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

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 attention. This work is software 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 took place during the reign of Boris Godunov and the appearance in Moscow of False Dimitry.

However, right after the completion of the opera they refused to deliver. Two more editions and support of influential friends were needed to make the work embodied on the stage of the Mariinsky Theater.

The libretto of the opera Boris Godunov was based on the eponymous work of Alexander Pushkin and materials taken from the History of the Russian State, owned by NM Karamzin.

Actors of the opera Boris Godunov

The summary of the opera is best to begin with the enumeration of the main characters:

• Boris Godunov.
• His son is Fyodor.
• His daughter Xenia.
• Mother (nurse) Ksenia.
• Prince Shuisky, Vasily Ivanovich.
• The Duma deacon Andrey Shchelkanov.
• Hermit and the chronicler Pimen.
• Pretender, named after Gregory.
• The daughter of the Sandomierz voivode Marina Mnishek.
• Secret Jesuit Rangoni.
• The tramp Varlaam.
• The tramp Misail.
• The hostess of the tavern.
• Holy fool.
• Bailiff Nikitich.
• Boyar Khrushchev.
• The middle boyar.
• Jesuit Lavitsky.
• The Jesuit the Chernikov.
• Mityuha.
• First peasant.
• 2nd peasant.
• First woman.
• 2nd woman.

Also participating in the performance boyars and their children, police officers, archers, pans, girls, Moscow people and gangs of passers-by.

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

Prologue. Picture 1

In Moscow, the opera "Boris Godunov" begins. The summary of the opera brings the audience to the courtyard of the Novodevichy Convent, which is full of people. Among the gathered there is a bailiff and, constantly playing with a truncheon, asks that all the congregation immediately kneel down and begin praying Boris Godunov that he agreed to become a king. Here comes out to the assembled Lyuda Shchelkanov and says that the boyar disagrees, does not want to become a Russian king.

You can hear the singing of a passer-by. "God's people", leaning on the backs of their guides, are approaching the walls of the monastery. They give out passers-bys and ask to pray that Boris was elected to reign, only this will save Russia.

Picture 2

Now the summary of the opera "Boris Godunov" takes us to a majestic coronation. The action takes place on the square of the Moscow Kremlin. Bells ring, the boyars solemnly march under the arches of the Assumption Cathedral. On the porch stands Prince Shuisky and loudly utters the solemn "Long live Tsar Boris Fedotovich!". All gathered praise the new king.

Boris Godunov goes to the porch. He is tormented by doubts and gloomy forebodings. For goodness he did not want to marry the kingdom. However, the tsar orders the Moscow people to be invited to a feast.

The first action. Picture 1

The summary of the opera Boris Godunov continues at night. The monastery appears in front of the spectator . In one of his cells wrote a chronicle Pimen, an old man who had seen a lot in his lifetime. Immediately, in the corner, Grigory, a young nun, was sleeping and fast asleep. From a distance, prayer songs are heard.

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

The monk's dreams make Pimen think of the past, of those kings who have changed their porphyry and the royal staff to the "monks humbly hooded." With great curiosity, Gregory listens to the stories of the old man about the death of the little Tsarevich Dmitry. Pimen also notes that the young man and the deceased prince are of the same age. The insidious plan suddenly comes to mind.

Picture 2

In many ways, 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.

The Lithuanian border, the inn near the road. Misail and Varlaam - runaway monks come into the room. With them is Grigory. The good-natured mistress begins to treat everyone who entered. The tramps are happy, they sing songs and drink wine. However, Grigory 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's why the former monk hurries to Lithuania. He is not quite sure on the road, and begins to ask about her mistress about her. A kind woman talks about outposts that are placed on all roads - someone is being searched for. However, this is not an obstacle, since there are other roads that bypass the barriers.

Suddenly, there is a knock at the door of the tavern, and then the bailiffs come in. They closely monitor former monks who feast. Apparently, finding them suspicious, the government officials approach them and start asking questions. Then they show the royal decree, where it is said that they are ordered to catch Grigory Otrepiev, a black man, who fled from Chudov Monastery.

Attention bailiffs attract a young man, sitting apart from others. But before they manage to approach him, Grigory jumps out the window to the street. All present rush to catch him.

The second action

Makes the work even more interesting is that it is based on real events of the opera Boris Godunov. A brief description of the opera depicts the richly decorated Tsarist tower in the Moscow Kremlin. Here the princess Xenia is crying, standing at the portrait of the recently deceased fiance. Not far from it, Tsarevich Fedor, who reads the book of the "big drawing", is located. Mama Xenia is busy with needlework. Those present try to cheer the princess. Therefore, the mother begins to sing funny little songs, the prince joins her, fooling around.

