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Mussorgsky died before finishing this epic treatment of the 17th-century clash between Russian conservatives (the boyars and the Orthodox "Old Believers") and the progressive, Westernizing reformers led by Peter the Great. Among the composers who have reworked and completed the material, Shostakovich and Stravinsky are the most convincing, and their work is used in Claudio Abbado's interpretation. His orchestra and singers rank with the world's best. The plot is complex and rather disjointed, alternating between intimate, personal conflicts and crises (brilliantly portrayed by a stellar cast of solo singers) and broad, historical themes in which the focus is on the Russian people (represented by enormous, diverse, and highly skilled choral forces). To most Westerners, the historic situations and characters may be unfamiliar, but the libretto brings them vividly to life. Mussorgsky's score, borrowing idioms from Russian religious music and folksong, creates a convincing atmosphere and generates tremendous tension in one violent confrontation after another, leading up to one of the most spectacular final scenes in opera. Khovanshchina is not the kind of opera usually associated with the Vienna State Opera, but this production uses Russian and Eastern European singers with Western imaginative freedom and technical expertise--a combination that surpasses the competing versions by Russian companies. It is a model of excellence in video opera production. --Joe McLellan
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