Prince Igor who is the author. Yaroslavna, as a real historical person, the wife of Prince Igor

Based on the libretto by the composer (with the participation of V.V. Stasov), based on “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign.”

Characters:

IGOR SVYATOSLAVICH, Prince Seversky (baritone)
YAROSLAVNA, his wife in his second marriage (soprano)
VLADIMIR IGOREVICH, his son from his first marriage (tenor)
VLADIMIR YAROSLAVICH, Prince of Galitsky, brother of Princess Yaroslavna (high bass)
Polovtsian khans:
KONCHAK (bass)
GZAK (no speeches)
KONCHAKOVNA, daughter of Khan Konchak (contralto)
OVLUR, baptized Polovtsian (tenor)
horns
SKULA (bass)
EROSHKA (tenor)
NANNY YAROSLAVNA (soprano)
POlovtsian GIRL (soprano)
RUSSIAN PRINCES AND PRINCESSES, BOYARS AND BOYARINES,
ELDERS, RUSSIAN WARRIORS, GIRLS, PEOPLE.
POLOTSK KHANS, FRIENDS OF KONCHAKOVNA,
SLAVES (CHAGI) OF KHAN KONCHAK,
RUSSIAN PRISONERS, POLOVTSIAN GUARDS.

Duration: 1185.
Location: Putivl, Polovtsian camp.
First performance: St. Petersburg, Mariinsky Theater, October 23 (November 4), 1890.

Everything is amazing in Prince Igor. First of all, of course, brilliant music. Secondly, the fact that the opera was composed by a man whose professional occupation was not music, but chemistry (A.P. Borodin was an academician chemist). Thirdly, much of the opera, although it was composed by Borodin, was not recorded or orchestrated by him; The opera was completed by the composer’s friends - N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov, A. K. Glazunov and A. K. Lyadov (M. P. Belyaev, the first publisher of Prince Igor, informs in his preface: “Remaining unfinished after the death of the author , the opera “Prince Igor” was completed by N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov and A.K. Glazunov...") The overture, although it was composed by A.P. Borodin, was not put to paper by him. It was recorded, completed and orchestrated after his death and from the memory of A.K. Glazunov, who heard it performed many times on the piano by the author himself. Fourthly, all these composers often worked in such close contact with each other that it is almost impossible to determine what in “Prince Igor” was written by one hand and what by the other; in other words, the musical style of the opera represents something artistically absolutely integral. At the same time, it is necessary to emphasize (as N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov did in connection with his participation in the work on “Boris Godunov”) that “Prince Igor” is entirely an opera by A. Borodin.

OVERTURE

The opera begins with an overture, which, as already noted, was recorded from memory by A. Glazunov. The overture matches this epic opera - it is large in size and significant in musical material. It sets the mood for an epic tale of ancient times. The overture is built on the contrast of Russian and Polovtsian images. The middle episode paints a picture of a fierce battle.

PROLOGUE

Square in Putivl. It was filled with squads and troops, ready to go on a campaign against the Polovtsians. Prince Igor with the princes and boyars solemnly leaves the cathedral. The people and boyars (choir) call Prince Igor and his son Vladimir: “Glory to the red sun! Glory to Prince Igor!” Prince Igor expresses his determination to go “to battle with the enemy of Rus',” against the Polovtsian khans. Suddenly it begins to get dark - a solar eclipse occurs. Everyone looks at the sky in amazement. (The event sung by A. Borodin is precisely dated: as research has confirmed, the described solar eclipse occurred on May 1, 1185, and the chronicler, as happened in similar cases, noted: “God is the creator of the sign”). The people see an unkind omen in the coming darkness and beg the prince: “Oh, you shouldn’t go on a campaign, prince!” But Igor does not heed the persuasion; he is not afraid of bad omens. He examines the army. He is accompanied by princes and boyars. Igor's determination instills confidence in the soldiers. Two whistleblowers, Skula and Eroshka, however, show cowardice: “Let them go, but we, brother, won’t go.” And they, abandoning their armor, run away to Vladimir Yaroslavich, Prince of Galitsky. “We’ll be fed and drunk there, and we’ll be safe,” they reason.

Meanwhile, the prince convenes the princesses and noblewomen to say goodbye. Yaroslavna arrives. She rushes to Igor with a plea not to go on a hike. Igor consoles her and still says goodbye. He entrusts custody of her to Prince Vladimir Galitsky, who is not just his friend, but also Yaroslavna’s brother. He does not skimp on promises, because he owes a lot to Igor, which he talks about in a short monologue (“When my father expelled me, my brothers expelled me, you took part in me”). Igor interrupts him. Yaroslavna, the princesses and noblewomen leave. It's time to go hiking. Igor asks for blessings. Now the chorus of the people with which the prologue began sounds again - this time even more powerfully.

ACT I

Picture 1. Princely court of Vladimir Galitsky. There's a bunch of drunken rabble walking around here. Everyone sings praises to Prince Vladimir. Skula and Eroshka are having fun and drinking with everyone else. Their songs make the mansions tremble. Prince Vladimir Galitsky himself only dreams of ruling in Putivl. He sings about this in his song “If only I could wait for honor,” reminiscent of a rollicking dance. A crowd of girls arrives. They run up the steps to Prince Vladimir. He stops. The girls complain to the prince that the prince’s people are unkind - they just kidnapped a girl (“Oh, crazy”). Prince Vladimir quite brazenly tells them that he has her, that she is not so bad and that it is really painful to worry about her, and in the end he sends the girls away. Even Skula and Eroshka were taken aback: “Here you go to the priest, here you go to the mother; What they came with is what they left with.”

In the next scene, Skula and Eroshka talk about how the princess might feel about all this. Drunk people are not very worried: “What do we care about the princess!” The rudely comical song of the buffoons (“What’s Prince Volodymyr’s”) sounds with feigned importance. Finally everyone disperses, except for the rather tipsy Skula and Eroshka.

Picture 2. Upper room in Yaroslavna's tower. The princess is alone. She is worried about a bad feeling, because a lot of time has passed since Igor left, and it’s time to send a messenger from him. The nanny tells Yaroslavna that the girls have come to her. They seek her protection from the tyranny of her brother. Vladimir himself, her brother, comes to Yaroslavna’s house. The princess is determined to stand up for the girls. She says that she will tell her husband everything about how he, brother, acts outrageously in his absence, but this does not frighten Vladimir: “What do I need about your Igor? Whether he returns or not, what do I care, do I care? He even threatens his sister. This infuriates Yaroslavna: “Do you dare threaten me?” Having received a rebuff, Vladimir hesitates and changes his tone. But the continuation of his speeches outrages her - he questions her loyalty to Igor. To this she sharply replies: “You forgot that I am a princess!” Vladimir gives in: he promises to let the girl go the next day, but at the same time he adds angrily and cynically: “And tomorrow I’ll get another one.” Vladimir leaves, and Yaroslavna, left alone, prays for Igor’s speedy return.

The Duma boyars enter and bow to Yaroslavna. They came to tell the princess bad news. Their choir sounds (“Courage, Princess”). They say that the Russian army was defeated, and Igor and his son were captured by the khan. Hearing about this, Yaroslavna falls unconscious. The boyars are ready to defend the city. They are convinced that their strength lies in faith in God and loyalty to the prince and princess, as well as in love for their homeland. The princess thanks them. The sound of an alarm bell is heard. The enemy has approached the walls of the city, and the glow of a fire can already be seen in the windows of the princess’s palace. Several boyars leave; the rest gird themselves with swords and prepare for defense.

ACT II

Polovtsian camp. Polovtsian girls entertain Konchakovna, the khan’s daughter, with songs and dances. But nothing can dispel Konchakovna’s sadness - she is passionately in love with Prince Vladimir. She sings about her love in cavatina (“The light of day is fading”), full of passionate languor and sensual bliss.

Russian prisoners are shown leaving work under guard. Konchakovna orders her girls to give the captives “a cool drink and to console the poor with gentle speech.” The girls carry out her order, and the prisoners thank them. A Polovtsian patrol is shown walking around the camp. Konchakovna and the girls leave. Night is falling. At the back of the stage, Ovlur stands alone on guard. Igor’s son, Vladimir, appears and directs his longing gaze to Konchakovna’s tent, calling her with words of love. His “Cavatina” (“Slowly the day faded away”) is covered in youthful poetry and the charm of a luxurious southern night. Konchakovna appears. They sing their passionate love duet. The night is sweet for them. The prince is completely absorbed in passion for the Polovtsian princess, he has lost his face, his will. Already now, long before the events of the third act, his fate is predetermined. But now Vladimir needs to leave. He hears his father's footsteps approaching. Igor enters. He is in deep thought. For him the night is torment. He sings his famous aria (“No sleep, no rest for the tormented soul”) - one of the masterpieces of Russian opera.

A Polovtsian warrior approaches the prince. This is Ovlur. He converted to Orthodoxy, was baptized and is now trying to help Igor. Dawn breaks in the sky, and by the end of their scene it is completely dawn. Ovlur offers Igor horses so that the prince can escape. Igor hesitates whether to accept this offer (Ovlur convinces him that he must flee in order to save Rus'). But no, Igor cannot run - it is contrary to his honor. Ovlur, saddened, leaves.

Khan Konchak returns from hunting. He greets Igor, addresses him with respect and trust (“Are you healthy, Prince?”). Seeing how sad Igor is, Konchak offers him “any horse,” “any tent,” “the treasured damask steel, the sword of his grandfathers,” and finally, “a captive from the distant sea.” But Igor does not need the khan's gifts. He thanks him, shakes his hand and says: “But there’s no life in captivity.” Konchak is annoyed. He even offers Igor freedom in exchange for the prince’s promise not to raise a sword against the khan and not to cross his path. No, Igor cannot make such a promise and, on the contrary, declares to the khan that as soon as he is free, he will again gather his regiments and strike again. “Yes, you are not accommodating!” - Konchak says to Igor with irritation and calls on the Polovtsian prisoners and captives (chagi) to amuse them.

