Continue without accepting

We respect your privacy

With your consent, we use cookies or similar technologies to store and access personal information such as your visit to this website. You can withdraw your consent or object to processin based on legitimate interest at any time by cliking on "Find out more" or in your privacy policy on this website.

Welcome to the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées website

The Théâtre des Champs-Elysées and its partners set cookies and use non-sensitive information from your device to improve our products and display personalized advertising and content. You can accept or refuse these different operations. To find out more about cookies, the data we use, the processing operations we carry out and the partners with whom we work, you can consult our cookies dedicated page.

    Calendar

    Boris Godunov  

    Modest Mussorgsky

    The historical drama and political fable Boris Godunov is a giant of the Russian operatic corpus.

    Photo de Boris Godounov © Mirco Magliocca
    Boris Godounov © Mirco Magliocca
    Photo de Boris Godounov © Mirco Magliocca
    Boris Godounov © Mirco Magliocca
    Photo de Boris Godounov © Mirco Magliocca
    Boris Godounov © Mirco Magliocca
    Photo de Boris Godounov © Mirco Magliocca
    Boris Godounov © Mirco Magliocca

    Andris Poga | direction
    Olivier Py | staging
    Pierre-André Weitz | scenography and costumes
    Bertrand Killy | lighting

    Matthias Goerne is replaced by bass Alexander Roslavets who played the role of Boris during performances at the Capitole in Toulouse last November.

    Alexander Roslavets | Boris Godunov
    Victoire Bunel | Fyodor
    Lila Dufy | Xenia
    Svetlana Lifar | The nurse
    Marius Brenciu | Prince Shuysky
    Mikhail Timoshenko | Andrey Shchelkalov
    Roberto Scandiuzzi | Pimen
    Airam Hernández |  Grigoriy Otrepiev
    Yuri Kissin | Varlaam 
    Fabien Hyon | Misail
    Sarah Laulan | The Innkeeper
    Kristofer Lundin | The Innocent
    Barnaby Rea | Mityukha
    Sulkhan Jaiani | Nikitich

    Orchestre National de France
    Chœur de l’Opéra National du Capitole | direction Gabriel Bourgoin
    Maîtrise des Hauts-de-Seine | direction Gaël Darchen

    There are several versions of Boris Godunov by Mussorgsky, inspired by Pushkin’s play. The first version, composed between 1868 and 1869, was banned by the censors as it was forbidden at the time to depict the Tsar on the opera stage, and in particular because it had no female lead, love plot or ballet scenes. A second version was produced in 1872 and was eventually premiered in 1872 after numerous setbacks and at the insistence of opera stars of the day. There were also reorchestrations by Rimsky-Korsakov at the turn of the century, followed at a later date by Shostakovich. In all of these versions, the focus is on the loneliness of power and its excesses. In the original 1869 version which has been chosen for this new production, the plot is compact and extremely dramatically condensed. The dark premise is underscored by a wild yet flamboyant orchestration which lays bare the psychology of the title role.
    “I want the sound to express the idea, I want the truth,” wrote Mussorgsky. His sombre tale of the rise and fall of Boris is a fascinating and unsettling theatrical and musical experience. As a historical drama and political fable, Boris Godunov is a true titan of the Russian operatic corpus. But it is first and foremost a meditation on the isolation of power and its abuses. Another titan is required to play this colossal role and Alexander Roslavets perfectly embodies the necessary strength and interiority. He is supported by a team of singers experienced in this type of demanding repertoire and the Orchestre National de France under the baton of seasoned conductor Andris Poga.

    Coproduction Opéra National du Capitole | Théâtre des Champs-Elysées

    Avec le soutien d’Aline Foriel-Destezet, 
    Grand Mécène de la saison artistique du Théâtre des Champs-Elysées

    France Musique enregistre cet opéra.
    En partenariat avec france.tv