Khovanshchina (Russian: Хованщина, IPA: [xɐˈvanʲɕːɪnə] ⓘ, sometimes rendered The Khovansky Affair) is an opera (subtitled a 'national music drama') in five acts by Modest Mussorgsky.

Like Mussorgsky's earlier Boris Godunov, Khovanshchina deals with an episode in Russian history, first brought to the composer's attention by his friend the critic Vladimir Stasov.

Khovansky had helped to foment the Moscow Uprising of 1682, which resulted in Sofia becoming regent on behalf of her younger brother Ivan and half-brother Peter, who were crowned joint Tsars.

Supported by the Old Believers and the Streltsy, Khovansky – who supposedly wanted to install himself as the new regent – demanded the reversal of Patriarch Nikon's reforms.

The above table is based on those of Richard Taruskin (in Musorgsky: Eight Essays and an Epilogue) and Pavel Lamm [ru] (in the preface to his edition of the vocal score).

The Russian Private Opera presented the Moscow premiere at the Solodovnikov Theater on 12 November 1897 conducted by Michele Esposito, with scene designs by Konstantin Korovin, Apollinary Vasnetsov, and Sergey Malyutin.

Khovanshchina reached the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris in 1913, where Emil Cooper (Kuper) conducted a Diaghilev production, in a new orchestration written collaboratively by Igor Stravinsky and Maurice Ravel.

The Shostakovich version, in Pavel Lamm's edition, was first presented on 25 November 1960 at the Kirov Theater, conducted by Sergey Yeltsin with sets designed by Fedorovsky.

The 1950 production was sung in English and featured Risë Stevens as Marfa, Lawrence Tibbett as Prince Ivan and Jerome Hines as Dosifei.

The new production was staged by August Everding, designed by Ming Cho Lee, and used the Shostakovich orchestration, with Martti Talvela as Dosifei and Natalia Rom as Emma.

More recently, it was performed by Welsh National Opera in both Wales and England as well as at the Bayerische Staatsoper in Munich under Kent Nagano in 2007.

Rimsky-Korsakov Edition: Shostakovich Orchestration: The death of the young Tsar Fyodor III has left Russia with a crisis of succession.

Due to regulations applicable at the time of the composition of the opera in Imperial Russia, it was forbidden to portray members of the Romanov dynasty on stage, so Mussorgsky had recourse to a series of symbols and indirect mention of main characters in the plot.

Each of the three principal basses in the opera believes himself to represent the "true" Russia against her internal enemies: Prince Ivan Khovansky claims legitimacy by noble birth and military prowess, Dosifey by religion, and Shaklovity by supporting Czar Peter.

[4][5] Time: The year 1682 Place: Moscow In some performances and recordings of the opera some segments are deleted, depending on the interpretation of the original notes, which are described in [brackets].

Shaklovity, a Boyar and agent for the regent and the Tsars, enters and dictates a letter to the court, warning of a rebellion planned by Prince Ivan Khovansky (captain of the Streltsy Guards) and the Old Believers.

[The crowd enters and they force the scribe to read a new proclamation that has been published in the public square, which describes the atrocities committed by the Streltsy.

[A German Lutheran pastor enters to complain of the murder of one of the scribes in his community by the Streltsy and Prince Andrey Khovansky's pursuit of Emma.

After her enters Shaklovity, who menacingly announces that the Tsar has been warned of the planned rebellion and has issued orders to arrest the Princes Khovansky.

The Streltsy Quarter, south of the Moscow River As Old Believers chant a hymn for the future of Russia, Marfa sings of her lost love for Prince Andrey Khovansky.

They exit and Shaklovity, who until now had been presented as a purely threatening character, sings a haunting prayer for troubled Russia's protection from the Streltsy (he refers to them as "mercenaries") and from the rebellious powers they obey.

Dosifey mourns the conspirators' downfall and the success of Tsar Peter and learns that the Imperial Council has decreed that the Old Believers are next.

Prince Andrey Khovansky threatens that he will have her burnt as a witch and calls for the Streltsy with his horn but instead a menacing sound is heard.

Although he is weighed down by the sorrows and sufferings of the brethren, he remains defiant and determined to win a "crown of glory" in fire and flame ("Here, in this holy place").

The schismatics sing a final hymn ("God will save me") as Dosifey, Marfa, Prince Andrey Khovansky and the Old Believers perish in the flames.

[Shostakovich version only: As the flames die away, the moon rises over the forest and the crowd from Moscow enters, reprising their act 1 lament for the state of Russia.

Georgi Andruschenko, Vladislav Romanovsky, Yevgeny Nesterenko, Irina Arkhipova Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra and Chorus Kultur (2005) Pioneer LD PA 90-016 (NTSC) Image Entertainment (2001) Stage director: Alfred Kirchner Video director: Brian Large Klaus Florian Vogt, John Daszak, Valery Alexeev, Anatoly Kotcherga, Doris Soffel Bayerisches Staatsorchester Chor der Bayerischen Staatsoper EuroArts (2009) Stage director: Dmitri Tcherniakov