Abstract on the topic:

Polovtsian dances (ballet)

Plan:

Introduction

• 1 Contents of the fragment
• 2 Productions
• 3 Production by Goleizovsky
• 4 Music
• 5 Record music
• 6 History of productions in Russia
• 7 Fokine's production
Notes
Literature

Introduction

"Polovtsian dances"- a ballet fragment from the 2nd act of the opera “Prince Igor” by Russian composer A.P. Borodin.

The source for the libretto, written by the author himself with the participation of V.V. Stasov, was the monument ancient Russian literature“The Tale of Igor’s Campaign”, which tells about the unsuccessful campaign of Prince Igor against the Polovtsians.

1. Contents of the fragment

Polovtsian camp. Set design by I. Bilibin

Polovtsian camp. Evening. Polovtsian girls dance and sing a song in which they compare a flower thirsting for moisture with a girl hoping for a date with her beloved. Khan Konchak offers the captive Prince Igor freedom in exchange for a promise not to raise a sword against him. But Igor honestly says that if the khan lets him go, he will immediately gather his regiments and strike again. Konchak regrets that he and Igor are not allies, and calls the captives and captives to amuse them.

The “Polovtsian Dances” scene begins. First, the girls dance and sing (choir “Fly away on the wings of the wind”). The choreographic action is based on the arias of the Polovtsian girl and Konchakovna, amazingly beautiful and melodious.

Then the general dance of the Polovtsians begins. The action ends with a general climactic dance.

• Ballet fragment "Polovtsian dances" from the opera "Prince Igor" became a separate ballet performance.
• In the opera it comes at the beginning and end of the second act:
• Act two (act two)

Scene	Time	Music	Ballet participation
1 Choir of Polovtsian girls	6"10	"In the absence of water, in the sun during the day" Polovtsian girl, choir	corps de ballet
2 Dance of Polovtsian girls	2"21
3 Kavantina Konchakovna	5"56	"The light of the earth is dimming" Konchakovna, Choir
4 Stage and Chorus	2"50	"Girl friends, give the prisoners something to drink" Konchakovna, Choir
5 Recitative and Cavatina of Vladimir	5"41	"Slowly the day faded away" Vladimir Igorevich
6 Duet	5"25	"Are you my Vladimir" Konchakovna, Vladimir Igorevich
7 Aria of Prince Igor	6"49	"No sleep, no rest for the weary soul" Prince Igor
8 Scene of Prince Igor with Ovlur	4"07	"Let me, prince, say a word" Book Igor, Ovlur
9 Konchak's Aria	6"57	"Is the prince healthy" Konchak and Prince Igor
10 Recitative	3"22	"Hey, bring the captives here" Konchak, Prince Igor
11 Polovtsian dance with choir	10"55

2. Performances

• Ballet performances:

Production date	Theater	Choreography	Creators	Performers, Troupe	Movie
October 23 1890	Mariinskii Opera House, St. Petersburg	Lev Ivanov		Ballet troupe of the Mariinsky Theater
May 19 1909	Chatelet Theater, Paris."Russian Seasons"	Mikhail Fokin	Conductor: E.A. Cooper Artist: N.K. Roerich	A.R. Bolm, E.A. Smirnova, S.F. Fedorov
September 22nd 1909	Mariinsky Theatre, St. Petersburg	Mikhail Fokin	Conductor: E.A. Krushevsky, Designer: K.A. Korovin	V.P. Fokina L.F. Shollar, B.F. Nizhinskaya, S.F. Fedorova, A.R. Bolm
November 5 1914	Bolshoi Theatre, Moscow	A.A.Gorsky
January 19, 1934	Bolshoi Theatre, Moscow	Kasyan Goleizovsky	Artist F.F. Fedorovsky	Bolshoi Theater Ballet Company	1951 - "Big concert"
1953	Bolshoi Theatre, Moscow	Kasyan Goleizovsky	Artist: Fedorovsky Conductor: M.N. Zhukov	Bolshoi Theater Ballet Company	1972 - Film adaptation
1971	Palais des Sports, Paris. Moscow, St. Petersburg.	Igor Moiseev		Ensemble folk dance USSR, Moscow	- Screen adaptation

