Ivan the Terrible descends on English country house
mainGrange Park Opera has found a new backer in the Romanoff Foundation.
From the press release:
The Romanoff Foundation is making an initial grant to support the live filming/streaming of Ivan the Terrible by Rimsky-Korsakov in the 2021 season (19 June – 14 July), making it accessible to those unable to attend in person.
In the lead up to the performances, the Foundation will also host a series of live and recorded events with the aim of increasing historical and cultural awareness of the reign of Ivan the Terrible and Russia’s relationship with the Tsar’s English contemporaries, Henry VIII and Elizabeth I.
Photo: Grange Park’s Don Carlo
Interesting that descendants of that family want to draw attention to their worst forefather.
Point taken, but whether we like it or not, history is history.
Ivan The Terrible wasn’t a descendant of the Romanovs. He was from the Rurik dynasty. Nor was he the worst ruler. He was actually responsible for some very progressive reforms in the country (at least initially). The translation of his nickname is not really correct. Ivan Grozny means “Formidable” and “”Fearsome” in combination.
Aha…. interesting. And even more terrible for Ivan. We owe it to Mussorgski that we think he was not really a nice guy. A tragedy to be immortalized in such way by a composer.
I think you are thinking of Boris Godunov.
Sorry, yes, indeed.
Or by a writer. Richard III’s lousy reputation is very much based on Shakespeare’s play, whose sources were Tudor propaganda by way of Thomas More.
History’s unfairness.
That’s why I’m quite suspicious about my PA.
Ivan’s connection was only by marriage
But if you think of what wreckage a marriage can produce.