Suddenly Boris enters. He comes to his daughter and begins to calmly calm her. Then he turns to Fyodor, asks about the progress in studies and praises for the work done. However, these conversations can not distract the tsar from the terrible thoughts that torment him. For the sixth year he has been sitting on the throne, but there is no happiness for him or for Rus. The country is groaning with hunger.

Boris believes that both the famine in the country, and the death of the bridegroom Xenia - revenge for the terrible, committed by him atrocity - the murder of Prince Dmitri.

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

The king demands that Shuisky tell all that he knows about the death of the baby. The prince tells about the complete crime in all its details, trying not to lose the details. Boris, already tormented by his conscience, does not stand it. The king sinks heavily into his chair. In the shadows, incessantly wavering, he sees the specter of the murdered Dmitry.

The third action. Picture 1

Almost did not depart from Pushkin's plot in his work Mussorgsky. Opera "Boris Godunov" (a summary of this confirms) clearly follows the plot outlined by the poet.

Sandomierz Castle, the room of Marina Mniszek. Panna 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 marrying an impostor Dmitri to be on the Moscow throne.

Then Rangoni appears in the doorway of her room. This man, hiding behind the power that his church endowed him, asks Marina to fall in love with an impostor, and then persuade to fight for the right to be on the Russian throne.

Picture 2

It depicts Poland opera Mussorgsky "Boris Godunov" (Boris Godunov). Moonlit night, the Pretender stands at the fountain in the garden and attached to voluptuous dreams of Marina. At this moment, Rangoni comes to him. The Jesuit begins to talk about the incredible beauty of Mary and gradually lures the confession of love for the pannome of the Pretender. Nearby is a crowd of merry and noisy guests who have already started celebrating the victory of the Polish troops over the forces of Tsar Boris.

The pretender hides from them behind the trees. Soon the whole company comes back to the castle, and Marina returns to the garden alone. There is a duet in which young people confess their love and build ambitious plans for the future.

The fourth action. Picture 1

Now Mussorgsky returns to Moscow. Opera "Boris Godunov" is rich in scenes, where one of the main characters is the Russian people. Thus, the Cathedral of St. Basil the Blessed is depicted , in the square of which Moscow people gathered. They are discussing rumors and news about the approaching army of Falsdmitry and the news of the anathema imposed on Grishka Otrepiev.

Suddenly a holy fool appears in the chains, he is pursued by barefoot boys. They tease the holy fool and quickly bring to tears. The end of the Mass. The tsarist procession begins from the cathedral, the boyars accompanying him give out alms to the gathered. Then appears Tsar Boris, followed by Prince Shuisky and the rest.

The people kneel down and asks the tsar for bread. Immediately appeals to Boris and fool, complaining about the boys, and asks the king to slaughter them, as he slaughtered little Dmitri. People in horror part. The guards rush to the holy fool, but Boris stops them and leaves, asking the blessed one to pray for his sinful soul. However, their mouth is heard of a holy fool saying to the tsar: the Mother of God does not order to pray "for the king-Herod."

Picture 2

Actions take place in the Faceted Chamber (Moscow Kremlin). There is an extraordinary meeting of the Boyar Duma. Shuisky enters the chamber and reports that he just happened to see how the king appealed to the deceased Dmitry and drove 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 himself and sits down in his place. Shuisky turns to him and asks him to listen to an old man who wants to tell a great secret. Boris gives his consent.

Pimen enters. The old man begins his story, full of allusions to the insidious and dishonest murder of Dmitry. The king falls into the excitement of these words and falls, exhausted, into the hands of the boyars. Boris feels that his death is near, he asks that they immediately send for Fyodor. Because he wants to bless his son and transfer the right to reign. There is a funeral ringing. Godunov is dying.

Picture 3

A path through the forest near the village of Kromy, located almost on the Lithuanian border. On the way there is a crowd of vagabonds, led by boyar Khrushchev. The prisoner is threatened and cursed in the name of Boris Godunov. In this crowd and a holy fool, again surrounded by ragged boys. And Varlaam with Misail, telling about the massacres and executions in Russia, what further inflame the people. Former monks call on those gathered to stand up for the protection of the legitimate heir to the throne, Dmitry. The people support them and wish death to Boris.

The Pretender appears on horseback, and behind him - the army. He declares himself a Russian Tsarevich Dmitry Ivanovich and calls everyone to Moscow with him. The assembled people glorify the Pretender and are sent after him.

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

Thus ends the opera Boris Godunov. A summary for children may not include all scenes. It is advisable to exclude those in which the terrible details of Dmitry's death are described.