Boris Christoff

Speaker 10:00

Hello, I'm Kirstie Young, and this is a podcast from the Desert Island Disc's Archive. For rights reasons we've had to shorten the music. The programme was originally broadcast in nineteen seventy nine, and the presenter was Roy Plumley.

Presenter0:31

This week, our castaway is the International Operatic Base, Boris Kristoff.

Presenter0:37

And Mr. Kristoff, is the story of Robinson Crusoe read in your native Bulgaria? I read this history in.

Boris Christoff0:44

Bulgaria shrewdly when I was child.

Presenter0:47

Yeah.

Boris Christoff0:47

Have you ever imagined yourself as a Robinson Crusoe? It was my wish to imagine myself in this occasion, but it's not coming, never.

Boris Christoff0:58

What's the first record you've chosen out of the first record? Uh may we try to play the Frashitz?

Presenter1:00

And

Boris Christoff1:05

Freischut and in a special way

Boris Christoff1:08

The scene the

Boris Christoff1:11

Making of the magic bullet. Oh yes, that's a very exciting scene. Exciting scene, and I want to to tell you why it's important for me this um uh recording. Yes, why do you choose it? It's it was the first opera I heard ever.

Boris Christoff1:29

I'm going with my

Boris Christoff1:31

Mother, haven't I heard this opera?

Boris Christoff1:36

and that made to me such strong impression

Boris Christoff1:40

that uh at the end my mother was

Boris Christoff1:44

quite preoccupied with the exciting. How old were you?

Boris Christoff1:49

I'm been maybe at thirteen yes. About thirteen, twelve, thirteen years old.

Presenter1:55

It's a good exciting opera for for a boy of thirteen. Let's listen to that scene.

Speaker 41:59

S.

Speaker 42:04

Yeah.

Presenter3:00

The end of the scene from Der Freischutz where the magic bullet is cast, a recording conducted by Josef Keilbert.

Presenter3:09

Whereabouts in Bulgaria were born?

Presenter3:13

I'm born in Belgium.

Boris Christoff3:14

What did you want to be when you were a boy?

Boris Christoff3:19

My first um idea, my first dream.

Boris Christoff3:25

It was to be in

Boris Christoff3:28

Yeah.

Boris Christoff3:29

Navy Engineer.

Boris Christoff3:31

Yes. I don't know why. In fact, you graduated in law at the Sofia University. That is the last one which I never supposed to be. The second dream is coming to be architect.

Presenter3:40

But the sake

Boris Christoff3:44

And the last plan is coming the singing.

Boris Christoff3:47

But it was far away from my possibility and from my

Boris Christoff3:51

dream because it was impossible. For me to study singing, it was necessary to go in Italy and study them. Now you are a lawyer. Did you practice law?

Presenter4:04

What?

Boris Christoff4:05

What?

Presenter4:05

Yeah.

Boris Christoff4:06

I practice as judge, not as lawyer.

Presenter4:08

As a judge.

Boris Christoff4:09

Yes.

Presenter4:10

But uh two, three months. No more. No more. Now you had begun to sing, I believe, at that time.

Presenter4:18

in the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in the choir.

Boris Christoff4:21

Yes, that is one of the best um church we have in Bulgaria and uh the chorus was very selected, one of the best choruses m in Bulgaria.

Presenter4:35

Now, there was a story of a command performance which the cathedral choir gave for King Boris, and that.

Presenter4:44

Performance had a very big effect on your life.

Boris Christoff4:46

Yeah.

Boris Christoff4:48

That is um exactly. The occasion is coming for uh a national fest.

Boris Christoff4:56

I remember the date nineteenth of January. I remember that the chorus sank and the cold was Siberian was it? About twenty degree under the zero.

Boris Christoff5:11

After the mass the king invited the chorus to help him to have a little more restoration, no, to keep a little more he asked uh s very small concert for his uh house, for the diplomatic corpus who was there present.

Presenter5:23

To have a drink.

Boris Christoff5:40

And by chance I was invited to sing.

Boris Christoff5:44

A soul song.

Boris Christoff5:46

He was pleased. He's coming to me and tells me what I prepare for the next season in the opera because he was sure the time opera singing. This was the king. This was the king. Yes. I explained very shortly that I don't have nothing to do with the opera house.

Boris Christoff6:07

Then I will remember always, he told me.

Boris Christoff6:12

You can quietly left.

