Cinema opera Boris Godunov

[Rjw]

I found virtually nothing to enjoy in last night's cinema relay, what am I missing?

[Dave2002]

I found virtually nothing to enjoy in last night's cinema relay, what am I missing?

I found it a rather long experience, and the seat became uncomfortable. Others around me seemed to enjoy it a lot, though.

I think it helps to know a bit about the history - maybe this would help - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boris_Godunov

It does appear that Boris was a real person whose behaviour and actions were similar to the character in the opera. One thing does seem to be uncertain though - both in the opera and in "reality". Did Boris kill, or have the young Dmitry Ivanovitch killed in Uglich in order to gain power? It is probably unlikely that Boris himself would have killed Dmitry, but may have asked others to do so, or they may have thought it would aid their cause if Boris came to power, in a way similar to the murder of Thomas a Becket in Canterbury. It does seem unlikely that having one's throat cut as a "remedy" for an epileptic fit would happen accidentally, though it would effect a permanent "cure".

In the opera, it seems to me that Boris is uncertain about this, and feels guilt, which is expressed during the scenes towards the end. Such evidence as we have suggests that for the most part Boris was at least a reasonable ruler, considering the standards of behaviour in that period. One mistake he made was to change the laws on free movement of labourers, which made the situation re serfdom worse and took several centuries to change. This was perhaps an example of unintended consequences.

Like you, I don't know whether Boris is a "good" opera, or could be enjoyable. I like the music of the coronation scene, and the bell motifs seem to recur throughout. I felt that even the coronation scene lacked something in the ROH production. Other aspects of the cinema presentation were that much of the final sequences were shown in close up - which technically was very impressive. In the ROH it would have been hard for many in the audience to see the singers in that much detail. However, not understanding Russian it was hard for me to decide what was going on. Perhaps matching the facial expressions to the words is more meaningful for those who can actually understand the text, and any nuances it might contain.

Why is this posting under the Proms section? Should it be/could it be, moved elsewhere?

[CallMePaul]

I had hoped to see this, but changed my mind due to a (transient) stomach bug. I was disappointed as Boris is one of my favourite operas. However, the main casting decision semed strange to me. Bryn Terfel is a fine baritone, but he is certainly not the true bass that this role demands and deserves. Some reviewers lamented thae lack of a dark, slavonic bass in the role. I have often felt that Terfel is taking on bass roles for which his voice is not suited. I missed his Wotan but I generally find his voice lighter than Hans Hotter or Sir John Tomlinson (to mane 2 outstanding Wotan interpreters). and his Welsh vowels are maybe more suited to Italian roles such as Iago or Nabucco.

[LeMartinPecheur]

I watched in Okehampton, Devon and enjoyed it very much, my first visit to a cinema relay.

Dave2002 - did your cinema give you subtitles? The ROH website's feedback column for this relay indicates that a lot of cinemas simply failed to turn them on I'm happy to report that Okehampton did, and gave us none of the gaps in the relay and failures of lip-synch that are also reported.

I'm now sufficiently enthusiastic to intend seeing Lucia on 25/4, not a period of opera that I'd normally cross the street for but this production sounds, ahem, interesting.

[Nevilevelis]

The ROH website's feedback column for this relay indicates that a lot of cinemas simply failed to turn them on

I, too, read the comments on the ROH website and it seems like an epidemic! Judging by the responses the ROH seems very serious about addressing this problem, but I would advise anyone going to turn up early, get your bossy boots on and ask to speak to the manager before the relay in order to ensure that the relevant switch is flicked! It happened to me at my local and I was furious, having taken family members who were first time opera goers.

[Dave2002]

I watched in Okehampton, Devon and enjoyed it very much, my first visit to a cinema relay.

Dave2002 - did your cinema give you subtitles? The ROH website's feedback column for this relay indicates that a lot of cinemas simply failed to turn them on I'm happy to report that Okehampton did, and gave us none of the gaps in the relay and failures of lip-synch that are also reported.

I'm now sufficiently enthusiastic to intend seeing Lucia on 25/4, not a period of opera that I'd normally cross the street for but this production sounds, ahem, interesting.

We did have subtitles, but my comments about facial expression and language still apply. Just think of the nuances that most UK native English speakers can put into sentences, with their speech and also facial expressions, even on some very simple sentences.

"So you liked it then ... "

"What are you looking at ..."

"Who's that girl ..."

etc.

Russian is pretty much a foreign language to me - maybe get as far as "kak va zavoot" or something like that.

[gradus]

Re cinemas forgetting to switch on subtitles, it also pays to get them to adjust sound levels and attend to mains hum if present, both of which have been problems in a couple of screenings in the local multiplex.
Why stop at opera if the sound is too loud/soft at the cinema or the projectionist forgets to switch the screen size to the correct dimensions, complain, most people sit there like stuffed dummies.

[grandchant]

It's on again tomorrow at some cinemas - 2pm.
For me it's one of the great operas. I know people will rave about it being the original version and how concise it is, but I'd much rather have the later version with the Polish act, and a couple of intervals to get my head around what I'm seeing.

[Darkbloom]

I had hoped to see this, but changed my mind due to a (transient) stomach bug. I was disappointed as Boris is one of my favourite operas. However, the main casting decision semed strange to me. Bryn Terfel is a fine baritone, but he is certainly not the true bass that this role demands and deserves. Some reviewers lamented thae lack of a dark, slavonic bass in the role. I have often felt that Terfel is taking on bass roles for which his voice is not suited. I missed his Wotan but I generally find his voice lighter than Hans Hotter or Sir John Tomlinson (to mane 2 outstanding Wotan interpreters). and his Welsh vowels are maybe more suited to Italian roles such as Iago or Nabucco.

