Claudio Abbado
CD 1
Prologue · Prolog
Scene 1
[1] Introduction 1:49
[2] Well then, what’s wrong with you? 0:28
Police officer
[3] Who are you abandoning us to? 3:18
Chorus, Mityukja, Police Officer
[4] Who are you abandoning us to? 1:26
Chorus, Police Officer
[5] True believers! The boyar is implacable 2:42
Shchelkalov
[6] Glory to thee, Creator on high 3:35
Chorus
[7] Did you hear what the holy pilgrims said? 3:14
Chorus, Mityukja, Police Officer
Scene 2
[8] Introduction 1:53
[9] Long live Tsar Boris Fyodorovich! 2:15
Shuisky, Chorus
[10] My soul is sad 2:19
Boris
[11] Glory! 1:41
Chorus
Act One · Acte un · Erster Akt
Scene 1
[12] Introduction 0:29
[13] Just one final story 3:41
Pimen
[14] O Lord, strong and righteous 5:40
Chorus, Grigory, Pimen
[15] Do not complain, brother 4:14
Pimen
[16] For a long time, honoured father 0:46
Grigory, Pimen
[17] I arrived at night 2:51
Pimen
[18] How old was the murdered Tsarevich? 2:17
Grigory, Pimen
[19] They are ringing for matins 3:08
Pimen, Chorus, Grigory
Scene 2
[20] Introduction 0:56
[21] I caught a grey drake 1:24
Hostess
[22] Give me some fun 1:42
Hostess, Missail, Varlaam
[23] Why are you so pensive, comrade? 1:29
Varlaam, Grigory, Hostess, Missail
[24] Here’s what happened at the town of Kazan 2:15
Varlaam
[25] Why don’t you sing along? 4:40
Varlaam, Grigory, Missail, Hostess, Police Officer
[26] We are humble elders, honest monks 2:21
Varlaam, Missail, Police officer, Grigory Hostess
[27] What are you staring at me like that for? 3:09
Varlaam, Police Officer, Hostess, Grigory
[28] And his age… and his age… 1:43
Varlaam, Missail, Police Officer
CD 3
Act Four · Acte quatre · Vierter Akt
Scene 1 (1869 Version)
[1] Introduction 1:19
[2] What, is mass finished already? 3:06
Chorus, Mityukha
[3] Trrr, trrr — Iron cap 3:39
Chorus, Simpleton
[4] Ah-ah-ah! Boris 1:52
Simpleton, Boris, Shuisky
Scene 1 (1874 Version)
[5] Introduction 1:01
[6] Exalted boyars! 2:15
Shchelkalov
[7] Well, then? Let’s go and vote, boyars 2:32
Boyars
[8] What a shame that prince Shuisky isn’t here 3:18
Boyars, Shuisky
[9] He was whispering: keep away, keep away 2:02
Shuisky, Boris, Boyars
[10] Here, by the front entrance 1:26
Shuisky, Boris
[11] A humble monk 1:17
Pimen, Boris
[12] Once, in the evening 4:37
Pimen
[13] The Tsarevich — quickly 0:54
Boris
[14] Farewell, my son 5:39
Boris
[15] A Bell! A funeral bell! 4:13
Boris, Monks, Fyodor, Boyars
Scene 2
[16] Introduction 0:22
[17] Bring him over here! 1:39
Tramps
[18] It’s not a falcon flying in the heavens 2:26
Tramps
[19] The sun and moon have grown dark 1:24
Varlaam, Missail, Chorus
[20] Hey ho! 2:49
Chorus, Varlaam, Missail
[21] Domine, Domine, salvum fac 2:47
Lavitsky, Chernikovsky, Chorus, Missail, Varlaam
[22] March — Glory to you, Tsarevich 1:34
Missail, Varlaam, Chorus
[23] We, Dimitri Ivanovich 1:24
Pretender, Khrushchov, Chorus, Levitsky, Chernikovsky
[24] Flow, flow, bitter tears 2:14
Simpleton
CD 2
Act Two · Acte deux · Zweiter Akt
[1] Where are you, my betrothed 2:13
Xenia, Fyodor
[2] Oh, that’s enough, princess, my dear! 1:54
Nurse, Xenia
[3] A gnat was chopping wood 2:27
Nurse, Fyodor
[4] My little tale is about this and that 1:32
Fyodor, Nurse
[5] What’s the matter? Has a wild beast surprised a sitting hen? 3:36
Boris, Nurse, Xenia, Fodor
[6] I have achieved absolute power 4:55
Boris
[7] Hey, pss! 1:41
Nannies, Boris, Boyar, Fyodor
[8] Our little parrot was with the nannies 3:40
Fyodor, Boris, Shuisky
[9] Ah, it’s you, glorious orator 7:09
Boris, Shuisky, Fyodor
[10] In Uglich, in the cathedral, in front of all the people 2:05
Shuisky, Boris
[11] Phew! I feel terrible! Let me catch my breath 2:51
Boris
Act Three · Acte trois · Dritter Akt
Scene 1
[12] By the sky-blue waters of the Vistula, under a shady willow 2:46
Chorus, Marina
[13] Enough! The beautiful lady is grateful 2:21
Marina
[14] Marina is bored. Oh, how bored! 3:43
Marina
[15] Ah! Oh, it’s you, my father 4:32
Marina, Rangoni
[16] With tender, ardent words of love 1:38
Rangoni, Marina
[17] What?… You impudent liar! 2:10
Marina, Rangoni
Scene 2
[18] At midnight, in the garden, by the fountain 3:02
Pretender
[19] Tsarevich! 4:08
Rangoni, Pretender
[20] Can a humble and sinful man, praying for his dear ones 1:20
Rangoni, Pretender
[21] Tsarevich, hide! 0:19
Rangoni, Pretender
[22] Polonaise — I do not believe in your passion, sir 3:17
Marina, Chorus
[23] That crafty Jesuit, he has got me firmly in the grip 2:37
Pretender, Marina
[24] How long and agonizing 6:48
Pretender, Marina
[25] Oh, Tsarevich, I beg you 3:01
Marina, Pretender
[26] My turtledoves! 0:45
Rangoni, Marina, Pretender
SYNOPSIS
CD 1
Prologue
Scene 1
The courtyard in front of the Novodievichy monastery near Moscow, 1598.
