Of the five or so productions I have seen of Boris Godunov, this one is my personal favourite. I love the opera, I have heard some say it is the best Russian opera, and although I do have a soft spot for Eugene Onegin and Khovanshchina, Boris Godunov is a contender for that somewhat subjective title.
I love how compelling the story is, though the added love scene between Grigori and Marina that was not part of the original Mussorgsky version feels tacked on, and also the strong characters(Boris and Grigori are the most memorable), its moral ambiguity and phenomenal music.
This Boris Godunov is my personal favourite of the productions I've seen so far, however it is not entirely flawless. Although it is not apparent all the time, and much better than the EmpireWorks mastering of it, the picture quality especially in the Coronation scene on the Kultur video is grainy. Also, I didn't like the wigs very much, especially with Pimen, Grigori and Fyodor.
However, these flaws don't really take away from the sumptuous production values- from the gorgeous costuming to authentic settings-, the quality of the acting, staging and singing or the powerful orchestral playing and conducting.
Boris Godunov's cast is exceptional. Yevgeni Nesterenko is simply masterful as Boris, while his death scene and farewell scene with his son are heart-wrenching and the Coronation scene intelligently sung, his long act 1 monologue is my personal highlight of this performance and not many basses sing or act it better than Nesterenko. I also think he has a beautiful, rounded voice and not only manages to convey the guilt and the torment but also some psychological depth to it. I think in regard to the latter, the only other Boris for me to do this is Boris Christoff.
Nesterenko has a fine support cast too. While he does a slight tendency to shout, but it is still a thrilling voice that positively rings, Vladislav Piavko is nonetheless very effective, suitably ambitious and quite fierce as Grigori. Valery Yaroslavtsev is a vocally rich and noble Pimen, while Irina Arkhipova is excellent as Marina.
In conclusion, a truly magnificent performance of an operatic masterpiece. 10/10 Bethany Cox
