Opera Alexander Borodin "Prince Igor" (Opera in 2 acts) Mikhailovsky Classical Ballet and Opera Theatre (established 1833)
Running time: 3 h 15 min
Schedule for Alexander Borodin "Prince Igor" (Opera in 2 acts) 2022
Composer: Alexander Borodin Production: Stanislav Gaudassinsky Principal Chorus Master: Alexandr Chernov Musical Director: Andrei Anikhanov
Orchestra: Mikhailovsky Symphony Orchestra
opera in two acts music by Alexander Borodin
Libretto: Alexander Borodin based on Old Russian epos
The Tale of Igorґs Campaign Stage Director: Stanislav
Gaudasinsky Set Design: Victor Volsky Costume Design: Rafail Volsky
Choreography of The Polovetsian Dances: Kasyan Goleyzovsky Revival of the
choreography: Vera Vasilieva-Goleyzovskaya and Boris Myagkov Director:
Margarita Kunitsyna-Tankevich Lighting Design: Mikhail Mekler Premiere of
the production at the Mikhailovsky Theatre: June 28, 1991
Running time:
3 hours 15 minutes Performed in Russian
Prince Igor by Alexander Borodin is a unique phenomenon in the
Russian opera.
The libretto of the opera is based on the jewel of
ancient Russian literature - The Tale of Igor's Campaign. Text and
music were being written for 18 years but were finished by Nikolay
Rimsky-Korsakov and Alexander Glazunov after the composer’s death.
The
opera also includes famous The Polovetsian Dances – a bright
vocal-choreographic scene that has become a legend. For the 1890 premiere of
Prince Igor the spirit of the wild dances was conveyed by choreographer
Leo Ivanov, a co-author of the famous ballet Swan Lake.
The
Mikhailovsky Theatre is the only theatre in St.Petersburg presenting the unique
The Polovetsian Dances choreographed by famous Kasyan Goleyzovsky.
Charming music and great dance performed by the artists of the Mikhailovsky
Theatre is a great chance to explore Russian art.
Synopsis PROLOGUE
A crowd in the town of Putivl waits for Prince
Igor. Prince Igor and his men-at-arms want to undertake a campaign against the
Polovtsi. Prince Igor discusses with princes the chosen way to meet his enemies.
The crowd honours Prince Igor and his host with songs. A sudden solar eclipse is
taken by people as a bad omen. Everybody advises Igor to put off his campaign.
But Igor has a strong belief in his good cause-the defence of Rus. It’s his
sacred duty as well as the duty of all Russian warriors. Skula and Yeroshka, two
warrors secretly leave the host. Yaroslavna bids farewell to her husband Prince
Igor begging him not to take the field: she has a presentiment of disaster.
Prince comforts her and asks Prince Vladimir Galitsky, Yaroslavna’s brother, to
take care of her. With the blessing of the venerable old man Prince Igor, his
son Vladimir and the host set out against the Polovtsi.
ACT 1
Scene 1 Merry men sing the praise of Prince Vladimir Galitsky. Skula
and Yeroshka entertain the drunken company. Prince Vladimir likes to revel away
the time but he needs more wealth and more power. His dream is to take Prince
Igor’s seat. Two girls come to complain to Galitsky: some of his men have stolen
a girl, their friend. But Galitsky drives them away. Skula and Yeroshka together
with drunkards plan a conspiracy: to put Galitsky on Igor’s throne.
Scene 2 Yaroslavna keeps worrying: there’s no news of
Prince Igor and his men-at-arms. She is full of sorrow. The girls come to her to
complain of Galitsky and his men. Yaroslavna expresses her dissatisfaction with
his behaviour, but Galitsky speaks defiantly. He threatens to remove Prince
Igor. Boyars come to break the news: the Russian host is defeated, Igor and his
son are taken captives. The alarm bell warns of danger: the Polovtsi are
approaching.
ACT 2
Scene 3 In the camp of the
Polovtsi. The Polovtsi girls sing and dance for Khan Konchak’s daughter. But she
keeps dreaming about her meeting with the captive Prince Vladimir. The
beloved-Prince and Konica’s daughter express their love tenderly and
passionately. Prince Igor can’t sleep; he feels the shame of his defeat. For him
death is preferable to captivity He knows that the Polovtsi have invaded the
Russian land causing grief and devastation. Ovlur, a christened Polovets, offers
to help Prince Igor to escape. But Igor refuses to take this inglorious road.
Khan Konchak appears. He treats his prisoner Prince Igor with due respect and
tries to make him his ally. He promises to set Igor free on condition that Igor
doesn’t raise his sword against the Polovtsi. Igor declares that as soon as he
is free he will assemble his men-at-arms again to fight against Khan Konchak.
Obeying Konchak’s order Khan’s captives dance for him and Prince Igor.
Scene 4 Yaroslavna weeps for her husband. She doesn’t hore to see him
again. She asks the sun, the river Dnieper to tell her of Igor’s fate. In the
distance she sees two horsemen and recognized Prince Igor in one of them. Skula
and Yeroshka, fearing punishment for their betrayal resort to cunning: they are
the first to strike the bell and spread joyful news of Igor’s return. People
honour him with songs. Another solar eclipse portends new disasters for the
Russian land.
Schedule for Alexander Borodin "Prince Igor" (Opera in 2 acts) 2022
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