Aleksandr Borodin (1833-1887)

Prince Igor (Russian: Князь Игорь, Knyaz' Igor' ) is an opera in four acts with a prologue. It was composed by Alexander Borodin. The composer adapted the libretto from the East Slavic epic The Lay of Igor's Host, which recounts the campaign of Russian prince Igor Svyatoslavich against the invading Polovtsian tribes in 1185. The opera was left unfinished upon the composer's death in 1887 and was edited and completed by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov and Alexander Glazunov. It was first performed in St. Petersburg, Russia, in 1890.

Composition history[link]

Vladimir Stasov (1824 – 1906)   Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov (1844 – 1908)   Anatoly Lyadov (1855 – 1914) Anatoly Lyadov (1855 – 1914)   Aleksandr Glazunov (1865 – 1936) Aleksandr Glazunov (1865 – 1936)

Original Composition: 1869 - 1887

After briefly considering Lev Mey's The Tsar's Bride as a subject (later taken up in 1898 by Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov, his 9th opera), Borodin began looking for a new project for his first opera. Vladimir Stasov, critic and advisor to The Mighty Handful, suggested The Lay of Igor's Host, a 12th century epic prose poem, and sent Borodin a scenario for a 3 Act opera on 30 April 1869.^[1] Initially, Borodin found the proposition intriguing, but daunting:

"Your outline is so complete that everything seems clear to me and suits me perfectly. But will I manage to carry out my own task to the end? Bah! As they say here, 'He who is afraid of the wolf doesn't go into the woods!' So I shall give it a try..."^[2]

—Aleksandr Borodin, reply to Stasov's proposal

After collecting material from literary sources, Borodin began composition in September 1869 with initial versions of Yaroslavna's arioso and Konchakovna's cavatina, and sketched the Polovtsian Dances and March of the Polovtsy. He soon began to have doubts and ceased composing. He expressed his misgivings in a letter to his wife: "There is too little drama here, and no movement... To me, opera without drama, in the strict sense, is unnatural."^[3] This began a period of about four years in which he proceeded no further on Prince Igor, but began diverting materials for the opera into his other works, the Symphony No 2 in B minor (1869–76) and the collaborative opera-ballet Mlada (1872).^[4]

The Mlada project was soon aborted, and Borodin, like the other members of The Mighty Handful who were involved—César Cui, Modest Mussorgsky, and Rimsky-Korsakov—thought about ways to recycle the music he contributed. Of the eight numbers he had composed for Act 4 of Mlada, those that eventually found their way into (or back into) Prince Igor included No.1 (Prologue: The opening C major chorus), No.2 (material for Yaroslavna's arioso and Igor's aria), No.3 (Prologue: The eclipse), No.4 (Act 3: The trio), and No.8 (Act 4: The closing chorus).^[5]

Borodin returned to Prince Igor in 1874, inspired by the success of his comrades Rimsky-Korsakov and Mussorgsky in the staging of their historical operas, The Maid of Pskov (1873) and Boris Godunov (1874). This period also marks the creation of two new characters, the deserters Skula and Yeroshka, who have much in common with the rogue monks Varlaam and Misail in Boris Godunov.

In his memoirs, Rimsky-Korsakov mentions an 1876 concert at which Borodin's "closing chorus" was performed, the first public performance of any music from Prince Igor identified by him:

"...Borodin's closing chorus ["Glory to the beautiful Sun"]..., which, in the epilogue of the opera (subsequently done away with) extolled Igor's exploits, was shifted by the author himself to the prologue of the opera, of which it now forms a part. At present this chorus extolls Igor as he starts on his expedition against the Polovtsy. The episodes of the solar eclipse, of the parting from Yaroslavna, etc., divide it into halves which fringe the entire prologue. In those days this whole middle part was non-existent, and the chorus formed one unbroken number of rather considerable dimensions."^[6]

—Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov, Chronicle of My Musical Life, 1909

The idea of a choral epilogue in the original scenario was no doubt inspired by the example of A Life for the Tsar by Glinka, to whose memory Prince Igor is dedicated.

Borodin's primary occupation was chemistry, including research and teaching. However, he also spent much time in support of women's causes, much to the consternation of his fellow composers, who felt he should devote his time and talent to music.^[7] In 1876, a frustrated Stasov gave up hope that Borodin would ever finish Prince Igor, and offered his scenario to Rimsky-Korsakov.^[8] Rimsky-Korsakov instead assisted Borodin in orchestrating important numbers in preparation for concert performance—for example, the Polovtsian Dances in 1879:

"There was no end of waiting for the orchestration of the Polovtsian Dances, and yet they had been announced and rehearsed by me with the chorus. It was high time to copy out the parts. In despair I heaped reproaches on Borodin. He, too, was none too happy. At last, giving up all hope, I offered to help him with the orchestration. Thereupon he came to my house in the evening, bringing with him the hardly touched score of the Polovtsian Dances; and the three of us — he, Anatoly Lyadov, and I — took it apart and began to score it in hot haste. To gain time, we wrote in pencil and not in ink. Thus we sat at work until late at night. The finished sheets of the score Borodin covered with liquid gelatine, to keep our pencil marks intact; and in order to have the sheets dry the sooner, he hung them out like washing on lines in my study. Thus the number was ready and passed on to the copyist. The orchestration of the closing chorus I did almost single-handed..."^[9]

—Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov, Chronicle of My Musical Life, 1909

Borodin worked on Prince Igor, off and on, for almost 18 years.

