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Mussorgsky’s Russian Treasure Boris Godunov Opens San Diego Opera’s 2007 International Season | Huliq: Breaking News

Famed Italian bass Ferruccio Furlanetto makes American role debut as Boris in Mussorgsky’s original 1869 Version
John Hitch  |  by www.huliq.com. All rights reserved. 8.01 | 21:38

Famed Italian bass Ferruccio Furlanetto makes American role debut as Boris in Mussorgsky’s original 1869 Version.

Modest Mussorgsky’s tragic drama Boris Godunov opens San Diego Opera’s 2007 International Season on Saturday, January 27, 2007 for four performances at the Civic Theatre in the composer’s original version and orchestration from 1869. Boris Godunov features an all star cast led by famed Italian bass Ferruccio Furlanetto who makes his American role debut in the title role of the ill-fated Czar.


Making Company debuts in this opera are Ukrainian bass Vitalij Kowaljow and Russian bass Mikhail Svetlov. They are joined by American tenors Jay Hunter Morris, Allan Glassman and Doug Jones. Opera Santa Barbara Artistic Director Valery Ryvkin conducts and former San Francisco Opera General Director Lotfi Mansouri directs.


Boris Godunov is based on Alexander Pushkin’s complex drama that explores the coups and political infighting for the Russian throne in 1598. Dimitri, the son of the Czar of Russia, has been murdered by Boris Godunov (Ferruccio Furlanetto). When the reigning Czar dies, Boris is crowned ruler of Russia.

Meanwhile in Poland, a young monk named Grigori (Jay Hunter Morris) realizes he is the same age as Dimiri would have been and devises a plan to take over Russia himself while pretending to be the old Czar’s deceased son. As Grigori and his army march on Moscow, Boris must confront his guilty past which is made even more difficult by his feeble grip on a reality that threatens to throw all of Russia into turmoil. With rich music and some of the most memorable choral numbers ever written for opera, Boris Godunov is sure to dazzle audiences.


Boris Godunov was last seen in San Diego in 1989 as part of the US-Russian Arts Festival when it was performed in the revised version with orchestration by Rimsky-Koraskov. This production is in the original seven scenes with Mussorgsky’s orchestration for the first time in San Diego.
Returning to sing the title role of Boris Godunov is Italian bass, Ferruccio Furlanetto the first Italian to sing the role of Boris in Russia.

This season he also sings Boris with the Vienna Staatsoper. These performances mark his American role debut as Boris. Mr.

Furlanetto made his San Diego Opera debut in 1985 in the title role in Verdi’s Oberto, returning for Méphistophélès in Faust and the title role in Don Giovanni on two occasions each, King Philip in Don Carlo, and most recently as Basilio in The Barber of Seville. Mr. Furlanetto was the first Italian to sing the role of Boris in Russia in 2004 when he appeared at the Mariinsky Theatre.

At theSalzburg Festival he was first heard in 1986 as Mozart’s Figaro, returning as Leporello, Don Alfonso, Don Giovanni and King Philip. Other roles include Fiesco in Simon Boccanegra, the title roles in Boris Godunov and Don Quichotte, and Zaccaria in Nabucco. He appears regularly with the opera companies in Vienna, Milan, Paris, London, Florence, Rome, Turin and with the Metropolitan Opera.

Recently he sang both King Philip and Boris Godunov at the Mariinsky theatre in St. Petersburg, being the first non-Russian ever to sing those roles there. Many of his performances are available on more than twenty-seven CDs and DVDs including King Philip, Don Giovanni, Attila, Figaro, Alfonso and Leporello.

Ferruccio Furlanetto is a Kammersänger of the Vienna Staatsoper and an Honorary Ambassador to the United Nations.
Making his San Diego Opera debut to sing the role of Pimen is Ukrainian bass Vitalij Kowaljow, a winner in Plácido Domingo’s 1999 Operalia competition. Mr.

Kowaljow has appeared throughout Europe and the United States as Atilla and Fiesco in Simon Boccanegra, Banquo in Macbeth, Kecal in The Bartered Bride, Sparafucile in Rigoletto and Marco in Gianni Schicchi with such companies as San Francisco Opera, Los Angeles Opera, and the Opera Orchestra of New York. He made his Metropolitan Opera debut in 2004 as Zaccaria in Nabucco, returning for performances in Otello, Aida, Turandot, and Don Carlo. In 2006 his Metropolitan Opera performances included Sparafucile in Rigoletto, Padre Guardiano in La forza del destino, and Walter in Luisa Miller.

Other appearances have included Procida in Les Vêpres Siciliennes for Opéra National de Paris, Nagorny in Nicholas and Alexandra with Los Angeles Opera, and King Philip in Don Carlo with the Opera Company of Philadelphia.
American tenor Jay Hunter Morris returns to San Diego Opera to sing the role of Dimitri/Grigori. Jay Hunter Morris made his Company debut in 2004 as Tichon in Katya Kabanová.

