Saturday, March 1, 2 p.m., Orcas Center
— from Artha Kass —
Borodin’s operatic masterpiece, Prince Igor In its first Met performances since 1917, will be transmitted live to Orcas Center on Saturday, March 1 at 2:00 pm. (Please note this unusual time and day for this particular transmission.) This grand saga of war and redemption in 12th-century Russia is a classic tribute to Russian heritage.
The highlight of Prince Igor is Borodin’s music and 12,500 handmade red poppies. Choruses are showcased in Prince Igor, and the Met Opera chorus is splendid, especially in the famous Polovtsian Dances, popularly known as the song “Stranger in Paradise” from the Broadway musical Kismet.
The acclaimed new production by director Dmitri Tcherniakov in his Met debut stars Ildar Abdrazakov as the heroic title character, a 12th-century ruler who defended Russia against invading Polovtsian forces. Gianandrea Noseda, a specialist in Russian music, will conduct a new edition of the opera—left unfinished by Borodin at the time of his death in 1887—which has been specially created for the Met production. The cast also includes Ukrainian soprano Oksana Dyka in her Met debut as Igor’s wife, Yaroslavna; Anita Rachvelishvili as the fiery Polovtsian princess and Štefan Kocán as Khan Konchak, leader of the Polovtsian forces.
“The Met has returned a long-absent marvel to its rightful place in the repertoire. As the country welcomed the world to the Winter Games, the Metropolitan Opera mounted its own imperial Russian spectacular… with a score that bubbles with irresistible tunes and gaudy contrasts, with the exotic Polovtsians moving in sinuous oriental dances while Russians answer with thick-soled marches and honest folk songs.” —New York Magazine
“A revelatory production… his wonderful staging is dreamlike, wrenchingly human and viscerally theatrical. The impressive cast, with many Russian singers, is headed by the compelling bass Ildar Abdrazakov in the title role. The Met chorus is at its glorious best.” —The New York Times
Running time: approximately 4 ½ hours with two intermissions. Host: Eric Owens
Tickets for this Met Live in HD presentation of Prince Igor are $18, $13 for students, $2 off for Orcas Center members, and may be purchased at www.orcascenter.org or by calling 376-2281 ext. 1 or visiting the Orcas Center Box Office open Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from noon – 4 pm.
For more information about Orcas Center 2014 season events, please visit www.orcascenter.org.
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