Highlights from Russian Operas vol.2 (DSD)

Composer: Modest Mussorgsky, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, Pyotr Il’yich Tchaikovsky
Orchestra: Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra
Conductor: Alexander Vedernikov
Format: DSD64 (dsf tracks)
Label: Pentatone
Release: 2009
Size: 2.38 GB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes

Modest Mussorgsky:
From “Khovanschina” (Rimsky-Korsakov version)
01. Prelude Act 1 (Dawn over the Moscow River)
02. Act 2: Sily potajnye (Mysterious forces)
Elena Manistina (Marfa) – mezzo-soprano;
Mikhail Gubsky (Golitsyn) – tenor

03. Act 3: Batya, batya, vyijdi k nam ! (Chief-our-father, come to us!)
Vladimir Krasov (Kuzhka)– baritone;
Vladimir Matorin (Ivan Khovansky)– bass;
Chorus

Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov:
From “Legend of the invisible city of Kitezh and the Maiden Fevroniya”
04. Prelude: A hymn to nature
05. The battle near the Kerzhenets River

From “Sadko” Act 2: Songs of the Foreign Merchant Traders
06. Song of the Varangian (Viking) Guest
Vadim Lynkovsky – bass

07. Song of the Indian Guest
Maksim Paster – tenor

08. Song of the Venetian Guest
Anton Grigoriev – baritone;
Chorus

Pyotr Il’yich Tchaikovsky:
From “Eugene Onegin”
09. Act 3: Polonaise
10. Act 2: Kuda, kuda vyi udalilis? (Where, oh where have you gone?)
Andrey Dunaev – tenor

Modest Mussorgsky:
From “Boris Godunov” (Rimsky-Korsakov version)
11. Prologue: Coronation Scene
Maksim Paster (Shuisky) – tenor;
Mikhail Kazakov (Boris Godunov) – bass;
Chorus

In 1776, Prince Pyotr Urusov and his English partner, Michael Maddox, set up a theatre company in Moscow after obtain- ing the imperial permission of the Empress, Catherine II. The Bolshoi Theatre of Russia traces its history back to this date: Mos- cow’s first permanent company and first professional opera-house was, in time, to become the country’s leading theatre. At the time, the Urusov theatre put on productions of opera, ballet and drama, and expected its artists to perform roles in all these genres: and to this day, the artists of the Bolshoi Theatre are also trained to act, as well as to sing and dance. The same principles underline the performance style of the Theatre’s orchestra. In addition to the virtuoso instrumental skills, its members are required to participate on an equal basis in the performance, in accord- ance with the spirit of the production.