Boris Christoff6:15

the judge carrier, because we have many in short time is coming a letter which announced me that the Bulgarian

Boris Christoff6:26

Government has decided for me to put me underway if I desire.

Boris Christoff6:33

to go to Italy and study them.

Boris Christoff6:36

Well, that was a big decision to make. It needed some thinking over. It was a big decision also in our family.

Presenter6:41

It was dramatically very

Boris Christoff6:42

It was dramatically very

Presenter6:43

Well, in the meantime, while you're thinking it over, let's have your second record. What's that to be?

Presenter6:49

Yeah.

Boris Christoff6:50

Uh

Boris Christoff6:51

In a period of my life I was very ill at home for six, seven months.

Boris Christoff7:00

Now in this time I was preoccupied what to do in this long life in uh in my home.

Boris Christoff7:08

is coming to help me my father, who has had a friend provide with a wonderful gramophone, not like this we have now. I make it all the gymnastic topics. Exactly.

Presenter7:25

Yeah, you want to turn the handle.

Presenter7:28

Yeah.

Boris Christoff7:29

And in this period I have had the possibility.

Boris Christoff7:33

To her

Boris Christoff7:34

maybe all the most important singers.

Boris Christoff7:38

In Europe. Mm-hmm.

Boris Christoff7:41

one of the first who made to me

Boris Christoff7:45

Big impression was the singing of Totte Del Monte. Yes.

Boris Christoff7:48

Titus Kipper?

Boris Christoff7:51

Fyodor Shaliapin?

Boris Christoff7:53

Titarufo?

Boris Christoff7:56

And also my later.

Boris Christoff7:59

Teacher Ricardo Strachan.

Boris Christoff8:03

Now to play uh each one of these recordings, we don't have time naturally.

Boris Christoff8:10

And I please you, if you want to try.

Boris Christoff8:16

The duet between Tito Schipa and Totti Dalmonte from La Sonnambola of Bellini, which I love it very much and I should say that this recording is done in a very admirable way, artistical, really artistical way.

Speaker 49:14

It would come faith.

Speaker 49:19

Yeah.

Speaker 49:23

Here to welcome me.

Presenter9:33

Tito Schipa and Totti Dalmonte singing a duet from La Somnambula by Bellini.

Presenter9:41

So off you went to Rome. Who did you study with?

Boris Christoff9:43

Yeah.

Boris Christoff9:44

I studied to Rome. I tried to study first of all in Milano, but the way was unhappy and I came back to Rome.

Boris Christoff9:52

Who was your teacher? My professor was only one.

Presenter9:55

But of course, this was wartime, and Italy was invaded. Now, what did you do then?

Boris Christoff10:04

that I was obliged

Boris Christoff10:06

to left Italy.

Boris Christoff10:09

And I'm going

Boris Christoff10:11

to Bulgaria

Boris Christoff10:13

where I find the king dead. All the situation completely different. In few months, two months I think I go to Salzburg to another teacher.

Boris Christoff10:26

Italian, always. So Bulgaria is coming on the side of Russia, England, the United States, etcetera. I'm remain until the end of the war.

Boris Christoff10:41

In Austria.

Boris Christoff10:42

And that point who is very close to Switzerland, Vorarlberg.

Presenter10:48

Mm-hmm.

Boris Christoff10:48

And I remained there like a prisoner, not but as a worker in a camp.

Presenter10:55

You had suddenly become an enemy alien because

Boris Christoff10:57

Yeah.

Presenter10:59

When were you liberated? Who liberated the camp?

Boris Christoff11:01

Yeah.

Boris Christoff11:02

I heard the last shoot of the gun in this place in Voralberg, where came the French army. The French, yes.

Boris Christoff11:15

When I come back to Italy,

Boris Christoff11:17

I am going immediately to Straceri. Your old professor. My professor.

Boris Christoff11:23

He received me with a great uh

Boris Christoff11:26

Humanity, and open his door and tell to me.

Boris Christoff11:32

Boris, please, I was sure you're dead.

Boris Christoff11:36

Please come to me. Yes, I will come, but I think I should go back to Bulgaria. Why?

Boris Christoff11:43

I don't have more money to pay to you, nor to leave maybe. The answer was very simple. You should pay me later, when you begin to to have the money.

Presenter11:54

I'm not sure if I can do it.

Boris Christoff11:57

And I ask him.

Boris Christoff12:00

Two. Start with my learning again.

