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The Proms: Boris Godunov

BBC Radio 3
on BBC Radio 3

Tonight: from the Royal Opera House Covent Garden

An opera in four acts based on Pushkin's dramatic chronicle and Karamzin's History of the Russian Empire
Words and music by Mussorgsky. Revised and orchestrated by Rimsky-Korsakov (sung in Russian)
Royal Opera Chorus, chorus-master Douglas Robinson
Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, leader Charles Taylor, conducted by Edward Downes

The action: Russia, 1598-1605. Act 1

(This Week's Proms: page 6)
(All seats for Boris Godunov are already sold. Promenade tickets in the Stalls and Slips, price 50p, are available at the doors only. There is a Prom, as usual, in the Royal Albert Hall at 7.30, which includes music by Monteverdi and Schutz. This concert will be recorded for transmission at a future date.)

Contributors

Words and music:
Modest Mussorgsky
Revised and orchestrated by:
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
Singers:
Royal Opera Chorus
Chorus-Master:
Douglas Robinson
Musicians:
Orchestra of the Royal Opera House
Orchestra Leader:
Charles Taylor
Conductor:
Edward Downes
Production rehearsed by:
Ande Anderson
Boris Godunov, Tsar of Russia:
Boris Christoff (bass)
Shchelkalof:
Hugh Sheehan (bass-baritone)
Pimen, a monk and chronicler:
Joseph Rouleau (bass)
Grigory, a novice in his care, afterwards called Dimitri:
William McAlpine (tenor)
The hostess of the inn:
Elizabeth Bainbridge (mezzo-sop)
Vagabond monk, Missail:
David Lennox (tenor)
Vagabond monk, Vaarlam:
Michael Langdon (bass)
A police officer:
Eric Garrett
Xenia, Boris's daughter:
Susan Maisey (soprano)
Her nurse:
Noreen Berry (mezzo-soprano)
Feodor, Boris's son:
Delta Wallis (mezzo-soprano)
A boyar in attendance:
Arthur Cobbin (tenor)
Marina Mnishek, a Polish princess:
Josephine Veasey (mezzo-soprano)
Rangoni, a disguised Jesuit:
Otakar Kraus (baritone)
Khrushchev, a boyar:
Handel Owen (tenor)
A simpleton:
Robert Thomas (tenor)
Jesuit, Lavitsky:
Hugh Sheehan (bass-baritone)
Jesuit, Cherinovsky:
George MacPherson (bass-bar)
Source: Radio Times

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