Metropolitan Opera Archives

Translation by John Gutman
Boris Godunov received seven performances this season.
The decor of Dobujinsky derived from his productions of Khovanshchina and Un Ballo in Maschera. The original Mussorgsky orchestration, edited by Karol Rathaus, was performed until 10/27/60.

Review 1:

Review of Irving Kolodin in The Saturday

Too little money, too little time, and too little talent were liabilities of some otherwise sound production ideas in the late-season "Boris" that brought the powerful concept of Mussorgsky back to the Metropolitan stage in an edition based on his own orchestral scoring and with an English text. The lack of money dictated the use of makeshift scenery borrowed in large part from Mstislav Dobujinsky's production of "Khovanschina"; the limitation on time put the work on the stage well ahead of secure knowledge of it by all the principals; the small scale (for this house) Boris of George London gave one a feeling more of Czarevitch than Czar.

The richness of voice and the power of projection that London had shown in last fall's version with the New York Philharmonic-Symphony were, oddly enough, hampered rather than enhanced by scenery, costumes, and action. Rather than allowing his voice to convey a major portion of the drama in the character, London distracted the eye with a stagey, unconvincing pattern of action that sought to provide, with detail, what it lacked in purpose. To cap an evening of histrionics meant to convey human misery with a fall and a roll down a flight of steps may win bravos, but it is hardly the way to leave an image of artistic effort.

London's costuming was admirable, his makeup promising; but his figure lacked the bulk to make a truly imposing Boris. I would have been happier with a less gesturesome, airsawing treatment of the "Clock Scene," which was neither regal nor picturesque. Much of the music had a beautiful line and the enunciation of the English text was close to remarkable. However, this is a conception that has to grow considerably before it can measure to Metropolitan stature...the stature, that is, of Pinza and Kipnis, forgetting, momentarily, the big name better left unsaid.

Execution aside-though not forgotten-the project showed a number of valuable elements worth cultivation. Outstanding was the thoroughly suitable, generally understandable English text by John Gutman, the sequence of scenes (including one unfamiliar one in Act Four in which the idiot accuses Boris, publicly, of his crime), and the generally consistent coloration of the Mussorgsky score as edited by Karol Rathaus. His attention to the unlettered but highly spirited text of Mussorgsky was a model of respect and restraint, perhaps when it has been performed half a dozen times some touches may be introduced to approximate the theatrical effectiveness of Rimsky's work without destroying the personal accent of Mussorgsky.

For the while, some of the blame must go to Fritz Stiedry for his over-cautious, rather moodless direction. Perhaps there were valid reasons; but only the results can be described. Save for Jerome Hines, who sang a splendid Pimen, the best vocal work was done in smaller roles: Mildred Miller as an appealing Fyodor, Jean Madiera as a suitable Nurse, Paula Lenchner as a well-sounding Xenia, and particularly Paul Franke as an artistic simpleton. Most of the others were either out of voice or miscast: Blanche Thebom (Marina) and Salvatore Baccaloni (Varlaam) in the former category, Brian Sullivan (Grigori) in the latter. Andrew McKinley, making his debut as Schuisky, did not provide either the vocal skill or the dramatic resource for this important assignment.

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