Editing Boris Godunov (opera) (section)

==History==

===Composition history===
''Note: Dates provided in this article for events taking place in Russia before 1918 are [[Old Style]].''

{{Gallery
|title=
|footer=
|width=140
|File:Karamzin by Tropinin (1818, Tretyakov gallery).jpg|{{center|[[Nikolay Karamzin]]<br />(1766–1826)}}
|File:Kiprensky Pushkin.jpg|{{center|[[Alexander Pushkin]]<br />(1799–1837)}}
|File:Vladimir Vasilyevich Stasov 1873-1875.jpg|{{center|[[Vladimir Stasov]]<br />(1824–1906)}}
|File:Vladimir Nikolsky.jpg|{{center|[[Vladimir Nikolsky]]<br />(1836–1883)}}
}}
By the close of 1868, Mussorgsky had already started and abandoned two important opera projects—the antique, exotic, romantic tragedy ''[[Salammbô (Mussorgsky)|Salammbô]]'', written under the influence of [[Alexander Serov|Aleksandr Serov]]'s ''[[Judith (Serov)|Judith]]'', and the contemporary, Russian, anti-romantic farce ''[[Zhenitba|Marriage]]'', influenced by [[Alexander Dargomyzhsky|Aleksandr Dargomïzhsky]]'s ''[[The Stone Guest (Dargomyzhsky)|The Stone Guest]]''. Mussorgsky's next project would be a very original and successful synthesis of the opposing styles of these two experiments—the romantic-lyrical style of ''Salammbô'', and the realistic style of ''Marriage''.<ref>Calvocoressi, Abraham (1974: p. 106)</ref>

In the autumn of 1868, Vladimir Nikolsky, a professor of [[History of Russia|Russian history]] and [[Russian language|language]], and an authority on Pushkin, suggested to Mussorgsky the idea of composing an opera on the subject of Pushkin's [[drama|"dramatic chronicle"]] ''[[Boris Godunov (play)|Boris Godunov]]''.<ref>Calvocoressi (1959: p. 137)</ref> ''Boris'' the play, modelled on [[William Shakespeare|Shakespeare's]] [[Shakespearean history|histories]],<ref>Lloyd-Jones (1975: p. 13)</ref> was written in 1825 and published in 1831, but was not approved for performance by the state censors until 1866, almost 30 years after the author's death. Production was permitted on condition that certain scenes were cut.<ref name="Oldani 1982: p.8">Oldani (1982: p. 8)</ref><ref name="Calvocoressi, Abraham 1974: p.37">Calvocoressi, Abraham (1974: p. 37)</ref> Although enthusiasm for the work was high, Mussorgsky faced a seemingly insurmountable obstacle to his plans in that an Imperial [[ukaz]] of 1837 forbade the portrayal in opera of Russian Tsars (amended in 1872 to include only [[Romanov dynasty|Romanov]] Tsars).<ref>Lloyd-Jones (1975: pp. 13, 16)</ref>

[[File:Modest Musorgskiy, 1870.jpg|thumb|upright|Mussorgsky in 1870]]
'''Original Version'''

When [[Lyudmila Shestakova]], the sister of [[Mikhail Glinka]], learned of Mussorgsky's plans, she presented him with a volume of Pushkin's dramatic works, interleaved with blank pages and bound, and using this, Mussorgsky began work in October 1868 preparing his own libretto.<ref name="Lloyd-Jones 1975: p. 14">Lloyd-Jones (1975: p. 14)</ref> [[s:Boris Godunov|Pushkin's drama]] consists of 25 scenes, written predominantly in [[blank verse]]. Mussorgsky adapted the most theatrically effective scenes, mainly those featuring the title character, along with a few other key scenes (Novodevichy, Cell, Inn), often preserving Pushkin's verses.<ref>Taruskin (1993: pp. 220, 222–223)</ref>

