Khovanshchina

opera by Mussorgsky

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June 30, 2026

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Khovanshchina is an opera by Modest Mussorgsky, a prominent Russian composer and a member of the nationalist group known as The Five. Mussorgsky composed Khovanshchina himself, basing it on Russian history. However, he died before completing it, and the opera was finished and orchestrated by his colleague, Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov.12

The opera is noted for its serious tone and its use of both real and simulated "oriental" elements, similar to Borodin's Prince Igor. It is considered one of Mussorgsky's significant works, alongside his masterpiece Boris Godunov.2

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Modest Mussorgsky
Life and career
…the composition of the opera Khovanshchina perhaps offered some distraction (left unfinished at his death, this opera was completed by Rimsky-Korsakov). Mussorgsky then found a companion in the person of a distant relative, Arseny Golenishchev-Kutuzov. This impoverished 25-year-old poet inspired Mussorgsky’s two cycles of melancholy melodies, Bez solntsa (Sunless) and…
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…the composition of the opera Khovanshchina perhaps offered some distraction (left unfinished at his death, this opera was completed by Rimsky-Korsakov). Mussorgsky then found a companion in the person of a distant relative, Arseny Golenishchev-Kutuzov. This impoverished 25-year-old poet inspired Mussorgsky’s two cycles of melancholy melodies, Bez solntsa (Sunless) and…
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Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov
Teacher, conductor, and editor
…he practically rewrote Mussorgsky’s opera Khovanshchina. His edited and altered version of Boris Godunov evoked sharp criticism from modernists who venerated Mussorgsky’s originality; but Rimsky-Korsakov’s intervention vouchsafed the opera’s survival. Mussorgsky’s score was later published in 1928 and had several performances in Russia and abroad, but ultimately the more effective…
Read More
…he practically rewrote Mussorgsky’s opera Khovanshchina. His edited and altered version of Boris Godunov evoked sharp criticism from modernists who venerated Mussorgsky’s originality; but Rimsky-Korsakov’s intervention vouchsafed the opera’s survival. Mussorgsky’s score was later published in 1928 and had several performances in Russia and abroad, but ultimately the more effective…
Read More

opera
Russian opera
Among them, Khovanshchina (to his own libretto; the score completed and orchestrated by Rimsky-Korsakov; posthumous premiere in 1886) bears a family resemblance to Prince Igor, particularly in its employment of real and simulated “oriental” elements, but it is more serious and much more confident in tone. Mussorgsky’s…
Read More
Among them, Khovanshchina (to his own libretto; the score completed and orchestrated by Rimsky-Korsakov; posthumous premiere in 1886) bears a family resemblance to Prince Igor, particularly in its employment of real and simulated “oriental” elements, but it is more serious and much more confident in tone. Mussorgsky’s…
Read More