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Home , Alexander Pirogov, Igor Svyatoslavich, Mark Reizen, Nikolai Golovanov, Prince Igor

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Synopsis CD 2 CD 1 Act II BORODIN Prologue 1 In the Polovtsian camp girls sing a hymn to the evening, 2 and dance to entertain Konchakovna, 2 The scene is the market-place of Putivl’. The people daughter of Khan Konchak. 3 Konchakovna sings of gather before their ruler, Igor Svyatoslavich, Prince of her planned meeting with Vladimir. She tells her Prince Igor Seversk. 3 He urges battle against the Polovtsians, 4 women to give the Russian prisoners, returning from but the people are anxious at an eclipse of the sun, a bad their labours, water to drink. 4 Their Polovtsian guards, omen. 5 Prince Igor insists on his campaign, 6 and his together with the baptized Polovtsian Ovlur, sing of the MELIK men leave for battle against their traditional Tartar end of the day. Ovlur remains behind, as they pass on. ER -P enemies. 5 Vladimir expresses his feelings twoards D A N SH Konchakovna. 6 She appears, and they sing together of A A Act I their love. 7 They leave as Prince Igor enters, X Y lamenting his captivity and separation from Yaroslavna. E E Scene 1 8 Ovlur steps forward, proposing a plan of escape. L V Prince Igor finds the suggestion dishonourable, but then A 7 At the court of Prince Vladimir Galitsky, brother of starts to demur. 9 He is greeted by his captor, Khan Prince Igor’s wife, Yaroslavna, the people praise him, Konchak, who offers him further hospitality, and appointed now by his brother-in-law to guard the suggests even an alliance between them, rejected by kingdom and the Princess, led by Skula and Yeroshka, Prince Igor. 0 He orders entertainment for his guest. ! who tell of Galitsky’s abduction of a girl for his The first is a dance of Polovtsian slave girls, followed pleasure. 8 Galitsky declares his own philosophy of by @ a wild dance of the men and general dance, # life, deploring his sister’s strait-laced attitude. 9 His singing in praise of the Khan $ and finally a boys’ followers approve, 0 but the gathering is interrupted by dance and men’s dance. a group of girls deploring the abduction. Their pleas are in vain. ! Skula, who, with Yeroshka, has deserted CD 3 from Prince Igor’s army, returns to drinking, @ and urges support for Galitsky as their prince. # The Act IV 1 courtiers agree. 951 Recording 1 By the walls of Putivl’ Yaroslavna laments the Scene 2 absence of her husband and his captivity. 2 A group of peasants go past, adding their own lament at the fate of $ In her room Yaroslavna regrets her husband’s the city. 3 Yaroslavna continues her sad thoughts, 4 absence, haunted by bad dreams. % Her nurse broken by the sight of two approaching horsemen, one Andrey Ivanov • Evgeniya Smolenskaya announces the arrival of girls, who have come to of them Prince Igor, whom she embraces in joy. 5 They complain of Galitsky’s behaviour. ^ They are make to leave, as Yeroshka and Skula, drinking and Sergey Lemeshev • Alexander Pirogov • Mark Reizen interrupted by Galitsky himself. He tries to put aside his plotting, appear, afraid when they recognise Prince Igor. sister’s strictures, but eventually agrees to release the 6 They save themselves by sounding the tocsin to Bolshoy Theatre Chorus and Orchestra girl he has abducted. & He goes, and now a group of proclaim the return of the Prince, 7 who is greeted by Boyars enter. * They bring news of the defeat and the elders and Boyars. Alexander Melik-Pashayev capture of Prince Igor and his son Vladimir. An alarm sounds. The Polovtsians are attacking Putivl’. Keith Anderson 8.111071-73 8 111071-73 bk Igor EU 11/03/2005 11:57am Page 2