Mussorgsky worked rapidly, composing first the [[vocal score]] in about nine months (finished 18 July 1869), and completed the full score five months later (15 December 1869), at the same time working as a civil servant.<ref name="Lloyd-Jones 1975: p. 14" /><ref name="Oldani 2002: p. 545">Oldani (2002: p. 545)</ref> In 1870, he submitted the libretto to the state censor for examination, and the score to the literary and music committees of the Imperial Theatres.<ref>Oldani (1982: p. 9)</ref> However, the opera was rejected (10 February 1871) by a vote of 6 to 1, ostensibly for its lack of an important female role.<ref name="Taruskin 1993: pp. 250–251">Taruskin (1993: pp. 250–251)</ref> Lyudmila Shestakova recalled the reply made by conductor [[Eduard Nápravník]] and stage manager [[Gennadiy Kondratyev]] of the [[Mariinsky Theatre]] in response to her question of whether ''Boris'' had been accepted for production:<ref name="Taruskin 1993: p. 251">Taruskin (1993: p. 251)</ref>

{{blockquote|"'No,' they answered me, 'it's impossible. How can there be an opera without the feminine element?! Mussorgsky has great talent beyond doubt. Let him add one more scene. Then ''Boris'' will be produced!'"<ref name="Taruskin 1993: p. 251"/>|Lyudmila Shestakova, in ''My Evenings'', her recollections of Mussorgsky and [[The Mighty Handful]], 1889}}

Other questionable accounts, such as Rimsky-Korsakov's, allege that there were additional reasons for rejection, such as the work's novelty:<ref name="Taruskin 1993: p. 251"/>

{{blockquote|"...Mussorgsky submitted his completed ''Boris Godunov'' to the Board of Directors of the Imperial Theatres ... The freshness and originality of the music nonplussed the honorable members of the committee, who reproved the composer, among other things, for the absence of a reasonably important female role."<ref>Rimsky-Korsakov (1923: pp. 109–110)</ref>|Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov, ''Chronicle of My Musical Life'', 1909}}

{{blockquote|"All his closest friends, including myself, although moved to enthusiasm by the superb dramatic power and genuinely national character of the work, had constantly been pointing out to him that it lacked many essentials; and that despite the beauties with which it teemed, it might be found unsatisfactory in certain respects. For a long time he stood up (as every genuine artist is wont to do) for his creation, the fruit of his inspiration and meditations. He yielded only after ''Boris'' had been rejected, the management finding that it contained too many choruses and ensembles, whereas individual characters had too little to do. This rejection proved very beneficial to ''Boris''."<ref>Calvocoressi (1956: p. 156)</ref>|Vladimir Stasov}}
Meanwhile, Pushkin's drama (18 of the published 24 scenes, condensed into 16) finally received its first performance in 1870 at the [[Mariinsky Theatre]], three years in advance of the premiere of the opera in the same venue, using the same scene designs by [[Matvey Shishkov]] that would be recycled in the opera.<ref name="Oldani 1982: p.8" /><ref name="Calvocoressi, Abraham 1974: p.37" />

[[File:Eduard Napravnik 2.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Eduard Nápravník]] conducted the premiere of ''Boris Godunov'' (1874).<ref>Calvocoressi, Abraham (1974: p. 46)</ref> The Czech Nápravník would spend more than 40 years in the service of Russian music as chief conductor of the Imperial Mariinsky Theatre.<ref name="Oldani 1982: p. 7">Oldani (1982: p. 7)</ref> In Rimsky-Korsakov's memoirs, ''Chronicle of My Musical Life'', the composer praises his keen ear, his ability to detect errors, and his overall technique, but faults him for his rapid tempi, his interpretational inflexibility and insensitivity, and, most of all, for his habit of making sweeping cuts.<ref>Rimsky-Korsakov (1923: pp. 221, 254, 327–328)</ref>]]

'''Revised Version'''

