Mussorgsky (film)

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. Young man leaves the military service and ponders writing a work about the peasants, together with members of The Mighty Handful.

The Imperial Musical Society is not pleased with the activities of composers; it excludes Balakirev. The writer Stasov 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 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.

• Aleksandr Borisov as Modest Mussorgsky
• Nikolai Cherkasov as Vladimir Stasov
• Vladimir Balashov as Mily Balakirev
• Yuri Leonidov as Alexander Borodin
• Andrei Popov as Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
• Bruno Freindlich as César Cui
• Fyodor Nikitin as Alexander Dargomyzhsky
• Lyubov Orlova as Yuliya Platonova[2]
• Grigory Shpigel as von Metz

• Mussorgsky on IMDb