[1] Obeying the commands of a police officer, the people loudly beseech Boris Godunov to accept the crown as Tsar. As soon as the police officer turns away, the crowd breaks into sarcastic commentary. An official order that all are to assemble in front of the Kremlin the next morning provokes reactions of sullen resentment among the people.
Scene 2
A courtyard in the Moscow Kremlin.
[8] The crowds hail Boris jubilantly. Although his conscience is haunted by terror, he proudly proceeds to his coronation in the Cathedral of the Arcangel.
Act One
Scene 1
The cell of the monk Pimen in the Chudov monastery, at night, five years later.
[12] The elderly monk Pimen is working on the last chapter of his chronicle of the history of Russia. The young monk Grigory, who shares the cell with him, awakes from a nightmare. He saw himself on top of a high tower in Moscow. Irritated by the derisive laughter of the crowd below, he fell. Pimen calms him; at the same time he relates to Grigory the story of how Dimitri, then the successor to the Tsar's throne, was murdered at the instigation of Boris Godunov. Had the boy lived, Pimen adds, he would now, like Grigory, be about twenty years old.
Scene 2
An inn at the border to Lithuania.
[20] The two mendicant friars Missail and Varlaam enter, together with Grigory, who has fled from the monastery. While the two monks drink themselves into a stupor, the innkeeper reveals to Grigory that there is a secret path leading to Lithuania, unknown to the frontier guards. Some soldiers then appear with the warrant for the arrest of a renegade monk. Grigory tricks the soldiers into suspecting Varlaam and escapes.
CD 2
Act Two
The apartments of Tsar Boris in the Kremlin in Moscow.
[1] Boris, a loving father, devotes himself to his children. While his son recites his Russian geography lessons, Boris muses darkly about the many troubles during his reign as Tsar. At the same time his soul is tormented by the horrible vision of the murdered Dimitri. The boyar Shuisky enters, bringing the news that a pretender to the Tsar's throne has appeared in Poland, using the name Dimitri. Boris orders the closing of Russia's western borders.
Act Three
Scene 1
The boudoir of Marina Mnishek in Sandomir Castle, Poland.
[12] Marina, daughter of the local governor, craves to fulfil her ambition by becoming Tsarina of Russia. The Jesuit priest Rangoni urges, even orders her to seduce the Pretender in order to serve Poland's interests and also to secure the influence of the Catholic Church in Moscow.
Scene 2
A fountain in the garden of Mnishek's castle.
[18] Rangoni seeks to arrange a rendezvous for Grigory, who has now assumed the name Dimitri, and Marina. Grigory unintentionally reveals his love for Marina to Rangoni. After Marina has taken leave of her guests and suitors, she makes it clear to Grigory that she will only reciprocate his love if he ascends the Tsar's throne in Moscow.
CD 3
Act Four
Scene 1, 1869 version
In front of St. Basil's Cathedral in Red Square, Moscow.
[1] The people talk about the rumours concerning the False Dimitri. Children tease the Simpleton and rob him of his only kopeck. Tsar Boris emerges from the cathedral. He sees the Simpleton and bids him "Pray for me". But the Simpleton refuses to pray for the Tsar, a murderer.
Act Four
Scene 1, 1874 version
The council hall of the Kremlin in Moscow.
[5] The boyars denounce the Pretender and call for his arrest and execution. Shuisky enters and reports that Boris is nearly mad. The Tsar himself appears, terrified by his horrible visions. He breaks down completely as Pimen tells him of a blind shepherd who recovered Ins sight at the grave of the Tsarevich Dimitri. Praying for mercy, Boris dies.
Scene 2
A clearing in Kromy Forest, not far from Moscow.
[6] Tramps have bound and gagged the boyar Krushchov and are ridiculing him with derisive taunts. The two mendicant friars Missail and Varlaam accuse Boris of murder, proclaim Dimitri as the rightful Tsar and incite the people to tie up the Jesuits passing by. The Pretender appears and is hai i led with jubilation. Everyone except the Simpleton proceeds to Moscow. He remains behind, mourning the tragic fate of the Russian people.
Dorothea Redepenning (Translation: (© 1991 Deborah Hochgesang)