Polovtsian male and female slaves appear on stage, some of them with tambourines and other musical instruments; Behind them are Konchak’s retinue and associates. The Polovtsian dances begin - amazingly beautiful, dazzlingly colorful dance scenes, accompanied by a choir. The smooth dance of the girls, the unbridled dance of the men, filled with elemental power, and the swift and light dance of the boys alternate, creating a contrast. The action ends with a violent, rapid whirlwind of general dancing and the chorus “Dance with the Khan, Chaga.”

ACT III

The third act is preceded by an orchestral intermission. The Polovtsian march sounds (a peculiar effect is created by the trumpets on the stage, sounding behind the still closed curtain). The Khan's army returns to the camp with rich booty. The Polovtsians converge from all sides and, looking into the distance, await the arrival of Gzak’s detachment. Gradually, Gzak's army enters the scene - with trumpets, horns, and tambourines. The soldiers lead Russian prisoners with them. At the end of the procession, Khan Gzak himself appears on horseback. Prince Igor, Vladimir Igorevich and the Russian prisoners stand aside and watch. The Polovtsian choir praises its warriors: “The army marches in victory. Glory to our army! Konchak comes out to meet Gzak and greets him with his song (“Our sword gave us victory”), in which he sings about the victories of the Polovtsians over the Russian army and, in particular, about the burning of Putivl. He arranges a feast for the Polovtsians, and orders the prisoners to be closely guarded. The choir of khans departs singing with Konchak to advise them what to do next: stay where they are now, or go further to Rus'.

So, Prince Igor and Vladimir now learned the terrible truth: their city was burned, and their children and wives were taken captive. “What else should I wait for?” - Igor exclaims. At this moment, a convoy with loot and Russian prisoners passes in front of them. The sight of the booty captured by the Polovtsians depresses Igor and Vladimir. The convoy leaves, the Russian prisoners hide in tents. A detachment of guards remains on the stage. They praise Konchak in chorus and warn the possible fugitive: “Woe to the dashing fugitive! The arrows are gilded, our fast horses will always catch up with him in the steppe.” Ovlur walks across the stage; he carries bags of kumys. The guards start dancing. In the end, first one falls, then the second, finally the third. Towards the end of this orchestral number the stage goes dark; the guards fall asleep.

Ovlur carefully creeps up to Igor’s tent. He calls on Igor to quickly get ready for the journey. This time Igor agrees.

Konchakovna runs in in terrible excitement. She stops at Vladimir's tent. She found out about Vladimir’s intention to run away and now begs him to stay and not leave her. Prince Igor is amazed: “Vladimir, son! What does it mean? Why are you here, princess? Al, in the Polovtsian completeness, you yourself became a Polovtsian and forgot your homeland? Vladimir is tormented. His father calls on him to run away with him, Konchakovna begs him to stay. In the end, she threatens to awaken the entire camp. Igor is running. Konchakovna hits the beater several times.

Polovtsians are running from all sides. Konchakovna reports Igor's escape. The Polovtsians equip their horses in pursuit of the prince. They want to tie Vladimir to a tree. Konchakovna stands up for him. The Polovtsians convene the khans. At the noise, Konchak and the Khans appear. The Polovtsy inform him about what happened. Igor’s escape evokes respect from the khan: “Well done! No wonder I loved him so much; If I were Igor, I would have done the same.” And he orders the guards to be executed, but not to touch the prince (this episode was compiled by A. Glazunov). The chorus of khans demands the execution of the prisoners. But Konchak has a different plan: “If the falcon has flown to the nest, then we will entangle the falcon with the red maiden.” And he declares Vladimir his desired son-in-law. And then he - the treacherous khan - announces: “We are going to Rus'! On a campaign to Rus'! One can only guess what is going on in Vladimir’s soul.

ACT IV

City wall and square in Putivl. Early morning. Yaroslavna is alone on the city wall. She cries bitterly (“Oh, I’m crying”). She turns to the wind, the sun, and the Dnieper with a prayer to return dear Igor to her. A crowd of villagers passes by singing. They sing - and it sounds like a genuine Russian song (the amazing skill of the composer!) - “Oh, it was not the violent wind howling.”

Yaroslavna peers into the distance. She sees someone coming. These are two horsemen. She recognizes one of them as a Cuman by his clothes. This frightens her, because she understands that if the Polovtsians come, Putivl will not be defended. But the other rider is “dressed like us and he doesn’t look like an ordinary warrior.” They are getting closer and closer, and suddenly she recognizes Igor. Prince Igor rides in at a gallop, accompanied by Ovlur. Igor gets off his horse and rushes to Yaroslavna. Ovlur moves aside with his horses. The love duet of Igor and Yaroslavna sounds. They are happy. She asks him how he escaped? Igor says that he escaped from captivity. Yaroslavna sings about her joy to see her beloved husband again, but Igor says that he will call out and go against the khan again. Prince Igor and Yaroslavna slowly walk towards Detinets. At this moment Eroshka and Skula appear; somewhat intoxicated, they play and sing. Suddenly they see Igor and Yaroslavna. They are amazed. They immediately realize that they will be in trouble for their betrayal. Having sat down opposite each other, they think about what to do: run away? There's nowhere to go. Suddenly Skule comes up with a good idea: ring the bell, call the people together. They take hold of the bell ropes and sound the alarm. People are running from all sides. Everyone thinks that the Polovtsians have approached, then they realize that they are drunk. The buffoons shout that they have good news: the prince has arrived. Then everyone thinks that we are talking about the seditious prince Galitsky. With difficulty they manage to convince everyone that Prince Igor Seversky has returned. In the end, for the good news, the assembled boyars forgive the sins of Eroshka and Skula. Together with the people, they greet and glorify Prince Igor.

A. Maykapar

History of creation

In April 1869, V.V. Stasov proposed to Borodin the wonderful monument of ancient Russian literature “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign” (1185-1187) as an opera plot. According to the composer, he liked the plot “terribly.” To penetrate more deeply into the spirit of antiquity, Borodin visited the vicinity of Putivl (near Kursk), studied historical sources: chronicles, ancient stories (“Zadonshchina”, “Mamaevo Massacre”), studies about the Polovtsians, the music of their descendants, epics and epic songs. The composer received great assistance from V.V. Stasov, the greatest expert on Russian history and ancient literature.

The text and music of “Igor” were composed simultaneously. The opera was written over 18 years, but was not completed. After Borodin's death, A.K. Glazunov restored the overture from memory and, based on the author's sketches, added the missing episodes of the opera, and N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov instrumentalized most of it. The premiere was a great success on October 23 (November 4), 1890 in St. Petersburg, on the stage of the Mariinsky Theater.

“The Tale of Igor’s Campaign” tells the story of the campaign of Prince Novgorod-Seversky Igor Svyatoslavich against the Polovtsians. Out of vanity, he wanted to achieve victory without the help of other princes and was defeated. Condemning internecine strife, the unknown creator of the poem passionately called on the Russian princes for unity. The composer emphasized in the opera not so much the political orientation of “The Lay” as its folk-epic features. Igor in the opera is close in spirit to the images of the epic heroes.

To set off the appearance of Igor, Borodin, on the advice of Stasov, contrasted him with the figure of Prince Galitsky, personifying the element of princely strife.

Music

“Prince Igor” is a folk-epic opera. The composer himself pointed out its closeness to Glinka’s “Ruslan”. The epic character of “Igor” is manifested in heroic musical images, in the scale of forms, in the leisurely flow of action, as in epics.

In the large overture, based on the melodies of the opera, the images of Russians and Polovtsians are contrasted. The middle episode paints a picture of a fierce battle.

The mighty chorus of the prologue “Glory to the Red Sun” (based on the original text from the Lay) is akin to the harsh, majesticly strict melodies of ancient epic songs. This chorus frames the ominous orchestral picture of the eclipse and the recitative scene, in which the frightened boyars, the alarmed, loving Yaroslavna, the rude Galitsky and the courageously adamant Igor are depicted.

The music of the first scene (the first act), with its reckless, riotous character, sharply contrasts with the mood of the prologue. Galitsky’s song “If only I could wait for the honor” resembles a sweeping, dashing dance. In the girls’ choir “Oh, dashingly,” the features of plaintive folk lamentations are subtly reproduced. The rudely comic song of the buffoons “What does Prince and Volodymyr have” sounds with feigned importance.

In the second picture, the image of the charmingly feminine, but strong-willed Yaroslavna is clearly outlined. The arioso “A lot of time has passed since then” expresses her melancholy and anxious forebodings; chastely restrained, strict in character, the music gradually acquires a passionately excited character. Further, the action is dramatized, reaching its greatest tension in the scene of Yaroslavna with the boyars. The boyar choruses “Take courage, princess” and “This is not the first time for us, princess” are full of stern, formidable power.

The second act is devoted to paintings of the Polovtsian camp. In Konchakovna’s cavatina “Daylight is Fading,” one can hear love calls, passionate longing, and sensual bliss. The poetry of youthful love and the charm of a luxurious southern night fill Vladimir’s cavatina “Slowly the day faded away.” Igor’s aria “No sleep, no rest” is a multifaceted portrait of the main character; sad thoughts about the fate of the homeland, a passionate thirst for freedom, and a feeling of love for Yaroslavl are captured here. Khan Konchak appears powerful, cruel and generous in his aria “Are you healthy, prince?” The act ends with dazzlingly colorful scenes of dancing accompanied by a choir. The smooth female dance, the unbridled male dance filled with elemental power and the swift, light dance of the boys alternate in contrast. Gradually all groups are involved in a wildly temperamental whirlwind dance.

In the third act (this act is usually released in productions), belligerence and cruelty come to the fore in the depiction of the Polovtsians.

In the fourth act, the music develops from sorrow to general rejoicing. Deep, inescapable sadness is heard in Yaroslavna’s arioso “Oh, I’m crying,” which is close to folk lamentations. The arioso results in a folk lament - a chorus of villagers “Oh, the wild wind did not howl,” which sounds like a genuine Russian drawn-out song. The final chorus “To know that God has heard your prayers” is festive and solemn.