I'm in the minority, but I find Terfel's singing to be far too rough-edged for my liking, often bordering on shouting. Yet I didn't read a single negative review from the ones I saw. I haven't heard his performance, but it never sounded like a role he should have taken on. Peter Rose was criticised a few years ago for not having a dark enough voice to sing Boris at the ENO, and the same should apply to Terfel. To my ears, he peaked very early as a singer. He had great gifts that I feel he took for granted at times in his early years and now he is a shadow of his younger self. There's a temptation for baritones to sing Boris because there aren't any obvious low notes to negotiate, and basses can struggle with the higher writing, but if you don't have a genuinely dark voice then you sound lightweight and inadequate in the part. Boris Christoff (for my money, the best of the bunch) didn't have a particularly deep voice, but it was certainly dark and left an indelible impression. Sometimes I think there must be something wrong with me, because when I hear Terfel these days I hear a decent singer, rather than the god that he is generally seen as.

[Conchis]

I'm in the minority, but I find Terfel's singing to be far too rough-edged for my liking, often bordering on shouting. Yet I didn't read a single negative review from the ones I saw. I haven't heard his performance, but it never sounded like a role he should have taken on. Peter Rose was criticised a few years ago for not having a dark enough voice to sing Boris at the ENO, and the same should apply to Terfel. To my ears, he peaked very early as a singer. He had great gifts that I feel he took for granted at times in his early years and now he is a shadow of his younger self. There's a temptation for baritones to sing Boris because there aren't any obvious low notes to negotiate, and basses can struggle with the higher writing, but if you don't have a genuinely dark voice then you sound lightweight and inadequate in the part. Boris Christoff (for my money, the best of the bunch) didn't have a particularly deep voice, but it was certainly dark and left an indelible impression. Sometimes I think there must be something wrong with me, because when I hear Terfel these days I hear a decent singer, rather than the god that he is generally seen as.

There was a truly crazy BBC documentary on him a few years back, in which various people - most of them, for some reason, Welsh - went overboard on how he was going to be the greatest Wagnerian heldenbariton of all time. 'He's much more talented than Hans Hotter', one of them breezily said.

He was an incredibly promising young singer round about the turn of the century but I don't think he's come anywhere near to fulfilling his potential - possibly because he couldn't decide whether he wanted to just be a 'great singer' or hit the jackpot as a crossover artist. In the event, he made a half-hearted attempt at both and succeeded at neither.

[David-G]

I found virtually nothing to enjoy in last night's cinema relay, what am I missing?

Well of course one thing that you are missing is the live experience. I have seen this twice at the ROH, and enjoyed it very much - in parts it was completely gripping. While it has a few quirks, I found Jones's production rather good, certainly much better than its much-feted Tarkovsky predecessor. And certainly, you missed the sheer visceral thrill of hearing the superb chorus live. They were quite outstanding.

It perhaps requires some preparation to properly enjoy Boris when heard for the first time. Don't give up on it. It is the most marvellous opera.

My 13-year old niece who came with us was all attention and certainly enjoyed it.

[Cockney Sparrow]

I wonder if any Boris Godunov devotees can help me....

I've bought the Gergiev Mariinsky CDs (to replace the Fedoseyev set I lent to someone I was sure would return it !). All that comes with the CDs is a slim booklet with track listings. There is a reference to visiting a specified Decca web page and downloading the text etc. However there is no download link and it eventually leads to their current page for the recording :

http://www.deccaclassics.com/gb/cat/4783447

I conclude I bought one of the remaining physical CDs as the web page, on the "Buy" link leads me to Presto where the only option is to buy a download....

Unfortunately I bought the CDs from the river people. Decca's customer support extends to an invitation to write via the post to them. I can't imagine either of them will be interested in fulfilling the offer of the libretto/additional information download.

To get to the point - can anyone point me to an online/download source for the libretto with translation to English for the 1872 version - following one is pretty much essential. (I am more then ever aggrieved by the loss of the Fedoseyev - which had a libretto an(with translation to English)d was the 1872 Mussourgsky version!).

Many thanks for your time.... (And BTW I can't wait for the next run of this piece at the ROH, whenever that will be........).

[Giacomo]

To get to the point - can anyone point me to an online/download source for the libretto for the 1872 version - following one is pretty much essential.

http://www.operalib.eu/zpdf/godunov_bn.pdf - B&W
http://www.operalib.eu/zpdf/godunov.pdf - Colour
From:

http://www.operalib.eu/godunov/pdf.html

Reading last scene this is 1972 version. 1872 ends with simpleton, 1869 Boris dies. Date is 8th February 1874 Petersburg performance which was the 1872 version.

To get a libretto you have to buy used CDs [eg, sold]:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/312007503501

It comes up about twice a year and typically sells for over £10.

[BBMmk2]

I'm a big fan of Russian opera, and I especially like Boris. I keep on meaning to go to a screening sat somepoint. maybe next year. But I am disappointed not to see this one.

[bluestateprommer]

Standard thread hijack by bsp, but again for a hopefully good reason, to get the word out about Zurich Opera's production of Boris Godunov scheduled for this weekend, and available for live streaming:

https://www.opernhaus.ch/spielplan/kalendarium/boris-godunow/2020-2021/

The day before, Die Csárdásfürstin of Emmerich Kálmán is on offer. The day after Boris G. features Maria Stuarda.