Tune in on Saturday July 18 at 1 p.m. to hear Boris Godunov, Modest Mussorgsky’s only completed opera. Based on Alexander Pushkin’s play of the same name, Boris Godunov dramatizes the life of the titular Tsar of Russia, who reigned from 1598 to 1605. The opera was revised by Mussorgsky multiple times to satisfy state censors, leading to a variety of versions, some of which are still performed today.
In Boris Godunov, the Tsar is struggling to retain his sanity, having been implicated in the assassination of the child-heir to his throne. Meanwhile, a novice monk, convinced that Boris has committed the crime, vows to remove him from the throne.
This production features bass-baritone Sir Bryn Terfel as Boris Godunov, and baritone Andrei Kymach as Andrey Shchelkalov, a clerk of the Duma. Bass Adam Pałka is the monk Pimen, tenor Jamez McCorkle is his student, Grigory Otrepiev, and tenor John Daszak is Prince Shuisky. Mark Wigglesworth conducts the Chorus and Orchestra of the Royal Opera.
Cast:
Sir Bryn Terfel as Boris Godunov
Adam Pałka as Pimen
Andrei Kymach as Andrey Shchelkalov
Jamez McCorkle as Grigory Otrepiev
John Daszak as Prince Shuisky
Mark Wigglesworth conducts the Chorus & Orchestra of the Royal Opera