M. Druskin

One of the best Russian operas was not completed by Borodin. It was completed by A. Glazunov and Rimsky-Korsakov. In this work, the composer managed, without using direct quotes from folk songs, to create a wonderful and truly Russian epic canvas. The oriental motifs associated with the characteristics of the Polovtsians add special beauty to the work. The choreographic picture from 2 parts “Polovtsian Dances” (especially staged by K. Goleizovsky) became famous. Many arias from operas, such as the aria of Prince Igor No sleep, no rest, Konchak's aria Are you well, prince?(2 d.), gained worldwide fame. The opera immediately became very popular. Let us note the Moscow premiere in 1898 (soloists Khokhlov, Deisha-Sionitskaya, Sobinov, Vlasov, etc.), production at the Mariinsky Theater (1915, with the participation of Chaliapin in the role of Prince Galitsky and Polovtsian dances staged by M. Fokin). The opera's foreign premiere took place in Prague (1899). In 1971, director R. Tikhomirov staged the opera film of the same name.

Discography: CD - Decca. Dir. Haitink, Prince Igor (Leiferkus), Yaroslavna (Tomova-Sintova), Vladimir Igorevich (Steblyanko), Prince Galitsky (Gyuzelev), Konchak (Burchuladze), Konchakovna (Zaremba) - Philips. Dir. Gergiev, Prince Igor (Kit), Yaroslavna (Gorchakova), Vladimir Igorevich (Grigoryan), Prince Galitsky (Ognovenko), Konchak (Minzhilkiev), Konchakovna (Borodina).

Libretto The libretto is written on the material of a Russian epic poem of the 16th century. "The Tale of Igor's Campaign" by A.P. Borodin. The first performance took place on November 4, 1890. on the stage of the Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg.

Characters.

Igor Svyatoslavovich, Prince Seversky.......... baritone

Yaroslavna, his wife in his second marriage.......... soprano

Vladimir Igorevich, his son from his first marriage......... tenor

Vladimir Yaroslavovich, Prince Galitsky.......... high bass

Konchak, Polovtsian Khan.........bass

Gzak, Polovtsian Khan.......... facial expression

Konchakovna, daughter of Khan Konchak......... contralto

Ovlur, baptized Polovtsian......... tenor

Cheekbone, horn......... bass

Eroshka, horn......... tenor

Yaroslavna's nanny......... soprano

Polovtsian girl.........soprano

Russian princes and princesses, boyars and boyars, elders, Russian warriors, girls, people. Polovtsian khans, friends of Konchakovna, slaves of Khan Konchak, Russian captives, Polovtsian guards.

The action takes place in 1185: in the prologue, in acts I and IV in the city of Putivl, in acts II and III in the Polovtsian camp.

Prologue. On the square in Putivl, the squad and army, ready to go on a campaign against the Polovtsians, are waiting for Prince Igor. The people magnify Igor, the princes, the warriors and wish them victory. Suddenly it gets dark and a solar eclipse begins. Everyone is frightened by this “God’s sign” and advises Igor to postpone the campaign. However, Igor is confident in the rightness of his cause - he is going to defend Rus'. This is his duty, the duty of all Russian soldiers.

Unnoticed, two warriors - Skula and Eroshka - break down; they throw away their armor and run away. The princess and noblewomen come to say goodbye. Yaroslavna rushes to her husband and asks him not to go on a hike: she, too, is worried about bad premonitions. But the prince kindly consoles her, convinces her not to worry and to wait with victory. The prince asks Vladimir of Galicia, Yaroslavna's brother, to take care of her. Having received the blessing of the Elder, Prince Igor, his son Vladimir, the squad and the army set out on a campaign.

Act one

Picture one. The princely court of Vladimir Galitsky, the revelry servants glorify the prince. Immediately Skula and Eroshka amuse everyone with their buffoonery antics. Galitsky loves to indulge and make noise, but he lacks power and wealth. He dreams of taking Igor's place. Girls run into the yard, they complain to Galitsky about his associates who stole their girlfriend. Galitsky kicks out the crying girls and leaves himself. The rampant hawkmoths, led by Skula and Eroshka, have become emboldened and are plotting a rebellion: “We will remove Igor, we will imprison Vladimir! What should we be afraid of?!”

Picture two. Yaroslavna is gripped by anxiety: there has been no news about Prince Igor and his squad for a long time, and difficult forebodings are coming true. She thinks lovingly about her husband, longing and sadness squeeze her heart. Girls come with a complaint against Galitsky and his people, and Galitsky himself appears. The princess expresses her displeasure to her brother with his behavior, but he behaves defiantly and threatens to remove Igor in Putivl. Yaroslavna drives him away in anger.

The boyars bring sad news to Yaroslavna: the Russian army is defeated, Igor and Vladimir are in captivity. The ringing of the alarm bell announces danger - the Polovtsians are approaching Putivl, a fire begins. The boyars are determined to defend Putivl from the enemy.

Act two

In the Polovtsian camp, girls entertain the Khan's daughter Konchakovna with songs and dances. However, her thoughts are absorbed by the captive youth, the young prince Vladimir Igorevich. She is looking forward to meeting with him for an hour. It's getting dark, the Russian prisoners are returning from hard work, and night is falling. The lovers joyfully meet - Vladimir and Konchakovna. They tenderly and passionately confess their love to each other and dream of happiness.

Prince Igor can’t sleep either. languishing in captivity in the Polovtsian camp, he is oppressed by heavy thoughts. It is not easy to survive the shame and severity of captivity. It is difficult to come to terms with the thought of a homeland enslaved by the enemy, groaning from looting and fires. Igor passionately longs for freedom, then he will be able to gather a new army, defeat the Polovtsians and liberate Rus'. With great tenderness he remembers his wife and closest friend, Yaroslavna. Ovlur, a baptized Polovtsian, stealthily approaches Igor. He offers the prince his help, persuading him to escape from captivity. However, pride does not allow Igor to agree to a secret escape, and he refuses. Khan Konchak himself comes out from behind the tent. Treating the prisoner with great respect, he tries to ease his fate and even offers to let him go completely - only on the condition that Igor does not raise a sword against his army. But Igor does not hide the fact that as soon as he escapes from captivity, he will gather a new army and will again fight with the Polovtsians. At the behest of Konchak, the Polovtsian captives entertain Igor with oriental dances - sometimes smooth, languid and full of bliss, sometimes swift and fiery.

Act three

Khan Gzak returns from the campaign with great booty. He leads many Russian prisoners with him. Konchak and the Polovtsians greet the army, the khans leave to divide the loot. Russian prisoners talk about the burning of Putivl, about the grief of their wives and mothers. “Prince, take over Rus', don’t let it die,” they turn to Igor, and he decides to escape. Ovlur prepares horses - for the prince, the prince and himself. At the last moment, Konchakovna appears, she begs Vladimir to stay or take her with him. Vladimir is indecisive, and Konchakovna, in despair, raises the alarm. Prince Igor and Ovlur manage to escape.

The Polovtsians who have come running demand the death of Vladimir, but Konchak decides otherwise: “If the falcon has flown to the nest, we will entangle the falcon with the red maiden.” Taking Konchakovna to the prince, he says: “Here is your wife, Vladimir!”

Act four

In Putivl, on the city wall, Yaroslavna mourns her husband. She no longer believes that she will see him. Turning to the wind, the Dnieper. to the sun, Yaroslavna is waiting for an answer from them - where is Igor and what’s wrong with him. Yaroslavna looks around with longing at the scorched villages, abandoned arable fields, the sad song of the villagers walking past echoes with pain in her heart. Suddenly two horsemen appear in the distance. The princess recognizes Igor in one of them. Finally, happiness has returned to her! The intoxicated Skula and Eroshka, seeing Prince Igor and fearing retribution, decide to cheat - they call the people by ringing a bell and are the first to announce the good news - the prince has returned. The people honor and magnify Prince Igor.

ALEXANDER PORFIRIEVICH BORODIN
PRINCE IGOR
Opera in four acts (five scenes) with a prologue
The libretto is based on a Russian epic poem of the 12th century. “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign” by A.P. Borodin.
The first performance took place on November 4, 1890 in St. Petersburg, on the stage of the Mariinsky Theater.
Characters:
Igor Svyatoslavovich, Prince Seversky baritone
Yaroslavna, his wife in his second marriage, soprano
Vladimir Igorevich, his son from his first marriage, tenor
Vladimir Yaroslavich, Prince Galitsky, brother of Princess Yaroslavna: high bass
Konchak (Polovtsian Khan) bass
Gzak (Polovtsian Khan) facial expression
Konchakovna, daughter of Khan Konchak contralto
Ovlur, baptized Polovtsian tenor
Skula horn bass
Eroshka gudochnik tenor
Nanny Yaroslavna soprano
Polovtsian soprano girl
Russian princes and princesses, boyars and boyars, elders, Russian warriors, girls, people.
Polovtsian khans, friends of Konchakovna, slaves (chagi) of Khan Konchak, Russian captives, Polovtsian guards.

The action takes place: in the prologue, in acts I and IV - in the city of Putivl; in acts II and III - in the Polovtsian camp. 1185

Prologue. On the square in Putivl, the squad and army, ready to go on a campaign against the Polovtsians, are waiting for Prince Igor. The people call Igor, the princes,
warriors and wishes them victory. Suddenly it gets dark and a solar eclipse begins. Everyone is frightened by this “God’s sign” and advises Igor to postpone
hike.
However, Igor is confident in the rightness of his cause - he is going to defend Rus'. This is his duty, the duty of all Russian soldiers. Unnoticed, two warriors break down - Skula and Eroshka. They throw away their armor and run away. The princess and noblewomen come to say goodbye. Yaroslavna rushes to her husband and asks him not to go on a hike: she is worried about bad premonitions. The prince kindly consoles her, convinces her not to worry and to wait with victory. The prince asks Vladimir Galitsky, Yaroslavna's brother, to take care of her. Having received the blessing of the Elder, Prince Igor, his son Vladimir, the squad and the army set out on a campaign.
Act one. Scene one. Princely court of Vladimir Galitsky. The revelry servants praise the prince. Skula and Eroshka are also there; buffoonish
They amuse everyone with their antics. Galitsky loves to indulge and make noise. However, he lacks power and wealth. He dreams of taking Igor's place.
Girls run into the yard. They complain to Galitsky about his associates who stole their girlfriend. Galitsky kicks out the crying girls and leaves.
The rampant hawkmoths, led by Skula and Broshka, have become emboldened and are plotting a rebellion: “We will remove Igor, we will imprison Vladimir! What to be afraid of
us?"
Scene two. Yaroslavna is gripped by anxiety: there has been no news about Prince Igor and his squad for a long time, and difficult forebodings are coming true. Thinks with love
she is talking about her husband, longing and sadness squeeze her heart. Girls come with a complaint against Galitsky and his people. The princess expresses to the one who appears
Galitsky with his displeasure with his behavior. Galitsky behaves defiantly. He threatens to remove Igor in Putivl. Yaroslavna drives him away in anger. The boyars bring sad news to Yaroslavna: the Russian army is defeated, Igor and Vladimir are in captivity. The ringing of the alarm bell announces danger - the Polovtsians are approaching Putivl; a fire starts. The boyars are determined to defend Putivl from the enemy.