Posthumous Completion and Orchestration: 1887 - 1888

Borodin died suddenly in 1887, leaving Prince Igor incomplete. Rimsky-Korsakov and Stasov went to Borodin's home, collected his scores, and brought them to Rimsky-Korsakov's house.

"Glazunov and I together sorted all the manuscripts ... In the first place there was the unfinished Prince Igor. Certain numbers of the opera, such as the first chorus, the dance of the Polovtsy, Yaroslavna's Lament, the recitative and song of Vladimir Galitsky, Konchak's aria, the arias of Konchakovna and Prince Vladimir Igorevich, as well as the closing chorus, had been finished and orchestrated by the composer. Much else existed in the form of finished piano sketches; all the rest was in fragmentary rough draft only, while a good deal simply did not exist. For Acts II and III (in the camp of the Polovtsy) there was no adequate libretto —no scenario, even — there were only scattered verses and musical sketches, or finished numbers that showed no connection between them. The synopsis of these acts I knew full well from talks and discussions with Borodin, although in his projects he had been changing a great deal, striking things out and putting them back again. The smallest bulk of composed music proved to be in Act III. Glazunov and I settled the matter as follows between us: he was to fill in all the gaps in Act III and write down from memory the Overture played so often by the composer, while I was to orchestrate, finish composing, and systematize all the rest that had been left unfinished and unorchestrated by Borodin."^[10]

—Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov, Chronicle of My Musical Life, 1909

The often-repeated account that Glazunov reconstructed and orchestrated the overture from memory after hearing the composer play it at the piano is true only in part. The following statement by Glazunov himself clarifies the matter:

"The overture was composed by me roughly according to Borodin's plan. I took the themes from the corresponding numbers of the opera and was fortunate enough to find the canonic ending of the second subject among the composer's sketches. I slightly altered the fanfares for the overture ... The bass progression in the middle I found noted down on a scrap of paper, and the combination of the two themes (Igor's aria and a phrase from the trio) was also discovered among the composer's papers. A few bars at the very end were composed by me."^[11]

—Aleksandr Glazunov, memoir, 1891, published in the Russkaya muzikalnaya gazeta, 1896

Performance history[link]

"During the season of 1888–9 the Directorate of Imperial Theatres began to lead us a fine dance with the production of Prince Igor, which had been finished, published, and forwarded to the proper authorities. We were led by the nose the following season as well, with constant postponements of production for some reason or other."^[12] "On October 23, 1890, Prince Igor was produced at last, rehearsed fairly well by K. A. Kuchera, as Nápravník had declined the honor of conducting Borodin's opera. Both Glazunov and I were pleased with our orchestration and additions. The cuts later introduced by the Directorate in Act 3 of the opera did it considerable harm. The unscrupulousness of the Mariinsky Theatre subsequently went to the length of omitting Act 3 altogether. Taken all in all, the opera was a success and attracted ardent admirers, particularly among the younger generation."^[13]

—Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov, Chronicle of My Musical Life, 1909

The world premiere was given in St. Petersburg on 4 November (23 October O.S.), 1890 at the Mariinsky Theatre. Set designers were Yanov, Andreyev, and Bocharov, while Lev Ivanov was balletmaster.

Moscow premieres followed later. The first was given in 1892 by the Russian Opera Society, conducted by Iosif Pribik. The Bolshoy Theatre premiere was given in 1898 and was conducted by Ulrikh Avranek

Other notable premieres were given in Prague in 1899, and in Paris in 1909, with a Sergei Diaghilev production featuring Feodor Chaliapin as Galitsky and Maria Kuznetsova as Yaroslavna. London saw the same production in 1914 conducted by Thomas Beecham, again with Chaliapin as Galitsky. In 1915 the United States premiere took place at the Metropolitan Opera, but staged in Italian and conducted by Giorgio Polacco. The first performance in English was at Covent Garden on 26 July 1919, with Miriam Licette as Yaroslvna.^[14]

In January and February 2009 there was a production at the Aalto Theatre by the Essen Opera. While some aspects of the production may have been unusual, one critic noted that "placing the (Polovtsian) Dances as a Finale is an elegant idea, […] the director Andrejs Zagars and the conductor Noam Zur have thus presented a musically and dramaturgically coherent Prince Igor. Heartfelt applause for a worthwhile evening at the opera.^[15]

In 2011 there was a concert performance in Moscow by Helikon Opera, based on Pavel Alexandrovich Lamm reconstruction. Soon the new edition based on 92 survived note manuscripts by Borodin was completed by musicologist Anna Bulycheva.^[16]

Publication history[link]

• 1885, three arias, piano-vocal score, edition by Borodin, W. W. Bessel, St. Petersburg
• 1888, piano-vocal score, edition by Rimsky-Korsakov & Glazunov, M. P. Belyayev, Leipzig
• 1888, full score, edition by Rimsky-Korsakov & Glazunov, M. P. Belyayev, Leipzig
• 1953, piano-vocal score, edition by Rimsky-Korsakov & Glazunov, Muzgiz, Moscow
• 1954, full score, edition by Rimsky-Korsakov & Glazunov, Muzgiz, Moscow

Roles[link]

Note:

• The actual given name of the historical Yaroslavna is Yefrosinya (Russian: Ефросинья, English: Euphrosina). Yaroslavna is a patronymic, meaning "daughter of Yaroslav". Konchakovna's name is similarly derived.
• Yaroslavna's brother, Vladimir Yaroslavich, is often called "Prince Galitsky" (Russian: Князь Галицкий), leading to the misconception that he was a prince by the name of Galitsky. In fact, he was a son of Prince of Galich Yaroslav Osmomysl. Prince Galitsky is a title meaning "Prince of Galich".

