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Boris Godunov

Libretto: Modest Mussorgsky
Mstislav Rostropovich, Chevy Chase Elementary School Chorus, Choral Arts Society of Washington, National Symphony Orchestra (Washington, D.C.), Oratorio Society of Washington, Catherine Dubosc (Soprano), Galina Vishnevskaya (Soprano), Jacques Trigeau (Baritone), Kenneth Riegel (Tenor), Lajos Miller (Baritone), Malcolm Smith (Bass-baritone), Matthew Adam Fish (Boy Soprano), Michel Pastor (Tenor), Mira Zakai (Alto), Misha Raitzin (Tenor), Nicolai Gedda (Tenor), Nikita Storojev (Bass), Paul Plishka (Bass), Richard Lee Cowan Evans (Bass-baritone), Romuald Tesarowicz (Bass), Ruggero Raimondi (Baritone), Stefan Szkafarowsky (Baritone), Thomas Booth (Tenor), Vyacheslav Polozov (Tenor)
℗ 1991

  • Prologue

    • 1. "Well, what's got into you?" (Police Officer, Chorus)
      02:18
    • 2. "Who are you abandoning us to, father?" (Chorus)
      04:40
    • 3. "Orthodox people! The boyar is implacable ... Glory be to Thee, Most High Creator, on Earth!" (Shchelkalov, Chorus)
      06:30
    • 4. "Did you hear what the godly people said?" (Mityukha, Police Officer, Chorus)
      03:16
    • 5. "Long live Tsar Boris Fyodorovich!" (Shuisky, Chorus)
      04:03
    • 6. "My soul grieves!" (Boris, Shuisky, Chorus)
      03:53

  • Act I

    • 1. "One last narration" (Pimen)
      05:19
    • 2. "Strong and just Lord" (Chorus, Grigory, Pimen)
      01:59
    • 3. "You have been writing all the time" (Grigory, Pimen)
      08:09
    • 4. "Oh, I remember! ... Then I was sent to Uglich" (Pimen, Grigory)
      06:14
    • 5. "They are ringing for matins ... Boris! Everyone trembles before you" (Chorus, Pimen, Grigory)
      01:58
    • 6. "I've caught a smoky-blue drake" (Hostess)
      03:17
    • 7. "Christian folk, honest, godly folk" (Varlaam, Missail, Grigory, Hostess)
      02:36
    • 8. "Oh, in the town of Kazan" (Varlaam)
      02:26
    • 9. "Counsel!" (Varlaam, Grigory, Hostess)
      04:51
    • 10. "Who are you? ... Humble fathers, honest monks" (Police Officer, Varlaam, Missail, Grigory, Hostess)
      05:55
    • 11. "What are you doing! Accursed rogues!" (Varlaam, Missail, Police Officer)
      02:23

  • Act II

    • 1. "Where are you, my betrothed" (Xenia, Fyodor)
      03:27
    • 2. "Oh, that will do, my dear Tsarevna! ... A gnat was chopping wood" (Nurse)
      02:50
    • 3. "Oh, nurse, dear nurse, what a story to tell! ... Clapping game" (Nurse, Fyodor)
      02:18
    • 4. "What's happening?" (Fyodor, Boris, Xenia)
      03:45
    • 5. "How splendid, my son!" (Boris)
      05:15
    • 6. "Hey, shoo, shoo! ... What's going on?" (Nurse, Boris, Boyar, Fyodor)
      01:52
    • 7. "It's all our parrot's fault" (Fyodor, Boris)
      01:44
    • 8. "My son, my very own child!" (Boris, Shuisky, Fyodor)
      06:37
    • 9. "No, I cannot ... I cannot, my child! Tsarevich, obey!" (Boris, Shuisky)
      03:04
    • 10. "Why, you do not believe me?" (Shuisky)
      03:17
    • 11. "Enough! Oh, I can hardly breathe!" (Boris)
      03:20

  • Act III

    • 1. "On the azure Vistula under a shady willow" (Chorus, Marina)
      03:11
    • 2. "Enough! ... The beautiful lady is grateful" (Marina)
      01:53
    • 3. "I do not need you today, Rusya" (Marina)
      03:20
    • 4. "Ah! ... Oh, it is you, my father!" (Marina, Rangoni)
      08:39
    • 5. "At midnight ... in the garden ... by the fountain ... " (Dmitry the Pretender, Rangoni)
      09:05
    • 6. "Think again, Tsarevich ... And quickly we shall capture the domain of Muscovy!" (Rangoni, Marina, Chorus)
      05:29
    • 7. "It is her! Marina!" (Marina, Dmitry the Pretender)
      11:13

  • Act IV

    • 1. "Well, is the mass over?" (Chorus, Mityukha)
      04:41
    • 2. "Trrr, trrr, trrr" (Chorus, Simpleton)
      03:06
    • 3. "Ah! Ah! They've offended God's Fool!" (Simpleton, Boris, Shuisky, Chorus)
      05:33
    • 4. "Most honorable boyars!" (Shchelkalov)
      03:18
    • 5. "Well? Let us pass sentence, boyars" (Chorus, Shuisky)
      02:53
    • 6. "Oh, what are you saying, boyars!" (Shuisky, Chorus)
      03:40
    • 7. "Keep away! Away!" (Boris, Shuisky, Chorus)
      03:41
    • 8. "Gracious Sovereign! ... My story will be simple and short" (Shuisky, Boris, Pimen)
      05:29
    • 9. "Oh, I can't breathe! ... Lord! Lord! Look down, I beseech Thee" (Boris)
      06:52
    • 10. "Weep, weep, people" (Chorus, Boris, Fyodor)
      04:15
    • 11. "Down here! Sit down on the stump" (Chorus)
      04:44
    • 12. "Trrr ... Iron cap, Iron cap" (Chorus, Simpleton)
      02:21
    • 13. "The sun and moon have grown dim" (Missail, Varlaam, Chorus)
      01:11
    • 14. "Come away! Youthful vigour has run wild" (Chorus, Varlaam, Missail)
      02:51
    • 15. "Domine, Domine, salvum fac" (Lavitsky, Chernikovsky, Chorus)
      01:34
    • 16. "What the deuce brings them here?" (Chorus, Missail, Varlaam, Lavitsky, Chernikovsky, Dmitry the Pretender, Krushchov, Simpleton)
      06:45

Recording appears on:

All recordings of "Boris Godunov"