3. Production by Goleizovsky

When creating his production, Goleizovsky thoroughly studied history. As you know, the content of Borodin’s brilliant opera “Prince Igor” is the unsuccessful campaign of the Severn princes Igor and Vsevolod Svyatoslavovich against the Polovtsians, sung in the famous “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign.” The appearance of the Polovtsians in Rus' dates back to the second half of the 11th century, more precisely to 1061. In one hundred and fifty years, before 1210, there were about fifty large Polovtsian raids, and small ones could not be counted.

Kasyan Yaroslavovich explains the mixture of styles by the fact that the tribes gradually merged with the Polovtsian hordes and merged with them. This phenomenon had an impact on the formation of unique dance techniques of the Polovtsians.

• For Borodin, the east in music is genuine, spontaneous.

Kasyan Goleizovsky - “elements in dances”:

1. Syncopation, emphasized in the “wild dance of men”, “dance of boys”, “chagas” and the finale
2. A melody that envelops and enchants with its bliss - “The smooth dance of the girls”
3. Harmony - Borodin's famous fifths, successfully and boldly emphasizing the overall pattern
4. Dynamics - accelerating movement from moderato to presto
5. Nuance - Strength of sound. On accents and pauses.

4. Music

Fragments of the themes of “Polovtsian Dances”

• The act begins with Choir of Polovtsian girls And Aria Konchakovna
• Dance of Polovtsian girls- first dance (No. 8, presto, 6/8, F major)
• Polovtsian dance with choir- (No. 17. Introduction: Andantino, 4/4, A Major)
• Slow dance of Polovtsian girls(Andantino, 4/4, A Major)
• The men's dance is wild(Allegro vivo, 4/4, F Major)
• General dance(Allegro, 3/4, D Major)
• Boys dance(Presto, 6/8, D Minor)
• Dance of Girls, "sliding"(in music reprise (reprise) combined with boys dancing at a fast tempo (Moderato alla breve, 2/2)
• Boys' Dance and Polovtsian Dance (reprise, Presto, 6/8, D Minor)
• Final climactic dance (Allegro con spirito, 4/4, A Major)

5. Record music

1. 1970 - “Melody”
2. 1978-1979 - Bolshoi Theater: Ivan Petrov, Tatyana Tugarinova, Vladimir Atlantov, Arthur Eisen, Alexander Vedernikov, Elena Obraztsova
3. 1997 - Jimmy Ltd. - BSA - Jimmy Music Group “Jimmy Classic” ADD/ OM 03 - 122-124 (Swiden)

6. History of productions in Russia

On October 23, 1890, choreographer L. I. Ivanov created an independent one act ballet at the Mariinsky Theater, as part of an opera performance

November 5, 1914 - choreographer Alexander Alekseevich Gorsky, Bolshoi Theater, as part of an opera performance)

1971 - one-act ballet by choreographer Igor Aleksandrovich Moiseev in the USSR Folk Dance Ensemble. Premieres: Palace of Sports at the Versailles Gate in Paris, Moscow, concert hall Tchaikovsky, Leningrad and other cities of the USSR.

7. Fokine's production

On November 5, 1914, Mikhail Fokine created his choreographic version of “Polovtsian Dances” in Diaghilev’s Russian Seasons, the premiere took place at the Chatelet Theater, Paris. With scenery by N. K. Roerich, conductor E. A. Cooper; roles played by A. R. Bolm, E. A. Smirnova, S. V. Fedorova (Fedorova 2nd)

Vera Krasovskaya wrote about how Fokine embodied his choreographic fantasies in dance and convincingly revealed musical images:

“Fierce in appearance, with faces stained with soot and dirt, their gathering looked more like a lair of wild animals than a human camp... The captivatingly beautiful wave-like dance of the girls, full of languor, is swept away by the frantic whirlwind dance of the Polovtsians, who rush, soaring into the air. The curtain fell at the moment of complete revelry and madness of the dancing.”