Act two. In the Polovtsian camp, Prince Igor is languishing in captivity. Evening. Polovtsian girls entertain the khan's daughter, Konchakovna, with dances and songs. However, all her thoughts are absorbed by the captive young man - Prince Vladimir. She looks forward to the hour of meeting with him. Russian prisoners returning from hard work pass by.
Night is falling. Lovers joyfully meet - Vladimir Igorevich and Konchakovna. They tenderly and passionately confess their love to each other, dream of
happiness.
Prince Igor can’t sleep either. He is oppressed by heavy thoughts. It is not easy to survive the shame of defeat and captivity. It is difficult to come to terms with the thought of a homeland enslaved
enemy, groaning from robberies and fires. Igor passionately longs for freedom: then he can, having gathered a new army, defeat the Polovtsians and liberate Rus'. WITH
He remembers with great tenderness his wife and closest friend, Yaroslavna. Ovlur, a baptized Polovtsian, stealthily approaches Igor. He offers the prince his help, persuading him to escape from captivity. However, pride does not allow Igor to agree to a secret escape. Igor refuses.
Khan Konchak comes out from behind the tent. Treating his captive with great respect, he tries to ease his fate and even offers to release him.
completely - only on the condition that Igor will not raise a sword against his army. But Igor does not hide the fact that as soon as he breaks out of captivity, he will gather a new army and
will fight again with the Polovtsians. At the behest of Konchak, the Polovtsian captives entertain Igor with oriental dances - sometimes smooth, languid, full of bliss, sometimes swift, fiery.
Act three. Khan Gzak returns from the campaign with great booty. He leads many Russian prisoners with him. Konchak and the Polovtsians welcome
army. The khans leave to divide the loot. Russian prisoners talk about the burning of Putivl, about the grief of their wives and mothers. “Prince, run to Rus', don’t let
she will die,” they turn to Igor. Igor decides to escape. Ovlur prepares horses - for the prince, the prince and himself. At the last moment
Konchakovna appears. She begs Vladimir to stay or take her with him. Vladimir is indecisive. In desperation, Konchakovna raises the alarm.
Prince Igor and Ovlur manage to escape. The Polovtsians who have come running demand the death of Vladimir, but Konchak decides otherwise: “If the falcon has flown to the nest, we will entangle the falcon with the red maiden.”
Taking Konchakovna to the prince, he says: “Here is your wife, Vladimir!”
Act four. In Putivl, on the city wall, Yaroslavna mourns her husband. She no longer believes that she will see him. Turning to the wind, the Dnieper,
to the sun, Yaroslavna is waiting for an answer from them - where is Igor, what’s wrong with him. Yaroslavna looks around with longing - at the scorched villages, abandoned arable lands; The sad song of the villagers walking by resonates with pain in the heart.
Suddenly two horsemen appear in the distance. The princess recognizes Igor in one of them. Finally, happiness returned to her! Drunk Skula and Eroshka, seeing
Prince Igor and fearing retribution, they decide to cheat: they call the people by ringing the bells and are the first to announce the good news - the prince has returned.
The people call Prince Igor.

He studied historical and musical sources related to the time being described.

The opera was written over the course of 18 years, but in 1887 the composer died and the opera remained unfinished. According to the notes of A.P. Borodin, the work was completed by Alexander Konstantinovich Glazunov and Nikolai Andreevich Rimsky-Korsakov. It is believed that Glazunov reconstructed the overture from memory, which he heard performed by the author on the piano (he himself refuted this legend on the pages of the Russian Musical Newspaper). He also composed and orchestrated almost the entire third act. N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov orchestrated the prologue, the first, second and fourth acts and the Polovtsian march.

Borodin, Rimsky-Korsakov and perhaps also A.K. Lyadov together orchestrated the suite of “Polovtsian dances” of the second act, which gained enormous popularity. Continuing the traditions of Glinka’s opera “A Life for the Tsar,” the eventual development in the storyline of the opera “Prince Igor” reflects the grandeur of folk scenes with the powerful sound of the choir, and at the same time, the extraordinary beauty of the characters’ arias: Yaroslavna, Konchakovna, Vladimir and the Polovtsian girl

Alexander Porfiryevich Borodin managed to orchestrate part of the prologue (everything except the “Eclipse Scene”), the recitative and aria of Prince Vladimir Galitsky (I scene of Act I), Yaroslavna’s aria and her scene with the girls (II scene of Act I, 1879), Konchakovna’s cavatina (II act, 1869), recitative and cavatina of Prince Vladimir (Act II), Konchak’s aria (Act II), Yaroslavna’s lament (Act IV, 1875), folk chorus (Act IV, 1879) and the final scene of Act IV - score for orchestra with tenor Eroshka, bass Skula and choir.

The trio of Igor, Vladimir, Konchakovna and the finale of the third act with the choir, Konchakovna and Konchak were written by Borodin and completed by Glazunov, who subsequently orchestrated them in 1888.

Rimsky-Korsakov and Glazunov themselves wrote the scene of Act II, with the participation of Konchakovna and the chorus in 1887.

The composers were friendly and worked in a close circle, therefore the musical style of the opera represents artistic integrity. Even though Glazunov and Rimsky-Korsakov orchestrated most of the music (some of which was not recorded at all), the latter insisted that "Prince Igor" - an entire opera by Alexander Porfiryevich Borodin"- from the book by A. Maikapara.

The opera premiered with great success on October 23 (November 4), 1890 in St. Petersburg on the stage of the Mariinsky Theater.

There is an opinion in the press (based on the work of Pavel Aleksandrovich Lamm on the reconstruction of the author’s version of the opera) that the incompleteness of “Prince Igor” is largely a legend and that instead of only orchestrating part of the numbers, Rimsky-Korsakov and Glazunov chose to rewrite most of the numbers absolutely completed by the author of the music. However, Lamm was also inclined to consider the opera rather unfinished and in his edition he combined material from Borodin’s manuscripts with everything that was later added by Rimsky-Korsakov and Glazunov. In 2011 A.V. Bulycheva made a new reconstruction of the text of the opera based on 92 surviving music manuscripts of Borodin.

Characters

Igor Svyatoslavich, Prince Seversky (baritone)
Yaroslavna, his wife in his second marriage (soprano)
Vladimir Igorevich, his son from his first marriage (tenor)
Vladimir Yaroslavich, Prince of Galitsky, brother of Yaroslavna (high bass)
Konchakovna, his daughter (contralto)
Gzak, Polovtsian Khan (no speeches)
Ovlur, baptized Polovtsian (tenor)
Eroshka, gudoshnik (tenor)
Cheekbone, horn (bass)
Polovtsian girl (soprano)
Yaroslavna's Nanny (soprano)
Russian princes and princesses, boyars and boyars, elders, Russian warriors, girls, people, Polovtsian khans, Konchakovna’s friends, slaves (chagi) of Khan Konchak, Russian prisoners, Polovtsian guards

Summary

Prologue

Polovtsian camp. Set design by I. Bilibin

The square in Putivl is filled with people. Prince Igor is preparing for a campaign against the Polovtsians. The people and boyars call Igor, his son Vladimir, the princes, glorify the squad, hope for the successful completion of the campaign (choir “Glory to the Red Sun!”).

Suddenly it gets dark, it's a solar eclipse. People see him as a bad omen and persuade Igor to stay, but Igor is unshakable. He bypasses the ranks of warriors and warriors.

Two whistleblowers, Skula and Eroshka, show cowardice. They decide to go into the service of Vladimir Yaroslavich, Prince of Galitsky, in order to remain safe and live a satisfying and drunken life.

Princesses and noblewomen come to say goodbye. Yaroslavna begs Igor to stay, but he replies that he is ordered to go on a hike by duty and honor. He entrusts the care of his wife to Prince Galitsky, Yaroslavna’s brother. In a short monologue, he tells how Igor helped him in difficult times, and promises to repay the favor with favors.

An elder comes out of the cathedral and blesses Igor and the army. The chorus of people sounds again.

First action

Scene one

The princely court of Prince Galitsky. The guests drink and have fun. The people and Skula and Eroshka praise the prince in riotous song and talk about the girl stolen for him. Galitsky goes out onto the porch and sings that he doesn’t like boredom, dreams of having fun and ruling in Putivl (the song “If only I could wait for the honor” Listen - Galitsky's Aria.)

Prince Galitsky wants to send his sister to a monastery.

A crowd of girls runs into the yard. Vladimir stole their friend, they ask to let her go (chorus “Oh, daringly, oh, daringly”). The prince says that his girl is not so bad, that there is no need to cry about her, and drives the girls away.

