Overview

Nobleman Boris Godunov accumulates power in Russia, first as regent, then as tsar. But the ghosts of the past catch up with him and he ends up losing not only his power but his sanity. Russia sinks ever deeper into a mire of corruption, intrigue and coups. In his grand choral opera, Modest Mussorgsky deals with a theme that offers poignant parallels to today’s world: the extremes to which one man’s thirst for power can lead. The director Kirill Serebrennikov incorporates his own experiences in Russia to present his take on an opera about political turmoil and its consequences. Serebrennikov’s production focuses on the effect on the people of high-stakes political scheming. Conductor Vasily Petrenko makes his Amsterdam debut leading the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. A top-flight cast is led bass-baritone Tomasz Konieczny, celebrated for his ability to get into the skin of his characters both vocally and dramatically, singing the title role for the first time.

Top Cast

Tomasz Konieczny

Boris Godunov

D

David van Laar

Feodor

I

Inna Demenkova

Xenia

P

Polly Leech

Nurse

Y

Ya-Chung Huang

Prince Vassily Ivanovich Shuisky

J

Jasurbek Khaydarov

Andrei Shchelkalov

Vitalij Kowaljow

Pimen

D

Dumitru Mîțu

Grigori Otrepjev

R

Raehann Bryce-Davis

Marina Mnishek

Gevorg Hakobyan

Rangoni

S

Shen Yang

Varlaam / Mitiukha

S

Steven van der Linden

Missail / Boyar