nicely crafted arias and choruses. Every aspect of this production is sensitively intertwined. The music supports the story.
The costumes and make up. There has been some real thought in this. Although the costumes are in some ways traditional for Boris, they accentuate the characters, especially the peasantry. You feel there is a seething mass of public opinion coming from people who had nothing and as the opera points out, almost certainly going to find things going from bad to worse.
The production. As I said, I had never heard of the producer, Andrei Konchalovsky, but I have learnt that he has links with Andrei Tarkovsky, who made the film Andrei Rublev and as it happened made a production of Boris, in which Robert Lloyd sang the role both at Covent Garden and Leningrad. Konchalovsky has clearly produced a masterpiece that brings out the depth of this extraordinary opera, and it is not bound by any operatic conventions. There is practically no scenery in this production so that nothing distracts you from the characters and the story they play out. The picture quality is excellent and pin sharp clear at all times.
The conductor. Gianandrea Noseda puts his heart and soul into this performance. Do have a look at the 'extras' and what he has to say about the performance or indeed any performance that he undertakes. He helps bring it all alive. He is anxious that we all feel the emotion and power, which in many ways is topical today and sadly reflects similar tragedies in nations past and present. We are given a picture of democracy out of control with mob rule taking over and rulers lashing out trying to control the uncontrollable.
Finally, credit must go to all the performers, an outstanding Anastassov delivers the most tormented and demented Boris I have ever seen. He delivers a stunning performance with a voice to match. Any hope that these people could team up and a make a production of Khovanschina?
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Blu-ray|Amazon Verified Purchase
First and foremost it is ALL Mussorgsky's music, NOT the Rimsky Korsakov version and very well played it is. The Polish scene from the second 1872 version has been left out but the Kromy Forest scene included and I found this version to be ideal. Boris is a hard role to sing however good one is as the ghost of the incomparable Boris Christoff looms inescapably and ever large over every performance. The singers in this release are very good indeed, particularly Varlaam who was quite magnificent. His scene on the Lithuanian border was superb. In fact I found the crowd scenes generally exceptional, aided by skillful camera work that brought out many fine individual performances in these minor roles. Although I am an ardent Christoff fan, I did enjoy this performance very much. All the soloists are excellent with no weak links in either singing or acting. My one concern is the lighting: The colours vary from rich natural golds to blue and almost pink tinting, particularly in the opening crowd scenes that I did not care for at all. This is obviously deliberate but I could not see the purpose of it at all. As a consequence my initial impression as the opera started was bad but as it progressed I was drawn into the performance and was able to enjoy the acting, singing and camera work and gradually came to overlook the less than ideal colour.
There is no other release to compete with this disc at the moment and Boris fans should not hesitate.
There is no other release to compete with this disc at the moment and Boris fans should not hesitate.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Blu-ray
I have a very limited experience of Boris Godunov performances, having seen it live only once recently (the ENO production in English) a couple of years ago, plus a Russian performance a long time ago and two earlier DVDs . For what it's worth, this blue ray recording of the 2010 Turin performance - Noseda conducting and Orlin Anastassov in the title role- is my favourite, so far. Both the conductor and the protagonist I thought 1st class and the picture quality excellent. There are minimalist sets on a bare dark stage and most of the effects are produced by the crowds moving, varied bright costumes and rich trappings -icons, thrones, golden regalia etc.etc. This is a very cinematic production with short scenes chasing each other, now the crowds of the people, now the scheming Boyars, then unhappy Boris in his palace or monks in a monastery. There is a lot of emphasis in the misery of the Russian people, and it is certainly true that is an important element of this opera. The stage director (cinematographer Konchalovski) depicts in detail the filth, misery, hunger and ugliness plaguing the masses, always manipulated by those in power or the ones aspiring to it. Sudden scenes of violence, torture and horror break occasionally into the set scenes. This is very well done and it probably worked very well on the stage, but in the filmed version (with close - ups and details) tends to become intrusive and destroys the balance between the personal tragedy of Boris , tortured by his conscience and slipping into madness, and the miserable fate of the masses. The fact that this performance is a rather arbitary mixture of the two versions of Mussorgski's opera (the original and the 1872), may have been a contributory factor to the imbalance. Although Anastassov's interpretation is excellent - showing both the character's cruelty as well as humanity and vulnerability, the close- ups (glaring eyes etc) do him a disservice. The same could be said of other major and secondary roles (most notably Matorin's Varlaam, Alexsaski's Pimen and Bronder Chuisky ). Despite these reservations however this is a very impressive and creditable production and well worth a place in an opera lover's library.
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