In 1871, Mussorgsky began recasting and expanding the opera with enthusiasm, ultimately going beyond the requirements of the directorate of the Imperial Theatres, which called simply for the addition of a female role and a scene to contain it.<ref name="Taruskin 1993: pp. 250–251" /> He added three scenes (the two Sandomierz scenes and the Kromï Scene), cut one (The Cathedral of Vasiliy the Blessed), and recomposed another (the Terem Scene). The modifications resulted in the addition of an important [[prima donna]] role (Marina Mniszech), the expansion of existing female roles (additional songs for the Hostess, Fyodor, and the Nurse), and the expansion of the first tenor role (the Pretender). Mussorgsky augmented his adaptation of Pushkin's drama with his own lyrics, assisted by a study of the monumental ''History of the Russian State'' by Karamzin, to whom Pushkin's drama is dedicated.
The Revised Version was finished in 1872 (vocal score, 14 December 1871; full score 23 June 1872),<ref name="Oldani 2002: p. 545" /> and submitted to the Imperial Theatres in the autumn.

Most Mussorgsky biographers claim that the directorate of the Imperial Theatres also rejected the revised version of ''Boris Godunov'', even providing a date: 6 May 1872 (Calvocoressi),<ref>Calvocoressi (1956: p. 169)</ref> or 29 October 1872 (Lloyd-Jones).<ref>Lloyd-Jones (1975: p. 17)</ref> Recent researchers point out that there is insufficient evidence to support this claim, emphasizing that in his revision Mussorgsky had rectified the only objection the directorate is known to have made.<ref>Oldani (1982: p. 10)</ref>

In any case, Mussorgsky's friends took matters into their own hands, arranging the performance of three scenes (the Inn and both Sandomierz scenes) at the Mariinsky Theatre on 5 February 1873, as a benefit for stage manager Gennadiy Kondratyev.<ref name="Oldani 2002: p. 545" /> [[César Cui]]'s review noted the audience's enthusiasm:

{{blockquote|"The success was enormous and complete; never, within my memory, had such ovations been given to a composer at the Mariinsky."<ref name="Calvocoressi, Abraham p. 42">Calvocoressi, Abraham (1974: p. 42)</ref>|César Cui, ''[[Sankt-Peterburgskie Vedomosti]]'', 1873}}

The success of this performance led [[V. Bessel and Co.]] to announce the publication of the piano vocal score of Mussorgsky's opera, issued in January 1874.<ref name="Oldani 2002: p. 545" />

'''Premiere'''

The triumphant 1873 performance of three scenes paved the way for the first performance of the opera, which was accepted for production on 22 October 1873.<ref>Calvocoressi (1956: p. 135)</ref> The premiere took place on 27 January 1874, as a benefit for prima donna [[Yuliya Platonova]].<ref name="Oldani 2002: p. 545" /> The performance was a great success with the public. The Mariinsky Theatre was sold out; Mussorgsky had to take some 20 curtain calls; students sang choruses from the opera in the street. This time, however, the critical reaction was exceedingly hostile<ref>Calvocoressi, Abraham (1974: pp. 48–51)</ref> [see [[Boris Godunov (opera)#Critical reception|Critical Reception]] in this article for details].

Initial performances of ''Boris Godunov'' featured significant cuts. The entire Cell Scene was cut from the first performance, not, as is often supposed, due to censorship, but because Nápravník wished to avoid a lengthy performance, and frequently cut episodes he felt were ineffective.<ref name="Oldani 1982: p. 11">Oldani (1982: p. 11)</ref> Later performances tended to be even more heavily cut, including the additional removal of the Kromï scene, likely for political reasons (starting 20 October 1876, the 13th performance).<ref>Orlova (1991: p. 158)</ref> After protracted difficulties in obtaining the production of his opera, Mussorgsky was compliant with Nápravník's demands, and even defended these mutilations to his own supporters.

