Debuts in the opera Boris Godunov

Scene from the opera

Modest Petrovich Musorgsky was given the idea for Boris Godunov by his friend the noted historian Vladimir Nikolsky. The plotline was based on Alexander Pushkin’s tragedy Boris Godunov together with materials from Nikolai Karamzin’s History of the Russian State and other historical documents. “I see the people as a great character that personifies a common idea,” wrote the composer, “That’s my task. I resolved to achieve this in the opera.”

Andrei Tarkovsky’s legendary production of Boris Godunov appeared in the theatre’s repertoire in 1990 – the first co-production with the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, in recent history.

10 December will see mezzo-soprano Nadezhda Serdyuk's debut as the imperious and ambitious Polish noblewoman Marina Mnishek who, in accordance with a plot of Poland’s feudal lords and the Jesuit Order, was to become the wife of the False Dmitry in order to rule over Russia.

On 11 December the role of the wandering monk Varlaam, who during the famous scene at the inn sings the rousing “What they did in the town, in Kazan,” will be performed by Mikhail Kolelishvili for the first time. Critics have commented on the fact that “his powerful and ponderous timbre, his interpretation of the image and total dedication are the main characteristics of Mikhail Kolelishvili’s performances. He does not restrict himself to precise vocal technique: his characters are all totally dissimilar thanks to his acting talents.”
The same evening, baritone Roman Burdenko (the Novosibirsk Theatre of Opera and Ballet) will be making his debut as the Jesuit Rangoni at the Mariinsky Theatre.