The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-12-26

the opera.
I'm the second scene Of Act I. some
young girls complain to the Princess
Y~drOsldcnd Of the abduction Of one
OF their companions and implore her
protection from Prince Gaiitsky. Ydro-
sldrnd discovers the perfdy of her
brother, md after a violent scene drives
him from her presence, at the very
moment when a messenger arrives
with the news that Igor's army has
been defeated on the banks Of the
Ksyala.
AT the third dawn says the rhap-
sody. the Russian standards fell be-
fore the foe. for no blood was left to
she'd igor and Vladimir are taken
prisoners and the Tolovsty are march.
ing on roultiyle. The news Of this
heroic disaster caused a reaction of
loyal sentiment. and. as the curtain
falls. the Boyards draw their swords
swear to defend Yuroslu rnd to the
death.
| The second and third acts take
place in the enemy's camp and are full
OF Oriental color. Khan konchdk, as
depicted in the opera. Is a noble type
Of Eastern warrior. He has one beau
tiful daughter. Konchakorna, with
whom the young Prince vladimir falls
~passionately in love. The serenade
which he sings before her tent is per-
haps the most fascinating number In
the whole work. There is also a fine
bass SOLO for Prince Igor. In which he
gives vent to the grief and shame he
suffers in captivity. OrIour. one of
the Polovetz soldiers, who is n Chris
tian convert. offers to facilitate Ioor's
escape.
But the Prince feels bound by the
chivalrous conduct of Khan konchak
To refuse his OFFER. In the secon act
the Khan gives a banquet in honor OF
his noble captive, which serves as "A
pretcXt for the introduction Of Oriental
dances, choruses and gorgeous scenic
effects.
! "In the third act the conquering
army of the Polovsty return to camp,
bringing the PRISONERS and spoils taken
from Poultivla At this sight Igor,
filled with pity for the somows of his
wife and people. consents to flee.
While the soldiers are dividing the
spoil from Poultivle. OrIour plies them
literally with koumiss, and after a
wild orgy the whole camp falls into
"A drunken sleep. Borodiu has been
severely censured by certain critics for
the robust realism with which he has
, treated this scene.
when the kahn's daughter dis
covers their secret preparations for
flight she entreats vladimir not TO
fcrsake her. He Is on the point of
yielding, when his father sternly re-
calls him 10 a sense of duty. Hut
honchdtornr's glowing Oriental pas
sion is not to he baked. NJ the last
moment. when Orlour gives the signal
Tor escape. she filings herself upon her
lover. and holds him back until Igor
has mounted and galloped out Of the
camp. unconscious that his son is left
behind.
Detained against his will. Vladimir
finds no great difficulty in accommo-
dating himself To circumstances. The
soldiers would like to kill him in re-
NcnGc for his fathers escape. But the
khan ph~iiosophically remarks: Since
the old falcon has taken flight. We
must chain h young falcon by giving
him a mate. He must be my daugh-
tcr's husband
"In the fourth act Y%drosldrnu sings
her touching lament as she stands on
the terrace OF her ruined palace and
. ga2cs over the fentile plains. now raw
aged by the hostile army. Even while
she bemoans the cruelty of fate two
horsemcn come in sight. They prove
TO be Igor and the faithful Opiour.
returned in safety from their perilous
, ride.
THE joy of reunion between hus-
band and wife may be perhaps a trihe
overemphasized. II is the man who
speaks here, rather than the artist.
for Norodin, who lived in perfect do
nestle happiness with his wife. knew.
however. many long and enforced
separations from her. The picture of
conjugal felicity which he gives us in
I0or Is undoubtedly reflected from his
own life.
The opera closes with n touch OF
humor. Igor and YdrOsldrnd enter the
Kremlin al, Poultivle at the same mo-
ment as h two deserters. Eroshha
and SkOnln. The precious pair are
shaking in their shoes. for IL Igor
catches sight of them they are lost.
To get out of their difficulty they set
the bells a-ringing and pretend to be
the first bearers of the glad tidings OF
IOor's escape. Probably because they
their goudoks no one reveals their
treachery N they get OF scot free"