Boris Godunov

Based on Pushkin’s The Comedy of the Distress of the Muscovite State, of Tsar Boris and of Grishka Otrepiev – there are several version developed by Mussorsky over a number of years. Set in Russia and Poland between 1598 and 1605. Boris is ‘persuaded’ to accept the crown after murdering the true heir. A young monk pretends to be the murdered heir in order to avenge the death and there is a swell amongst the people in his favour. In the end Boris dies.

Sung in Russian with English surtitles.