Boris Godunov - San Francisco Opera

"Dramatization in music could go no farther. Mussorgsky has proved himself to be a philosopher-musician,
capable of
expressing with rare tru th the mind and soul of his characters. He also has a thorough understanding of musical
resources. He is a master of the orchestra; his working-out is fluent, his vocal and chorus parts are beautifully written."
—'Foma Pizzicato', pen-name of the critic Baskin, Peterburgsky Listok, 1874
Although Boris Godunov is usually praised for its originality, for the dramatic power of its choruses, for its
sharply delineated characters, and for the powerful psychological portrayal of Tsar Boris, it has received an
inordinate amount of criticism for technical shortcomings: weak or faulty harmony, counterpoint, part-writing,
and orchestration. The perception that Boris needed correction due to Mussorgsky's poverty of technique
prompted his friend Rimsky-Korsakov to revise it after his death. His edition supplanted the composer's
Revised Version of 1872 in Russia, and launched the work in the world's opera houses, remaining the
preferred edition for some 75 years. Recently, however, a new appreciation for the rugged individuality of
Mussorgsky's style has resulted in increasing performances and recording of his original versions.
Boris Godunov in San Francisco
This opera was first produced by San Francisco Opera on October 12, 1945
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