Smolenskaya (1919-1989). After making her début in Opera from 1934 to 1950, when he became a member of 1945 at Stalingrad she joined the Bolshoy in 1947, the Bolshoy company, retiring in 1956. (He is not to be singing many dramatic soprano rôles with distinction confused with Alexey Ivanov, 1904-1982, another until her retirement in 1972. The other major female Bolshoy baritone of note with a similar repertoire.) The Great Opera Recordings rôle, Konchakovna, is taken by Vera Borisenko, born two basses in this recording are jusitifiably legendary. in 1918. After gaining initial experience in the Red Alexander Pirogov (1899-1964), who takes the part of Alexander Army Entertainment Corps and the Kiev Opera she Igor’s rival Prince Galitsky, studied in Moscow and joined the Bolshoy in 1946 and stayed there for the rest joined the Bolshoy in 1924, where he was both BORODIN of her career. She took first prize in the 1947 Prague preceded and succeeded by other brothers. A singer of (1834-1887) International Singing Competition, and this part was her great character he recorded the title rôle in Boris first major success in Moscow. The tenor Sergey Godunov with Golovanov conducting in 1948 and Lemeshev (1902-1977), who sings Vladimir, Igor’s participated in the 1953 Bolshoy première and Prince Igor son, was one of the biggest Soviet music stars of the recording of Shaporin’s The Decembrists, also Opera in Four Acts period. He studied initially at the St Petersburg Military conducted by Melik-Pashayev. Igor’s adversary Khan completed by Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov and Alexander Glazunov Academy and later at the Moscow Conservatory, also Konchak is sung by Mark Reizen (1895-1992). A Act III is completely omitted from this recording in accordance with performance practice of the time studying acting with Stanislavsky. During the 1920s he soldier in the First World War, he made his operatic sang in the provinces before joining the Bolshoy in début in 1921, before joining the Opera in Leningrad. 1931, where he remained until 1961 as one of the He visited the West in 1930 when he recorded for EMI Igor Svyatoslavich, Prince of Seversk ...... Andrey Ivanov house’s triumvirate of great tenors, the others being in London. He was a member of the Bolshoy company Yaroslavna, his wife ...... Evgeniya Smolenskaya Nelepp and Koslovzky. An enormously popular figure, from 1930 until his retirement in 1955, after which he Vladimir Igorevich, Igor’s son ...... Sergey Lemeshev he recorded extensively and appeared in several films. continued to appear as a guest, singing on stage there on Vladimir Yaroslavich, Prince Galitsky. Yaroslavna’s brother ...... Alexander Pirogov The title rôle of Prince Igor is taken by the baritone, his ninetieth birthday, and still exhibiting his formidable Konchak, Polovtsian Khan ...... Mark Reizen Andrey Ivanov (1900-1970). Following study at the stage presence. Konchakovna ...... Vera Borisenko Kiev Conservatory, he served as a member of the Kiev David Patmore Ovlur, baptized Polovtsian ...... Alexey Serov Skula, buffoon ...... Ivan Skobtsov Yeroshka, buffoon ...... Feodor Godovkin Yaroslavna’s nurse ...... Elena Korneueva Polovtsian girl ...... Antonina Ivanova

Chorus and orchestra of the Bolshoy Theatre, Moscow Alexander Melik-Pashayev, Conductor

