In this article we will consider the most famous work of M. P. Mussorgsky - “Boris Godunov”. The summary of the opera will be painted with special care. This work is software for the composer.
A bit about opera
The work “Boris Godunov” (a brief 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 of False Dmitry in Moscow.
However, immediately after completion, they refused to stage the opera. Two more editions and the support of influential friends were needed for the work to be embodied on the stage of the Mariinsky Theater.
The libretto of the opera Boris Godunov was based on the work of the same name by A. Pushkin and materials taken from The History of the Russian State, by N. M. Karamzin.
The characters in the opera Boris Godunov
The summary of the opera is best to begin with a list of the main characters:
- Boris Godunov.
- His son Fedor.
- His daughter Ksenia.
- The mother (nurse) of Xenia.
- Prince Shuisky, Vasily Ivanovich.
- Clever clerk Andrey Shchelkanov.
- Hermit and chronicler Pimen.
- An impostor named Gregory.
- The daughter of the Sandomierz governor Marina Mnishek.
- Secret Jesuit Rangoni.
- Tramp Varlaam.
- The tramp Misail.
- Mistress of the inn.
- Holy fool.
- Bailiff Nikitich.
- Boyar Khrushchev.
- Middle boyar.
- Jesuit Lavitsky.
- Jesuit Chernikovsky.
- Mitya.
- 1st peasant.
- 2nd peasant.
- 1st woman.
- 2nd woman.
Also involved in the performance are the boyars and their children, bailiffs, archers, ladies, girls, Moscow people and Kalik people.
The opera takes place in Russia and Poland, lasts from 1598 to 1605.
Prologue. Picture 1
In Moscow, begins the work of "Boris Godunov." The summary of the opera takes the audience to the courtyard area of the Novodevichy Convent, which is full of people. A bailiff walks among the assembled and, constantly playing with a club, asks all those present to immediately kneel down and pray to Boris Godunov that he agreed to become king. Then Shchelkanov goes to the gathered people and informs that he does not agree with the boyar, does not want to become the Tsar of Russia.
One can hear the singing of Kalik passers-by. “God's people”, leaning on the backs of their guides, approach the walls of the monastery. They hand out incense to oncoming people and ask them to pray that Boris be elected to reign, only this will save Russia.
Picture 2
Now a brief summary of the opera Boris Godunov takes us to a magnificent coronation. The action takes place on the square of the Moscow Kremlin. The bells ring, the boyars solemnly march to 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 enters the porch. He is tormented by doubts and gloomy forebodings. For good reason, he did not want to marry the kingdom. However, the tsar orders that the people of Moscow be convened for a feast.
The first action. Picture 1
The summary of the opera Boris Godunov continues at night. Before the viewer appears Miracles Monastery. In one of his cells he writes the annals of Pimen, an old man who has seen a lot in his lifetime. Immediately, in the corner, Gregory, a young nun, sheltered and slept soundly. Prayer singing comes from far away.
Gregory suddenly wakes up abruptly. The young man sees that Pimen is awake and decides to open to him the dream he saw, which greatly alarmed the monk. And at the same time he asks the old man and to explain what he saw. Gregory retells the dream.
The dreams of a monk make Pimen think of the past, of those kings who changed their porphyry and royal staff to the "monk's humble cow." With great curiosity, Gregory listens to the elder’s stories about the death of the little Tsarevich Dmitry. Pimen also notes that the young man and the deceased prince are of the same age. Gregory suddenly comes to mind an insidious plan.
Picture 2
Largely thanks to this opera Modest Mussorgsky became famous. “Boris Godunov”, one might say, became the crown of his creations. But back to the work itself.
Lithuanian border, inn on the road. Misail and Varlaam, runaway monks, enter the room. Gregory also appears with them. The good-natured mistress begins to treat everyone who comes in. The tramps are happy, they sing songs and drink wine. However, Gregory does not share their happiness. The young man was swallowed by thoughts about his plan - 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 question the hostess about it. A kind woman talks about outposts that are located on all roads - they are looking for someone. However, this is not a hindrance, as there are other roads that bypass the barriers.
Suddenly, a knock is heard on the door of the inn, and then the bailiffs enter. They keep a close eye on former monks who feast. Apparently, considering them suspicious, the servants of the government approached them and began questioning. Then they show the tsar’s decree, which says that it is ordered to catch the Gregory Otrepyev, who fled from the Chudov monastery.
The attention of the bailiffs is attracted by a young man sitting separately from others. But before they manage to approach him, Gregory jumps out through the window into the street. All present rush to catch him.
