Modest Mussorgsky, "Boris Godunov": summary of the opera

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

In this article we will consider the most famous work of MP Mussorgsky - "Boris Godunov". The summary of the opera will be written with special care. This work is a program for the composer.

A little about opera

The work "Boris Godunov" (a summary of the opera is presented below) was created in 1869, and the first production took place only in 1874. The work was based on the historical events of 1598-1605, which occurred during the reign of Boris Godunov and the appearance False Dmitry in Moscow.

However, immediately after the completion of the opera, they refused to stage it. Two more editions and the support of influential friends were needed for the work to be embodied on the stage of the Mariinsky Theatre.

The libretto of the opera "Boris Godunov" was based on the work of the same name by A. S. Pushkin and materials taken from the "History of the Russian State" by N. M. Karamzin.

Characters of the opera "Boris Godunov"

A summary of the opera is best to start by listing the main characters:

• Boris Godunov.
• His son Fyodor.
• His daughter Xenia.
• Mother (nurse) of Xenia.
• Prince Shuisky, Vasily Ivanovich.
• Dumny clerk Andrey Shchelkanov.
• The hermit and chronicler Pimen.
• An impostor named Gregory.
• Daughter of the governor of Sandomierz Marina Mnishek.
• The Secret Jesuit Rangoni.
• Rogue Varlaam.
• Rogue Misail.
• Innkeeper.
• Holy Fool.
• Bailiff Nikitich.
• Boyarin Khrushchev.
• Near boyar.
• Jesuit Lavitsky.
• Jesuit Chernikovsky.
• Mityukha.
• 1st peasant.
• 2nd peasant.
• 1st woman.
• 2nd woman.

Boyars and their children, bailiffs, archers, pans, girls, Moscow people and kaliks passersby also participate in the performance.

The opera takes place in Russia and Poland, lasts from 1598 to 1605.

Prologue. Picture 1

In Moscow, the action of the work "Boris Godunov" begins. The summary of the opera takes the audience to the courtyard square of the Novodevichy Convent, which is full of people. The bailiff walks among the audience and, constantly playing with a baton, asks that all those gathered immediately kneel down and begin to pray to Boris Godunov that he agreed to become king. Then Shchelkanov comes out to the assembled people and reports that the boyar does not agree, does not want to become the Russian tsar.

Singing of kalik passers-by is heard. "God's people", leaning on the backs of their guides, are approaching the walls of the monastery. They give out to othersamulets and ask to pray that Boris will be elected to the reign, only this will save Russia.

Picture 2

Now the summary of the opera "Boris Godunov" takes us to the majestic coronation. The action takes place on the square of the Moscow Kremlin. The bells are ringing, the boyars are solemnly marching under the vaults of the Assumption Cathedral. Prince Shuisky stands on the porch and loudly pronounces the solemn “Long live Tsar Boris Fedotovich!”. All gathered praise the new king.

Boris Godunov comes out to the porch. He is tormented by doubts and gloomy forebodings. It was not for nothing that he did not want to marry the kingdom. However, the tsar orders the Muscovite people to be summoned to a feast.

Action one. Picture 1

The summary of the opera "Boris Godunov" continues at night. The Chudov Monastery appears before the viewer. In one of his cells, Pimen writes a chronicle, an old man who has seen a lot in his lifetime. Immediately, in the corner, Gregory, a young nun, took shelter and was fast asleep. Prayer singing is heard from afar.

Suddenly Grigory wakes up abruptly. The young man sees that Pimen is awake and decides to reveal to him the dream he has seen, which greatly alarmed the monk. And at the same time he asks the old man to interpret what he saw. Gregory retells the dream.

Dreams of a monk make Pimen remember the past, about those kings who changed their purple and royal staff to "monks' humble hood". With great curiosity, Gregory listens to the elder's stories about the death of the little prince Dmitry. Pimen also notes that the young man and the deceased prince are of the same age. to mindGrigory suddenly comes up with an insidious plan.

Picture 2

Largely thanks to this opera, Modest Mussorgsky became famous. "Boris Godunov", one might say, became the crowning achievement of his creations. But back to the work itself.

Lithuanian border, tavern by the road. Misail and Varlaam, fugitive monks, enter the room. Gregory is with them. The good-natured hostess begins to treat everyone who enters. The tramps are happy, they sing songs and drink wine. However, Gregory does not share their happiness. The young man was swallowed up by thoughts about the plan he had conceived - to impersonate the deceased Dmitry. That is why the former monk hurries to Lithuania. He is not quite sure about the road, and begins to ask the mistress about it. A kind woman talks about the outposts that are placed on all roads - they are looking for someone. However, this is not a hindrance, as there are other roads that bypass the barriers.

Suddenly, there is a knock on the door of the tavern, and then bailiffs enter. They keep a close eye on the former monks who are feasting. Apparently, considering them suspicious, government officials approach them and begin questioning. Then they show the royal decree, which says that it is ordered to catch the monk Grigory Otrepyev, who fled from the Chudov Monastery.

The attention of the bailiffs is attracted by a young man sitting separately from the others. But before they can approach him, Gregory jumps out the window into the street. Everyone present rushes to catch him.

Act two

What makes the work even more interesting is that the opera "Boris Godunov" is based on real events. Summarythe opera depicts the richly decorated royal tower in the Moscow Kremlin. Here Princess Xenia is crying, standing at the portrait of her recently deceased fiancé. Not far from her is Tsarevich Fedor, who is reading the book of the "big drawing". Xenia's mother is busy with needlework. Those present try to cheer up the princess. Therefore, the mother begins to sing funny fables, the prince joins her, fooling around.