Recorded in Moscow in 1951

Reissue Producer and Restoration Engineer: Ward Marston

8.111071-73 2 7 8.111071-73 111071-73 bk Igor EU 11/03/2005 11:57am Page 6

Alexander Borodin (1834-1887) CD 1 75:41 0 Oy, likhon’ko! Oy, goryushko! 2:25 [Oh, there’s trouble! And such misfortune, Prince Igor 1 Overture 11:01 Prince!] (Chorus of Maidens) Alexander Borodin, the composer of Prince Igor, one of nationalist epic, and describes the clash of cultures Prologue the greatest of all Russian operas, once said that for him between the Russians, symbolised by Prince Igor, and 2 Solntsu krasnomu slava! 3:53 ! Stoy, rebyata! 1:00 ‘music was a pastime, a relaxation from more serious the Tartar Polovtski tribe, led by Khan Konchak. The [Glory to the beautiful sun!] [Wait, lads] occupations’. These ‘serious occupations’ were the plot is relatively straight-forward. Following the (Chorus) (Skula) disciplines of science and medicine, with which he Overture, in the Prologue Prince Igor sets off to wage achieved international fame. Born illegitimately to an war against the Polovtski. In Act One his wife, 3 Idyom na bran’s vragom Rusi 2:35 @ Chto u knyazya da Volodimira 2:57 aristocratic father in St Petersburg in 1833, by the start Yaroslavna, forces his brother and rival, Prince [Let’s march into battle against the enemy of Rus] [At the palace of Prince Vladimir] of adolescence he could play the piano, flute and cello Galitsky, to curb his supporters. Word comes that Igor (Igor, Chorus) (Skula) and speak several languages. Although highly adept at and his son Vladimir have been defeated and captured. music, his passion was for experimental chemistry. In Act Two is set in the Polovtsian camp. Vladmir has 4 Chto eto znachit? 5:15 # Da, vot komu by knyazhit’ na Putivlye! 2:10 1850 he entered the Medico-Surgical Academy at fallen in love with Konchak’s daughter, Konchakovna. [What does it mean?] [Yes, this is who should rule in Putivl!] St Petersburg. On graduation he spent a year as a house Konchak offers to grant Igor his freedom if he ceases (Galitsky) (Chorus) surgeon in a military hospital, followed by three years hostilities. Igor refuses. In the Third Act (omitted in this of further study in western Europe. Here he met the recording as was the custom of the time) Igor escapes, 5 Pust’ pridut knyagini i boyaryni 5:46 Scene 2 brilliant young pianist Ekaterina Protopova, whom he but without his son. Konchak refuses to pursue Igor. He [Let the princesses and boyars’ wives come] $ Arioso: Ne malo vremeni proshlo 7:07 married in 1863, after succeeding to the professorship at retains Vladimir as a hostage and marries him to (Igor) [Much time has passed] the Academy in 1862. He spent the rest of his life Konchakovna. Act Four brings the opera to a close: Igor (Yaroslavna) lecturing and supervising student work, not only in returns safely to Russia, is greeted with rejoicing, and 6 Pora idti nam v put’ 2:52 St Petersburg, but throughout Europe. vows to raise fresh troops with which to meet the [It is time to go] % Tam devushki prishli k tebe, knyaginya 4:30 Borodin was self-taught in composition, having Polovtski threat. (Igor) [Some maidens have come to see you, Princess] started as early as when he was nine, until he began to This historic recording was made in Moscow (Yaroslavna and Chorus of Maidens) take lessons from Balakirev in 1862. Through Balakirev during 1951 and features the legendary Bolshoy Opera, Act 1 he met the composers Cui, Mussorgsky and Rimsky- the pre-eminent opera company of the Soviet era, at its ^ Ay! Knyaz’! Batyushki! 7:31 Korsakov, and together they became known as ‘The peak. Leading the performance is the conductor Scene 1 [Oh, heavens! The Prince!] Five’ or ‘The Mighty Handful’. As a group they were Alexander Melik-Pashayev. He joined the Bolshoy in 7 Slava, slava Volodimiru 2:08 (Yaroslavna, Galitsky) opposed to academic approaches to music; by contrast 1931, after studying with Nikolai Tcherepnin and [Glory, glory to Vladimir] they viewed themselves as Russian patriots, standing Alexander Gauk and leading the Tbilisi Opera. He (Chorus) & Dobro pozhalovat’, boyarye 7:13 for spontaneity and ‘truth in music’. With his successful replaced Nikolai Golovanov as the company’s chief [Welcome, boyars] medical career, composition was little more than a conductor in 1953, and did much to extend its repertoire 8 Recitative and song of Galitsky: 4:02 (Yaroslavna) hobby for Borodin. His opera Prince Igor, despite with both new works and operas from the western Nateshilsya li, knyaz’? occupying him for eighteen years, remained unfinished canon. As with his predecessors Samosud and [Had a good time, Prince?] * Zvon! Nabat! 1:51 at his death in 1887. It was completed and orchestrated Golovanov, his reign came to an unexpected end in (Prince’s Courtiers, Galitsky) [Bells! The Alarm!] by Glazunov (who drafted the Overture based on 1962, when he was summarily replaced by Evgeny (Boyars) recollections of hearing Borodin play it on the piano) Svetlanov. He died two years later. 9 Recitative: Knyazyu Galitskomu slava! 1:23 and Rimsky-Korsakov, and was first performed in The leading rôles are taken by the cream of the [Long live Prince Galitsky!] St Petersburg on 4th November 1890. Bolshoy’s singers at this time. Yaroslavna, Prince (Prince’s Courtiers) Set in the twelfth century, Prince Igor is a vast Igor’s wife, is sung by the soprano Evgeniya 8.111071-73 6 3 8.111071-73 111071-73 bk Igor EU 11/03/2005 11:57am Page 4

