Opera Now

The key concept is that the characters of the Holy Fool and Boris's sick son Fyodor are combined to become Boris' accuser. The two are played by the same actor but sung by different singers. This was a little confusing, though it effectively highlighted the opera's underlying theme: the sense of guilt that traumatises Boris and leads to his subsequent self-disintegration. By putting the emphasis on Boris' inner conflict, the production managed to expose Tsarist Russia's weaker, more vulnerable side.

KISHINAMI Yukiko, Opera Now, February 2023

Opera Magazine

Guido Jentjens ...... spent much of the time stumbling around in underwear and a dressing gown, a haggard, haunted figure. ...... Goderdzi Janelidze was in magnificent voice as Pimen, conveying the unmistakable sense of menace the production demanded, and Teppei Kono was a superb Varlaam, memorably singing his song about the Tartars in a brothel, as he examined the available bodies. Other singing roles were in capable hands, but I suspect the performance that will be remembered longest was Justyna Wasilewska's silent performance as the disabled Fyodor (coupled with Eiko Koizumi, who sang the part poignantly).

David CHANDLER, Opera Magazine, February 2023