Newest premiere “Boris Godunov” – on May 22th, 23rd!
Salvijus Trepulis plays Boris Godunov. Photo by Dmitrij Matvejev
Director Eimuntas Nekrošius is at the moment in the final stage of rehearsals for his premiere of “Boris Godunov” at Lithuanian National Drama Theatre (LNDT). The premiere will take place on the Big Stage, May 22nd, 23rd.
“Boris Godunov” is a performance based on a historical play of the same title written by the Russian writer Alexander Pushkin. Based on historical facts, the play speaks of the period in Russian history, which is distinguished by an intense and cruel fight for power between influential rulers. Pushkin wrote “Boris Godunov” in 1825 relying on two historical sources: Nikolay Karamzin’s “History of the Russian State” and old chronicles. He was studying Shakespeare’s tragedies in detail, too. Tsar Nicholas I who ruled the country at that time forbade him to publish “Boris Godunov” proposing Pushkin to re-write the play. As Pushkin would not comply, “Boris Godunov” was published only in 1830 on Pushkin’s “own responsibility”.
Boris Godunov is a boyar of Tatar decendance who becomes a tsar. He kills the legitimate heir to the Russian throne, a child of Tsar Ivan The Terrible, Dmitriy. Complying with the demand of the Russian people, Boris ascends the throne. Some years later a pretender to the throne appears who declares himself Dmitriy. He claims his right to the throne and marches to Moscow with a crowd of supporters. Godunov has lost the trust of his people, and soon thereafter dies unexpetedly. He appoints his son Fyodor as heir to the throne. While the pretender Dmitriy enters Moscow, his confidants kill Tsarevich Fyodor and his mother. Upon finding out what has happened, the Russian people are in shock…
“Director Nekrošius has chosen to have a large cast of actors for the performance, which is not a typical feature of Nekrošius’ artistic work. The cast includes actors of the permanent LNDT troupe who have not worked with the director before as well as actors from the theatre of Eimuntas Nekrošius. The cast of the performance dies not fall into the typical categories of main characters and extras because every character of the wide array of them has his/ her unique individual ways of expression, shaped by the director. “Nekrošius stages “Boris Godunov” as a multifaceted performance, which includes the usual themes pertinent to Nekrošius’ work as well as the themes exposing today’s realities. This premiere will close the five-year artistic program developed by our theatre,” says Audronis Liuga, Artistic Director of Lithuanian National Drama Theatre.
Newest premiere directed by Eimuntas Nekrošius “Boris Godunov” will premiere in Lithuanian National Drama Theatre May 22nd, 23rd.