For San Francisco Opera he has created roles in three world premieres: Mitch in A Streetcar Named Desire, Father Grenville in Dead Man Walking, and most recently Captain James Nolan in Doctor Atomic. Other career highlights include Erik in The Flying Dutchman with Opera Australia, Des Grieux in Manon Lescaut and Anatol in Vanessa with Seattle Opera, Steva in Jen?fa with The Dallas Opera and Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly for Utah Opera.

Jay Hunter Morris created the role of Tony in Terrence McNally’s play Master Class at the Philadelphia Theater Company, continuing with the play to Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., and to New York.


American tenor Allan Glassman made his San Diego Opera debut in 1989 as Dimitri in Boris Godunov and returns this time to sing the role of Prince Shuisky. Career highlights have included Herod in Salome, Don José in Carmen, the title role in Faust, Bégears in The Ghosts of Versailles, Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor, Rodolfo in Luisa Miller and Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly with the Metropolitan Opera. He has also sung Cavaradossi in Tosca, Don José in Carmen and Turridu in Cavalleria rusticana with New York City Opera.

His European engagements include the title role in Ernani with L’Opéra de Nice, the Prince in Rusalka with Oper Frankfurt, Manrico in Il trovatore with the Deutsche Staatsoper, Berlin, and Arrigo in I vespri siciliani with Den Norske Opera. Other North American companies with which he has performed include L’Opéra de Montréal, Los Angeles Opera, Florida Grand Opera, The Dallas Opera and Opera Pacific.
Making his San Diego Opera debut in the role of Varlaam is Russian bass Mikhail Svetlov.

A former member of the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow his roles have included Boris in Boris Godunov and Méphistophélès in Faust. He has sung frequently with Opera de Bellas Artes in Mexico City as Méphistophélès, Dulcamara in The Elixir of Love, Walther in Luisa Miller, Oroveso in Norma and Banquo in Macbeth. Of his performances in Mexico City El Diario wrote “Svetlov conquered the diverse audience with his expressive energy and superb interpretation… It was a real triumph.

” Other appearances include King Philip and the Grand Inquisitor in Don Carlo with Deutsche Staatsoper, Berlin, as well as the Bayerische Staatsoper in Munich, Zaccaria in Nabucco for the Bregenz Festspiele in Austria, Genoa 's Teatro Carlo Felice and the Arena di Verona. With Houston Grand Opera he has performed Méphistophélès, Don Basilio in The Barber of Seville, and Dikoi in Katya Kabanová with L'Opera de Montreal, the title role in Boris Godunov. Mikhail Svetlov has also appeared with New York City Opera as the title role in Verdi's Attila, Basilio in The Barber of Seville, Colline in La bohème, Banquo in Macbeth and Lorenz in the United States premiere of Mathis der Maler.


American mezzo-soprano Lisa Agazzi returns to San Diego Opera to sing the role of Feodor. Ms. Agazzi made her San Diego Opera debut in 2006 as Mercedes in Carmen and appeared later in the season as the Third Lady in The Magic Flute.

She has performed Dorabella in Così fan tutte with South Florida Opera, the title role in Cinderella with Utah Opera Studio, Samantha in The Ballad of Baby Doe with Indianapolis Opera, and Mrs. Segstrom in A Little Night Music for Utah Opera. Lisa Agazzi has also appeared with the Warren Symphony in Detroit, the Musica Riva Festival in Indiana, the Rochester Symphony Orchestra and the Pontiac-Oakland Symphony Orchestra.

She was the winner of the San Diego District Metropolitan Opera Auditions, the Friedrich Schorr Prize in Voice and the “Borsa di Studio” winner at the Riccardo Zandonai International Competition for Young Opera Singers. Lisa Agazzi is a former member of The San Diego Opera Ensemble.
American baritone Nicolai Janitzky returns to San Diego Opera to sing Thchelkalov.

Mr. Janitzky first appeared with San Diego Opera in 2004 as Kuligin in Katya Kabanová and Douphol in La traviata. He has appeared in The Mother of us All with Glimmerglass Opera and New York City Opera.

He is also an active recitalist.
American tenor Joseph Frank returns to San Diego Opera to sing the role of Missail. Mr.

Frank has had a long association with San Diego Opera since his debut here in 1979 as the Lamplighter in Manon Lescaut, returning in Tosca in 1981, Turandot in 1982 and 2004, Die Fledermaus in 1980 and 2005, Andréa Chenier in 1981, Peter Grimes in 1984, Madama Butterfly in 1989 and Salome in 1998. He made his San Francisco Opera debut as the Maestro di Ballo in Manon Lescaut in 1974 and his Metropolitan Opera debut in 1979 as the Dancing Master in Ariadne auf Naxos. Recent engagements include La fanciulla del west for Los Angeles Opera, Shuisky in Boris Godunov for Le Théâtre du Capitole Toulouse, Tosca and Turandot for San Francisco Opera and Eugene Onegin for Baltimore Opera.