{{blockquote|"Presently cuts were made in the opera, the splendid scene 'Near Kromï' was omitted. Some two years later, the Lord knows why, productions of the opera ceased altogether, although it had enjoyed uninterrupted success, and the performances under [[Osip Petrov|Petrov]] and, after his death, by [[Fyodor Stravinsky|F. I. Stravinsky]], Platonova, and [[Fyodor Petrovich Komissarzhevsky|Komissarzhevsky]] had been excellent. There were rumors afloat that the opera had displeased the Imperial family; there was gossip that its subject was unpleasant to the censors; the result was that the opera was stricken from the repertory."<ref>Rimsky-Korsakov (1923: pp. 145–146)</ref>|Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov, ''Chronicle of My Musical Life''}}

''Boris Godunov'' was performed 21 times during the composer's lifetime, and 5 times after his death (in 1881) before being withdrawn from the repertory on 8 November 1882. When Mussorgsky's subsequent opera ''[[Khovanshchina]]'' was rejected for production in 1883, the Imperial Opera Committee reputedly said: "One radical opera by Mussorgsky is enough."<ref>Emerson (1988: p. 236)</ref> ''Boris Godunov'' did not return to the stage of the Mariinsky Theatre until 9 November 1904, when the Rimsky-Korsakov edition was presented under conductor [[Felix Blumenfeld|Feliks Blumenfeld]] with bass [[Feodor Chaliapin]] in the title role.

===''Boris Godunov'' and the Imperial Family===
The reports of the antipathy of the Imperial family to Mussorgsky's opera are supported by the following accounts by Platonova and Stasov:

{{blockquote|"During the [premiere], after the scene by the fountain, [[Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolayevich of Russia|Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolayevich]], a devoted friend of mine, but by the calumny of the [[Saint Petersburg Conservatory|Conservatory]] members, the sworn enemy of Musorgsky, approached me during the intermission with the following words: 'And you like this music so much that you chose this opera for a benefit performance?' 'I like it, Your Highness,' I answered. 'Then I am going to tell you that this is a shame to all Russia, and not an opera!' he screamed, almost foaming at the mouth, and then turning his back, he stomped away from me."<ref>Orlova (1991: p. 77)</ref>|[[Yuliya Platonova]], letter to Vladimir Stasov}}

{{blockquote|"In the entire audience, I think only Konstantin Nikolayevich was unhappy (he does not like our school, in general) ... it was not so much the fault of the music as that of the libretto, where the 'folk scenes,' the riot, the scene where the police officer beats the people with his stick so that they cry out begging Boris to accept the throne, and so forth, were jarring to some people and infuriated them. There was no end to applause and curtain calls."<ref>Orlova (1991: p. 171)</ref>|Vladimir Stasov, letter to his daughter, 1874}}

{{blockquote|"When the list of operas for the winter was presented to [[Alexander III of Russia|His Majesty the Emperor]], he, with his own hand, was pleased to strike out ''Boris'' with a wavy line in blue pencil."<ref>Emerson, Oldani (1994: p. 107)</ref>|Vladimir Stasov, letter to Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, 1888}}

===Performance history===
''Note: This section lists performance data for the Saint Petersburg and Moscow premieres of each important version, the first performance of each version abroad, and premieres in English-speaking countries. Dates provided for events taking place in Russia before 1918 are [[Adoption of the Gregorian calendar#Adoption in Eastern Europe|Old Style]].''

'''Original interpreters'''
{{Gallery
|title=
|footer=
|width=140
|File:Varlaam and Misail.jpg|{{center|Petrov and Dyuzhikov<br />as Varlaam and Misail}}
|File:Melnikov as Boris 2.jpg|{{center|Ivan Melnikov<br />as Tsar Boris}}
|File:Platonova as Marina 2.jpg|{{center|Paleček and Platonova<br />as Rangoni and Marina}}
|File:Komissarzhevsky as Pretender.jpg|{{center|Fyodor Komissarzhevsky<br />as the Pretender}}
}}

'''1872, Saint Petersburg – Excerpts'''

The Coronation Scene was performed on 5 February 1872 by the Russian Music Society, conducted by [[Eduard Nápravník]]. The Polonaise from Act 3 was performed (without chorus) on 3 April 1872 by the Free School of Music, conducted by [[Mily Balakirev|Miliy Balakirev]].<ref>Calvocoressi, Abraham (1974: p. 39</ref>

'''1873, Saint Petersburg – Three scenes'''