CD 2 58:18 ! Polovtsian dance: Uletay na kryl’yakh vetra 2:26 7 Final Chorus: Znat’, Gospod’ mol’by uslyshal @ Prince Igor’s Aria 7:13 [Fly on the wings of wind] [It seems the Lord has heard our prayers] 2:47 Sung by George Baklanoff Act 2 Female Captives (Elders, Boyars) Berlin State Opera Orchestra @ Wild dance of the men… General dance 1:11 conducted by Frieder Weissmann 1 Na bezvod’ye, dnyom na solntse 5:36 Rec. 1929 in Berllin [Without water, midday in the Sun] # Poyte pesni slavy khanu! Poy! 2:06 Appendix: Mat. 2-79512/3; Parlophone E11014 (Chorus of the Polovtsian Maidens) [Sing songs of praise to the Khan! Sing!] Selected arias from Prince Igor (Polovtsians) # Konchak’s Aria 7:20 2 Dance of the Polovtsian maidens 2:20 Act 1 Sung by Boris Christoff $ Boys’ dance... Men’s dance 5:35 Philharmonia Orchestra 3 Cavatina: Merknet svet dnevnoy 5:44 8 Recitative and song of Galitsky 3:39 conducted by Issay Dobrowen [Daylight fades] Sung by Feodor Chaliapin Rec. 5 May 1950 in London (Konchakovna) CD 3 67:11 RCA Victor Symphony Orchestra Mat. 2EA 14633/4; HMV DB 21262 conducted by Rosario Bourdon 4 Solntse za goroy ukhodit na pokoy 1:08 Act 4 Rec. 16 March 1927 in Camden, NJ Thanks to Dennis Brew, Lawrence F. Holdridge, [Beyond the mountain the sun goes to rest] Mat. BE-27091-2; Victor 1237 and Neal Kurz (Polovtsian Guards) 1 Akh! Plachu ya, gor’ko plachu ya 9:14 [Oh, I weep, I bitterly weep] 9 Yaroslavna’s Arioso 4:48 5 Cavatina: Medlenno den ugasal 5:35 (Yaroslavna) Sung by Nina Koshetz [Slowly the day has faded] RCA Victor Symphony Orchestra (Vladimir) 2 Okh, ne buyniy veter zavyval 3:37 conducted by Bruno Reibold [Oh, it was not the violent wind] Rec. 12 April 1928 in Camden, NJ 6 Aria: Ty li, Vladimir moy, ty li? 5:22 (Chorus) Mat. CVE-43726-2; Victor 9233 [Is that you, my Vladimir, is that you?] (Konchakovna, Vladimir) 3 Kak unylo vsyo krugom: syola vyzhzheny, 2:35 Act 2 nizy zabroshenny 7 Aria: Ni sna ne otdykha 6:58 [All around, what a cheerless sight: villages burnt, 0 Konchakovna’s Aria 5:56 [No sleep, no rest] cornfields forsaken] Sung by Nadezhda Oboukhova (Igor) (Yaroslavna) Bolshoy Theatre Orchestra conducted by Alexander Melik-Pashayev 8 Pozvol’ mne, knyazhe, slovo molvit’ 3:55 4 On, - moy sokol yasniy 4:26 Rec. 1941 in the Soviet Union [Allow me, Prince, to say a word] [It is he - my bright-eyed falcon!] Mat. unknown; Melodiya D6157 Igor, Ovlur (Yaroslavna, Igor) ! Vladimir’s Cavatina 7:26 9 Aria: Zdorov li, knyaz’? 7:13 5 Ty gudi, da 4:24 Sung in French by Charles Friant [Are you in good health, Prince?] [Play, you, play!] Orchestra conducted by Gustave Cloez Konchak (Gudok players, Yeroshka, Skula) Rec. 1928 in Paris Mat. XXP 6640/1; Odeon 123543 0 Gey! Plennits privesti syuda! 3:09 6 Narod! Syuda! 3:45 [Hey! Bring the captive girl here!] [People, come here!] Konchak (Yeroshka) 8.111071-73 4 5 8.111071-73 111071-73 bk Igor EU 11/03/2005 11:57am Page 4

