The Royal Opera - Boris Godunov Reviews
29 March 2024
Bryn Terfel (Boris Godunov)
Vlada Borovko (Xenia), Sarah Pring (Xenia's Nurse)
Ain Anger (Pimen)
Kostas Smoriginas (Andrey Shchelkalov), Andrew Tortise (Simpleton)
Bryn Terfel (Boris Godunov), Ben Knight (Fyodor)

Performance reviews

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Boris Godunov

The Royal Opera


No. of reviews: 24

Mussorgsky's only opera is quite a rarity on the British stage and a quick look at the plot explains why
30 Mar 16 / Express
Richard Jones’ eccentric extras focus on Terfel’s tortured Tsar
25 Mar 16 / Limelight
¿Bolilla negra?
24 Mar 16 / Mundo Clásico (Spanish)
ROH’s 1869 Boris Godunov lacks drama and epic grandeur
23 Mar 16 / Seen and Heard
Bryn Terfel is superb as tsar in torment
21 Mar 16 / The Observer
Nicht überall, wo Russland ist, ist Putin
21 Mar 16 / Die Welt
Back to the original: Mussorgsky's Boris Godunov at Covent Garden
21 Mar 16 / Planet Hugill
Whether Terfel’s bass-baritone range is best suited to this definitive bass role may be a matter for debate
20 Mar 16 / Express
Not really Godunov
19 Mar 16 / The Critics' Circle
Even with Terfel at the heart of this performance, the cast and chorus around him shine as well
18 Mar 16 / A Younger Theatre
Pappano's command of the music is impressive
18 Mar 16 / The Jewish Chronicle
Dramatic and convincing Boris Godunov at Covent Garden
18 Mar 16 / Seen and Heard
Bryn Terfel in the title role stands as the first among equals
17 Mar 16 / Music OMH
Boris Godunov is more than good enough
17 Mar 16 / Londonist
Bryn Terfel headlines a gripping account of Mussorgsky's opera at Covent Garden
17 Mar 16 / What's on Stage
Pappano conducts a gutsy account – from role-debutant Terfel to clear-voiced youngster Ben Knight as Fyodor
17 Mar 16 / Classical Source
The first performance in the house of the original 1869 score
17 Mar 16 / Opera Today
Bryn Terfel’s Boris simply doesn’t move us
16 Mar 16 / Independent
Rivetingly powerful torment of a tsar
16 Mar 16 / Evening Standard
Bryn Terfel is a sympathetic and nuanced tsar
16 Mar 16 / The Guardian
Bryn Terfel rules as Boris Godunov at Covent Garden
16 Mar 16 / Telegraph
Jones’ Russia is a grim, dangerous place
16 Mar 16 / Opera Britannia
I tormenti di Boris
16 Mar 16 / Il Giornale della Musica (Ita)
Competent, but missing the mark
16 Mar 16 / Bachtrack
Production details
Cast
Tortise, Terfel, Borovko, Pring, Graham-Hall, Smoriginas, Anger, Butt Philip, Tomlinson, Nicoll, de Pont Davies, White, Clarke, Sales
(c) Pappano (d) Jones
Performance dates
14, 18, 21, 24, 26, 30 March, 5 April 2016
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