Three scenes from the opera—the Inn Scene, the Scene in Marina's Boudoir, and the Fountain Scene—were performed on 5 February 1873 at the Mariinsky Theatre. Eduard Nápravník conducted.<ref name="Calvocoressi, Abraham p. 42">Calvocoressi, Abraham (1974: p. 42)</ref> The cast included Darya Leonova (Innkeeper), [[Fyodor Petrovich Komissarzhevsky|Fyodor Komissarzhevsky]] (Pretender), [[Osip Petrov]] (Varlaam), Vasiliy Vasilyev (or 'Vasilyev II') (Misail), [[Mikhail Sariotti]] (Police Officer), Yuliya Platonova (Marina), Josef Paleček (Rangoni), and Feliks Krzesiński (Old Polish Noble).<ref>Musorgskiy (1984: p. 323)</ref>

[[File:Shishkov - Call to the Throne.jpg|thumb|200px|'The House of Boris', design by Matvey Shishkov (1870)]]

'''1874, Saint Petersburg – World premiere'''

The Revised Version of 1872 received its world premiere on 27 January 1874 at the [[Mariinsky Theatre]]. The Cell Scene was omitted. The Novodevichiy and Coronation scenes were combined into one continuous scene: 'The Call of Boris to the Tsardom'. Matvey Shishkov's design for the last scene of Pushkin's drama, 'The House of Boris' (see illustration, right), was substituted for this hybrid of the Novodevichiy and Coronation scenes.<ref>Emerson, Oldani (1994: p. 100)</ref> The scenes were grouped in five acts as follows:<ref>Shirinyan (1989: p. 56)</ref>

:Act 1: 'The Call of Boris to the Tsardom' and 'Inn'
:Act 2: 'With Tsar Boris'
:Act 3: 'Marina's Boudoir' and 'At the Fountain'
:Act 4: 'The Death of Boris'
:Act 5: 'The Pretender near Kromï'

Production personnel included Gennadiy Kondratyev (stage director), Ivan Pomazansky (chorus master), Matvey Shishkov, Mikhail Bocharov, and Ivan Andreyev (scene designers), and Vasiliy Prokhorov (costume designer). Eduard Nápravník conducted. The cast included [[Ivan Melnikov (singer)|Ivan Melnikov]] (Boris), Aleksandra Krutikova (Fyodor), Wilhelmina Raab (Kseniya), Olga Shryoder (nurse), Vasiliy Vasilyev, 'Vasilyev II' (Shuysky), Vladimir Sobolev (Shchelkalov), Vladimir Vasilyev, 'Vasilyev I' (Pimen, Lawicki), [[Fyodor Petrovich Komissarzhevsky|Fyodor Komissarzhevsky]] (Pretender), Yuliya Platonova (Marina), Josef Paleček (Rangoni), [[Osip Petrov]] (Varlaam), Pavel Dyuzhikov (Misail), [[Antonina Abarinova]] (Innkeeper), Pavel Bulakhov (Yuródivïy), Mikhail Sariotti (Nikitich), Lyadov (Mityukha), Sobolev (Boyar-in-Attendance), Matveyev (Khrushchov), and Sobolev (Czernikowski). The production ran for 26 performances over 9 years.<ref name="Pruzhansky">Pruzhansky</ref>

The premiere established traditions that have influenced subsequent Russian productions (and many abroad as well): 1) Cuts made to shorten what is perceived as an overlong work; 2) Declamatory and histrionic singing by the title character, often degenerating in climactic moments into shouting (initiated by Ivan Melnikov, and later reinforced by Fyodor Shalyapin); and 3) Realistic and historically accurate sets and costumes, employing very little stylization.<ref>Emerson, Oldani (1994: p. 91)</ref>

'''1879, Saint Petersburg – Cell Scene'''

The Cell Scene (Revised Version) was first performed on 16 January 1879 in Kononov Hall, at a concert of the Free School of Music, in the presence of Mussorgsky.<ref>Lloyd-Jones (1975: p. 20)</ref> Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov conducted. The cast included Vladimir Vasilyev, "Vasilyev I" (Pimen), and Vasiliy Vasilyev, 'Vasilyev II' (Pretender).<ref>Rimsky-Korsakov (1923: p. 211)</ref><ref>Orlova (1991: p. 141)</ref>