Synopsis[link]

Time: The year 1185

Place: The city of Putivl (prologue, Acts 1 & 4); a Polovtsian camp (Acts 2 & 3)

Konstantin Korovin's costume design for Igor in the production of Prince Igor at the Mariinsky Theatre, 1909

Note: As discussed above, Borodin's final decision on the order of the first two acts is unclear. The traditional grouping presented here is that of the Rimsky-Korsakov-Glazunov edition. In many productions, Act 3 is omitted.

Prologue[link]

The cathedral square in Putivl

Prince Igor is about to set out on a campaign against the Polovtsy and their Khans who have previously attacked the Russian lands. The people sing his praise and that of his son, the other leaders and the army (Chorus: "Glory to the beautiful Sun"). A solar eclipse takes place to general consternation. Two soldiers Skula and Yeroshka desert feeling sure that Vladimir Yaroslavich, Prince Galitsky, will offer them work more to their liking. Although Yaroslavna, Igor's wife, takes the eclipse for a bad omen, Igor insists that honour demands that he go to war. He leaves her to the care of her brother, Prince Galitsky, who tells of his gratitude to Igor for sheltering him after he was banished from his own home by his father and brothers. The people sing a great chorus of praise (Chorus: "Glory to the multitude of stars") as the host sets out on their campaign against the Polovtsy.

Act 1[link]

Scene 1: Vladimir Galitsky's court in Putivl

G. Petrov as Galitsky (1970)

	Aria of Galitsky from Prince Igor Aria of Galitsky from opera "Prince Igor" A. Borodin. Performed by Georgiy Petrov 1970
Problems listening to this file? See media help.

Galitsky's followers sing his praise. Skula and Yeroshka are now working as gudok-players. They entertain the followers and all sing of how Galitsky and his men abducted a young woman and how she pleaded to be allowed to return to her father without being dishonoured. The prince arrives and sings of how, if he were Prince of Putivl, he would drink and feast all day while dispensing judgment and have the prettiest maidens with him all night (Galitsky's Song Listen). The treasury would be spent on himself and his men while his sister would be praying in a monastery. A group of young women beg the prince to restore their abducted friend. He threatens them and drives them away, saying how she now lives in luxury in his quarters and does not have to work. The prince returns to his rooms having sent for wine for his followers. The gudok players and the prince's followers mock the women. They wonder what might happen if Yaroslavna hears of what happens, but then realise she would be helpless with all her men gone to war. They sing of how they are all drunkards and are supported by Galitsky. The men decide to go to the town square to declare Galitsky the Prince of Putivl, leaving just the two drunk musicians behind.

Scene 2: A room in Yaroslavna's palace

Yaraslavna is alone worrying about why she has not heard from Igor and his companions (Yaroslavna's Arioso). She sings of her tearful nights and nightmares and reminisces about when she was happy with Igor by her side. The nurse brings in the young women who tell Yaroslavna of their abducted friend. They are reluctant at first to reveal the culprit but eventually name Galitsky and talk of how he and his drunken followers cause trouble around Putivl. Galitsky enters and the women run away. Yaroslavna questions him as to the truth of their story and he mocks her saying she should treat him as a guest in her house. She threatens him with what Igor will do on his return, but Galitsky replies that he can seize the throne whenever he wants. Yaroslavna accuses him of repeating the betrayal that he carried out against their father, but he replies that he was only joking and asks if she has a lover now her husband is away. She threatens him with sending him back to their father. He replies that he will return the girl but will take another later and leaves. The council of boyars arrive to inform Yaroslavna that the Polovtsy under Khan Gzak are about to attack Putivl. Igor's army has been utterly destroyed and he has been wounded and captured with his son and brother. After a moment of faintness, Yaroslavna orders messengers sent to the city's allies, but the Boyars report that the roads are cut, some towns are in revolt and their princes will be captured. The Boyars say that they will organise the defence but Galitsky returns with his followers to demand that a new Prince be chosen. His retinue say it should be him as he is Yaroslavna's brother and Igor's brother-in-law. The boyars refuse. The argument is interrupted by the sight of flames and the sound of crying women. Some of the boyars flee; some join the battle, others guard the Princess. They call the attack God's judgment.

Scene design by Ivan Bilibin (1930)

Act 2[link]

Evening in the Polovtsian Camp

Polovtsian maidens sing comparing love to a flower that droops in the heat of the day and is revived by night. They dance together (Dance of the Polovtsian Maidens). Konchakovna joins in the singing hoping that her own lover will join here soon (Konchakovna's Cavatina). The Russian prisoners arrive from their day's work and express their gratitide when fed by Konchakovna and the maidens. Their guards retire for the night leaving just Ovlur, a Christian, in charge. Vladimir, son of Igor, sings of his hope that his love will soon join him now that the day is fading (Vladimir's Cavatina). His love is Konchakovna. She comes and the two sing of their love and their desire to marry (Love Duet). While her father will consent to the marriage, they know that his will not. They part when they hear Igor coming. He sings of his disgrace and torment at being captured with his followers dead (Prince Igor's Aria). Only his wife, he feels, will be loyal. He hopes for the chance to regain his honour. Ovlur urges Igor to escape and the prince agrees to think about it. Khan Konchak asks him if all is well (Konchak's Aria) and he replies that the falcon cannot live in captivity. Konchak says that as Igor did not ask for mercy he is not a prisoner but an honoured guest equal to a Khan. Igor reminds him that he too knows what it is to be a captive. Konchak offers Igor freedom if he will promise not to wage war on him again, but he refuses saying he cannot lie. Konchak regrets that they were not born to be allies. They would then have captured all of Russia. He summons the Polovtsian slaves to entertain Igor and himself and offers Igor his choice of them. As the slaves dance the Polovtsy sing of Konchak's glory (Polovtsian Dances).

