Premiere at medieval Vyborg Castle (17 June 2002)

In that place where the major marine and overland ways were crossed, on a rocky island the Medieval castle is situated. It´s sole castle in Russia. In 1293 during the third crusade of the Swedes under command of marshal Torgils Knutsson the Karelian consolidated item was destroyed and on its place the castle is pledged. It was named Vyborg - from old Scandinavian "vi" - sacred, "borg" - Fortress. Originally castle consisted from stone tetrahedral turret named Santa Olaf and encircling serfdom wall. August 19, 1403 the king Erik XIII Pomerance has granted to Vyborg the letter with the right of city and all completeness of the privileges. The fortress with its strong walls and constant garrison became an attractive place for commercial people. The location of the castle made it convenient item on a trade way from the Baltic sea to the lake Ladoga. In current XV of century Vyborg became the center of trade of an internal part of the Finnish bay and of an entrance gateway in the Karelian regions arranged on shores of the Ladoga lake. The merchants from cities of Gansay union visited Vyborg, stocking its inhabitants and neighborhood by the necessary goods. Simultaneously of Vyborg served a frontier fortress for Swedish kingdom, that required constant maintenance of its defensive capability.
The appearance of the fortress changed. In XV century it was considered as the most beautiful castle of Sweden.
"...the Master of Vyborg has spent many remedies for construction of a fortress, has created most beautiful chambers, has plated with their roof, has forced to construct around toothed wall. More beautiful castle cannot be found." (Chronicle Karl, XV c.)
Modern exterior the Vyborg castle had gained at the end of XIXth century, after the reconstruction effected by the Russian military department.
Now in the castle the Vyborg local lore museum is found.

BORIS GODUNOV
Opera in seven scenes
(Original 1869 version)
Music by Modest Musorgsky
Libretto by the composer based мн the historical drama by Alexander Pushkin Boris Godunov

Musical Director and Conductor: Valery GERGIEV

Sergey Aleksashkin as Boris Godunov
Alexander Morozov as Pimen
Nikolay Gassiev as Prince Vassilly Shuisky
Vasily Gerello as Andrey Shchelkalov
Yevgeny Strashko as Grigory Otrepiev

Stage Director: Yury Laptev
Set Designer: Viacheslav Okunev
Lighting Designer: Vladimir Lukasevich
Principal Chorus Master: Andrey Petrenko
Chorus Masters: Leonid Tepliakov, Sergey Inkov
Musical Preparation: Irina Soboleva
Assistant Directors: Maria Bonch-Osmolovskaia, Anna Shilova
A child´s Chorus Master: Alexander Tyutrin

Stage Manager: Natalia Samosud
Organizational Director: Vyacheslav Lupachev
Technical Director: Igor Suvorov

Sponsored by Brewery Company "Baltika"

Performance running time: 2 hours 20 minutes
The performance has no intermissions