'''1888, Moscow – Bolshoy Theatre premiere'''

The Revised Version of 1872 received its Moscow premiere on 16 December 1888 at the [[Bolshoy Theatre]]. The Cell and Kromï scenes were omitted. Production personnel included Anton Bartsal (stage director), and Karl Valts (scene designer). [[Ippolit Al'tani|Ippolit Altani]] conducted. The cast included [[Bogomir Korsov]] (Boris), Nadezhda Salina (Fyodor), Aleksandra Karatayeva (Kseniya), O. Pavlova (Nurse), Anton Bartsal (Shuysky), Pyotr Figurov (Shchelkalov), Ivan Butenko (Pimen), Lavrentiy Donskoy (Pretender), Mariya Klimentova (Marina), Pavel Borisov (Rangoni), Vladimir Streletsky (Varlaam), Mikhail Mikhaylov (Misail), Vera Gnucheva (Innkeeper), and [[Alexander Dodonov|Aleksandr Dodonov]] (Boyar-in-attendance). The production ran for 10 performances.<ref name="Pruzhansky" /><ref>Shirinyan (1989: p. 105)</ref>

'''1896, Saint Petersburg – Premiere of the Rimsky-Korsakov edition'''

The Rimsky-Korsakov edition premiered on 28 November 1896 in the Great Hall of the [[Saint Petersburg Conservatory]]. Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov conducted. The cast included [[Mikhail Lunacharsky]] (Boris), [[Gavriil Morskoy]] (Pretender), [[Nikolay Kedrov, Sr.|Nikolay Kedrov]] (Rangoni), and [[Fyodor Stravinsky]] (Varlaam). The production ran for 4 performances.<ref name="Pruzhansky" />

[[File:Shalyapin Boris 1898.jpg|thumb|100px|Shalyapin as Boris (1898)]]
'''1898, Moscow – Fyodor Shalyapin as Boris'''

Bass [[Fyodor Shalyapin]] first appeared as Boris on 7 December 1898 at the [[Private Opera|Solodovnikov Theatre]] in a Private Russian Opera production. The Rimsky-Korsakov edition of 1896 was performed. Production personnel included [[Savva Mamontov]] (producer), and Mikhail Lentovsky (stage director). [[Giuseppe Truffi]] conducted. The cast also included [[Anton Sekar-Rozhansky]] (Pretender), Serafima Selyuk-Roznatovskaya (Marina), [[Varvara Strakhova]] (Fyodor), and [[Vasily Shkafer|Vasiliy Shkafer]] (Shuysky). The production ran for 14 performances.<ref name="Pruzhansky" />

'''1908, Paris – First performance outside Russia'''

The Rimsky-Korsakov edition of 1908 premiered on 19 May 1908 at the [[Paris Opéra]]. The Cell Scene preceded the Coronation Scene, the Inn Scene and the Scene in Marina's Boudoir were omitted, the Fountain Scene preceded the Terem Scene, and the Kromï Scene preceded the Death Scene. Production personnel included [[Sergei Diaghilev|Sergey Dyagilev]] (producer), [[Alexander Sanin|Aleksandr Sanin]] (stage director), [[Aleksandr Golovin (artist)|Aleksandr Golovin]], [[Konstantin Yuon]], [[Alexandre Benois|Aleksandr Benua]], and [[Eugene Lanceray|Yevgeniy Lansere]] (scene designers), Ulrikh Avranek (chorusmaster), and [[Ivan Bilibin]] (costume designer). [[Felix Blumenfeld|Feliks Blumenfeld]] conducted. The cast included [[Feodor Chaliapin|Fyodor Shalyapin]] (Boris), Klavdiya Tugarinova (Fyodor), Dagmara Renina (Kseniya), Yelizaveta Petrenko (Nurse), Ivan Alchevsky (Shuysky), [[Nikolay Kedrov, Sr.|Nikolay Kedrov]] (Shchelkalov), [[Vladimir Kastorsky]] (Pimen), [[Dmitri Smirnov (tenor)|Dmitri Smirnov]] (Pretender), [[Nataliya Yermolenko-Yuzhina]] (Marina), Vasiliy Sharonov (Varlaam), Vasiliy Doverin-Kravchenko (Misail), Mitrofan Chuprïnnikov (Yuródivïy), and Khristofor Tolkachev (Nikitich).<ref name="Pruzhansky" /> The production ran for 7 performances.<ref>Emerson, Oldani (1994: p. 119)</ref>

