Mussorgsky - Khovanchina

The Kirov Opera and Orchestra of the Mariinsky Theatre

Royal Opera House, 1 August 2005

Conductor - Valery Gergiev

Director - Leonid Baratov

New stage version (2000) - Yuri Alexandrov

Sets - Feodor Fedorovsky

Costumes - Tatiana Noginova

Lighting - Vladimir Lukasevich

Prince Ivan Khovansky - Sergei AlexashkinPrince Andrei Khovansky - Vladimir Galuzin

Prince Vasily Golitsyn - Alexei Steblianko

Shaklovity - Nicolai Putilin

Dosifei - Vladimir Vaneev

Marfa - Olga Borodina

A Scrivener - Konstantin Pluzhnikov

Old versus the new

Whereas the production of Boris Godunov the Kirov had presented earlier in the week was stylistically very much of the 21 st century, last night's Khovanchina took us back to an older idiom. The production deservedly remains in the repertoire as it provides everything one expects of grand Russian opera - detailed painted backdrops (which look convincing even from near the front of the stalls), elaborately ornamented costumes, and of course, quite magnificent music.

From the opening orchestral sequence representing dawn over the Moscow river to the final and frighteningly realistic fire in which the Old Believers die, the presentation was on a grand scale. The production dates from 1960, and follows Shostakovich's complete reworking of the orchestration to give an effective performing version of the opera.

The plot concerns a complicated and troubled period in Russian history when rival princes were in conflict with Tsar Peter the Great and the fanatical religious congregation of Old Believers stood firmly in the face of both parties. It demands a large cast of key soloists and these were without exception superlative. Olga Borodina (Marfa) is clearly a favourite with the ROH audience. Apologies had been made before the curtain for Alexei Steblianko (Golitsyn) who was apparently singing with 'flu but his performance was nevertheless outstanding.

A lively ballet of Persian dancers was included in Act III and a stage band of at least 14 brass players (they were grouped too closely for accurate counting) was used to herald the arrival of Peter the Great's forces. As with all the Kirov Opera performances this week, the very full orchestra was conducted by Valery Gergiev, and they played their hearts out in this one.

The show over ran by almost 30 minutes but no one minded and the audience would surely have stayed to clap for as long as the principal soloists and Gergiev were prepared to take curtain calls.

Serena Fenwick

See also Mussorgsky Khovanschina at ENO & on CD