Since October 2008, Andris Liepa has been preparing the program for centenary anniversary Diaghilev's "Russian Seasons" with the Kremlin Palace troupe.

In March/April 2011, the ballet was seen by sophisticated Parisian spectators at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées.

“In 1906, Diaghilev took the “Russian Portrait Exhibition” to France, 1907 became the musical season when Scriabin, Rimsky-Korsakov and Fyodor Chaliapin came out for the first time. And in the 1908/1909 season, a ballet appeared that captivated the entire European public, and with this began the solemn march of Russian culture across Western Europe. I think “Russian seasons. The 21st century" is a continuation of that triumphant march of Russian art, once begun by Sergei Diaghilev. The influence that Diaghilev's seasons had on the development European art Overall, it’s simply impossible to overestimate.”- A. M. Liepa

Notes

1. According to the notes of A.P. Borodin, the work was completed by Alexander Glazunov and Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. Alexander Glazunov restored the overture from memory, which he had heard performed by the author on the piano, completed and orchestrated the third act. N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov orchestrated the prologue, the first, second and fourth acts and the Polovtsian march
2. Kasyan Goleizovsky chapter “On Polovtsian dances” // "Life and art". - Moscow: WTO, 1984.
3. “Russian Ballet: Encyclopedia” - www.ballet-enc.ru/html/p/poloveckie-pl8ski.html. - M.: “Great Russian Encyclopedia; Consent", 1981. - 632 p.
4. “Russian Ballet: Encyclopedia” - www.pro-ballet.ru/html/p/poloveckie-pl8ski.html. - M.: “Great Russian Encyclopedia; Consent", 1997. - 632 p. - 10,000 copies. - ISBN 5-85370-099-1
5. “Polovtsian dances” - www.belcanto.ru/ballet_polovtsian.html. - el.enz. "Belkato".
6. “The third seasons of Russian ballets opened in Paris with a full house” - www.rian.ru/culture/20110401/359870407.html. - RIA Novosti, 04/01/2011.
7. “Russian seasons of the 21st century have opened in Paris” - rus.ruvr.ru/2011/04/01/48273690.html. - ITAR-TASS, 04/01/2011.
8. Irina Korneeva“In 100 years, Diaghilev has not aged” - www.rg.ru/2008/10/21/balet.html. - " Russian newspaper", 10.21.2008. - V. Federal. - No. 4776.

Literature

• Encyclopedia "Russian Ballet". Scientific publishing house "Big Russian Encyclopedia". Publishing house "Consent", page 365.
• Book " Big theater THE USSR". State Musical Publishing House, Moscow, 1958, page 57

The Natalia Sats Theater, together with the Russian Seasons - XXI Century Foundation, continues to introduce the public to the masterpieces of the world famous choreographer Mikhail Fokin and presents the ballets “Scheherazade”, “Chopiniana” and “Polovtsian Dances”, first shown to the world a hundred years ago as part of the “Russian Seasons” Sergei Diaghilev in Paris, and now restored by choreographer Andris Liepa.

“We did not take on this production in order to become better than Mikhail Fokin, but to be in the trends of his innovation. Fokine, in addition to his unconditional genius as a choreographer classical dance, was an innovator in the constant search for new forms of interaction between different stage genres. I am happy to present to you the new embodiment of my twenty-year dream and work. There’s not a single day that I don’t think about “Russian Seasons,” their creators and participants.”, says Andris Liepa.

In previous seasons, the Natalia Sats Theater, together with Andris Liepa and his foundation, has already produced two performances from the legacy of Mikhail Fokine, thanks to which the capital’s theatergoers had the opportunity to see his ballets “The Firebird” and “Petrushka” to the music of Igor Stravinsky. And in 2013, the opera “The Golden Cockerel” was staged, in the stage version of which ballet plays a large role. The performance was performed with great success not only on the Moscow stage, but also at the closing ceremony annual festival"Diaghilev Seasons" in Paris in 2013.

