Boris Godunov (opera) fought an often losing battle against the conservatism of conductors and singers, who, raised on the plush Rimsky-Korsakov edition, found it impossible to adapt to Mussorgsky's comparatively unrefined and bleak original scores. Recently, however, a new appreciation for the rugged individuality of Mussorgsky's style has resulted in increasing performances and recording of his original versions. Musicologist Gerald Abraham wrote: For many, "Boris Godunov" is the greatest of all Russian operas because of its originality, drama, and characterization, regardless of any cosmetic imperfections it may possess. Models and influences A conflation of the 1869 and 1872 versions is often made when
Baby Doe Tabor her husband's death, Baby Doe was still an attractive woman in her mid-forties. After her husband's death, Baby Doe stayed in Denver for a period, according to her diaries and correspondence. Why she decided to leave Denver and the society there to make a return to Leadville, in the high mountains with its cold winters, is unknown, but it almost certainly had to do with the Matchless mine. For two years she unsuccessfully tried to find investors to bring the Matchless back into production. The family may have tried to regain ownership to the Matchless mine, but documentation is fragmented,