Act 3[link]

The Polovtsian camp

The Polovtsian army returns in triumph singing the praise of Khan Gzak (Polovtsian March). Konchak sings of the sack of Putivl and other victories and confidently predicts that they will soon capture all of Russia. Igor and his son Vladimir have their worst fears confirmed by the new captives. Vladimir and the other prisoners urge Igor to escape, but he is at first reluctant, singing of his shame and saying that it is the duty of the other Russian princes to save the homeland (Igor's Monologue, Mariinsky edition only). Ovlur now arrives to say that he has prepared horses for Igor and Vladimir and Igor now agrees to escape. The distressed Konchakovna comes, challenging Vladimir to show his love by either taking her with him or by staying. Igor urges his son to come, but Vladimir feels unable to leave Konchakovna who threatens to wake the camp. Eventually Igor flees alone and Konchakovna sounds the alarm. She and her father refuse to let the Polovtsy kill Vladimir. Instead Konchak orders the death of the guards and marries Vladimir to his daughter. As for Igor, Konchak thinks more of him for his escape.

Act 4[link]

Dawn in Putivl

Yaroslavna weeps at her separation from Igor and the defeat of his army, blaming the very elements themselves for helping the enemy (Yaroslavna's Lament). Peasant women blame not the wind but Khan Gzak for the devastation. As Yaroslavna looks around to acknowledge the destruction, she sees two riders in the distance who turn out to be Igor and Ovlur. The two lovers sing of their joy of being reunited and of the expectation that Ivan will lead the Russians to victory against the Khan. Unaware of Igor's return, Skula and Yeroshka, the drunken gudok players, sing a song that mocks him. Then they notice him in the distance. After a moment of panic about what will happen to them, Skula says that they should rely on their cunning and decides on a plan that will save them. They ring the church bells to summon a crowd. Although people at first treat them with suspicion, the gudok players manage to convince the crowd that Igor has returned and the boyars that they are loyal followers of the true prince and not Galitsky. All joyously celebrate Igor's return.

Principal arias and numbers [link]

Overture

Prologue

Chorus: "Glory to the beautiful Sun" («Солнцу красному слава!»)

Chorus: "Glory to the multitude of stars" («Частым звёздочкам слава!»)

Act 1

Galitsky's Song: "If only I had the honor" («Только б мне дождаться чести»)

Yaroslavna's Arioso: "A long time has passed" («Немало времени прошло с тех пор»)

Act 2

Dance: "Dance of the Polovtsian Maidens" («Пляска половецких девушек»)

Konchakovna's Cavatina: "The light of day fades" («Меркнет свет дневной»)

Vladimir's Cavatina: "Slowly the day died away" («Медленно день угасал»)

Love Duet: "Is that you, my Vladimir?" («Ты ли, Владимир мой?»)

Igor's Aria: "No sleep, no rest for my tormented soul" («Ни сна, ни отдыха измученной душе»)

Konchak's Aria: "Are you well, Prince?" («Здоров ли, князь?»)

Polovtsian Dances: "Fly away on the wings of the wind" («Улетай на крыльях ветра»)

Act 3

March: "Polovtsian March" («Половецкий марш»)

Act 4

Yaroslavna's Lament: "Oh, I weep" («Ах, плачу я»)

Chorus: "God heard our prayers" («Знать, господь мольбы услышал»)

Both the Overture to Prince Igor and the "Polovtsian Dances" (from Act II) are well-known concert standards. Together with the "Polovtsian March", they form the so-called "suite" from the opera.

Critical analysis[link]

Prince Igor is a staple of Russian Opera, but has not travelled well abroad. One obvious reason is the Russian language, although translation into Italian was once a solution.

Another explanation for the failure to gain acceptance is its lack of unity resulting from its unfinished state. Despite the skill and efforts of editors Rimsky-Korsakov and Glazunov, the opera is still episodic and dramatically static, a problem of which the composer himself was aware when he embarked on composition (see quote above in "Composition History"). This is partly a consequence of Borodin's failure to complete a libretto before beginning composition of the music^[17]—the same problem that plagued his comrade Mussorgsky in the composition of Khovanshchina. Both composers wrote their librettos piece by piece while composing the music, both lost sight of the overall narrative thread of their operas, and both wound up with pages and pages of music that needed to be sacrificed to assemble a cohesive whole.^{[citation needed]} Also, both died before finishing their operas, leaving the task of completion, editing, and orchestration to Rimsky-Korsakov.

