
Russia, Land of the Tsars
A riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma.
Its forests stretch from Europe to the Pacific. Its winters have vanquished the mightiest armies ever mustered. Its people have borne the excesses of some of history’s most notorious rulers. This EMMY-AWARD-winning four-hour series illuminates the imperial past of the world’s largest nation in sumptuous detail.
At the heart of this epic tale are the figures whose names have become legend: Ivan the Terrible, who expanded the empire at the rate of 50 miles–and innumerable lives–a day; Peter the Great, whose sweeping reforms westernized the nation; and Catherine the Great, whose rule was marked by conquest, change and controversy. Filmed on location throughout Russia, enriched by exclusive visits to important sites and museums, and filled with commentary from renowned scholars, this is a kaleidoscopic, captivating portrait of a land that has endured centuries of despair and rebellion, innovation and conflict.
- Writer / Producer
- Don Campbell
- Co-Producers
- Doug Shultz
- Denise Williams
- Narrator
- Edward Herrmann
- Editors
- Mark Fason
- Rob Kuhns
- Cinematography
- Andrei Zhigalov
- Peter Schnall
- Supervising Producers
- Peter Schnall
- Hilary Sio
- Coordinating Producer
- Elana Bluestine
- Russian Production
- Predworld Entertainment
- Original Music
- Composed & Conducted By Gary Pozner
- Concert Master
- Alex Carlson
- Piano Concerto
- By Lev Abeliovich
- Performed by
- The Osu Symphony Orchestra, Corvallis Oregon
- Musical Director: Marlan Carlson
- Pianist: Alexander Tutunov
- Courtesy Of Altarus Records Inc.
- Props & Sets, U.S.
- Chris Lawrence
- O&S, Inc.
- Production Coordinator
- Justine Simonson
- Production Associates
- Glenn Reimer
- Frederic Vernet
- Andy Hanna
- Assistant Editor
- Dan Davis
- On-line Editor
- Bjorn Bellenbaum
- Sound Recordists
- Anna Rieke
- Mark Mandler
- Mark Roy
- Lee Edwards
- Jonathan Jackson
- Additional Cinematography
- Tomasz Magierski
- John Howarth
- Jeff Baker
- Location PAs
- Natasha Doroshenko
- Bogdan Almazov
- Archival Research
- Sheila Maniar
- Map Design
- Paul Ranson
- Sound Design & Mix
- Joe Caterini
- Caterini Studios
- Historical Consultants
- Marilyn Sweezey
- Lawrence Langer
- Executive Producer
- Peter Schnall
- Head of Story Development
- Hilary Sio
- —For the History Channel—
- Executive Producer
- Beth Dietrich-Segarra
- New York Times, May 26, 2003
- "the History Channel's four-hour look at the Russian monarchy is one of those rare documentaries that reach the highest level of television entertainment..."
- Christian Science Monitor
- "Possibly the best work on TV this week is this lavish and beautifully written documentary about the enslavement of an entire country's lower classes by the iron hand of the tsars...as engaging as it is beautiful."
- 2003 News & Documentary EMMY AWARD
- Outstanding Achievement in a Craft: Best Writing
- 2003 News & Documentary EMMY AWARD nomination
- Outstanding Achievement in a Craft: Best Music and Sound Design