In collaboration with the Foundation
"RUSSIAN SEASONS - XXI century"

Written by the author himself with the participation of V.V. Stasov, it was inspired by the monument of ancient Russian literature “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign,” which tells about the unsuccessful campaign of Prince Igor against the Polovtsians. To write the opera, Borodin became acquainted with the Polovtsian folklore preserved in Hungary by the descendants of the Polovtsians. According to family legend, Borodin's father's family was from the Polovtsian princes, assimilated by the Georgians.

Polovtsian camp. Evening. Polovtsian girls dance and sing a song in which they compare a flower thirsting for moisture with a girl hoping for a date with her beloved.

Khan Konchak offers the captive Prince Igor freedom in exchange for a promise not to raise a sword against him. But Igor honestly says that if the khan lets him go, he will immediately gather his regiments and strike again. Konchak regrets that he and Igor are not allies, and calls the captives and captives to amuse them.

The “Polovtsian Dances” scene begins. First, the girls dance and sing (choir “Fly away on the wings of the wind”). The choreographic action is based on the arias of the Polovtsian girl and Konchakovna, amazingly beautiful and melodious.

Then the general dance of the Polovtsians begins. The action ends with a general climactic dance.

• Ballet performances:
• October 23 of the year - Mariinsky Theater, St. Petersburg - choreographer Lev Ivanov created an independent one-act ballet at the Mariinsky Theater, as part of an opera performance
• May 19 - “Russian Seasons”, Théâtre du Châtelet, Paris - production by Mikhail Fokin. Conductor: E. A. Cooper, scenography: N. K. Roerich. Performers: A. R. Bolm, E. A. Smirnova, S. F. Fedorova
• September 22, 1909 - Mariinsky Theater, St. Petersburg. Choreographer Mikhail Fokin. Conductor: E. A. Krushevsky, artist: K. A. Korovin. Performers: V. P. Fokina L. F. Shollar, B. F. Nizhinskaya, S. F. Fedorova, A. R. Bolm
• November 5th - Bolshoi Theater. Choreographer A. A. Gorsky, as part of an opera performance.
• January 19 - Bolshoi Theater. Choreographer Kasyan Goleizovsky. Artist F. F. Fedorovsky. In 1951 it was filmed - “The Big Concert”
• year - Choreographer Kasyan Goleizovsky. Production in Donetsk
• year - Bolshoi Theater. Choreographer Kasyan Goleizovsky. Artist: F. F. Fedorovsky. Conductor: M. N. Zhukov. Filmed in 1972.
• year - Choreographer Kasyan Goleizovsky at the Theater. Kirov, in Leningrad.
• year - a one-act ballet by choreographer Igor Aleksandrovich Moiseev in the USSR Folk Dance Ensemble. Premieres: Sports Palace at the Versailles Gate in Paris, Moscow, Tchaikovsky Concert Hall, Leningrad and other cities of the USSR. The ballet was filmed.

Production by Goleizovsky

When creating his production, Goleizovsky thoroughly studied history. As you know, the content of Borodin’s brilliant opera “Prince Igor” is the unsuccessful campaign of the Severn princes Igor and Vsevolod Svyatoslavovich against the Polovtsians, sung in the famous “Tale of Igor’s Campaign”. The appearance of the Polovtsians in Rus' dates back to the second half of the 11th century, more precisely to 1061. In one hundred and fifty years, before 1210, there were about fifty large Polovtsian raids, and small ones could not be counted.

The ballet was staged by Goleizovsky based on the score. Each drawing was constructed in accordance with the rhythm, melody and timbre of orchestral colors. For Borodin, the east in music is genuine, spontaneous.

Kasyan Goleizovsky - “elements in dances”:

1. Syncopation, emphasized in the “wild dance of men”, “dance of boys”, “chagas” and the finale
2. Melody, enveloping, enchanting with its bliss - “The girls’ dance is smooth”
3. Harmony - Borodin's famous fifths, successfully and boldly emphasizing the overall pattern
4. Dynamics - accelerating movement from moderato to presto
5. Nuance - Strength of sound. On accents and pauses.

