Cast Musters an Unpersuasive Final ‘Boris’ for Tchakarov

MUSSORGSKY: “Boris Godunov.” Nicolai Ghiaurov, Stefka Mineva, Mikhail Svetlev, Nicola Ghiuselev, Dimiter Petkov, Joseph Frank, Boris Martinovich, Mincho Popov, others; forces of Sofia Opera, conducted by Emil Tchakarov. Sony S3K 45763.

MUSSORGSKY: “Khovanshchina.” Olga Borodina, Nikolai Okhotnikov, Bulat Minjelkiev, Vladimir Galusin, Alexei Steblianko, Valery Alexeyev, others; forces of Kirov Opera, conducted by Valery Gergiev. Philips 432 147-2.

“Boris” was the last of the Russian operas recorded in Bulgaria by Emil Tchakarov, who died in 1991. It is the least persuasive, chiefly because of the cast. In his prime, Ghiaurov was never a riveting Boris; now that his powers are fading, he is a bit of a trial. Mineva is a workaday Marina, her Dmitri, Svetlev, more competent. Martinovich is a properly oily Jesuit. Ghiuselev’s always lean bass is holding up fairly well as Pimen, and the Simpleton of Popov has moments of pathos.

Much of the best singing is done by the American, Frank, as a particularly insinuating Shuisky. The version used is the composer’s second one, with the addition of the St. Basil scene. As usual in this series, a useless Czech transliteration is inexplicably provided. The old Columbia Masterworks releases of Melodiya recordings, apparently now owned by Sony, have quite adequate ones.

If this new “Khovanshchina” is representative of the current Kirov standard, the famed company is in trouble. Gergiev elicits authentic Slavic passion with his authoritative work on the podium, using the Shostakovich orchestration.

Once again, the cast is deficient. Borodina’s is a handsome enough, youthful mezzo, but in the complex role of Marfa it is sorely tried by the low tessitura. Both Galusin and Steblianko have the characteristic Russian-tenor bleat.

It used to be that when all else failed, the Russians could come up with splendid basses. Okhotnikov, unfortunately, sounds as if he’s about to receive his company gold watch and be sent off to a retirement dacha . Dosifei is supposed to be old, but not by this much. The Czechs strike again with their transliteration.