Boris Christoff12:04

not only with opera and with exercise, but also with some songs.

Boris Christoff12:11

And he asked me if I have some one in my repertoire also of the Russian.

Boris Christoff12:18

Yes, I

Boris Christoff12:20

And I'm coming back to the area of Viking Guest.

Boris Christoff12:26

The Viking guest of the opera Satkov by Rimsky Korsakov, which made to me a great impression.

Boris Christoff12:34

Now he'll love at this music.

Boris Christoff12:37

And he told me

Boris Christoff12:39

When you start to make recordings, please do first that.

Boris Christoff12:46

It wasn't the first, maybe the second or the third.

Boris Christoff12:50

Everybody was enchanted of the results of this record, who won the first prize, I remember, the next year in Paris.

Boris Christoff13:03

May, in honor of that occasion, we we have the possibility to hurt him now.

Speaker 413:10

Let's leave.

Speaker 413:32

What babes are you?

Presenter14:09

Your own recording of The Adia of the Viking Guest from Sadko by Rimsky Korsakov.

Presenter14:16

Exactly.

Presenter14:17

When did you make your professional debut? When did you first sing and receive a fee for it?

Presenter14:24

I start my c

Boris Christoff14:25

Error

Boris Christoff14:26

In Italy.

Boris Christoff14:28

And for the first time I sang

Boris Christoff14:31

In a concert.

Boris Christoff14:33

In Rome with orchestra from the Accademia Sant'Acelia.

Boris Christoff14:39

The Farewell of Wotton.

Boris Christoff14:43

The success was very good, mm-hmm, encouraging.

Speaker 414:45

Mm-hmm.

Boris Christoff14:47

After one two months I was invited.

Boris Christoff14:53

to sing the opera La Bohem by Puccini, and the role was

Boris Christoff15:00

Colin Mm.

Presenter15:01

the philosopher.

Presenter15:03

Now you began to specialize in the Russian repertoire. Where did you first sing um Boris Gutenoff? Where did you first sing the title role?

Boris Christoff15:13

Yeah.

Presenter15:13

First.

Boris Christoff15:13

Uh

Presenter15:14

Yeah.

Boris Christoff15:14

Of all I sing Boris with a great

Boris Christoff15:18

conductor in Italian,

Boris Christoff15:20

In Caliary.

Boris Christoff15:22

Calleria is the biggest city in Sardania. The conductor was Tulio Serafin, very well known everywhere and in special way in England and in America.

Speaker 115:29

Uh

Presenter15:30

Everywhere.

Boris Christoff15:34

Yeah. Rip.

Presenter15:34

Better do a f

Boris Christoff15:34

But

Presenter15:34

First thing the Reld in Russian.

Presenter15:37

Here to you. At Covent Garden. At Coven Garden. Now, it it it's a it's a matter of history. I I this it is coming back to me now. There was a little bit of an upset on your opening night. You didn't see eye to eye with your producer, Peter Brooke.

Boris Christoff15:39

At Covent Garden.

Presenter15:49

Oh yes, I remember.

Boris Christoff15:51

But this man, how? It's possible, do not remember.

Boris Christoff15:54

Frankly, I was against his production. It was not a mistake because before me somebody else sang Boris Gudunov. Otherwise, I am sure that we together we should have the possibility to eliminate all that controversy.

Presenter16:15

How long ago was that?

Boris Christoff16:17

That is been uh nineteenth of November forty nine. Thirty years ago. Exactly.

Presenter16:23

Uh

Boris Christoff16:24

Yeah.

Boris Christoff16:25

Yeah.

Presenter16:25

And of course your other great role at um Carpenter Garden. When did you first sing King Philip and Don

Presenter16:31

Yeah.

Boris Christoff16:31

The first King Philip, I sang

Boris Christoff16:35

Again, with Tulio Serafin in Florence and Maggio Fiorentino. And

Boris Christoff16:41

First outside of Italy I sank in Covent Garden. That was eight years later.

Presenter16:48

Well, now I see that one of your list of records here is something from Don Carlos, so this seems a good place to put it in and play it. Which scene?

Presenter16:58

Shall we have?

Boris Christoff17:01

I think um the great scene of Philip the Second, when he is alone

Boris Christoff17:08

and when he think, when he think about his own personal life.

Boris Christoff17:15

as a man, not

Boris Christoff17:18

as a king.

