''Mussorgsky'' (russian: Мусоргский, Musorgskiy) is a 1950 Soviet

biopic film A biographical film or biopic () is a film that dramatizes the life of a non-fictional or historically-based person or people. Such films show the life of a historical person and the central character's real name is used. They differ from docudra ...

directed by

Grigori Roshal Grigori Lvovich Roshal (russian: Григорий Львович Рошаль; October 21, 1899 – January 11, 1983) was a Soviet film director and screenwriter. He directed 26 films between 1926 and 1968. Biography Grigori Roshal was born on ...

, about the emergence of Russian composer

Modest Mussorgsky Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky ( rus, link=no, Модест Петрович Мусоргский, Modest Petrovich Musorgsky , mɐˈdɛst pʲɪˈtrovʲɪtɕ ˈmusərkskʲɪj, Ru-Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky version.ogg; – ) was a Russian compo ...

. It was entered into the

1951 Cannes Film Festival The 4th Cannes Film Festival was held from 3 to 20 April 1951. The previous year, no festival had been held because of financial reasons. In 1951, the festival took place in April instead of September to avoid direct competition with the Venice Fi ...

Plot

The film tells about the activities of the association of composers " The Five", who were drawing inspiration from Russian folk art. Like many representatives of the Russian intelligentsia, members of this musical community were imbued with the plight of the peasants and sought to write works that would draw people's attention to this poorest layer of society. The young composer Modest Mussorgsky decides to devote his life to music and to make it the property of the people. Only his mother supports his “ignoble” undertakings. The young man leaves military service and ponders writing a work about the peasants, together with members of The Five. The Imperial Musical Society is not pleased with the activities of composers; it excludes

Mily Balakirev Mily Alexeyevich Balakirev (russian: Милий Алексеевич Балакирев,BGN/PCGN transliteration of Russian: Miliy Alekseyevich Balakirev; ALA-LC system: ''Miliĭ Alekseevich Balakirev''; ISO 9 system: ''Milij Alekseevič Balakir ...

. The writer

Vladimir Stasov Vladimir Vasilievich Stasov (also Stassov; rus, Влади́мир Васи́льевич Ста́сов; 14 January Adoption_of_the_Gregorian_calendar#Adoption_in_Eastern_Europe.html" ;"title="/nowiki> O.S._2_January.html" ;"title="Adoption of ...

expresses his opinion by calling the Society newspaper musical liars, eventually ending up in court for libel, and being sued for a monetary penalty. During a trial, many supporters of "The Five" are presented. A peasant music school, created by composers, is described for debts. Meanwhile, not one of the editions of Mussorgsky’s opera ''

Boris Godunov Borís Fyodorovich Godunóv (; russian: Борис Фёдорович Годунов; 1552 ) ruled the Tsardom of Russia as ''de facto'' regent from c. 1585 to 1598 and then as the first non-Rurikid tsar from 1598 to 1605. After the end of his ...

'' was allowed to appear in the imperial theaters. The directorate surrenders when the whole city begins to protest; the opera is a tremendous success. ''Boris Godunov'' radically changes the direction of the work of Russian composers.

Cast

* Aleksandr Borisov as

Nikolay Cherkasov Nikolay Konstantinovich Cherkasov (russian: Никола́й Константи́нович Черка́сов; 14 September 1966) was a Soviet and Russian actor. People's Artist of the USSR (1947). Career He was born in Saint Petersburg (lat ...

* Vladimir Balashov as

* Yuri Leonidov as

Alexander Borodin Alexander Porfiryevich Borodin ( rus, link=no, Александр Порфирьевич Бородин, Aleksandr Porfir’yevich Borodin , p=ɐlʲɪkˈsandr pɐrˈfʲi rʲjɪvʲɪtɕ bərɐˈdʲin, a=RU-Alexander Porfiryevich Borodin.ogg, ...

* Andrei Popov as

Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov Nikolai Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov . At the time, his name was spelled Николай Андреевичъ Римскій-Корсаковъ. la, Nicolaus Andreae filius Rimskij-Korsakov. The composer romanized his name as ''Nicolas Rimsk ...