Aria of Prince Galitsky

It’s a shame to confess, I don’t like boredom,
But I wouldn’t live a day like Igor the Prince.
I love to amuse the heart with princely amusement,
I love to have fun!
Oh, if only I could sit as a prince on Putivl:
I would live a great life! Eh!
If only I could wait for the honor,
The prince sits on Putivl,
I wouldn't bother
I would know how to live.
During the day at scolding tables,
For merry feasts,
I would judge and judge
He did everything.
I would punish everyone,
How I would like it,
There would be a trial for everyone,
He gave everyone wine!
Drink, drink, drink, drink, drink, walk!
By nightfall they would have herded into the tower
Red girls all come to me,
The girls would play songs for me,
They would praise the prince.
And who is redder and whiter,
I would keep it for myself.
Which girl is my favorite?
I would walk with them at night. Eh!
If only I could have this share,
I would have fun to my heart's content,
I wouldn't yawn
I would know where to start.
I would rule the principality for them,
I would reduce their treasury,
I wish I could live to my fullest,
After all, that’s what power is for.
Eh, if only I could reign,
I could respect everyone
Both yourself and you!
Don't forget us!
Goy, goy, goy, goy, goy! Go for a walk!

Skula and Eroshka perform a crudely comical song about drunkards (the buffoons' song "What's Prince Volodymyr's"). Those close to Prince Galitsky are discussing the possibility of putting him in charge of Putivl, taking advantage of the fact that Prince Igor’s people have gone on a campaign.

Scene two

Upper room in Yaroslavna's tower. Yaroslavna performs the arioso “A lot of time has passed since then.” She is worried that there has been no news from Igor for a long time, she remembers the time when Igor was with her, she says how scared and sad she is now, how she is suffering.

The nanny tells Yaroslavna that the girls have come to her. The girls tell the princess about the atrocities of Prince Galitsky in Putivl, about how Vladimir kidnapped their friend, and ask Yaroslavna to intercede and return the girl.

Prince Galitsky, Yaroslavna's brother, enters. The girls run away. Yaroslavna reproaches Vladimir for kidnapping the girl and says that she will tell her husband how Vladimir behaves outrageously in his absence. Prince Galitsky replies that all the people in Putivl are for him, that he himself will rule here. However, then he says that he was joking, that he wanted to see Yaroslavna in anger and that he does not believe that she is faithful to Igor. Yaroslavna is offended, she reminds Vladimir that for now she has power, and demands to release the stolen girl. Vladimir angrily replies that he will free this one, but will take the other one, and leaves. Yaroslavna, left alone, admits that the fight is beyond her strength, and prays for Igor’s speedy return.

Enter the Duma boyars, friends of Yaroslavna. They came with bad news (chorus “Take courage, princess”). The boyars say that Khan Gzak is coming to Putivl, the Russian army is defeated, and Igor, along with his brother and son, are captured. Yaroslavna doesn’t know what to do, but the boyars are convinced that Putivl will stand, that its strength lies in people’s faith in God, in loyalty to the prince and princess, in love for their homeland (chorus “It’s not the first time for us, princess, to meet enemies under the city walls at the gates "). The princess says that these words lit a ray of hope in her heart. The sound of an alarm bell can be heard and the glow of a fire can be seen. Some of the boyars remain to guard Yaroslavna, the rest leave to defend the city. The women lament sadly.

Second act

Polovtsian camp. Evening. Polovtsian girls dance and sing a song in which they compare a flower waiting for moisture with a girl hoping for a date with her beloved. Konchakovna, the young daughter of Khan Konchak, in love with Prince Vladimir, is waiting for a date. She sings about her love in Cavatina “Daylight is Fading.”

Russian prisoners are shown coming from work in custody. Konchakovna orders her girls to give drink and comfort to the prisoners. The prisoners thank them. A Polovtsian patrol is shown walking around the camp. Konchakovna and the girls leave. Night is falling. Ovlur alone stands guard.

Vladimir, Igor's son, arrives. In the cavatina “Slowly the day faded away,” he sings about his passionate love for Konchakovna, asking her to respond to the call of love. Konchakovna appears. They sing their passionate love duet. Khan Konchak agrees to marry Konchakovna to Vladimir, but Prince Igor does not want to hear about it while they are in captivity. Vladimir hears his father’s steps, the lovers go in different directions. Igor enters. He sings the famous aria “No sleep, no rest for the tormented soul.”

Aria of Prince Igor

No sleep, no rest for the tormented soul,
The night does not send me joy and oblivion,
I'm reliving the whole past
Alone in the silence of the night:
And God's signs are a threat,
And a joyful feast of battle glory,
My victory over the enemy,
And the bitter end of the glory of war,
pogrom, and wound, and my captivity,
And the death of all my regiments,
Those who laid down their heads honestly for their homeland.

Everything perished: my honor and glory,
I have become a disgrace to my native land:
Captivity! Shameful captivity!
This is my destiny from now on,
Yes, the idea that everyone blames me.

Oh, give me, give me freedom!
I can atone for my shame.
I will save my honor and glory,
I will save Rus' from the enemy!

You are alone, dear Lada,
You won't be the only one to blame
With a sensitive heart you will understand everything,
You will forgive me everything.
In the chamber of your high
You looked into the distance,
You are waiting for a friend day and night,
You shed bitter tears!

Is it really day after day
Dragging in captivity is fruitless
And to know that the enemy is tormenting Rus'?
The enemy is like a fierce leopard!
Rus' groans in the mighty claws,
And she blames me for that!

Oh, give me, give me freedom!
I can atone for my shame.
I will save Rus' from the enemy!

No sleep, no rest for the tormented soul,
The night gives me no hope of salvation:
I only relive the past
Alone in the quiet of the night.
And there is no way out for me!
Oh, it’s hard, it’s hard for me!
The consciousness of my powerlessness is painful!

The baptized Polovtsian Ovlur secretly speaks to the prince. He says that the prince must run to save Rus' and offers to get the horses. It seems dishonorable to Igor to flee secretly; he does not want to break his word given to Khan Konchak. He refuses, but then decides to think about it.

Khan Konchak appears. He greets Igor, addresses him with respect and trust (aria “Are you well, prince?”).

Konchak's Aria

Are you well, prince?
Why are you depressed, my guest?
Why are you so thoughtful?
Are the networks broken?
Are hawks not evil and don’t shoot down a bird in flight?
Take mine!

(Prince Igor:
And the network is strong, and the hawks are reliable,
Yes, a falcon cannot live in captivity.)

You still consider yourself a prisoner here.
But do you live as a prisoner, and not as my guest?
You were wounded in the Battle of Kayala
And he and his retinue were taken prisoner;
I've been given bail, and you're my guest!
We honor you like a khan,
Everything is mine at your service.
The son is with you, the squad too,
You live here like a khan,
You live like me.
Confess: do prisoners live like this? Is not it?
Oh no, no, friend, no, prince,
You are not my prisoner here,
You are my dear guest!
Know, friend, believe me,
Prince, I fell in love with you
For your courage and for your prowess in battle.
I respect you, prince,
You have always been my love, you know!
Yes, I am not your enemy here, but I am your master,
You are my dear guest!
So tell me
What's wrong with you, tell me.
If you want, take any horse
Take any tent
Take the treasured damask steel, the sword of your grandfathers!
With this sword I shed a lot of enemy blood;
More than once in bloody battles
My damask steel sowed the horror of death!
Yes, prince, everything is here,
Everything here is subject to the khan!
I have been a threat to everyone for a long time.
I'm brave, I'm brave, I don't know fear
Everyone is afraid of me, everything around me is trembling!
But you weren't afraid of me
He didn't ask for mercy, Prince.
Ah, not your enemy, but your faithful ally,
And a reliable friend, and your brother
I would like to be, believe me!
Do you want a captive from the distant sea,
Chaga, a slave, because of the Caspian Sea?
If you want, just say the word to me,
I'll give it to you.
I have wonderful beauties:
Braids, like snakes, descend onto the shoulders,
The eyes are black, covered with moisture,
They look tenderly and passionately from under dark eyebrows.
Why are you silent?
If you want, choose any of them!

Igor shakes hands with the khan, but repeats that he cannot live in captivity. Konchak offers Igor freedom in exchange for a promise not to raise a sword against the khan and not to stand in his way. But Igor honestly says that if the khan lets him go, he will immediately gather his regiments and strike again. Konchak regrets that he and Igor are not allies, and calls the captives and captives to amuse them. The scene “Polovtsian dances” begins. First, the girls dance and sing (choir “Fly away on the wings of the wind”).

Then the men dance to the rhythm of the Lezginka. After the general dance with the choir, the boys' dance begins. The action ends with a general climactic dance.

The third act is preceded by an orchestral intermission. The Polovtsian march sounds.

Third act

Polovtsian camp. The Polovtsians meet the detachment of Khan Gzak. Konchak comes out to meet Gzak and greets him with the song “Our sword gave us victory,” in which he sings about the victories of the Polovtsians over the Russian army and, in particular, about the burning of Putivl. Konchak arranges a feast for the Polovtsians, goes to council with the khans, and orders the prisoners to be well guarded.

A detachment of guards remains. They praise the khans in unison and warn that they will always catch up with the fugitives. Then they start dancing and fall one after another. It gets dark, the guards fall asleep. Ovlur sneaks up to Igor’s tent and again offers to run, saying that everything is ready. Igor agrees.

Konchakovna runs in in terrible excitement. She stops at Vladimir's tent. The khan's daughter found out about Igor's intention to escape and begs Vladimir to stay with her. Igor comes out, sees Konchakovna and accuses his son of becoming a Polovtsian and forgetting his homeland. Vladimir cannot make up his mind: his father calls him to run, but Konchakovna begs him to stay. In the end, she threatens to wake up the entire camp, and Igor runs away. Konchakovna hits the beater several times. The Polovtsians, awakened by the signal, come running from all sides.

Konchakovna reports Igor's escape. The Polovtsians are in pursuit of the prince, but they want to kill Vladimir. Konchakovna does not want to give it away. Konchak and the khans appear and learn about what happened. Igor’s escape evokes respect from the khan; he says that he himself would have done the same in Igor’s place. He orders the guards to be executed and the prince not to be touched. The chorus of khans demands that the prisoners be executed, but Konchak does not agree. He declares Vladimir his son-in-law and immediately prepares to go on a campaign against Rus'.