It is a pity that Prince Igor is not performed more often, as it has a colorful setting, marvellous moments of drama and characterization, and music of sumptuous beauty.^[18] It does not, however, have a well-constructed or tightly integrated plot. "The chief appeal of Prince Igor lies in the quality of its individual numbers rather than its whole shape or ability to involve an audience in the narrative."^[17]

Performance practice[link]

One of the main considerations when performing Prince Igor is the question of whether to include Act 3, much of which was composed by Glazunov. The practice of omitting it was mentioned as early as 1909 in Rimsky-Korsakov's memoirs.^[19] Many productions leave Act 3 out because it "fails to carry conviction both musically and dramatically."^[20] On the other hand, maintaining the act has certain benefits. It contains some fine pages (e.g., the "Polovtsian March"), provides an important link in the narrative (Igor's escape, Vladimir's fate), and is the origin of some of the memorable themes first heard in the overture (the trio, brass fanfares). Fortunately, the option of omitting the fine overture, also known to have been composed by Glazunov, is seldom if ever considered.

Recently, the question of the best sequence of scenes in which to perform the opera has gained some prominence. Borodin did not complete a libretto before composing the music to Prince Igor.^[21] The opera has traditionally been performed in the edition made by Rimsky-Korsakov and Glazunov. It will be obvious that the positions to which they assigned the Prologue, Act 3, and Act 4 cannot be changed if the story is to make sense. However, because the events of Act 1 and Act 2 overlap and are independent of one another, Act 2 may just as well precede Act 1 without any loss of coherence. Soviet musicologists Pavel Lamm and Arnold Sokhor reported the existence of a written plan (now in Glinka's Musical Culture Museum, Moscow), in Borodin's hand, that specified this sequence of scenes:^[3]

1. The omen from heaven (Prologue)
2. Imprisonment (Act 2)
3. Galitsky's court (Act 1, Scene 1)
4. Yaroslavna's palace (Act 1, Scene 2)
5. Escape (Act 3)
6. Return (Act 4)

Sokhor assessed the plan as not written later than 1883.^[22] The 1993 recording of Prince Igor by Valery Gergiev with the Kirov Opera features a new edition of the score with additions commissioned from composer Yuri Faliek for a production at the Mariinsky Theatre, adopting this hypothetical original sequence. The authors of the notes to the recording assert that this order better balances the musical structure of the score by alternating the acts in the Russian and Polovtsian settings with their distinctive musical atmospheres.

Despite this justification, there is good reason for maintaining the traditional sequence. Act 2 contains most of the numbers for which the work is known and beloved today, with Igor's brooding and impassioned aria ("Oh give me freedom") at the center, flanked by Vladimir's cavatina and Konchak's aria, not to mention the rousing conclusion provided by the Polovtsian Dances. Relocating its wealth of arias and dances from the center of the work to the beginning concentrates too much of the opera's rich melodic invention towards the front of the work.

The "Mariinsky edition" makes other important changes and additions to the score. Although much of the material composed or orchestrated by Glazunov and Rimsky-Korsakov is retained, there are additions culled from the unpublished vocal score by Pavel Lamm, orchestrated and linked by Faliek. The changes include:^[23]

• About 200 bars added to the scene in Yaroslavna's palace which make explicit Galitsky's rebellion
• Various additions and removals from Act 3, including the restoration of a monologue for Igor composed by Borodin in 1875. A review in Gramophone highlights how the newly added monologue "helps to give a weighty focus to Act 3, otherwise a phenomenal feat of reconstruction on Glazunov's part, but somehow insubstantial".^[24]
• A different final chorus for Act 4, "Glory to the multitude of stars", a repeat of material from the Prologue. This idea is historically justified, as Borodin had originally placed this chorus at the end of the opera in the form of an epilogue [see the quote by Rimsky-Korsakov above under Composition history]. This regrettably necessitates the elimination of Borodin's subsequent chorus, "God heard our prayers".

In the West, the opera has often been given in languages other than Russian. For example, the 1960 recording under Lovro von Matačić is sung in German, the 1964 recording under Armando La Rosa Parodi is in Italian and the 1982 David Lloyd-Jones recording is in English. On the other hand, the 1990 Bernard Haitink and the 1962 Oscar Danon recordings are Western performances sung in Russian.^[25]

Structure[link]

1. This is a sortable table. Click on the button next to the criterion you would like to use to sort the information.
2. The numbers are given according to the traditional Rimsky-Korsakov-Glazunov edition.
3. The dates refer to composition, not orchestration. Where a pair of dates differ, a large gap (more than one year) may indicate an interruption of composition or a revision of the musical number.
4. In No.1 (the Prologue), the Eclipse scene (301 bars) was orchestrated by Rimsky-Korsakov and the remainder by Borodin.

Recordings[link]

This is a list of studio recordings. A comprehensive list of all recordings of Prince Igor may be found at operadis-opera-discography.org.uk