Chorus and orchestra of the Bolshoy Theatre, Moscow Alexander Melik-Pashayev, Conductor

Recorded in Moscow in 1951

Reissue Producer and Restoration Engineer: Ward Marston

8.111071-73 2 7 8.111071-73 111071-73 bk Igor EU 11/03/2005 11:57am Page 8

Act IVSelected Arias from Prince Igor 36:23 30:48 ,a 7 # - - CD 31 8 67:11 estern canon. onchak, of all greatest is one of the describes the clash of cultures between clash of cultures describes the the Russians, Prince Igor, by symbolised tribe, Polovtski Tartar Khan led by and the K Russian operas. This historic recording, with Act III (in accordance which omits practice of the time),performance was during 1951.made in Moscow It features the legendary Opera, Bolshoy the pre- era, of the Soviet eminent opera company at its peak, by with the leading rôles taken singers.The of the Company’s the cream Alexander Melik- outstanding conductor in 1931, Pashayev, who joined the Bolshoy with to extend its repertoire did much the and operas from works both new W Prince Igor Alexander (1834 – 1887) (1834 Act II 58:18 BORODIN Prince Igor Prince $ - CD 21 58:18 Recorded in Moscow in 1951 in Moscow Recorded Alexander Melik-Pashayev, Conductor ADD OverturePrologueAct 1 11:01 20:22 44:18 oshka ...... Godovkin Feodor oslavna...... Smolenskaya Evgeniya oslavna’s nurseoslavna’s ...... Elena Korneueva r 8.111071-73 r r Chorus and Orchestra of the Bolshoy Theatre, of the Bolshoy Chorus and Orchestra Moscow onchak...... Mark Reizen Borisenko onchakovna. . .Vera ...... olovtsian girlolovtsian ...... Antonina Ivanova 6 * Reissue Producer and Restoration Engineer:WardReissue Producer Marston photo:Cover Collection) Potter Tully (The Melik-Pashayev Alexander www.naxos.com - - Igor Svyatoslavich ...... Svyatoslavich Igor Ivanov Andrey Ya Vladimir Igorevich ...... Lemeshev Sergey ...... Yaroslavich Pirogov Alexander Vladimir K K Ovlur...... Serov Alexey Skula ...... Ivan Skobtsov Ye Ya P 1 2 7 CD 1 75:41

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