Mussorgsky: Khovanshchina (2012): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 2012, Mussorgsky: Khovanshchina is a music film directed by Dmitri Tcherniakov, running about 172 minutes. “Opera in 5 Acts” — that tagline sets the tone.

What it’s about. Kent Nagano superbly masters the challenges presented by this score, shapes the dynamics with subtle intensity, and casts the score in a mellow glow. As Marfa, the spurned lover of Ivan Khovansky‘s son Andrei, Doris Soffel unfolds such a rich palette of sonorities, from the pathos of the lower ranges to shaded discant heights, that “one is tempted to speak of a Russian mezzo”. The final chorus, which Mussorgsky did not compose, is played in the orchestrally transparent version of Igor Stravinsky – the third great Russian composer who contributed to making “Khovanshchina“ a timeless, gripping stage work. With his stripped-down sets and historicising costumes, director Dmitri Tcherniakov, one of the new voices of contemporary Russian theatre, builds a bridge to the political present. A lesson in history and music!

Who’s in it. Mussorgsky: Khovanshchina stars Paata Burchuladze as Ivan Khovansky, Klaus Florian Vogt as Andrei Khovansky, John Daszak as Golitsin and Valeri Alexejev as Shaklovity, among others.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Mussorgsky: Khovanshchina page.

If you liked it. Fans of Mussorgsky: Khovanshchina tend to enjoy Whiplash, Coco, Green Book and The Legend of 1900.