Speaker 417:21

Beautiful soul

Speaker 417:35

You're not a junk.

Speaker 417:41

Yeah.

Speaker 417:43

So, do you know what I'm saying?

Speaker 418:05

Along the law.

Speaker 418:14

Peace.

Speaker 418:16

Beyond

Presenter18:20

A scene of your portrayal of the king in Don Carlos, which you've been playing recently, celebrating your thirtieth year at Govan Garden.

Presenter18:30

Now the other roles in your repertoire, which unfortunately we haven't seen in London, which are your favourite? Don Basilio, for example, you must have sung that countless times.

Boris Christoff18:39

That is one of the opera which I think

Boris Christoff18:43

with pleasant allure.

Boris Christoff18:46

without any

Boris Christoff18:48

Preoccupation. Just for fun, as it were. Yes. And I can tell tell.

Boris Christoff18:56

I'm really happy and uh I enjoyed myself to the life in this opera.

Presenter19:02

You also sing another very different Rossini opera, which I'd love to see, which is never done over here, Moses.

Boris Christoff19:07

The Madonna

Boris Christoff19:09

Yeah.

Boris Christoff19:10

Moses, Yes, by Rossini. It's very important.

Boris Christoff19:15

I cannot say not.

Boris Christoff19:17

But it's not a real opera, it's more oratorium, because it's very static.

Boris Christoff19:25

But the music is really fantastic.

Boris Christoff19:28

Let's have another record. What shall we have now?

Boris Christoff19:31

We forgot.

Boris Christoff19:33

When I talk about my love to hear the music.

Boris Christoff19:39

We forgot the Caruso, and I think to put on the gramophone his wonderful aria

Boris Christoff19:51

From Paliach.

Speaker 419:53

Ford.

Speaker 419:58

Yeah.

Speaker 420:06

At the bargain, the water

Speaker 420:15

Yeah.

Speaker 420:34

Oh my lovely profound.

Speaker 420:39

Um

Speaker 420:41

Uh

Speaker 420:43

Marvelous the island was

Presenter20:53

Enrico Caruso singing Veste le Adiuba from Pagliacci.

Presenter20:58

Now your home is in Italy.

Presenter21:00

You're an Italian citizen. Now, do you go back to Bulgaria?

Boris Christoff21:05

I am going in Bulgaria from time to time.

Presenter21:08

Do you go back to sing?

Boris Christoff21:10

No.

Boris Christoff21:12

I never sank in Bulgaria in public.

Boris Christoff21:16

But you have recorded the

Boris Christoff21:17

Two years ago

Boris Christoff21:20

When I visit Bulgaria, he's coming to me the director of the UNIC uh recordings firma, Bulgaria, the State Recording Firm. The State Recording Firm. Yes. It's a very nice man. He is coming to me to present himself and propose to me, because that was in his power, to make some recording, so many as I wish.

Presenter21:32

Pre-state

Presenter21:35

Hmm.

Boris Christoff21:54

The previous difficulty with the theatres in Bulgaria put me in the situation of defense.

Boris Christoff22:02

But in front of this young boy,

Boris Christoff22:05

My heart was open automatically.

Boris Christoff22:09

And then I tell him, Listen, may I ask you to make only one recording?

Boris Christoff22:16

Why, he said, if I propose to you, Mary?

Boris Christoff22:19

No, I wish to make one

Boris Christoff22:22

Record.

Boris Christoff22:24

in the cathedral.

Boris Christoff22:25

of Sophia.

Boris Christoff22:27

Alexander Nevsky, where I sang for first time.

Boris Christoff22:31

and with the chorus of the same church.

Boris Christoff22:38

We don't make na contract. We say yes, everything was all ready.

Boris Christoff22:43

And now you have

Boris Christoff22:45

In the front of you this wonderful recording.

Presenter22:49

So here you're singing with the choir of the cathedral with which you sang as a youngster. Exactly.

Boris Christoff22:56

Didn't that make me?

Presenter22:57

Yeah.

Boris Christoff22:57

Really happy.

Speaker 423:49

Shit.

Presenter23:58

Music from the Slavonic Orthodox Liturgy. Your recording of Evening Sacrifice with the Choir of the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Sophia.

Presenter24:09

Now you're on this island.

Presenter24:11

How well could you look after yourself? You're all on your own. Are you good with your hands?

Presenter24:17

With my hands. Yes.