Fokine's production

Music

• The act begins with Choir of Polovtsian girls And Aria Konchakovna
• Dance of Polovtsian girls- first dance (No. 8, presto, 6/8, F major)
• Polovtsian dance with choir- (No. 17. Introduction: Andantino, 4/4, A Major)
• Slow dance of Polovtsian girls(Andantino, 4/4, A Major)
• The men's dance is wild(Allegro vivo, 4/4, F Major)
• General dance(Allegro, 3/4, D Major)
• Boys dance(Presto, 6/8, D Minor)
• Dance of Girls, "sliding"(in music reprise (reprise) combined with boys dancing at a fast tempo (Moderato alla breve, 2/2)
• Boys' Dance and Polovtsian Dance (reprise, Presto, 6/8, D Minor)
• Final climactic dance (Allegro con spirito, 4/4, A Major)

Recording music

1. - "Melody"
2. - - SABT: Ivan Petrov, Tatyana Tugarinova, Vladimir Atlantov, Arthur Eisen, Alexander Vedernikov, Elena Obraztsova
3. - Jimmy Ltd. - BSA - Jimmy Music Group “Jimmy Classic” ADD/ OM 03 - 122-124 (Swiden)

Arrangement of Borodin's music

Recorded a song on English language Sarah Brightman.

An excerpt characterizing Polovtsian dances

- Well... (Anatole looked at his watch) let’s go now. Look, Balaga. A? Will you be in time?
- Yes, how about departure - will he be happy, otherwise why not be in time? - said Balaga. “They delivered it to Tver and arrived at seven o’clock.” You probably remember, Your Excellency.
“You know, I once went from Tver for Christmas,” said Anatole with a smile of memory, turning to Makarin, who looked at Kuragin with all his eyes. – Do you believe, Makarka, that it was breathtaking how we flew. We drove into the convoy and jumped over two carts. A?
- There were horses! - Balaga continued the story. “I then locked the young ones attached to the Kaurom,” he turned to Dolokhov, “so would you believe it, Fyodor Ivanovich, the animals flew 60 miles; I couldn’t hold it, my hands were numb, it was freezing. He threw down the reins, holding it, Your Excellency, himself, and fell into the sleigh. So it’s not like you can’t just drive it, you can’t keep it there. At three o'clock the devils reported. Only the left one died.