Fourth act

Yaroslavna's cry

Oh! I cry, I cry bitterly, I shed tears

I will fly like a migratory cuckoo to the Danube River,
I'll dip my beaver sleeve into the Kayala River.
I will wash the prince's wounds on his bloody body.
Oh! You, wind, wild wind, why are you blowing in the field?
You sent the enemy's arrows upon the prince's squads.
What did not blow, the wind was violent, up under the clouds,
Cherishing ships in the blue sea?
Oh, why did you, the wild wind, blow for a long time in the field?
Have you scattered my joy across the feather grass?
Oh! I cry, I cry bitterly, I shed tears
Yes, I send to my dear one at sea early in the morning.
Goy, you, my Dnieper, wide Dnieper,
Through the stone mountains
road to the Polovtsian region
You struck
There Svyatoslav’s attacks to Kobyakov’s regiment
You cherished, my wide glorious Dnieper,
Dnieper, our dear Dnieper!
Come back to me, darling,
So as not to shed bitter tears for me,
Yes, don’t send to your dear one at sea early in the morning.
Oh, you sun, the sun is red,
You shine brightly in the clear sky,
You warm everyone, you cherish everyone,
Everyone loves you, sun;
Oh, red sun!
Why did you burn the prince’s squad with burning heat?
Oh! Well in a waterless field with thirst
You pulled the bows of the archers,
And their quivers were baked with languid grief?
For what?

City wall and square in Putivl. Early morning. Yaroslavna is alone on the city wall. She is crying bitterly.

A crowd of villagers passes by with the song “Oh, it was not the wild wind that howled.” Yaroslavna, looking at the devastated surroundings, performs the arioso “How sad everything is all around.” She notices two horsemen in the distance, one in Polovtsian clothing, and the other looking like a Russian prince. They come closer, and suddenly Yaroslavna recognizes Igor, it is he who is traveling with Ovlur. Prince Igor jumps off his horse and rushes to Yaroslavna. They cannot contain their joy as their love duet sounds. Yaroslavna cannot believe that this is not a dream. She asks Igor how he escaped. Igor says that he escaped from captivity. Yaroslavna sings about her joy to see her beloved husband again, but Igor says that he will call out and go against the khan again.

Eroshka and Skula appear on the square. Somewhat intoxicated, they play and sing a song about Igor’s unsuccessful campaign and defeat. Suddenly they see Igor and Yaroslavna. They immediately understand that they will not be happy for their betrayal. They sit down opposite each other and think about what to do. They have nowhere to run, and they don’t want to “gnaw bark” and “sip water” after a free and satisfying life. Suddenly Skula finds a solution: he needs to ring the bell and convene the people. People are running from all sides. At first everyone thinks that the Polovtsians have come again, then they decide that drunken buffoons are stirring up the people, and they want to drive away Skula and Eroshka. Finally, they manage to convince the people that Prince Igor Seversky has returned. For the good news, the gathered elders and boyars forgive Eroshka and Skula. Everyone greets and praises Prince Igor.

Opera structure

This is a sortable table. Click on a column title to sort the information it contains.
The numbering corresponds to the traditional Belyaev edition (Rimsky-Korsakov/Glazunov).
The years of composition are indicated, but not the years of orchestration. If the dates are more than a year apart, this may mean taking a break from writing or revising and writing a new version.
In No. 1 (Prologue), the Eclipse Scene (301 bars) is orchestrated by Rimsky-Korsakov and the rest by Borodin. When Rimsky-Korsakov published the score, changes were made to the orchestration of all numbers originally orchestrated by Borodin.

№	Act	Part name	Started	Finished	Composer	Orchestrator
–	–	Overture	1887	1887	Glazunov	Glazunov
1	–	Prologue: Introduction	1876	1885	Borodin	Borodin*
2a	Act 1, Scene 1	Scene at Vl. Galitsky: Choir	1875	1875	Borodin	Rimsky-Korsakov
2b	Act 1, Scene 1	Recitative and song by Vl. Galitsky	1879	1879	Borodin	Borodin
2c	Act 1, Scene 1	Recitative Vl. Galitsky	-	-	Borodin	Rimsky-Korsakov
2d	Act 1, Scene 1	Girls' choir and stage	-	-	Borodin	Rimsky-Korsakov
2e	Act 1, Scene 1	Scene: Skula, Eroshka	-	-	Borodin	Rimsky-Korsakov
2f	Act 1, Scene 1	Princely song in honor of Vl. Galitsky: Skula, Eroshka	1878	1878	Borodin	Rimsky-Korsakov
2g	Act 1, Scene 1	Choir	n.a.	n.a.	Borodin	Rimsky-Korsakov
3	Act 1, Scene 2	Arioso Yaroslavny	1869	1875	Borodin	Rimsky-Korsakov
4	Act 1, Scene 2	Scene of Yaroslavna with girls	1879	1879	Borodin	Borodin
5	Act 1, Scene 2	Scene of Yaroslavna with Vl. Galitsky	1879	1879	Borodin	Rimsky-Korsakov
6	Act 1, Scene 2	Finale of the 1st act: Yaroslavna, Galitsky, Choir	1879	1880	Borodin	Rimsky-Korsakov
7	Act 2	Choir of Polovtsian girls	-	-	Borodin	Rimsky-Korsakov
8	Act 2	Dance of Polovtsian girls	-	-	Borodin	Rimsky-Korsakov
9	Act 2	Cavatina Konchakovna	1869	1869	Borodin	Borodin
10	Act 2	Stage and choir: Konchakovna, choir	1887	1887	Rimsky-Korsakov / Glazunov	Rimsky-Korsakov / Glazunov
11	Act 2	Recitative and cavatina by Vladimir Igorevich	1877	1878	Borodin	Borodin
12	Act 2	Duet of Konchakovna and Vladimir	1877	1878	Borodin	Rimsky-Korsakov
13	Act 2	Aria of Prince Igor	1881	1881	Borodin	Rimsky-Korsakov
14	Act 2	Scene of Igor with Ovlur	-	-	Borodin	Rimsky-Korsakov
15	Act 2	Aria of Khan Konchak	1874	1875	Borodin	Borodin
16	Act 2	Recitative, choir and stage: Igor, Konchak	-	-	Borodin	Rimsky-Korsakov
17	Act 2	Polovtsian dance with choir	1869	1875	Borodin	Borodin / Rimsky-Korsakov / Lyadov
18	Act 3	Polovtsian March	1869	1875	Borodin	Borodin / Rimsky-Korsakov
19	Act 3	Song of Khan Konchak	-	-	Glazunov	Glazunov
20	Act 3	Recitative, choir and stage	-	-	Borodin	Glazunov
22	Act 3	Recitative: Ovlur, Igor	1888	1888	Glazunov	Glazunov
23	Act 3	Trio: Igor, Vladimir, Konchakovna	-	1888	Borodin / Glazunov	Glazunov
24	Act 3	Finale of the 3rd act: Konchakovna, Konchak, chorus	1884	-	Borodin / Glazunov	Glazunov
25	Act 4	Yaroslavna's cry	1875	1875	Borodin	Borodin
26	Act 4	Choir	1879	1879	Borodin	Borodin
27	Act 4	Recitative and duet of Yaroslavna and Igor	1876	1876	Borodin	Rimsky-Korsakov
28	Act 4	Gudochnikov's song stage and choir	-	-	Borodin	Rimsky-Korsakov
29	Act 4	Final choir: Skula, Eroshka, choir	-	-	Borodin	Borodin / Rimsky-Korsakov

Beginning of Prince Igor’s Aria “No sleep, no rest for the tormented soul.” Clavier

Popular fragments

“Glory to the red sun!” (choir)
“If only I could wait for the honor” (Galitsky’s song)
“Oh, dashingly” (girls’ choir)
“What does Prince Volodymyr have” (song of the buffoons)
“A lot of time has passed since then” (arioso by Yaroslavna)
“Take courage, princess” (boyar choir)
“This is not the first time for us, princess” (boyar choir)
“The light of day is fading” (Konchakovna’s cavatina)
“Slowly the day faded away” (Vladimir’s cavatina)
“Are you healthy, prince?” (Konchak's aria)
“Fly away on the wings of the wind” (slave choir)
“Oh, I’m crying” (Yaroslavna’s cry)
“Oh, it was not a violent wind howling” (village choir)
“You know, the Lord has heard your prayers” (village choir)

Productions

First production on October 23, 1890, Mariinsky Theater (conductor Kuchera, artists Yanov, Andreev, Bocharov, choreographer Ivanov; Igor - Melnikov, Yaroslavna - Olgina, Konchag - Koryakin, Konchakovna - Slavina, Polovtsian girl - Dolina, Skula - Stravinsky, Eroshka - Ugrinovich ).
1892 - Russian Opera Society under the direction. I. P. Pryanishnikova, Moscow (conductor Pribik; Igor - Goncharov, Yaroslavna - Tsvetkova, Vladimir - Mikhailov, Konchak - Antonovsky).
1898 - Bolshoi Theater (conductor Avranek; Igor - Khokhlov, Yaroslavna - Deisha-Sionitskaya, Vladimir - Sobinov, Galitsky - Vlasov, Konchak - Trezvinsky, Konchakovna - Azerskaya, Ovlur - Uspensky, Skula - Tyutyunnik, Eroshka - Mikhailov-Stoyan), in 1904 - in the same place (conductor Rachmaninov), in 1914 - in the same place (artist Korovin).
1915 - Mariinsky Theater (conductor Malko, choreographer Fokin; Igor - Andreev, Galitsky - Chaliapin, Yaroslavna - Ermolenko-Yuzhina).

Abroad - for the first time in Prague, 1899, National Theatre. In 1909 - Chatelet Theater, Paris (Galitsky - Chaliapin).

