Bryn Terfel and Antonio Pappano on what makes Boris Godunov a masterpiece (The Royal Opera)

This short film featuring interviews with Bryn Terfel, who sings the title role in the Russian opera, and Music Director of The Royal Opera House Antonio Pappano. The film also shows footage of the opera in rehearsal, with Susanna Stranders accompanying on the piano. Find out more: www.roh.org.uk/....
The psychological acuity with which he depicts the tsar’s power and vulnerability makes great demands on the singer-actor, nowhere more so than in the acclaimed soliloquy ‘I have attained the highest power’. Musorgsky’s subtle handling of different genres results in a particularly crucial role for the chorus as the Russian people, from their manipulation at Boris’s coronation to their credulous enthusiasm for the Pretender. The opera’s highly individualistic approach to drama and declamation, and the towering central role for the title character, have ensured its position as one of the great works in the repertory.

[@pavlezharkov]

Thing about Russian composers and other western Italian, German and French operatic composers. Slavic singers can sing in Italian, German and French but western singers to sing Russian composers.. Bit hard

[@shettywap]

This seems like a common misconception: I too think that singers who are native English speakers speak it well enough. I hear russian singers sing in french, italian, and german, and it sounds like a russian singer singing in a different language.

[@jdiwkall]

i'm not russian and do not know russian but I love the music of Boris Godunov....it offers such a credible counter weight to the popular Italian and German operas.

[@Olegstuff21986]

There are also many great operas by Rimsky-Korsakov, as well as Borodin and Tchaikovsky :).

[@loge10]

Couldn't agree more. I loved this opera before knowing others. I was convinced that I had been a Russian monk in a former life.

[@stranieroru9527]

Awful Russian. Awful phrasing. And Terfel! Godunov has never been a buffon however much you are trying to portray him like that.

[@beatrizcarvalho1178]

que tal colocar a legenda em português nas falas... gosto muito de assistir os vídeos de vocês , mas não entendo nada !

[@brunoantony3218]

Atrás vcs não querem nada? Que tal fazer um curso de inglês seus tupiniquins?

[@JWP452]

It was a lousy production, even silly.

[@HandelLover1989]

Very demanding opera for performers and listeners too. But it is worth to look after this piece. Wonderful masterpiece! Keep fingers crossed for Bryn Terfel and his russian language ;) He is best acting singer I saw live, and I trust he will push role of Godunov to the artistic limits. Toi Toi Toi! !

[@KateeAngel]

His Russian is quite good judging by what can be heard of it in this video

[@bodiloto]

tutto questo è uno sketch ! è ovvio che Bryn Terfel ha una vocetta poco adatta à questo repertorio,anche per i sordi questo è un fatto.

[@herrbrucvald6376]

This modernist production is so...ugly, uninspiring, so misguided. The chorus costumes? какая ерунда.

[@caninbar]

A baritone singing Boris? Uh...No.

[@descartesdonkey4291]

he chose it as a masterful singer - his creative choice but I do think its a basso

[@GeeEmming]

Bryn was never a "baritone". First and foremost he's a singer, one perfectly able and capable of singing this part.

[@lurapoza7645]

never

[@dvorakslavenskiples]

Nicolai Ghiuarov, Boris Christoff, Martti Talvela and Miroslav Čangalović are the greatest singers for Boris. This role is not for Terfel.

[@otyliaostrowska-jouie5455]

And Bernard Ładysz who was born to sing Boris Godunow

[@Operafiend22]

I agree...disappointing

[@ina5587]

Boris Godunov without Ghiaurov? Your choices are not very good. We hear Anna Netrebko and we do not hear Mirella Freni. Enough of Bryn Terfel.

[@johnblasiak607]

Doesn’t work with his voice it’s too light in timbre Respect to him for undertaking it but I wouldn’t pay to hear someone try to fill the shoes that won’t be filled