Boris Godunov is a masterwork, possibly the greatest of all Russian operas. There are some very worthwhile versions about, the 1954/5 film, the Robert Lloyd/Valery Gergiev, Ruggero Raimondi, Yevgeny Nesterenko and Martti Talvela performances and also the interesting Rene Pape Met production fairly recently. This 2004 production from Gran Teatre Del Liceu is a worthy than worthy version. It is interesting that it has no Polish act meaning that Marina is absent, there is no duet between Marina and Grigory or the choral polonaise. Instead it is in seven scenes and includes the often dropped St Basil's Cathedral scene which makes for even more compelling drama.
The production values are rather vague in what period it is meant to be set, which may be incongruous to some. What is just as important is whether it is appealing or not, and I will say that in this regard that while not exactly regal I have seen far uglier opera productions before. The staging is minimalist but effective in that approach, and the symbolic props don't distract at all, the throne itself is more than just another prop. Of the drama, focusing on the psychological elements of the opera, the most well done are with Dmitri and Boris' guilt. I did like that in the introduction we do see Dmitri murdered and how the Simpleton in Scene 6 is made to look like him, which I felt made Boris' guilt more convincing. And convincing it is, Decker makes Boris less of the actual perpetrator in the murder and Shiusky is more the "villain" in a way. This way I did find the guilt more affecting than usual.
On a musical note, while lacking the authenticity and oomph of Gergiev's reading for example(partly because the orchestra are a little too recessed in the sound quality), the orchestral playing shows powerful and very musical and committed playing indeed. Sebastien Weigle's conducting is efficient with attention to phrasing and musicality. The chorus sing with a wonderful and well blended sound, with no obvious signs of static posing, Prima Donna antics or mugging. The sound is mostly solid and clear, even if at times the balance between the orchestra and voices could have been more even.
The performances are just terrific, first and foremost with Matti Salminen. Salminen I have regarded since the first time I encountered him in the Met Ring Cycle as one of the greatest basses of the last thirty years. His performance here as Boris is a towering one. Vocally he is wonderful, wholly sonorous and not as coarse as it occasionally has been in recent years. Not only that, but his voice has less of the black-hearted quality heard in his Hagen, Grand Inquisitor, Kaspar and Commendatore and more of the noble sound he brought to his Sarastro, King Marke, Gurnemanz and Rocco, which was ideal I felt. Dramatically he is just as spot-on, his death scene and I Have Attained the Highest Power are incredibly moving and the whole interpretation is towering and gravely dignified.
He is more than well supported by everybody else. Eric Halvarson plays Pimen with command and nobility and his singing while a little woolly at times is not as dry as it has been before. Anatoli Kotcherga is Varlaam, a role that couldn't be more different to his 1989 Shaklovity(Khovancschina, also by Mussorgsky). Instead of the menacing character of Shaklovity, Varlaam is more very amusing, which Kotcherga does very well. Marie Arnet looks beautiful and her voice is of limpid tone, while Stefania Tocyska, who I know best from the role of Amneris, is as ever characterful. Albert Shagidullin is very good as Shchelkalov, while Alex Grigoriev is in the role of the Simpleton, which he does with great energy and the interaction between him and Salminen makes for one of the production's best moments dramatically.
Outstanding also is the much missed Phillip Langridge as Shiusky, a role that he sings with his usual flexibility and power, coupled with a commanding presence and tremendous physical acting. Brian Asawa is an unusual but well sung Fyodor. I personally prefer the role done by a young boy, but he sings sweetly and his interaction with Salminen is moving. Par Lindskog's role as Grigory is rather short, but he makes the most of it with an unstrained tenor voice. Overall, a powerful Boris Godunov with superb performances. Anybody looking for more traditional visuals may want to seek another version, but anybody who would be more than satisfied if the production in question is musically great with great sense of drama and consistent singing and acting will find their match with this I feel more than worthy production of an operatic masterwork.
9/10 Bethany Cox
The production values are rather vague in what period it is meant to be set, which may be incongruous to some. What is just as important is whether it is appealing or not, and I will say that in this regard that while not exactly regal I have seen far uglier opera productions before. The staging is minimalist but effective in that approach, and the symbolic props don't distract at all, the throne itself is more than just another prop. Of the drama, focusing on the psychological elements of the opera, the most well done are with Dmitri and Boris' guilt. I did like that in the introduction we do see Dmitri murdered and how the Simpleton in Scene 6 is made to look like him, which I felt made Boris' guilt more convincing. And convincing it is, Decker makes Boris less of the actual perpetrator in the murder and Shiusky is more the "villain" in a way. This way I did find the guilt more affecting than usual.
On a musical note, while lacking the authenticity and oomph of Gergiev's reading for example(partly because the orchestra are a little too recessed in the sound quality), the orchestral playing shows powerful and very musical and committed playing indeed. Sebastien Weigle's conducting is efficient with attention to phrasing and musicality. The chorus sing with a wonderful and well blended sound, with no obvious signs of static posing, Prima Donna antics or mugging. The sound is mostly solid and clear, even if at times the balance between the orchestra and voices could have been more even.
The performances are just terrific, first and foremost with Matti Salminen. Salminen I have regarded since the first time I encountered him in the Met Ring Cycle as one of the greatest basses of the last thirty years. His performance here as Boris is a towering one. Vocally he is wonderful, wholly sonorous and not as coarse as it occasionally has been in recent years. Not only that, but his voice has less of the black-hearted quality heard in his Hagen, Grand Inquisitor, Kaspar and Commendatore and more of the noble sound he brought to his Sarastro, King Marke, Gurnemanz and Rocco, which was ideal I felt. Dramatically he is just as spot-on, his death scene and I Have Attained the Highest Power are incredibly moving and the whole interpretation is towering and gravely dignified.
He is more than well supported by everybody else. Eric Halvarson plays Pimen with command and nobility and his singing while a little woolly at times is not as dry as it has been before. Anatoli Kotcherga is Varlaam, a role that couldn't be more different to his 1989 Shaklovity(Khovancschina, also by Mussorgsky). Instead of the menacing character of Shaklovity, Varlaam is more very amusing, which Kotcherga does very well. Marie Arnet looks beautiful and her voice is of limpid tone, while Stefania Tocyska, who I know best from the role of Amneris, is as ever characterful. Albert Shagidullin is very good as Shchelkalov, while Alex Grigoriev is in the role of the Simpleton, which he does with great energy and the interaction between him and Salminen makes for one of the production's best moments dramatically.
Outstanding also is the much missed Phillip Langridge as Shiusky, a role that he sings with his usual flexibility and power, coupled with a commanding presence and tremendous physical acting. Brian Asawa is an unusual but well sung Fyodor. I personally prefer the role done by a young boy, but he sings sweetly and his interaction with Salminen is moving. Par Lindskog's role as Grigory is rather short, but he makes the most of it with an unstrained tenor voice. Overall, a powerful Boris Godunov with superb performances. Anybody looking for more traditional visuals may want to seek another version, but anybody who would be more than satisfied if the production in question is musically great with great sense of drama and consistent singing and acting will find their match with this I feel more than worthy production of an operatic masterwork.
9/10 Bethany Cox