Presenter24:19

I'm good with my hands. What are you going to live on? K have you done any fishing? Are you good at fishing?

Boris Christoff24:24

I would like to fishing, I would like

Presenter24:27

Would you try to escape from your island? Do you know anything about

Boris Christoff24:30

Small boats. The small boats are the passion of my wife, not mine.

Boris Christoff24:38

And I'm unfortunate that I never helped in this way, my wife.

Presenter24:43

Yeah.

Boris Christoff24:43

And she needed so much because she's always close to me and she's always on duty.

Boris Christoff24:51

behind me. Well I hope she brings a small boat to come and fetch you back from me.

Presenter24:55

Island

Boris Christoff24:55

That

Presenter24:55

That will be wonderful. Anyway, let's have another record. We've got two more.

Presenter25:01

What next?

Presenter25:03

What next?

Boris Christoff25:04

Just this one maybe.

Presenter25:05

Which is that? The seasons. The four seasons. Vivaldi. Yes. Which season shall we?

Boris Christoff25:05

Which is that?

Boris Christoff25:11

We have sprinted.

Presenter25:11

Dime I think.

Boris Christoff25:12

Uh

Speaker 425:53

Uh

Presenter26:12

Spring from Fibaldi's The Four Seasons, Herbert von Karian conducting the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra.

Presenter26:19

And now we come to your last tray code. What's that?

Presenter26:22

I think it was Boris Gudunov.

Presenter26:24

A part of me

Boris Christoff26:25

Means so very much to you.

Presenter26:26

How many times it

Boris Christoff26:27

I think uh until now

Boris Christoff26:30

Should be more that

Boris Christoff26:33

Four hundred fifty.

Presenter26:34

Four hundred and fifty.

Boris Christoff26:35

Yes. A very exhausting part too. Which part shall we say?

Presenter26:38

We suck.

Boris Christoff26:45

Living this

Boris Christoff26:48

Tragedy of this man Which scene shall we hear? The last one, the dead. When he called his son

Boris Christoff26:59

to let him know that he came immediately after him and the throne of the king because he is dying.

Speaker 427:10

See

Speaker 427:13

Good day.

Speaker 427:24

And here your song of earth of my boy.

Speaker 427:42

Is nervous must charlet, yes, the wander in the coy, so the moron, so the nit.

Presenter28:05

The death of Boris from Baris Gutinoff.

Presenter28:09

If you could take only one disc instead of eight.

Presenter28:13

one of the records you've played, which would it be?

Presenter28:16

The duet between.

Presenter28:19

Dituski penti dermat ride.

Presenter28:23

And you're allowed to take one luxury to the island.

Presenter28:26

One object of no use whatever, but pleasant to have with you.

Presenter28:32

I don't feel an attraction for the luxury now. You don't want a luxury? No. Oh, we're not going to force you. Would you like a book? You have already on the island a Bible and the works of Shakespeare.

Presenter28:45

Would you like a b uh another book?

Presenter28:47

I led to you the choice. Oh no, I I don't know what kind of books you like to read. Everyone.

Boris Christoff28:53

It will be a very good thing.

Presenter28:54

Yeah.

Presenter28:55

Well is there a a Bulgarian book that you would like? Is is it the works of some Bulgarian poet or playwright?

Boris Christoff29:02

Uh

Presenter29:02

Uh

Boris Christoff29:02

And I

Presenter29:02

Uh

Boris Christoff29:02

Uh

Presenter29:03

Who is your favorite?

Boris Christoff29:04

Bulgarian poet.

Boris Christoff29:06

He's a great Bulgarian poet.

Boris Christoff29:11

And

Boris Christoff29:12

A great Bulgarian who loved his.

Boris Christoff29:19

Don't

Presenter29:20

Country.

Presenter29:21

Right.

Presenter29:22

You shall have his works, and thank you, Boris Christophe, for letting us hear your Desert Island Dis.

Boris Christoff29:28

It's clear.

Presenter29:29

Yeah.

Boris Christoff29:29

mister Plumley, thank you.

Boris Christoff29:32

You was very sweet, very kind with me, and I apologize again. My terrible English from time to time is understandable, but more of the time I don't know if you understand me well. It's not perfect, but it's fascinating, Mr. Kristoff. I agree. Thank you very much. Goodbye now.

Speaker 130:00

You've been listening to a podcast from the Desert Islandists Archive. For more podcasts, please visit bbc.co.uk slash radio four.