Vassily Sobakin: Yuri Vorobiev
Marfa: Violetta Lukyanenko
Grigory Gryaznoy: Vladislav Sulimsky
Malyuta Skuratov: Mikhail Petrenko
Ivan Lykov: Sergei Semishkur
Lyubasha: Yulia Matochkina
Eelisey Bomely: Andrei Popov
World premiere: 22 October 1899, Mamontov’s Opera on the stage of the Solodovnikov Theatre, Moscow
Premiere at the Mariinsky Theatre: 30 October 1901
Premiere of this production: 21 June 2018
Running time 3 hours 10 minutes
The performance has one interval
Alexander Kuzin about production:
‘We are staging not a domestic drama, but a Shakespearian tragedy. All of the main characters, both the villains and the victims, die. However, they do not always die in front of the audience. Death is a logical conclusion to a story where all the characters are obsessed with the need to possess. As a director, I want to find out why the characters behave as they do. Manic “needs and wants” drive the actions of the oprichnik Grigory Gryaznoi. Lyubasha wants to win back Gryaznoi’s love and wants it as passionately and as violently as the mythological Medea. Bomeliy, a smart predator, catches an unlucky prey. These human “wants” are dominated by the Tsar’s petty tyranny as he decides to marry for the third time. This violent game of passions results in a number of innocent victims, including those of young age, such as Ivan Lykov and Marfa, who greatly resembles Ophelia in her madness.
Rimsky-Korsakov’s music gives depth to Mey’s drama, so much so that any brazen attempt to modernize it would only cheapen it. On the other hand, petty historicism would make the story less realistic. You need space for such a tragedy to unfold. Together with the designer we have decided to create this space on stage. The artists have nowhere to hide, there are no domestic props provided, not even a needle or a cloth to hold in hands. We did not “litter” the production with unnecessary details. The soloists should be the focus of attention; they should be in the spotlight. It is a cohesive, transparent and straightforward production with graphic choreography. It is a story of how love can kill if it turns into violent passion.’
The highlighting of performances by age represents recommendations.
This highlighting is being used in accordance with Federal Law N436-FZ dated 29 December 2010 (edition dated 1 May 2019) "On the protection of children from information that may be harmful to their health"