American mezzo-soprano Judith Christin returns to San Diego Opera to sing Hostess of the Inn. Ms. Christin, first appeared with San Diego Opera as Auntie in Peter Grimes in 1984, returning twice for both Faust and The Marriage of Figaro as well as Dialogues of the Carmelites, Cold Sassy Tree and The Barber of Seville.

She has appeared in more than seventy roles with leading opera companies throughout the United States including San Francisco Opera, the Metropolitan Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Houston Grand Opera, Santa Fe Opera and The Dallas Opera. Judith Christin is a regular soloist with many of the country’s major symphony orchestras.
Returning to San Diego Opera to sing the role of The Simpleton is American tenor Doug Jones.

Mr. Jones sang Vanya in Katya Kabanová for his San Diego Opera debut in 2004. His Vienna debut was as Sesto in Handel’s Julius Caesar in Egypt in the Musikverein in Vienna.

He also sang Almaviva in The Barber of Seville, Orlofsky in Die Fledermaus and Pedrillo in The Abduction from the Seraglio with the Musiktage Wiener Neustadt. He appeared in Nabucco with the Bregenz Summer Festival and in Der Rosenkavalier with the Salzburg Summer Festival, and sang the title role in Candide for the Innsbruck Summer Festival. Recent engagements include Tobias in Sweeney Todd for Covent Garden, the Sailor in Tristan und Isolde and the Simpleton in Boris Godunov for Seattle Opera, and appearances in Der Rosenkavalier, Tosca and Peter Grimes for Michigan Opera Theatre.


American contralto Martha Jane Howe returns to sing the Old Nurse. Martha has had a long relationship with San Diego Opera since her debut in A Village Romeo and Juliet in 1975. She has also appeared here in La Loca, La traviata, Dialogues of the Carmelites, Boris Godunov, Albert Herring, The Rape of Lucretia, The Marriage of Figaro, Eugene Onegin and Cold Sassy Tree.

During five seasons with the Lyric Opera of Chicago, she performed in the world premiere of William Bolcom’s McTeague, Prokofiev’s The Gambler, plus Die Walküre, The Bartered Bride, La sonnambula, and Der Ring des Nibelungen. Martha Jane Howe made her San Francisco Opera debut in Lulu and The Coronation of Poppea, and her Los Angeles Opera debut in Faust and Elektra.
Returning to lead the Orchestra for these performances of Boris Godunov is Russian Maestro Valéry Ryvkin.

Maestro Ryvkin made his San Diego Opera debut in 2005 conducting Die Fledermaus. He is the Artistic Director of both Opera Santa Barbara and the Greensboro Opera Company. He made his professional conducting debut in 1992 with Cavalleria rusticana and Pagliacci in Tel Aviv.

He appeared recently with Portland Opera for La traviata and The Barber of Seville, Austin Lyric Opera for Così fan tutte, Mississippi Opera for Falstaff, the Lyric Opera of Kansas City for Don Pasquale and Sarasota Opera for May Night and Hansel and Gretel. Highlights of recent seasons with Opera Santa Barbara include conducting La traviata, Cavalleria rusticana, Pagliacci, The Marriage of Figaro, Tosca, Così fan tutte, Don Pasquale and Madama Butterfly. At the Metropolitan Opera he is Assistant Conductor working recently with Valery Gergiev on Boris Godunov and Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk.


Returning to the Company after directing The Barber of Seville last season is Iranian director Lotfi Mansouri. Mr. Mansouri is the former General Director of San Francisco Opera and the Canadian Opera Company, and made his San Diego Opera debut in 1973 directing The Daughter of the Regiment.

Recent productions here include Die Fledermaus and Simon Boccanegra in 2005, along with Don Carlo, Turandot, Otello and Idomeneo in previous seasons. He attended UCLA and took U.S.

citizenship before becoming resident stage director at Opernhaus Zürich in 1976. He has directed at many opera houses throughout Italy including Teatro alla Scala. In North America his work has been seen at the Metropolitan Opera, New York City Opera and in Chicago, Houston, Santa Fe, Philadelphia, Dallas and many other cities, and he has a lengthy association with Opera Australia at the Sydney Opera House.

Six of his productions have been videotaped for telecast and cassette sale: Mefistofele, Orlando furioso, Capriccio, Turandot, The Dangerous Liaisons and A Streetcar Named Desire.

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Keywords: Diego Opera, Boris Godunov, Metropolitan Opera, Francisco Opera, New York, King Philip, Los Angeles, Hunter Morris, Don Carlo, Los Angeles Opera
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