The ENO has fielded magnificent productions of some of the mighty Russian operas: Musorgsky’s Khovanschchina, Prokofiev’s War and Peace and Shostakovich’s Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk come most readily to mind. Perhaps in response to the economic climate, or perhaps because the lead singer, conductor and director are tackling the work for the first time, this Boris Godunov (in David Lloyd-Jones’ admirable translation) seems a worthy affair rather than a triumph.

Economic considerations are almost certainly a factor in the choice of the earliest (1869) version of the opera. One or other of Musorgsky’s original versions is usually favoured in preference to Rimsky-Korsakov’s rescoring. But the slightly later 1872 version, with the newly composed Polish scenes and the stronger dramaturgy of the composer’s second thoughts, has the greater claims.

The seven-scene version of 1869 has little to recommend it save practicality. Hence the involvement, perhaps, of director Tim Albery, who relishes the challenge of a pared-down set. This one, designed by Tobias Hoheisel and lit effectively by Adam Silverman, would surely win the approval of the Prime Minister for its prudence and austerity. A unitary set serves as a cobbled courtyard, a monastery cell, an inn and the tsar’s quarters. Boris’s throne is modest indeed, little more than a glorified basket chair, and since it’s the only seat in the council chamber of the boyars, it’s implausibly offered to the monk Pimen in the final scene, leaving the tsar on his feet.

Albery is at his best in the crowd scenes, which are inventively staged and powerfully sung by the ENO Chorus. His ending, too, in which the Holy Fool (excellently sung by Robert Murray) leads the dying Boris away, their silhouettes receding into the distance, is compelling. Elsewhere he is less inspired, though with the diminished epic sweep of the 1869 version, conductor Edward Gardner similarly struggles to make much impact. His crowd scenes are also strongly projected and the luminous quality of Musorgsky’s scoring in the final moments shines through.

Peter Rose’s valiant attempt at the title role lacks something of the required inner torment. Outstanding are Brindley Sherratt as Pimen and John Graham-Hall as an oleaginous Shuisky, with fine contributions from Yvonne Howard as the Innkeeper and Sophie Bevan as Xenia.

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