Opera Guide and Synopsis: Prince Igor, by Alexander Borodin

The story of Prince Igor (Knyaz Igor) is based on a medieval poem, Song of the Army of Prince Igor. The idea for the opera-and a rough draft of the libretto-was given to Alexander Borodin by Vladimir Vasilevich Stassov.

Borodin was not a professional composer, but a chemist. "I can only compose," he wrote, "when I am too unwell to give my lectures." He died before he could finish Prince Igor. The orchestration and several unfinished numbers were completed by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, Alexander Glazunov and Anatol Liadov. Glazunov wrote the overture, which Borodin had composed but never set to paper, entirely from the memory of hearing Borodin play it. The opera premiered on November 4, 1890, three and a half years after the composer's death.

Characters in Prince Igor

• Prince Igor (Baritone)
• Yaroslavna, his second wife (Soprano)
• Vladimir, Igor's son by his first wife (Tenor)
• Prince Galitzky, Yaroslavna's brother (Bass)
• Kontchak, a Polovtsian khan (Bass)
• Gzak, a Polovtsian khan (Bass)
• Kontchakovna, Kontchak's daughter (Mezzo-soprano)
• Ovlour, a Polovtsian renegade (Tenor)
• Yaroslavna's nurse (Soprano)
• Skoula, a gudok player (Bass)
• Eroshka, a gudok player (Tenor)

Synopsis of Prince Igor

Prologue-Town Square in Poutivle

The crowd praises Prince Igor, who is about to go off with his army to fight the Tartars. An eclipse occurs, which is taken as a bad omen by both the boyars and his wife; but Igor ignores it and goes on his way.

Act I

Scene 1-Galitzky's Court

Galitzky has appeased the crowds by offering them food and entertainment. He hopes to send Yaroslavna to a convent and take Igor's throne for himself. He ignores pleas for help from two young women who want protection from men who have kidnapped their friend. He leaves, and the crowd gets drunk on good wine.

Scene 2-Yaroslavna's Quarters

Yaroslavna misses her husband and stepson. The two women come to her for help, and it turns out that Galitzky is the one who kidnapped the other woman. She threatens her brother, and he agrees to let the woman go.

News arrives: Igor's army has been defeated, Igor and Vladimir have been captured, and the city is being attacked.

Act II-The Polovtsian Camp

Khan Kontchak treats the prisoners well, and his daughter sings for them. Vladimir falls in love with her, and Kontchak supports their union.

Igor bemoans his state and wishes he could see Yaroslavna. Ovlour offers Igor a chance to escape, but he rejects the idea as dishonorable.

Kontchak tries to make peace with Igor, but Igor threatens to come back with a stronger army and defeat him. Kontchak respects Igor's stubbornness, and invites him to be his guest for the evening's entertainment.

Act III-The Polovtsian Camp

Gzak's army, which attacked Poutivle at the end of Act I, returns and is welcomed by Kontchak.

Ovlour gets the guards drunk and offers to help Igor escape. This time Igor accepts the offer, but Vladimir is torn between his duty to his father and his love for Kontchakovna. She sounds an alarm, but Igor escapes. Vladimir is taken hostage again and offered the opportunity to marry Kontchakovna. Kontchak still respects Igor, saying he would have tried the same thing if he were taken captive.

Act IV-Town Square in Poutivle

Yaroslavna wishes she could see Igor again; he arrives, and they embrace. Skoula and Eroshka, who had denounced Prince Igor, quickly change sides and are rewarded, and the crowd praises Igor.

Sources:

• Prince Igor Scores at IMSLP
• Kobbé, Gustav. The Complete Opera Book. New York and London: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1919.
• Simon, Henry W. 100 Great Operas and Their Stories. Garden City: Dolphin, 1960.