[[File:Didurboris.jpg|thumb|100px|Didur as Boris (1913)]]
'''1913, New York – United States premiere'''
[[File:Boris Godunoff at Metropolitan Opera NY Dec 7, 1922.jpg|thumb|left|Cast of a performance of ''Boris Godunoff'' (sung in Italian) at the Metropolitan Opera, 7 December 1922]]
The United States premiere of the 1908 Rimsky-Korsakov edition took place on 19 March 1913 at the [[Metropolitan Opera House (39th Street)|Metropolitan Opera]], and was based on [[Sergei Diaghilev|Sergey Dyagilev]]'s Paris production. The opera was presented in three acts. The Cell Scene preceded the Coronation Scene, the scene in Marina's Boudoir was omitted, and the Kromï Scene preceded the Death Scene. However, the Inn Scene, which was omitted in Paris, was included. Scenery and costume designs were the same as used in Paris in 1908—made in Russia by Golovin, [[Alexandre Benois|Benua]], and [[Ivan Bilibin|Bilibin]], and shipped from Paris. [[Arturo Toscanini]] conducted. The cast included [[Adamo Didur]] (Boris), [[Anna Case]] (Fyodor), [[Leonora Sparkes]] (Kseniya), [[Maria Duchêne]] (Nurse), [[Angelo Badà]] (Shuysky), [[Vincenzo Reschiglian]] (Shchelkalov, Lawicki), [[Jeanne Maubourg]] (Innkeeper), [[Léon Rothier]] (Pimen), [[Paul Althouse]] (Pretender), [[Louise Homer]] (Marina), [[Andrés de Segurola]] (Varlaam), Pietro Audisio (Misail), [[Albert Reiss]] (Yuródivïy), Giulio Rossi (Nikitich), Leopoldo Mariani (Boyar-in-Attendance), and Louis Kreidler (Czernikowski).<ref>Metropolitan Opera Archives</ref> This performance was sung in Italian.

[[File:Chaliapin F. (Шаляпин Ф. И.) 1913 as Boris Godunov.jpg|thumb|100px|Shalyapin as Boris (1913)]]
'''1913, London – United Kingdom premiere'''

The United Kingdom premiere of the 1908 Rimsky-Korsakov edition took place on 24 June 1913 at the [[Theatre Royal, Drury Lane]] in London. Production personnel included [[Sergei Diaghilev|Sergey Dyagilev]] (producer) and [[Alexander Sanin|Aleksandr Sanin]] (stage director). [[Emil Cooper]] conducted. The cast included [[Fyodor Shalyapin]] (Boris), Mariya Davïdova (Fyodor), Mariya Brian (Kseniya), Yelizaveta Petrenko (Nurse, Innkeeper), Nikolay Andreyev (Shuysky), A.&nbsp;Dogonadze (Shchelkalov), Pavel Andreyev (Pimen), Vasiliy Damayev (Pretender), Yelena Nikolayeva (Marina), Aleksandr Belyanin (Varlaam), Nikolay Bolshakov (Misail), Aleksandr Aleksandrovich (Yuródivïy), and Kapiton Zaporozhets (Nikitich).<ref name="Pruzhansky" />

'''1927, Moscow – St. Basil's Scene'''