Audio

• 1952, Aleksandr Melik-Pashayev (conductor), Bolshoy Theatre Orchestra and Chorus, Andrey Ivanov (Igor), Yelena Smolenskaya (Yaroslavna), Sergey Lemeshev (Vladimir), Aleksandr Pirogov (Galitsky), Mark Reyzen (Konchak), Vera Borisenko (Konchakovna)
• 1955, Oskar Danon (conductor), Belgrade National Opera Orchestra and Chorus; Dushan Popovich (Igor), Valeria Heybalova (Yaroslavna), Noni Zunec (Vladimir), Zarko Cvejic (Galitsky, Konchak), Melanie Bugarinovic (Konchakovna)
• 1966, Jerzy Semkow (conductor), National Opera Theatre of Sofia; Constantin Chekerliiski (Igor), Julia Wiener (Yaroslavna), Todor Todorov (Vladimir), Boris Christoff (Galitsky, Konchak), Reni Penkova (Konchakovna)
• 1969, Mark Ermler (conductor), Bolshoy Theatre Orchestra and Chorus; Ivan Petrov (Igor), Tatyana Tugarinova (Yaroslavna), Vladimir Atlantov (Vladimir), Artur Eisen (Galitsky), Aleksandr Vedernikov (Konchak), Yelena Obraztsova (Konchakovna)
• 1990, Emil Tchakarov (conductor), Sofia Festival Orchestra and National Opera Chorus, Boris Martinovich (Igor), Stefka Evstatieva (Yaroslavna), Kaludi Kaludov (Vladimir), Nicola Ghiuselev (Galitsky), Nicolai Ghiaurov (Konchak), Alexandrina Milcheva-Nonova (Konchakovna) Sony 44878
• 1993, Valery Gergiev (conductor), Kirov Opera Orchestra and Chorus; Mikhail Kit (Igor), Galina Gorchakova (Yaroslavna), Gegam Grigorian (Vladimir), Vladimir Ognovienko (Galitsky), Bulat Minjelkiev (Konchak), Olga Borodina (Konchakovna), Philips 442-537-2.

Video[link]

• 1981 Evgeny Nesterenko (Prince Igor), Elena Kurovskaya (Jaroslavna), Vladimir Sherbakov (Vladimir Igorevich), Alexander Vedernikov (Prince Galitsky), Boris Morozov (Konchak), Tamara Sinyavskaya (Konchakovna), Vladimir Petrov (Ovlur), Valery Yaroslavtsev (Skula), Konstantin Baskov (Yeroshka), Nina Grigorieva (Nurse), Margarita Miglau (Polovtsian Maiden) Orchestra & Chorus of the Bolshoi Theatre, Mark Ermler.
• 1993 Nikolai Putilin, Galina Gorchakova, Evgeny Akimov, Sergey Aleksashkin, Vladimir Vaneev, Olga Borodina, Kirov Opera & Ballet, Valery Gergiev

References[link]

Notes

Sources

• Abraham, G. (1939) On Russian Music, London (via album notes by Richard Taruskin in "Alexander Borodin: Orchesterwerke" Deutsche Grammophon CD 435 757-2)
• Abraham, G. and Lloyd-Jones, D. (1986) "Alexander Borodin" in Brown, D. (ed.) The New Grove: Russian Masters 1, New York: W. W. Norton & Co., pp. 45–76.
• Borodin, A. Libretto for Prince Igor.
• Hofmann, M. Une musique d'une somptueuse beauté (album notes to the 1952 Bolshoy Theatre recording) Le Chant du Monde CD LDC 2781041/43
• Malkiel, M. and Barry, A. (1994) Authenticity in Prince Igor:Open Questions, New Answers (introductory note to 1993 Gergiev recording) pp. 13–22 of booklet, Philips CD 442-537-2.
• Rimsky-Korsakov, N. (1923) Chronicle of My Musical Life, translated by J. A. Joffe, New York: Knopf

External links [link]

• Galitsky's Song Listen to Galitsky's Song
• Prince Igor: Free scores at the International Music Score Library Project.
• Libretto (PDF)

Alexander Borodin
Aleksandr Borodin
Born	12 November 1833 Saint Petersburg
Died	27 February 1887 (age 53) Saint Petersburg
Nationality	Russian
Fields	Composer and chemist
Doctoral advisor	Nikolay Zinin

Alexander Porfiryevich Borodin^[1] (12 November 1833 – 27 February 1887)^[2] was a Russian Romantic composer and chemist of Georgian–Russian parentage. He was a member of the group of composers called The Five (or "The Mighty Handful"), who were dedicated to producing a specifically Russian kind of art music.^[3][4][5] He is best known for his symphonies, his two string quartets, and his opera Prince Igor. Music from Prince Igor and his string quartets was later adapted for the US musical Kismet.

Life and profession[link]

Borodin was born in Saint Petersburg, the illegitimate son of a Georgian noble, Luka Gedevanishvili (Georgian: ლუკა სიმონის ძე გედევანიშვილი) and a 24-year-old Russian woman, Evdokia Konstantinovna Antonova (Евдокия Константиновна Антонова). The nobleman had him registered as the son of one of his serfs, Porfiry Borodin.^[6] As a boy he received a good education, including piano lessons.^[7] He entered the Medico–Surgical Academy in 1850, which was later home to Ivan Pavlov, and pursued a career in chemistry. On graduation he spent a year as surgeon in a military hospital, followed by three years of advanced scientific study in western Europe.

In 1862 Borodin became a professor of chemistry at the Academy of Medicine, and eventually was able to establish medical courses for women (1872). He spent the remainder of his life lecturing and overseeing the education of others.

He began taking lessons in composition from Mily Balakirev in 1862. He married Ekaterina Protopopova, a pianist, in 1863.^[8] Music remained a secondary vocation for Borodin outside of his main career as a chemist and physician. He suffered poor health, having overcome cholera and several minor heart attacks. He died suddenly during a ball at the Academy, and was interred in Tikhvin Cemetery at the Alexander Nevsky Monastery, in Saint Petersburg.