April 23, 1920, Bolshoi Theater (conductor Golovanov, director Sanin, artist Korovin, choreographer Gorsky).
December 13, 1923 - Petrograd Opera and Ballet Theater (conductor Dranishnikov, artistic director Korovin; Igor - Andreev, Vladimir - Bolshakov, Konchak - Bosse, Konchakovna - Mshanskaya),
1944 - Bolshoi Theater (conductor Melik-Pashayev, director Lossky, artist Fedorovsky, choreographer Goleizovsky; Igor - Baturin, Yaroslavna - Panova, Vladimir - Kozlovsky Mikhailov, Konchakovna - Davydova);
1953 - in the same place (conductor Zhukov, staged by Baratov; Igor - Al. Ivanov, Yaroslavna - Pokrovskaya, Galitsky - Pirogov, Konchak - Mikhailov, Konchakovna - Gagarina, Vladimir - Kilchevsky).
1954 - Opera and Ballet Theater named after. Kirov (conductor Yeltsin, production by Sokovnin, choreographers Fokin and Lopukhov);
1962 - Kremlin Palace of Congresses (performance at the Bolshoi Theater, conductor Svetlanov, director Baratov).
XX-XXI centuries - Perm Opera and Ballet Theater
2011 - Samara Academic Opera and Ballet Theater (Producer - People's Artist of Russia Yuri Alexandrov, conductor - Honored Artist of Russia Vladimir Kovalenko, production designer - People's Artist of Russia Vyacheslav Okunev).

Famous audio recordings

- Conductor A. Sh. Melik-Pashayev, choir and orchestra of the Bolshoi Theater, “Melody” (USSR).

Performers: Igor Svyatoslavich, Prince Seversky- Alexander Baturin; Yaroslavna- Sofya Panova; Vladimir Igorevich- I. S. Kozlovsky; Prince Galitsky- A. S. Pirogov; Konchak- M. D. Mikhailov; Konchakovna- N. A. Obukhova

- Conductor A. Sh. Melik-Pashayev, choir and orchestra of the Bolshoi Theater, “Melody” (USSR).

Performers: Prince Igor- A. A. Ivanov; Yaroslavna- E. F. Smolenskaya; Konchak- M. O. Reisen; Prince Galitsky- A. S. Pirogov; Konchakovna- V. I. Borisenko; Vladimir Igorevich- S. Ya. Lemeshev

- Conductor O. Danon, choir and orchestra of the Belgrade Opera, DECCA (

The composer died and the opera remained unfinished. According to the notes of A.P. Borodin, the work was completed by Alexander Konstantinovich Glazunov and Nikolai Andreevich Rimsky-Korsakov. It is believed that Glazunov reconstructed the overture from memory, which he heard performed by the author on the piano (he himself refuted this legend on the pages of the Russian Musical Newspaper). He also composed and orchestrated almost the entire third act. N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov orchestrated the prologue, the first, second and fourth acts and the Polovtsian march.

Borodin, Rimsky-Korsakov and perhaps also A.K. Lyadov together orchestrated the suite of “Polovtsian dances” in the second act, which gained enormous popularity. Continuing the traditions of Glinka’s opera “A Life for the Tsar,” the eventual development in the storyline of the opera “Prince Igor” reflects the grandeur of folk scenes with the powerful sound of the choir, and at the same time, the extraordinary beauty of the characters’ arias: Yaroslavna, Konchakovna, Vladimir And Polovtsian girl.

Rimsky-Korsakov and Glazunov themselves wrote the scene of Act II, with the participation of Konchakovna and the chorus in 1887.

The opera premiered with great success on October 23 (November 4), 1890 in St. Petersburg on the stage of the Mariinsky Theater.

Characters

Prologue

Suddenly a solar eclipse begins, throwing everyone into confusion. Everyone advises to postpone the trip.

Two whistleblowers, Skula and Eroshka, show cowardice and decide to go into the service of Vladimir Yaroslavich, Prince Galitsky, in order to remain safe and live “well-fed and drunk.”

An elder comes out of the cathedral and blesses Igor and the army. The chorus of people sounds again.

Igor and his army set off.

First action

Scene one

Prince Vladimir Galitsky feasts in his mansion, dreaming of “sitting as a prince on Putivl” (aria “It’s a sin to conceal ...”), and sending his sister (Yaroslavna) to a monastery - “to care for the salvation of my soul.”

Aria of Prince Galitsky

Scene two

Second act

Aria of Prince Igor

Everything perished: my honor and glory,
I have become a disgrace to my native land:
Captivity! Shameful captivity!
This is my destiny from now on,
Yes, the idea that everyone blames me.

Oh, give me, give me freedom!
I can atone for my shame.
I will save my honor and glory,
I will save Rus' from the enemy!

Oh, give me, give me freedom!
I can atone for my shame.
I will save Rus' from the enemy!

Khan Konchak appears. He greets Igor, addresses him with respect and trust (aria “Are you well, prince?”).

Konchak's Aria

Are you well, prince?
Why are you depressed, my guest?
Why are you so thoughtful?
Are the networks broken?
Are hawks not evil and don’t shoot down a bird in flight?
Take mine!

(Prince Igor:
And the network is strong, and the hawks are reliable,
Yes, a falcon cannot live in captivity.)

Then the men dance to the rhythm of the Lezginka. After the general dance with the choir, the boys' dance begins. The action ends with a general climactic dance.

The third act is preceded by an orchestral intermission. The Polovtsian march sounds.

Third act

The edge of the Polovtsian camp. The Polovtsians converge from all sides and, looking into the distance, await the arrival of Khan Gzak. Gzak's army with trumpets, horns and tambourines enters the stage. The warriors lead the Russian army and carry the spoils. The Polovtsians greet the incoming soldiers. At the end of the procession, Khan Gzak appears on horseback with a detachment of close warriors. Konchak comes out to meet him and greets him. Prince Igor, Vladimir Igorevich and Russian prisoners watch the passers-by, standing to the side. It gets dark, the guards fall asleep. Ovlur sneaks up to Igor’s tent and again offers to run, saying that everything is ready. Igor agrees.

Fourth act

Yaroslavna's cry

City wall and square in Putivl. Early morning. Yaroslavna is alone on the city wall. She cries bitterly (aria “Ah! I cry, I cry bitterly”).

A crowd of villagers passes by with the song “Oh, it was not the wild wind that howled.” Yaroslavna, looking at the devastated surroundings, performs the arioso “How sad everything is all around.” She notices two horsemen in the distance, one in Polovtsian clothing, and the other looking like a Russian prince. They are approaching, and suddenly Yaroslavna recognizes Igor, it is he who is traveling with Ovlur. Prince Igor jumps off his horse and rushes to Yaroslavna. They cannot contain their joy as their love duet sounds. Yaroslavna cannot believe that this is not a dream. She asks Igor how he escaped. Igor says that he escaped from captivity. Yaroslavna sings about her joy to see her beloved husband again, but Igor says that he will call out and go against the khan again.

Opera structure

This is a sortable table. Click on a column title to sort the information it contains.
The numbering corresponds to the traditional Belyaev edition (Rimsky-Korsakov/Glazunov).
The years of composition are indicated, but not the years of orchestration. If the dates are more than a year apart, this may mean taking a break from writing or revising and writing a new version.
In No. 1 (Prologue), the Eclipse Scene (301 bars) is orchestrated by Rimsky-Korsakov and the rest by Borodin. When Rimsky-Korsakov published the score, changes were made to the orchestration of all numbers originally orchestrated by Borodin.

№	Act	Part name	Started	Finished	Composer	Orchestrator
-	-	Overture	1887	1887	Glazunov	Glazunov
1	-	Prologue: Introduction	1876	1885	Borodin	Borodin*
2a	Act 1, Scene 1	Scene at Vl. Galitsky: Choir	1875	1875	Borodin	Rimsky-Korsakov
2b	Act 1, Scene 1	Recitative and song by Vl. Galitsky	1879	1879	Borodin	Borodin
2c	Act 1, Scene 1	Recitative Vl. Galitsky	-	-	Borodin	Rimsky-Korsakov
2d	Act 1, Scene 1	Girls' choir and stage	-	-	Borodin	Rimsky-Korsakov
2e	Act 1, Scene 1	Scene: Skula, Eroshka	-	-	Borodin	Rimsky-Korsakov
2f	Act 1, Scene 1	Princely song in honor of Vl. Galitsky: Skula, Eroshka	1878	1878	Borodin	Rimsky-Korsakov
2g	Act 1, Scene 1	Choir	no data	no data	Borodin	Rimsky-Korsakov
3	Act 1, Scene 2	Arioso Yaroslavny	1869	1875	Borodin	Rimsky-Korsakov
4	Act 1, Scene 2	Scene of Yaroslavna with girls	1879	1879	Borodin	Borodin
5	Act 1, Scene 2	Scene of Yaroslavna with Vl. Galitsky	1879	1879	Borodin	Rimsky-Korsakov
6	Act 1, Scene 2	Finale of the 1st act: Yaroslavna, Galitsky, Choir	1879	1880	Borodin	Rimsky-Korsakov
7	Act 2	Choir of Polovtsian girls	-	-	Borodin	Rimsky-Korsakov
8	Act 2	Dance of Polovtsian girls	-	-	Borodin	Rimsky-Korsakov
9	Act 2	Cavatina Konchakovna	1869	1869	Borodin	Borodin
10	Act 2	Stage and choir: Konchakovna, choir	1887	1887	Rimsky-Korsakov / Glazunov	Rimsky-Korsakov / Glazunov
11	Act 2	Recitative and cavatina by Vladimir Igorevich	1877	1878	Borodin	Borodin
12	Act 2	Duet of Konchakovna and Vladimir	1877	1878	Borodin	Rimsky-Korsakov
13	Act 2	Aria of Prince Igor	1881	1881	Borodin	Rimsky-Korsakov
14	Act 2	Scene of Igor with Ovlur	-	-	Borodin	Rimsky-Korsakov
15	Act 2	Aria of Khan Konchak	1874	1875	Borodin	Borodin
16	Act 2	Recitative, choir and stage: Igor, Konchak	-	-	Borodin	Rimsky-Korsakov
17	Act 2	Polovtsian dance with choir	1869	1875	Borodin	Borodin / Rimsky-Korsakov / Lyadov
18	Act 3	Polovtsian March	1869	1875	Borodin	Borodin / Rimsky-Korsakov
19	Act 3	Song of Khan Konchak	-	-	Glazunov	Glazunov
20	Act 3	Recitative, choir and stage	-	-	Borodin	Glazunov
22	Act 3	Recitative: Ovlur, Igor	1888	1888	Glazunov	Glazunov
23	Act 3	Trio: Igor, Vladimir, Konchakovna	-	1888	Borodin / Glazunov	Glazunov
24	Act 3	Finale of the 3rd act: Konchakovna, Konchak, chorus	1884	-	Borodin / Glazunov	Glazunov
25	Act 4	Yaroslavna's cry	1875	1875	Borodin	Borodin
26	Act 4	Choir	1879	1879	Borodin	Borodin
27	Act 4	Recitative and duet of Yaroslavna and Igor	1876	1876	Borodin	Rimsky-Korsakov
28	Act 4	Gudochnikov's song stage and choir	-	-	Borodin	Rimsky-Korsakov
29	Act 4	Final choir: Skula, Eroshka, choir	-	-	Borodin	Borodin / Rimsky-Korsakov

