Ekaterinburg

In contrast to the very great and granitic Boris Godunov and Khovanshchina, Sorochintsi Fair gives us Mussorgsky in a rare, delightful and thoroughly convincing comic mood. Based on a tale by Gogol and taking place in Ukraine, this opera is full of lilting melodies and comic ensembles, delivered by a cast full of fine voices in pungent folk characterizations. The great centerpiece of the third act is a big choral ensemble based on Mussorgsky's early orchestral piece St. John's Night on Mount Triglav, best known to us in Rimsky -Korsakov's smoothed out, beautifully orchestrated arrangement "Night on Bald Mountain." Here, as Mussorgsky wrote it in complete vocal score it is a wild, scary and thoroughly thrilling experience. Otherwise Anatoly Lyadov and, principally, Vissarion Snebalin put Mussorgsky's finished pieces and sketches together and orchestrated them in Mussorgsky's style.