Career as a chemist[link]

In his profession Borodin gained great respect, being particularly noted for his work on aldehydes.^[9] Between 1859 and 1862 Borodin held a postdoctorate in Heidelberg. He worked in the laboratory of Emil Erlenmeyer working on benzene derivatives. He also spent time in Pisa, working on organic halogens. One experiment published in 1862 described the first nucleophilic displacement of chlorine by fluorine in benzoyl chloride.^[10] A related reaction known to the West as the Hunsdiecker reaction published in 1939 by the Hunsdieckers was promoted by the Soviet Union as the Borodin reaction. In 1862 he returned to the Medico–Surgical Academy, where he worked on self-condensation of small aldehydes. He published papers in 1864 and 1869, and in this field he found himself competing with August Kekulé.

Borodin is co-credited with the discovery of the Aldol reaction, with Charles-Adolphe Wurtz. In 1872 he announced to the Russian Chemical Society the discovery of a new by-product in aldehyde reactions with alcohol-like properties, and he noted similarities with compounds already discussed in publications by Wurtz from the same year.

He published his last full article in 1875 on reactions of amides and his last publication concerned a method for the identification of urea in animal urine.

His son-in-law and successor was fellow chemist A. P. Dianin.

Musical avocation[link]

Opera and orchestral works[link]

Borodin met Mily Balakirev in 1862. While under Balakirev's tutelage in composition he began his Symphony No. 1 in E flat major; it was first performed in 1869, with Balakirev conducting. In that same year Borodin started on his Symphony No. 2 in B minor, which was not particularly successful at its premiere in 1877 under Eduard Nápravník, but with some minor re-orchestration received a successful performance in 1879 by the Free Music School under Rimsky-Korsakov's direction. In 1880 he composed the popular symphonic poem In the Steppes of Central Asia. Two years later he began composing a third symphony, but left it unfinished at his death; two movements of it were later completed and orchestrated by Glazunov.

In 1868 Borodin became distracted from initial work on the second symphony by preoccupation with the opera Prince Igor, which is seen by some to be his most significant work and one of the most important historical Russian operas. It contains the Polovtsian Dances, often performed as a stand-alone concert work forming what is probably Borodin's best known composition. Borodin left the opera (and a few other works) incomplete at his death. Prince Igor was completed posthumously by Rimsky-Korsakov and Glazunov. It is set in the 12th century, when the barbarous Polovtsians invaded southern Russia. The story tells of the capture of Prince Igor and son Vladimir of Russia by Polovtsian leader Khan Konchak, who entertains his prisoners lavishly and calls on his slaves to perform the famous Polovtsian dances, which provide a thrilling climax to the second act.

Chamber music[link]

No other member of the Balakirev circle identified himself so openly with absolute music as did Borodin in his two string quartets. Himself a cellist, he was an enthusiastic chamber music player, an interest that deepened during his chemical studies in Heidelberg between 1859 and 1861. This early period yielded, among other chamber works, a string sextet and a piano quintet. In thematic structure and instrumental texture he based his pieces on those of Felix Mendelssohn.^[11]

In 1875 Borodin started his First String Quartet, much to the displeasure of Mussorgsky and Vladimir Stasov. That Borodin did so in the company of The Five, who were hostile to chamber music, speaks to his independence. From the First Quartet on, he displayed mastery in the form. His Second Quartet, in which his strong lyricism is represented in the popular "Nocturne", followed in 1881. The First Quartet is richer in changes of mood. The Second Quartet has a more uniform atmosphere and expression.^[11]

Musical legacy[link]

The bust of Borodin at his tomb in Tikhvin Cemetery. (The visible musical notation on the tile monument in the background shows themes from (1) "Gliding Dance of the Maidens" from Polovtsian Dances; (2) "Song of the Dark Forest"; and (3) the "Scherzo" theme from Symphony No. 3.)

Borodin's fame outside the Russian Empire was made possible during his lifetime by Franz Liszt, who arranged a performance of the Symphony No. 1 in Germany in 1880, and by the Comtesse de Mercy-Argenteau in Belgium and France. His music is noted for its strong lyricism and rich harmonies. Along with some influences from Western composers, as a member of The Five his music exudes also an undeniably Russian flavor. His passionate music and unusual harmonies proved to have a lasting influence on the younger French composers Debussy and Ravel (in homage, the latter composed in 1913 a piano piece entitled "À la manière de Borodine").

The evocative characteristics of Borodin's music made possible the adaptation of his compositions in the 1953 musical Kismet, by Robert Wright and George Forrest, perhaps most notably in the song, "Stranger in Paradise". In 1954, Borodin was posthumously awarded a Tony Award for this show.

Borodin's music is full of romantic charm and enticing melody, and much of it also rings with the pageantry and landscape of old Russia; of onion-domed churches, richly decorated icons, and the vastness of the land. (Betty Fry)

Subsequent references[link]

• The Borodin Quartet was named in his honour.
• The chemist Alexander Shulgin uses the name "Alexander Borodin" as a fictional persona in the books PiHKAL and TiHKAL.
• In his book Burning in Water, Drowning in Flame (1974) Charles Bukowski wrote a poem about the life of Borodin entitled "the life of borodin".

