Opera in 4 acts and a prologue
Text by the composer after Alexander Pushkin & Nikolai Karamsin
2nd edition, first performed February 8 1874, Mariinski Theatre, St. Petersburg
Orchestrated by Shostakovich (1939/40)
Introductory talks (in German) in the Holzfoyer 30 mins before curtain up, on video here shortly after opening night, and everywhere where podcasts can be found.
Sung in Russian, with German & English surtitles
Prologue Boyar Boris Godunov refuses to accept the Tsar’s crown. Guilty feelings, that he murdered Dimitri, the legitimate heir to the throne, weigh him down. Scene i. The Novodeivichy monastery’s courtyard, near Moscow Long-suffering, apathetic people are forced, under threat of violence, to sing plaintively to make Boris Godunov change his mind. The Duma’s secret scribe, an assembly of noble boyars, invokes Russia’s glorious past. Then a decree’s read out: everyone must gather outside the Kremlin next morning to cheer for Boris Godunov. Scene ii. A square in Moscow’s Kremlin Boris Godunov finally agreed to ascend the throne. The people have been summoned to cheer the new Tsar. Boris, in trepidation, asks God to bless his rule and invites everybody to his coronation celebrations. Act I Scene i. The Chudov monastery in Moscow Late at night the old monk Pimen sits over his Chronicles of Russian History, which he intends to end with a chapter about Dimitri’s murder. Grigori Otrepiev, a novice, interrupts him to tell him about an unsettling dream: He climbed a steep staircase from the top of which he could see Moscow; when the crowd down below started poking fun at him, he fell down. Pimen describes how he apparently witnessed Dimitri’s murder in Uglich, accusing Boris Godunov of ordering it. Pimen realises that Dimitri and Grigori must have been about the same age, making Grigori start thinking about how to pass himself off as Dimitri, who survived after all, and lay claim to the throne. Scene ii. An inn near the Lithuanian border Grigori reached the Lithuanian border with Missail and Varlaam, to set off on his triumphal march on the Russian throne from Poland. They’re taking a break in the inn. The innkeeper says there’s a search on for a young fugitive monk from Moscow. The situation escalates when the police arrive. Grigori, told to read the »wanted« poster out loud, manages to cast suspicion on Varlaam, and escape at the last minute. Act 2 Royal apartments in the Kremlin Boris is at the peak of his ascendancy, but finds no peace of mind. He tries to distract himself by spending time with his beloved children. His daughter Xenia’s mourning the death of her fiancé, while his son Feodor’s studying a map of the Muscovite Empire, which he’ll rule over one day. The Tsar receives news that the boyar Shuisky, plotting with a group of conspirators, has established ties with Poland. Shuisky arrives to report the emergence of a »false Dimitri«, who could pose a threat to Boris, who asks him to reconfirm the events in Uglich and Dimitri's death. Visions of murdered Dimitri return to haunt Boris. Act 3 Scene i. Marina’s chambers in Sandomierz Castle, Poland Marina Mnishek, the governor of Sandomierz’ daughter, bored to tears of courtly life, dreams of ruling in Moscow as Tsarina. To this end she intends to take advantage of the ambitious »false Dimitri« and join forces with him. Rangoni, a Jesuit, sees this as an opportunity to establish Catholicism in Orthodox Russia. Scene ii. Evening festivities in Sandomierz Castle Dimitri’s waiting for Marina to arrive, as arranged. Rangoni assures him of Marina's love and offers to join the ambitious usurper as his advisor. Dimitri gets jealous seeing Marina mingling with the guests. They meet up, alone. Dimitri wants Marina and is completely besotted with her. She, however, keeps him waiting, while stoking his ambition. She ends up promising to be true to him forever if he ascends the Tsar's throne in Moscow with her. Act 4 Scene i. Outside St. Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow Mitjucha describes how the novice Grigori Otrepiev was cursed during mass, while the starving people are waiting for the Tsar. They’re all are convinced that the pretender making his way to Moscow is the real Tsarevich. Children mock the holy fool and steal his kopeck. Tsar Boris hears his wailing and plea that the children be »slaughtered« like Dimitri, the heir to the throne. Boris asks the holy fool to pray for his soul, which he refuses to do: God’s mother would forbid him to pray for Tsar Herod. Scene ii. The Duma’s courtroom in the Kremlin Shchelkalov asks the Duma what they think of Boris’ plan to condemn the »false Dimitri«. The boyars want the death penalty for the pretender. Shuisky, arriving late, is accused of inciting the people against Boris. Shuisky then voices his real worries about Russia’s fate, describing how he witnessed Boris in a state of madness. Shortly afterwards the monk Pimen asks to be heard. He tells of a miracle which took place by the dead Tsarevich Dimitri’s grave. Boris, feeling death approaching, sends for his son Feodor to hand sovereignty over to him. He advises him to beware of boyars’ tactics and retain his innocence. Boris collapses and dies. Scene iii. A clearing in a wood near Kromy Anarchy’s broken out. Missail and Varlaam campaign for the »false Dimitri«. The angry crowd turns on everyone, boyars, church dignitaries, and Boris Godunov's family alike until the »false Dimitri« appears, promising to help »all those persecuted by Boris Godunov«. The crowd erupts in cheers, while Shuisky plots his next intrigue and the fool laments: “Weep, weep, Russian people, starving Russian people!”
A ruler wracked with guilt, power-greedy conspirators, a fickle people and a monk, who writes history, in the true sense of the word ...
In 1825 Alexander Pushkin wrote a play, a la Shakespeare, about political unrest in early 17th century Russia. The composer shortened it, giving the loosely linked crowd and intimate scenes a national flavour with Russian folk and church music, including bells.
After the Imperial Opera in St. Petersburg’s board rejected Mussorgsky's work he feverishly set about modifying it, changing the sequence of events and adding the roles of Marina and Rangoni in the "Polish act". But in 1882 censorship officials prevented this version, first seen in 1874, becoming established too. After Mussorgsky's death Rimsky-Korsakov and Shostakovich made their own orchestrations, and Shostakovich's provides the base for this new production in Frankfurt.
