Boris at Boston

Near the beginning of the 2005 Boston Early Music Festival and Exhibition programme book James S. Nicolson traces the genesis of the festival. This biennial gathering of musicians, instrument builders, vendors and music lovers began 'one evening in 1979', as Friedrich and Ingeborg von Heune, themselves musicians and instrument makers, brought together a group of about 20 people 'to hear their vision of a European style instrument exhibition with attendant concerts to be established . . . in Boston'. With the first festival taking place in May 1981, the entire world of early music has come to know the Boston Early Music Festival and Exhibition as the premier platform for performers and instrument builders across the globe.

Fans of the festival have become spoiled, expecting-and getting-a lavish operatic production as the centrepiece of the week-long celebration of early music. Since 1997 the festival's artistic directors, Paul O'Dette and Stephen Stubbs, have set out, beginning with Luigi Rossi's 1647 Orfeo, to bring the audience through the history of Baroque opera, one decade at a time. This year (13-19 June) we were treated to the fifth opera in the series, a work composed in 1710. The clincher was that this opera, Johann Mattheson's Boris Goudenow, had never previously been performed. Indeed, those attending the gala opening (14 June) were treated to a world première (but see forthcoming correspondence-Ed.).

Stephen Stubbs has previously explained in Early music(xxxiii/2 (May 2005), pp.283-92) how Boriswas among a group of Mattheson scores returned to Hamburg in 1998, having previously been presumed lost during the Second World War. George Buelow brought the opera to the attention of the festival directors, and the rest is history: Jurgen Neubacher of the Hamburg Staats- und Universitätsbibliothek provided microfiche and access to the manuscript, and, because the score was only Mattheson's first draft, the opera was reconstructed for the festival performances. Jörg Jacobi then put together the performing edition of the opera, now published by Edition Baroque of Bremen.

Borispresented a number of challenges for its producers. Most importantly, how does one recreate an opera that has never been performed? Furthermore, this particular opera has over 70 numbers, a macaronic libretto with three confusingly interwoven romantic couples, limited opportunity for dance and, one might say, a 'B-list' composer.

Nevertheless, if there were any doubts about this opera, they were put to rest by a beautifully rendered production. Borisheld the audience from beginning to end. David Cockayne's sets and Anna Watkins's costumes provided a strikingly exotic Russian setting. Boris's elaborate coronation outfit reminded one of how visually splendid opera can be (see illus.1), and the audience enthusiastically applauded the unveiling of the Moscow skyline at the start of the third act. The stage direction by Lucy Graham and Nils Niemann was engaging and, like the costumes and sets, helped to carry the drama where the libretto or music might not have. While Borisdoes not call for much in the way of choreography, the dances were all in the French style, with a large 'Chaconne for Cupids and Pleasures' at the opera's end. Lucy Graham's choreography and the ensemble of dancers were at the level of excellence that festival audiences have come to expect.

Mattheson's cosmopolitan score, drawing on German, Italian and French traditions, uses both German and Italian texts. Even with so much musical variety, several numbers stand out, notably the duos woven throughout and Tsar Theodorus's Schwangesang, written with obbligato violin (sung emotively by Olivier Laquerre and accompanied superbly by Robert Mealy). The cast of ten principals and chorus was highlighted by Boston favourite Ellen Hargis (soprano) as Boris's sister, Irina; a brilliantly comic William Hite (tenor) as Bogda, Boris's flatulent servant; and Russian bass, Vadim Kravets, in the title role. With its delightful singing, the Boston-based PALS Children's Chorus, under the direction of Johanna Hill Simpson, elevated the production from performance to spectacle.

The star of the opera-and, perhaps, the entire festival-was the Boston Early Music Festival Orchestra. In addition to playing the...