Composer

:

Modest Mussorgsky

Genre

:

Opera

Style

:

Opera

Compose Date

:

1896 - 1908

Publication Date

:

1896 - 1908

First Performance

:

Dec 10, 1896

Average_duration

:

170:23

Boris Godunov is an opera composed by Modest Mussorgsky in 1869-1874. The opera is based on the play of the same name by Alexander Pushkin, which tells the story of the rise and fall of Boris Godunov, a 16th-century Russian tsar. The opera is set in Russia during the period of political turmoil that followed the death of Ivan the Terrible. The opera premiered on February 27, 1874, at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia. The original version of the opera was not well-received, and Mussorgsky made several revisions to the score before his death in 1881. In 1896, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, a fellow composer and friend of Mussorgsky, created a new version of the opera, which is now known as the Rimsky-Korsakov edition. The opera is divided into seven scenes, each of which is preceded by a choral or orchestral interlude. The first scene takes place in the Cathedral of the Dormition in Moscow, where the people are mourning the death of Ivan the Terrible. Boris Godunov, who has been elected tsar, is hesitant to accept the crown, as he fears that he will be blamed for Ivan's death. However, he eventually agrees to become tsar and is crowned in a grand ceremony. The second scene takes place in a monastery, where a group of monks are discussing the political situation in Russia. They are joined by Grigory, a young man who claims to be the son of Ivan the Terrible. Grigory is determined to overthrow Boris and become tsar himself. In the third scene, Boris is haunted by guilt over Ivan's death and is tormented by hallucinations. He is visited by a group of boyars, who urge him to take action against the pretender Grigory. The fourth scene takes place in a square in Moscow, where Grigory is rallying the people against Boris. He is joined by a group of Polish soldiers, who are seeking to take advantage of the political instability in Russia. In the fifth scene, Boris is visited by the ghost of Ivan the Terrible, who accuses him of murder. Boris is driven to madness and dies. The sixth scene takes place in a forest, where Grigory is hiding from Boris's forces. He is visited by the ghost of Boris, who warns him of the dangers of seeking power. The final scene takes place in the Cathedral of the Dormition, where Grigory is crowned tsar. However, he is haunted by guilt over his actions and is eventually driven to madness. The opera is characterized by its use of Russian folk melodies and its powerful choral writing. It is also notable for its portrayal of the psychological struggles of its characters, particularly Boris and Grigory. The Rimsky-Korsakov edition of the opera is now the most commonly performed version, although some productions still use Mussorgsky's original score.

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