Modest Mussorgsky’s opera “Boris Godunov”, the most recent Galina Vishnevskaya Opera Centre production, received its St. Petersburg premiere on December 12 and 14 at the Hermitage Theatre. These performances culminated the great singer’s 85th anniversary celebrations held in October – November in the Tchaikovsky Concert Hall and the Conservatory Great Hall in Moscow and Pierre Cardin Theatre in Paris.
Galina Vishnevskaya, according to her words, “fell in love with it [Hermitage Theatre] with the first sight”, and the theatre audience has applauded standing to the great singer and her students – the participants of the new production.
According to critics and audience, a new version of “Boris Godunov” has become one of the most exciting theatrical premiers of the coming to an end year. But, despite this, Galina, in an interview to “St. Petersburg Gazette” stressed that it is “a student performance first of all. We have two young Borises – Alexey Tikhomirov, whom we took on after Kazan Conservatory, and Ruslan Rozyev, who has achieved quite a big success here. We have prepared the first edition, originally conceived by Mussorgsky, which I think is better than the second one, – in six scenes, without the Polish Act and Kromy Scene which were added by the composer at the request of the Directorate of Imperial Theatres. Ivan Popovski, the production Director, has managed to adjust it well and interestingly in given circumstances of small stage of our Opera Centre. He is very thoughtful and respectfully referring to what he deals with and senses the opera theatre nature very well.
Gintaras Rinkevicius is the Music Director of this production, dedicated by the Galina Vishnevskaya Opera Centre creative team to its Artistic Director. Valery Leventhal is its Production Artist. Opera Centre soloists were accompanied by Mariinsky Theatre symphony orchestra, conducted by Gintaras Rinkyavichus. A photo exhibition having Galina Vishnevskaya’s life and work as a subject, has been exposed at the Hermitage Theater lobby.