Action two
What makes the work even more interesting is that the opera Boris Godunov is based on real events. The summary of the opera depicts the richly decorated royal palace in the Moscow Kremlin. Here, Princess Xenia is crying, standing at the portrait of the recently deceased bridegroom. Not far from it is Tsarevich Fedor, who reads a book of the “large drawing”. Ksenia’s mother is busy with needlework. Those present are trying 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 affectionately calm her. Then he turns to Fedor, asks about his academic success 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 there is no happiness either to him or to Russia. The country is groaning from hunger.
Boris believes that both the famine in the country and the death of the groom Xenia - revenge for the terrible crime committed by him - the killing of Tsarevich Dmitry.
The Middle Boyar appears. He bows to Boris and informs 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 imagines himself to be Tsarevich Dmitry.
The king demands that Shuisky tell everything that he knows about the death of the baby. The prince tells about the committed atrocities in all details, trying not to miss the details. Boris, already tormented by his conscience, cannot stand it. The king plunges heavily into his chair. In the shadows, constantly vacillating, he sees a ghost of the murdered Dmitry.
The third action. Picture 1
Mussorgsky practically did not depart from the Pushkin plot in his work. The opera Boris Godunov (a brief summary confirms this) clearly follows the plot outlined by the poet.
Sandomierz Castle, Marina Mniszek's room. Pannah is surrounded by girls who tirelessly praise her beauty. However, Marina is bored, she was tired of flattering speeches. She has another dream - with the help of her marriage to the impostor Dmitry, to be on the Moscow throne.
Then Rangoni appears at the door of her room. This man, hiding behind the authority vested in his church, asks Marina to fall in love with the impostor, and then convince him to fight for the right to be on the Russian throne.
Picture 2
Mussorgsky's opera Boris Godunov depicts Poland. Moonlit night, the Pretender stands at the fountain in the garden and is attached to voluptuous dreams of the marina. At this moment, Rangoni approaches him. The Jesuit begins to talk about the incredible beauty of Mary and gradually lures the declaration of love for the panne by the Pretender. Not far away is a crowd of cheerful and noisy guests who have already begun to celebrate the victory of Polish troops over the forces of Tsar Boris.
The impostor hides from them behind the trees. Soon, the whole company returns back to the castle, and Marina returns back to the garden alone. There is a duet in which young people confess their love and make ambitious plans for the future.
The fourth action. Picture 1
Now Mussorgsky returns spectators to Moscow. The opera Boris Godunov is rich in scenes where one of the main characters is the Russian people. So, the Cathedral of St. Basil is depicted , in the square of which Moscow people gathered. They discuss rumors and news about the approaching army of False Dmitry and news about the anathema imposed on Grishka Otrepyev.
Suddenly the holy fool appears in the chains, he is being chased by barefoot boys. They tease the holy fool and quickly bring to tears. The mass ends. The royal procession begins from the cathedral, the boyars accompanying it give alms to the assembled. Then Tsar Boris appears, followed by Prince Shuisky and the rest.
The people kneel and asks the father-king for bread. The holy fool immediately turned to Boris, complaining about the boys, and asked the tsar to slaughter them, as he had slaughtered little Dmitry. People part 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, the sentence of the tsar is heard to their mouth of the holy fool: the Mother of God does not order to pray "for King Herod."
Picture 2
The action takes place in the Faceted Chamber (Moscow Kremlin). There is an emergency meeting of the boyar Duma. Shuisky enters the chambers and informs that he had just accidentally seen the king cry to the deceased Dmitry and drive away the ghost of the murdered baby, whispering "chur, child." Repeating the same words (“chur, child”), Boris Godunov appears at the meeting.
Gradually, the king comes to his senses and sits in his place. Shuisky turns to him and asks to listen to a certain old man who wants to tell a great secret. Boris gives his consent.
Pimen enters. The elder begins his story, full of allusions to the insidious and dishonorable murder of Dmitry. The king 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. Since he wants to bless his son and transfer the right to reign. A funeral ringing is heard. Godunov is dying.
Picture 3
A path through the forest near the village of Kroma, located almost on the Lithuanian border. On the road there is a crowd of tramps that are led by boyar Khrushchev. The prisoner is threatened and slandered against Boris Godunov. In this crowd and a holy fool, again surrounded by ragged boys. And Varlaam with Misael, telling about reprisals and executions in Russia, the more they inflame the people. Former monks urge those gathered to defend the rightful heir to the throne, Dmitry. The people support them and wish Boris dead.
The Pretender appears on horseback, and after him - an army. He declares himself the Russian Tsarevich Dmitry Ivanovich and calls everyone to Moscow with him. Those gathered glorify the Pretender and go after him.
Only the holy fool remains on the road. He sings a mournful song in which he predicts bitter tears and a dark impenetrable trouble.
Thus ends the opera Boris Godunov. Summary for children may not include all scenes. It is advisable to exclude those that describe the terrible details of the death of Dmitry.