Prince Igor is somewhat fragmented in terms of story, due to it being incomplete at the time of Borodin's death, perhaps a large part as to why it's not performed often. The characters are interesting however and Borodin's music (the most famous being the Overture, Vladimir's cavatina and especially the Polovtsian Dances) is glorious.

The DVD/video competition is scarce, but is a very solid one with all the productions (the Russian film version, Mariinsky, Met's and this, the Bernard Haitink-conducted performance is also well worth watching) having a huge amount to recommend, all of them doing wonders with a problematic but interesting opera that deserves to be better known. This 1993 production from Mariinsky Opera is the best of the bunch, with the Bolshoi production being a close second, but for me Mariinsky's gets the edge for the better picture quality, better Vladimir and for keeping Act 3 intact.

Visually, the production has a charming and evocative look, with handsomely illustrative and charmingly rustic sets (Act 2's is particularly well done), atmospheric lighting that doesn't ever look too gaudy and historical-looking costumes and make-up (love the look of Khan Konchak and his tribe). Like the Bolshoi production, except with much clearer and less dark picture quality, the video directing is dynamic and unobtrusive, showing an expansive view of the action (allowing one to fully enjoy the spectacle of the Polovtsian Dances) while not trying to do too much or too little. While Prince Igor is a problematic opera to stage, this production does incredibly compellingly with it, the highlight act of the production and the opera will always be act 2 but there is also the right amount of intensity and sensitivity elsewhere. The Polovtsian Dances are spectacularly staged and very like the spectacle the scene ought to be, the choreography is both graceful and lively, it is by far the best rendition of the scene on DVD and only the Bolshoi production comes close.

Musically, the production is outstanding with very few obvious flaws. The orchestral playing is rich in sound and has such beautiful tone throughout, with lots of dramatic intensity, sensitive nuance and energy. The chorus are stirring and blow off the roof in a thrilling way in the Polovtsian Dances (the tenors in particular have a very strenuous part and cope very well with it), without over-singing, while the dancing dazzles in how spirited it is, coping very well with Gergiev's increasingly accelerating speed at the end of the scene. Konchak's tribe are very colourfully portrayed. Valery Gergiev shows such dramatic intensity and immediacy to nuance, his conducting is truly exciting in the Polovtsian Dances. The sound is sharp and resonant. The performances are very good indeed.

Nikolai Putilin is very rich-voiced and noble Igor, I prefer Evgeny Nesterenko (Bolshoi) and Ildar Abdrazakov (Met) in the role but Putilin gives a very solid performance and hardly brings down the production. Evgeny Akimov is a big improvement over the Bolshoi Vladimir, and it does help that Vladimir is a better-developed character here. Akimov demonstrates a sweet allure in his voice in his Cavatina, and he's hardly stolid either. Galina Gorchakova shows impeccable breath control, expressive, poignant acting and a beautiful richness as Yaroslavna, while Olga Borodina is a very seductive and not-too-diva-ish Konchakovna. Sergei Aleksashkin sounds wonderfully ominous as Galitsky and is delightfully roguish, and Vladimir Vaneev is not quite as good as Boris Morosov for Bolshoi as Konchak but is just as sonorous-sounding and dramatically magnetic.

Overall, a Mariinsky triumph, and not just my favourite Prince Igor but it is one of the best productions they've done. 10/10 Bethany Cox