* Bruno Freindlich as

César Cui César Antonovich Cui ( rus, Це́зарь Анто́нович Кюи́, , ˈt͡sjezərʲ ɐnˈtonəvʲɪt͡ɕ kʲʊˈi, links=no, Ru-Tsezar-Antonovich-Kyui.ogg; french: Cesarius Benjaminus Cui, links=no, italic=no; 13 March 1918) was a Ru ...

Fyodor Nikitin Fyodor Mikhailovich Nikitin (russian: Фёдор Миха́йлович Ники́тин; May 3, 1900 in Lokhvytsia – July 17, 1988 in Moscow) was a Soviet film and theater actor. People's Artist of the RSFSR. Winner of two Stalin Prizes firs ...

Alexander Dargomyzhsky Alexander Sergeyevich Dargomyzhsky ( rus, link=no, Александр Сергеевич Даргомыжский, Aleksandr Sergeyevich Dargomyzhskiy., ɐlʲɪkˈsandr sʲɪrˈɡʲe(j)ɪvʲɪdʑ dərɡɐˈmɨʂskʲɪj, Ru-Aleksandr-Sergeevich- ...

Lyubov Orlova Lyubov Petrovna Orlova (russian: link=no, Любовь Петровна Орлова ; – 26 January 1975) was a Soviet and Russian actress, singer, dancer and People's Artist of the USSR (1950). Life and career She was born to a family o ...

Yuliya Platonova Yuliya Feodorovna Platonova or Julia Platonova ( rus, Юлия Фёдоровна Платонова, Yuliya Feodorovna Platonova, née Garder, 1841—1892) was a Russian soprano, known for performances at Imperial Theatres in St. Petersb ...

Lidiya Sukharevskaya Lidiya Petrovna Sukharevskaya (russian: Ли́дия Петро́вна Сухаре́вская; 30 August 1909 – 11 October 1991) was a Soviet stage actress and playwright renowned for her work with Nikolay Akimov and Andrey Goncharov. H ...

as Grand Duchess Elena Pavlovna * Vladimir Morozov as Ivan Melnikov * Georgy Orlov as

Osip Petrov Osip Afanasievich Petrov (russian: link=no, Осип Афанасиевич Петров, ) was a Russian operatic bass-baritone of great range and renown, whose career centred on St Petersburg. Biography Osip Petrov was born in Yelisavetgrad ( ...

Grigory Shpigel Grigory Oyzerovich Spiegel (russian: Григо́рий О́йзерович Шпи́гель; 24 July 1914 — 28 April 1981) was a Soviet and Russian actor and voice actor. Honored Artist of the RSFSR (1974). Biography He worked as a pleater at ...

as von Metz Uncredited: * Ram Lebedev as

Ilya Repin Ilya Yefimovich Repin (russian: Илья Ефимович Репин, translit=Il'ya Yefimovich Repin, p=ˈrʲepʲɪn); fi, Ilja Jefimovitš Repin ( – 29 September 1930) was a Russian painter, born in what is now Ukraine. He became one of the ...

Nikolay Trofimov Nikolay Nikolaevich Trofimov (russian: Никола́й Никола́евич Трофи́мов; January 21, 1920, Sevastopol — November 7, 2005, St. Petersburg) was a Soviet and Russian theater and film actor. People's Artist of the USSR (1990 ...

as student * Valentin Yantsat as Filaret Mussorgsky *

Igor Dmitriev Igor Borisovich Dmitriev (russian: И́горь Бори́сович Дми́триев) (29 May 1927 – 26 January 2008) was a Soviet and Russian film and theatre actor who specialized in playing aristocratic characters in costume productions ( ...

, cameo

References

External links

* *
''Mussorgsky''
on

YouTube YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...

*
''Mussorgsky'' and Some Musicology Questions
(1951) on ''

Music Academy The Music Academy is a classical music training program in Montecito in Santa Barbara County, California. Overview The academy hosts an annual eight-week summer music festival, highlighted by concerts and workshops directed by famous composer ...

'' journal site {{Modest Mussorgsky 1950 films 1950 drama films 1950s historical drama films 1950s biographical drama films Soviet biographical drama films Russian biographical drama films 1950s Russian-language films Films directed by Grigori Roshal Films about classical music and musicians Films about composers Films set in the 19th century Modest Mussorgsky