Ruslan and Lyudmila

"Tcherniakov retains all Glinka's music, including a ballet sequence in which scantily clad ladies show off party tricks, rhythmic gymnastics, rollerskating, plus a conga. Once can forgive Mikhail Petrenko's Ruslan for looking a tad bemused. Petrenko's soft bass makes for a warmly sympathetic Ruslan ... Shagimuratova copes well with the coloratura of Lyudmila's teasing wedding feast aria ... Charles Workman is a light-voiced, sympathetic Finn and Alex Penda's dark dramatic soprano suites Gorislava ... Jurowski conducts an urgent account of Glinka's colourful score".

"As recordings of it remains relatively rare ... this release is welcome ... Vladimir Jurowski drives the score along with his trademark forensic energy yet without revealing all its musically exhilarating potential ... The cast ... is accomplished and is led with soft-grained warmth by Mikhail Petrenko (Ruslan) and mettlesome glint by Albina Shagimuratova (Lyudmila) ... Tcherniakov lives up to his reputation with a production that is fascinating and occasionally infuriating ... Viewers who already know the work will get the most out of this version, yet it never completely loses sight of the opera's essential spirit".

Vurdering : 4/5.

"Tcherniakov holt das statische Stationendrama ins Heute, findet plausible Umgebungen für die Zauberereignisse ... Auch musikalisch auf einem Opernniveau, wie es das Bolschoi seither leider kaum mehr erreicht hat. Albina Shagimuratova ist eine koloraturkräftige Ljudmila, Bassbariton Mikhail Petrenko ein beweglicher Ruslan ... Chor und Orchester unter dem drängenden Vladimir Jurowski geben ihr Bestes".

"Vurdering: Diapason d'or".