Suddenly Boris enters. He approaches his daughter and begins to gently comfort her. Then he turns to Fedor, asks about his academic progress and praises him for the work done. However, these conversations cannot distract the king from the terrible thoughts that torment him. For the sixth year now he has been sitting on the throne, but neither he nor Russia is happy. The country is groaning from hunger.

Boris believes that both the famine in the country and the death of Xenia's fiancé are revenge for the terrible crime he committed - the killing of Tsarevich Dmitry.

Boyar Middle appears. He bows to Boris and reports that Prince Vasily Shuisky is waiting for a conversation with the ruler. Godunov orders to let Shuisky into him. The prince tells that an impostor appeared in Lithuania, who imagined himself to be Tsarevich Dmitry.

The Tsar demands that Shuisky tell everything he knows about the baby's death. The prince tells about the committed atrocity in all details, trying not to miss the details. Boris, already tormented by his conscience, cannot stand this. The king sinks heavily into his chair. In the shadows, constantly wavering, he sees the ghost of the murdered Dmitry.

Action three. Picture 1

Almost nodeparted from the Pushkin story in his work Mussorgsky. The opera "Boris Godunov" (a summary confirms this) clearly follows the plot outlined by the poet.

Sandomierz Castle, room of Marina Mnishek. Panna is surrounded by girls who tirelessly praise her beauty. However, Marina is bored, she is tired of flattering speeches. She has another dream - to be on the throne of Moscow with the help of marriage to the impostor Dmitry.

Rangoni appears at the door of her room. This man, hiding behind the power that the church has given him, asks Marina to make the impostor fall in love with herself, and then convince her to fight for the right to be on the Russian throne.

Picture 2

Depicts Poland in Mussorgsky's opera Boris Godunov. Moonlit night, the Pretender stands by the fountain in the garden and indulges in voluptuous dreams of Marina. At that moment, Rangoni approaches him. The Jesuit begins to talk about the incredible beauty of Mary and gradually coaxes a confession of love for the lady from the Pretender. A crowd of cheerful and noisy guests are walking nearby, who have already begun to celebrate the victory of the Polish troops over the forces of Tsar Boris.

The impostor hides from them behind the trees. Soon the whole company returns to the castle, and Marina returns to the garden alone. A duet sounds in which young people confess their love and make ambitious plans for the future.

Action four. Picture 1

Now Mussorgsky brings the audience back to Moscow. The opera "Boris Godunov" is rich in scenes where one of the main characters is the Russian people. Yes, depictedSt. Basil's Cathedral, on the square of which Moscow people gathered. They discuss rumors and news about the approaching army of False Dmitry and the news of the anathema imposed on Grishka Otrepyev.

Suddenly a holy fool in chains appears, he is pursued by barefoot boys. They tease the holy fool and quickly bring him to tears. Lunch ends. The royal procession from the cathedral begins, the boyars accompanying him distribute alms to those gathered. Then Tsar Boris appears, followed by Prince Shuisky and the others.

The people kneel down and ask the father-king for bread. The holy fool immediately turns to Boris, complaining about the boys, and asks the tsar to slaughter them, as he slaughtered little Dmitry. People step aside in horror. The guards rush to the holy fool, but Boris stops them and leaves, asking the blessed one to pray for his sinful soul. However, from the lips of the holy fool, a sentence to the king is heard: the Mother of God does not order to pray "for the king-Herod."

Picture 2

The action takes place in the Palace of Facets (Moscow Kremlin). An emergency meeting of the boyar duma takes place. Shuisky enters the chambers and reports that he just happened to see how the tsar called out to the deceased Dmitry and drove away the ghost of the murdered baby, whispering "mind, child." Repeating the same words (“Chur, child”), Boris Godunov appears at the meeting.

Gradually the king comes to his senses and sits down in his place. Shuisky turns to him and asks him to listen to a certain old man who wants to tell a great secret. Boris gives his consent.

Pimen enters. The elder beginshis story, full of allusions to the insidious and dishonorable murder of Dmitry. The tsar falls into excitement at these words and falls, exhausted, into the arms of the boyars. Boris feels that his death is near, he asks that they immediately send for Fedor. Because he wants to bless his son and transfer the right to reign. A death knell is heard. Godunov is dying.

Picture 3

A path through the forest near the village of Kromy, located almost on the Lithuanian border. A crowd of vagabonds is walking along the road, leading the boyar Khrushchev. The prisoner is threatened and slandered against Boris Godunov. In this crowd there is a holy fool, again surrounded by ragged boys. And Varlaam and Misail, talking about massacres and executions in Russia, which inflame the people even more. Former monks call on those gathered to stand up for the legitimate heir to the throne, Dmitry. The people support them and wish Boris dead.

The Pretender appears on horseback, followed by an army. He declares himself the Russian Tsarevich Dmitry Ivanovich and invites everyone to Moscow with him. The gathering praise the Pretender and follow him.

On the road, only the holy fool remains. He sings a mournful song, in which he predicts bitter tears and dark, impenetrable misfortune.

This is how the opera "Boris Godunov" ends. Brief content for children may not include all scenes. It is advisable to exclude those that describe the terrible details of Dmitry's death.