The newly published St. Basil's Scene was performed on 18 January 1927 at the [[Bolshoy Theatre]] in the 1926 revision by [[Mikhail Ippolitov-Ivanov]], commissioned in 1925 to accompany the Rimsky-Korsakov edition. Production personnel included Vladimir Lossky (stage director) and [[Fyodor Fedorovsky]] (scene designer). [[Ariy Pazovsky]] conducted. The cast included [[Ivan Kozlovsky]] (Yuródivïy), and Leonid Savransky (Boris).<ref>Shirinyan (1989: pp. 134–135)</ref> The production ran for 144 performances.<ref name="Pruzhansky"/>

[[File:Boris Godunov Novodevichy Dmitriev 1928.jpg|thumb|150px|Novodevichiy Scene. Design by Vladimir Dmitriev (1928)]]
'''1928, Leningrad – World premiere of the 1869 Original Version'''

The Original Version of 1869 premiered on 16 February 1928 at the [[Mariinsky Theatre|State Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet]]. Production personnel included Sergey Radlov (stage director), and Vladimir Dmitriyev (scene designer). Vladimir Dranishnikov conducted. The cast included [[Mark Reizen|Mark Reyzen]] (Boris), Aleksandr Kabanov (Shuysky), Ivan Pleshakov (Pimen), Nikolay Pechkovsky (Pretender), Pavel Zhuravlenko (Varlaam), Yekaterina Sabinina (Innkeeper), and V. Tikhiy (Yuródivïy).<ref name="Pruzhansky" />

'''1935, London – First performance of the 1869 Original Version outside Russia'''

The first performance of the 1869 Original Version abroad took place on 30 September 1935 at the [[Sadler's Wells Theatre]]. The opera was sung in English. [[Lawrance Collingwood]] conducted. The cast included Ronald Stear (Boris).<ref>Oldani (1982: pp. 37, 49)</ref>

'''1959, Leningrad – First performance of the Shostakovich orchestration'''

The premiere of the Shostakovich orchestration of 1940 of [[Pavel Lamm]]'s vocal score took place on 4 November 1959 at the [[Mariinsky Theatre|Kirov Theatre]]. Sergey Yeltsin conducted. The cast included [[Boris Shtokolov]] (Boris).

'''1974, New York – First Russian Language Performance in the United States'''

On 16 December 1974, an adapted version of the original Mussorgsky orchestration was used for this New production, with [[Martti Talvela]] performing the title role by the [[Metropolitan Opera]], which was also the first performance of Boris Godunov in [[Metropolitan Opera House (Lincoln Center)|the new Lincoln Center building]] since its opening in 1966.

===Publication history===
{{unreferenced section|date=January 2022}}
{|Class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%; line-height:1.2"
!style="width:6%;"|Year
!style="width:14%;"|Score
!style="width:22%;"|Editor
!style="width:22%;"|Publisher
!style="width:36%;"|Notes
|-
|1874||Piano vocal score||Modest Mussorgsky||[[V. Bessel and Co.]], Saint Petersburg||Revised Version
|-
|1896||Full score||Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov||V. Bessel and Co., Saint Petersburg|| A drastically edited, re-orchestrated, and cut form of the 1874 vocal score
|-
|1908||Full score||Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov||V. Bessel and Co., Saint Petersburg||A drastically edited and re-orchestrated form of the 1874 vocal score
|-
|rowspan=2|1928||Piano vocal score||[[Pavel Lamm]]||[[Muzgiz|Muzsektor]], Moscow; [[Oxford University Press]], London||A restoration of the composer's scores; a conflation of the Original and Revised Versions, but with notes identifying the sources
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|Full score||Pavel Lamm and [[Boris Asafyev]]||Muzsektor, Moscow; Oxford University Press, London||A restoration of the composer's scores; a conflation of the Original and Revised Versions; limited edition of 200 copies
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|1963||Full score||Dmitriy Shostakovich||[[Muzgiz]], Moscow||A new orchestration of Lamm's vocal score; a conflation of the Original and Revised Versions
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|1975||Full score||[[David Lloyd-Jones (conductor)|David Lloyd-Jones]]||Oxford University Press, London||A restoration of the composer's scores; a conflation of the Original and Revised Versions, but with notes identifying the sources
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