Popular fragments

“Glory to the red sun!” (choir)
“If only I could wait for the honor” (Galitsky’s song)
“Oh, dashingly” (girls’ choir)
“What does Prince Volodymyr have” (song of the buffoons)
“A lot of time has passed since then” (arioso by Yaroslavna)
“Take courage, princess” (boyar choir)
“This is not the first time for us, princess” (boyar choir)
“The light of day is fading” (Konchakovna’s cavatina)
“Slowly the day faded away” (Vladimir’s cavatina)
“Are you healthy, prince?” (Konchak's aria)
“Fly away on the wings of the wind” (slave choir)
“Oh, I’m crying” (Yaroslavna’s cry)
“Oh, it was not a violent wind howling” (village choir)
“You know, the Lord has heard your prayers” (village choir)

Productions

First production October 23, 1890, Mariinsky Theater (conductor Kuchera, artists Yanov, Andreev, Bocharov, choreographer Ivanov; Igor - Melnikov, Yaroslavna - Olgina, Konchak - Koryakin, Konchakovna - Slavina, Polovtsian girl - Valley, Skula - Stravinsky, Eroshka - Ugrinovich ).
1892 - Russian Opera Society under the direction. I. P. Pryanishnikova, Moscow (conductor Pribik; Igor - Goncharov, Yaroslavna - Tsvetkova, Vladimir - Mikhailov, Konchak - Antonovsky).
1898 - Bolshoi Theater (conductor Avranek; Igor - Khokhlov, Yaroslavna - Deisha-Sionitskaya, Vladimir - Sobinov, Galitsky - Vlasov, Konchak - Trezvinsky, Konchakovna - Azerskaya, Ovlur - Uspensky, Skula - Tyutyunnik, Eroshka - Mikhailov-Stoyan), in 1904 - in the same place (conductor Rachmaninov), in 1914 - in the same place (artist Korovin).
1915 - Mariinsky Theater (conductor Malko, choreographer Fokin; Igor - Andreev, Galitsky - Chaliapin, Yaroslavna - Ermolenko-Yuzhina).

Abroad - for the first time in Prague, 1899, National Theatre.

In 1909 - a shortened version of the opera, Chatelet Theater, Paris (Galitsky - Chaliapin).

May 8, 1914 - premiere in London, Royal Drury Lane Theater (Great season of Russian opera and ballet, enterprise of S. P. Diaghilev; new stage version by director Sanin, opera in full, designed by N. K. Roerich).

April 23, Bolshoi Theater (conductor Golovanov, director Sanin, artist Korovin, choreographer Gorsky).
December 13 - Petrograd Opera and Ballet Theater (conductor Dranishnikov, artistic director Korovin; Igor - Andreev, Vladimir - Bolshakov, Konchak - Bosse, Konchakovna - Mshanskaya),
- Bolshoi Theater (conductor Melik-Pashayev, director Lossky, artist Fedorovsky, choreographer Goleizovsky; Igor-Baturin, Yaroslavna-Panova, Vladimir-Kozlovsky Mikhailov, Konchakovna-Davydova);
- in the same place (conductor Zhukov, production by Baratov; Igor - Al. Ivanov, Yaroslavna - Pokrovskaya, Galitsky - Pirogov, Konchak - Mikhailov, Konchakovna - Gagarina, Vladimir - Kilchevsky).
- Opera and Ballet Theatre. Kirov (conductor Yeltsin, production by Sokovnin, choreographers Fokin and Lopukhov). A production with a reduction (two acts) and a change in the order of scenes (the drinking session at Prince Galitsky’s is given after the scenes of Igor’s escape and Yaroslavna’s crying).
- Kremlin Palace of Congresses (performance at the Bolshoi Theater, conductor Svetlanov, director Baratov).
- Krasnoyarsk State Opera and Ballet Theatre; premiered December 20, 1978. Conductor - Igor Shavruk, Yaroslavna - Nina Abt-Neifert, Konchakovna - Lyudmila Yanitskaya, Polovtsian girl - Tamara Pronina.
XX-XXI centuries - Perm Opera and Ballet Theater
- Novosibirsk Opera and Ballet Theatre. Stage director - Timofey Kulyabin, stage conductor - Evgeny Volynsky, production designer - Honored Artist of Russia, laureate of the State Prize of Russia Igor Grinevich.
- Samara Academic Opera and Ballet Theater (Producer - People's Artist of Russia Yuri Alexandrov, conductor - Honored Artist of Russia Vladimir Kovalenko, production designer - People's Artist of Russia Vyacheslav Okunev).
- New Opera, Moscow. Musical director and conductor - Evgeny Samoilov, stage director - People's Artist of Russia Yuri Alexandrov, set design and costumes - Vyacheslav Okunev, choirmaster - Natalya Popovich. Igor Svyatoslavich - Andrzej Beletsky, Yaroslavna - Elena Popovskaya.
- the opera was first performed in the author’s version from the stage of the Moscow International House of Music, performed by the Helikon-Opera theater group.
- Krasnoyarsk State Opera and Ballet Theater. Premiere on June 28, 29 and 30, 2013 in honor of the theater’s 35th anniversary. (Libretto by Alexander Borodin (with the participation of Vladimir Stasov), based on “The Tale of Igor’s Host”, edited by Honored Artist of Russia Yuliana Malkhasyants, Musical director and conductor - Honored Artist of Russia Anatoly Chepurnoy, Stage director - Honored Artist of Russia Yuliana Malkhasyants, Production designer - full member of the Russian Academy of Arts Dmitry Cherbadzhi, Choirmaster - Dmitry Khodosh).

Posts

Audio recordings

Organization	Conductor	Soloists	Record label and catalog number	Notes
Bolshoi Theater Choir and Orchestra	Alexander Melik-Pashayev	Igor Svyatoslavich, Prince Seversky- Alexander Baturin; Yaroslavna- Sofia Panova; Vladimir Igorevich- Ivan Kozlovsky; Prince Galitsky- Alexander Pirogov; Konchak- Maxim Mikhailov; Konchakovna- Nadezhda Obukhova; Ovlur- Fedor Godovkin; Cheekbone- Sergey Koltypin; Eroshka- Dmitry Marchenkov; Polovtsian girl- Evdokia Sidorova	Melody, M10 46279-84 (1985)	Recording of the All-Union Radio, without the 3rd act
Bolshoi Theater Choir and Orchestra	Alexander Melik-Pashayev	Prince Igor- Andrey Ivanov ; Yaroslavna- Evgenia Smolenskaya; Vladimir Igorevich- Sergey Lemeshev; Prince Galitsky- Alexander Pirogov; Konchak- Mark Reisen; Konchakovna- Veronica Borisenko; Ovlur- Alexey Serov; Cheekbone- Ivan Skobtsov; Eroshka- Fedor Godovkin	D-0632-39 (1952)	Without 3rd action
Belgrade Opera Choir and Orchestra	Oscar Danone	Prince Igor- D. Popovich; Yaroslavna- V. Geibalova; Vladimir Igorevich- N. Zhunets; Prince Galitsky- D. Popovich; Konchak- D. Popovich; Konchakovna- M. Bugarinovich	DECCA (Yugoslavia)
Vienna State Opera	Lovro von Matačić	Prince Igor - Eberhard Wachter, Yaroslavna - Hilde Zadek, Vladimir Igorevich- Giuseppe Zampieri, Prince Galitsky- Hans Hotter Konchak- Gottlob Frick, Konchakovna- Ira Malaniuk, Ovlur- Erich Majkut, Cheekbone-Karl Dönch, Eroshka-Peter Klein Polovtsian girl- Margarethe Sjöstedt, Nanny- Ilona Steingruber(-Wildgans)	Premiere Opera Ltd., 890-3 (2003); Gala GL, 100.615 (2004)	German
Lyric Opera of Chicago	Oscar Danone	Prince Igor - Igor Gorin, Yaroslavna - Consuelo Rubio Vladimir Igorevich-David Poleri Prince Galitsky, Konchak- Boris Hristov, Konchakovna-Carol Smith Ovlur- Rudolf Knoll, Cheekbone- Renato Cesari, Eroshka- Mariano Caruso, Polovtsian girl- Jeanne Diamond, Nanny- Prudencija Bickus	Omega Opera Archive 176
Choir and National Symphony Orchestra of Italian Radio (Rome)	Armando La Rosa Parodi	Prince Igor - Giuseppe Taddei, Yaroslavna - Margherita Kalmus, Vladimir Igorevich- Luigi Infantino, Prince Galitsky, Konchak- Boris Hristov, Konchakovna- Oralia Dominguez, Ovlur- Ennio Buoso, Cheekbone- Vito Susca, Eroshka- Giampaolo Corradi, Polovtsian girl- Nelly Pucci, Nanny- Corinna Vozza	Melodram, MEL 27028	In Italian
Choir and orchestra of the Sofia Opera	Jerzy Semków	Prince Igor- K. Cherkerlisky, Yaroslavna- J. Weiner, Vladimir Igorevich- T. Todorov, Prince Galitsky and Konchak- Boris Hristov; Konchakovna- R. Penkova	Angel, SCL 3714; HMV, ASD 2345;