References[link]

External links[link]

• Free scores by Alexander Borodin in the Werner Icking Music Archive (WIMA)
• Famous "In the Steppes of Central Asia", Alexander Borodin in Film "Moscow clad in snow", 00:07:22, 1908 on YouTube
• List of compositions (German)
• Free scores by Borodin at the International Music Score Library Project
• Free scores by Alexander Borodin in the Choral Public Domain Library (ChoralWiki)
• Borodin's tomb

Further reading[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Alexander Borodin

• Maes, Francis, tr. Pomerans, Arnold J. and Erica Pomerans, A History of Russian Music: From Kamarinskaya to Babi Yar (Berkeley, Los Angeles and London: University of California Press, 2002). ISBN 0-520-21815-9.
• George Sarton (1939). "Borodin (1833–87)". Osiris 7: 224–260. DOI:10.1086/368505. JSTOR 301543. 
• A. J. B. Hutchings (1936). "A Study of Borodin: I. The Man". The Musical Times 77 (1124): 881–883. DOI:10.2307/920565. JSTOR 920565. 
• George B. Kauffman, Kathryn Bumpass (1988). "An Apparent Conflict between Art and Science: The Case of Aleksandr Porfir'evich Borodin (1833–1887)". Leonardo 21 (4): 429–436. DOI:10.2307/1578707. JSTOR 1578707. 
• J. Podlech (2010). ""Try and Fall Sick …"—The Composer, Chemist, and Surgeon Aleksandr Borodin". Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 49 (37): 6490–95. DOI:10.1002/anie.201002023. PMID 20715236. 

Olga Vladimirovna Borodina (born 29 July 1963 in Saint Petersburg)^[1] is a leading dramatic mezzo-soprano, known for her roles in Russian operas at her home company, the Mariinsky Theatre, and for her international performing and recording career in a varied repertoire.

Borodina made her debut in Samson and Delilah at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden with Plácido Domingo. She performs frequently at the Metropolitan Opera and the San Francisco Opera and many other opera houses in roles including La Cenerentola, Marguérite in La damnation de Faust, Eboli in Don Carlos, Principessa in Adriana Lecouvreur, Carmen, Marfa in Khovanshchina and Amneris in Aida. Borodina is known for her "plush" voice.^[2][3][4]

She has received recognition as a People's Artist of Russia in 2002, the first prize gold medal of the 1998 Rosa Ponselle Vocal Competition,^[5] and also won the Barcelona competition in 1989.^[6] She was awarded the State Prize of the Russian Federation (2006).^[7] She was one of the winners of the 2007 Opera News Awards for distinguished achievement.

Borodina is featured in many Russian opera recordings on Philips conducted by Valery Gergiyev with the Mariinsky company. Her Russian heritage is very important to her:

"I'm one of the mad people who need their roots. I take nourishment from my native land, my motherland. I want my children to study in Russia, because they are Russian. I think this is tremendously important. But life in St Petersburg is becoming tougher by the day and the Russian spirit, the spirituality that was part and parcel of Russian culture, is almost not there any more.^[8]

She once pulled out of a production of Carmen at La Scala because the recitatives were spoken instead of sung,^[9] and left rehearsals at the Royal Opera House for Aida, directed by Robert Wilson, because she found the conductor's (Antonio Pappano) "approach too alien to the opera".^[8] In 2006, the management of the Vienna State Opera "decided to distance itself from an engagement [with Borodina], not just for this production but also for all others" on the night of the première of L'italiana in Algeri.^[10] Borodina is now scheduled to sing at the Vienna State Opera in Aida in March 2013.^[11]

References[link]

v t e Mariinsky Theatre, Saint Petersburg Stock company Conductor and opera company director Valery Gergiev | 22 sopranos · Anna Netrebko | 13 mezzo-sopranos · Olga Borodina | 23 tenors | eight baritones | 14 basses Stages Main stage · Second stage · Concert Hall · Theatre Museum

Yevgeny Nesterenko (2008)

Yevgeny Yevgenievich Nesterenko (born 8 January 1938) is a renowned Russian operatic bass.

Biography[link]

Nesterenko's first profession was architecture, graduating from the Engineering and Construction Institute in Leningrad. But he was called to music, and he studied under Vasily Lukanin at the Leningrad Conservatory. At his last year at the conservatory (1965) Nesterenko was invited to sing at Leningrad's Maly Opera Theatre and after graduation joined the famous Mariinsky Opera and Ballet Theatre. He won the gold medal at the 4th Moscow International Tchaikovsky Competition, which won him an invitation to Moscow's Bolshoi Theatre.

Nesterenko has sung over 80 leading bass parts and performed 21 operas in their original languages. He performed the main parts in operas by Glinka, Mussorgsky, Tchaikovsky and Borodin, and was the first to perform many works by Shostakovich, Sviridov and Taktakishvili.

Nesterenko's enormous repertoire ranges from deep bass to baritone parts in operas by classical Russian and West-European composers. His finest role is considered to be Tsar Boris in Mussorgsky's opera Boris Godunov, which won him the "Golden Viotti" medal in Italy in 1981.

Nesterenko has performed on the world's best and most prestigious stages, such as the Metropolitan Opera, Covent Garden, the Vienna State Opera and La Scala. He has been awarded the highest Austrian, Italian, German and Russian awards for his singing. He is the winner of the Giovanni Zenatello Prize "For an outstanding embodiment of the central character in the opera Attila by Verdi". He is the winner of the Chaliapin Prize of the Creativity Academy and the holder of many other titles and awards.

Nesterenko has recorded about 70 records and discs, including 20 operas in full. He is also an outstanding chamber singer with a subtle taste, expressiveness and sense of style.

He is also known as an outstanding teacher. He teaches at the Moscow Conservatory and the Higher Music School in Vienna. Nesterenko is the author of two books - "My Way of Working with Singers" and "Reflections on My Profession" - and is the author of over 200 printed works.

He is one of the most experienced music competition jurors in the world.

References[link]

• [1]
• [2]