Mussorgskys searing exploration of a tsar assailed by fear and paranoia is given special contemporary relevance in this much-admired performance. Stage director Kirill Serebrennikov has incorporated the works of photographer Dmitry Markov, who travelled throughout Russia capturing everyday life in the country, and this presents unavoidable contrasts between authoritarianism and the real Russia. Featuring an outstanding cast, the opera is conducted by Vasily Petrenko in his first appearance with the Concertgebouw Orchestra. Opera magazine wrote that the premiere made for a dazzling opening to the Holland Festival.