Dutch National Opera presents
This show was to been seen in February 2016
RISE AND FALL OF A NOBLE RUSSIAN FAMILY
KHOVANSHCHINA
Modest Moesorgski
Opera in five acts
Libretto by Modest Moesorgski, after an idea by Vladimir Stasov
Word premiere 9 February 1886, Mariinsky Theatre, St. Petersburg
THIS PRODUCTION
New production
Premiere 27 February 2016
Freely translated, Khovanshchina means ‘the Khovansky affair’. This opera tells the story of the revolt of the Streltsy (musketeers) led by Prince Khovansky against Peter the Great. Mussorgsky shows how personal and political ambitions can get intertwined, and how the common folk suffer as a result of the power games of their rulers.
In short
Similar to Mussorgsky’s opera Boris Godunov, Khovanshchina is based on Russian history and inspired by death, exile, madness and politics. In Christof Loy’s production of Khovanshchina, the story of the rise and fall of a noble Russian family unfolds on stage like a kaleidoscope. In the political and religious conflicts, the director sees a link to the Russian political situation today. Loy: “I’m interested in where we come from and where we are going to”.
For Khovanshchina, director Christof Loy was inspired by Vasily Surikovs painting of the Streltsy's execution.
Our costume department is working on several historical costumes. Take a look behind the scenes.
The story
On the eve of the take-over by Tsar Peter the Great, Moscow is torn between two rival leaders: Prince Golitsin of the Boyars and Ivan Khovansky, who represents the sect of the Old Believers. Khovansky has his own army of the feared ‘Streltsy’. After Peter the Great has taken the city, Prince Golitsin is banished and Ivan Khovansky is murdered. The Old Believers commit mass suicide in order to escape the rule of Peter the Great.
Team, Cast and Chorus
- Conductor
- Ingo Metzmacher
- Stage Director
- Christof Loy
- Set Designer
- Johannes Leiacker
- Costume Designer
- Ursula Renzenbrink
- Lighting Designer
- Reinhard Traub
- Choreographer
- Thomas Wilhelm
- Dramaturg
- Katja Hagedorn
- Orchestra
- Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra
- Chorus
- Chorus of the Dutch National Opera
- Chorus Master
- Ching-Lien Wu
- Children's chorus
- Nieuw Amsterdams Kinderkoor
led by Eline Welle
- Prince Ivan Chovanski
- Dmitry Ivashchenko
- Prince Andrej Chovanski
- Maxim Aksenov
- Prince Vasili Golitsyn
- Kurt Streit
- Shaklovity
- Gábor Bretz
- Dosifej
- Orlin Anastassov
- Marfa
- Anita Rachvelishvili
- Susanna
- Olga Savova
- Writer
- Andrei Popov
- Emma
- Svetlana Aksenova
- Varsonofiev
- Roger Smeets
- Kuzka
- Vasily Efimov
- Streshniev
- Morschi Franz
- Streltsy 1
- Vitali Rozynko
- Streltsy 2
- Sulkhan Jaiani
- Confidant of Golitsyn
- Richard Prada
Creation
Although the composer spent the last nine years of his life working on it, he never produced a definitive version of Khovanshchina. After Mussorgsky’s death, various composers worked on completing it. Dutch National Opera has chosen for the Khovanshchina that was finished by Shostakovich. This new production continues Dutch National Opera’s exploration of the Russian repertoire.
Main roles
The part of Khovansky is sung by Dmitry Ivashchenko, a DNO-debut. His opponent Dosifey is sung by Orlin Anastassov, who has sung the role of the pope in Benvenuto Cellini at DNO last season. Anita Rachvelishvili is making her DNO debut in the role of Marfa.
Christof Loy
Christof Loy (Les vêpres siciliennes and Arabella) won the Musikpreis der Stadt Düsseldorf. He has been voted director of the year no fewer than three times by the magazine Opernwelt and he has won a Laurence Olivier Award.
Khovanshchina is part of the programme of the Opera Forward Festival: a new festival that explores the future of opera through innovative new work. Take a look at the complete festival programme on operaforward.nl.
Music
Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra | Netherlands Chamber Orchestra
Dutch National Opera’s regular orchestra partner is regarded internationally as one of the best opera orchestras. The orchestra gives a varied programme of concerts in the Concertgebouw, as well as performing in various Dutch concert halls and at venues and festivals abroad.
Mon 07 Mar
Financial Times over Khovanshchina (2016) *****
'Gripping and Glorious.' ‘Evenings like this are why we go to the opera.’