Anatole left the room and a few minutes later returned in a fur coat belted with a silver belt and a sable hat, smartly put on his side and suiting him very well. beautiful face. Looking in the mirror and in the same position that he took in front of the mirror, standing in front of Dolokhov, he took a glass of wine.
“Well, Fedya, goodbye, thank you for everything, goodbye,” said Anatole. “Well, comrades, friends... he thought about... - my youth... goodbye,” he turned to Makarin and the others.
Despite the fact that they were all traveling with him, Anatole apparently wanted to make something touching and solemn out of this address to his comrades. He spoke in a slow, loud voice and with his chest out, he swayed with one leg. - Everyone take glasses; and you, Balaga. Well, comrades, friends of my youth, we had a blast, we lived, we had a blast. A? Now, when will we meet? I'll go abroad. Long lived, goodbye guys. For health! Hurray!.. - he said, drank his glass and slammed it on the ground.
“Be healthy,” said Balaga, also drinking his glass and wiping himself with a handkerchief. Makarin hugged Anatole with tears in his eyes. “Eh, prince, how sad I am to part with you,” he said.
- Go, go! - Anatole shouted.
Balaga was about to leave the room.
“No, stop,” said Anatole. - Close the doors, I need to sit down. Like this. “They closed the doors and everyone sat down.
- Well, now march, guys! - Anatole said standing up.
The footman Joseph handed Anatoly a bag and a saber, and everyone went out into the hall.
-Where is the fur coat? - said Dolokhov. - Hey, Ignatka! Go to Matryona Matveevna, ask for a fur coat, a sable cloak. “I heard how they were taking away,” Dolokhov said with a wink. - After all, she will jump out neither alive nor dead, in what she was sitting at home; you hesitate a little, there are tears, and dad, and mom, and now she’s cold and back - and you immediately take him into a fur coat and carry him into the sleigh.
The footman brought a woman's fox cloak.
- Fool, I told you sable. Hey, Matryoshka, sable! – he shouted so that his voice was heard far across the rooms.
A beautiful, thin and pale gypsy woman, with shiny black eyes and black, curly, bluish-tinged hair, in a red shawl, ran out with a sable cloak on her arm.
“Well, I’m not sorry, you take it,” she said, apparently timid in front of her master and regretting the cloak.
Dolokhov, without answering her, took the fur coat, threw it on Matryosha and wrapped her up.
“That’s it,” said Dolokhov. “And then like this,” he said, and lifted the collar near her head, leaving it only slightly open in front of her face. – Then like this, see? - and he moved Anatole’s head to the hole left by the collar, from which Matryosha’s brilliant smile could be seen.
“Well, goodbye, Matryosha,” Anatole said, kissing her. - Eh, my revelry is over here! Bow to Steshka. Well, goodbye! Goodbye, Matryosha; wish me happiness.
“Well, God grant you, prince, great happiness,” said Matryosha, with her gypsy accent.
There were two troikas standing at the porch, two young coachmen were holding them. Balaga sat down on the front three, and, raising his elbows high, slowly took apart the reins. Anatol and Dolokhov sat down with him. Makarin, Khvostikov and the footman sat in the other three.
- Are you ready, or what? – asked Balaga.
- Let go! - he shouted, wrapping the reins around his hands, and the troika rushed down Nikitsky Boulevard.
- Whoa! Come on, hey!... Whoa, - you could only hear the cry of Balaga and the young man sitting on the box. On Arbat Square, the troika hit a carriage, something crackled, a scream was heard, and the troika flew down Arbat.
Having given two ends along Podnovinsky, Balaga began to hold back and, returning back, stopped the horses at the intersection of Staraya Konyushennaya.
The good fellow jumped down to hold the horses' bridles, Anatol and Dolokhov walked along the sidewalk. Approaching the gate, Dolokhov whistled. The whistle responded to him and after that the maid ran out.
“Go into the yard, otherwise it’s obvious he’ll come out now,” she said.
Dolokhov remained at the gate. Anatole followed the maid into the yard, turned the corner and ran onto the porch.
Gavrilo, Marya Dmitrievna’s huge traveling footman, met Anatoly.
“Please see the lady,” the footman said in a deep voice, blocking the way from the door.
- Which lady? Who are you? – Anatole asked in a breathless whisper.
- Please, I've been ordered to bring him.
- Kuragin! back,” Dolokhov shouted. - Treason! Back!
Dolokhov, at the gate where he stopped, was struggling with the janitor, who was trying to lock the gate behind Anatoly as he entered. Dolokhov, with his last effort, pushed the janitor away and, grabbing the hand of Anatoly as he ran out, pulled him out the gate and ran with him back to the troika.

Marya Dmitrievna, finding a tearful Sonya in the corridor, forced her to confess everything. Having intercepted Natasha’s note and read it, Marya Dmitrievna, with the note in her hand, went up to Natasha.
“Bastard, shameless,” she told her. - I don’t want to hear anything! - Pushing away Natasha, who was looking at her with surprised but dry eyes, she locked it and ordered the janitor to let through the gate those people who would come that evening, but not to let them out, and ordered the footman to bring these people to her, sat down in the living room, waiting kidnappers.
When Gavrilo came to report to Marya Dmitrievna that the people who had come had run away, she stood up with a frown and folded her hands back, walked around the rooms for a long time, thinking about what she should do. At 12 o'clock at night, feeling the key in her pocket, she went to Natasha's room. Sonya sat in the corridor, sobbing.
- Marya Dmitrievna, let me see her for God’s sake! - she said. Marya Dmitrievna, without answering her, unlocked the door and entered. “Disgusting, nasty... In my house... Vile little girl... I just feel sorry for my father!” thought Marya Dmitrievna, trying to quench her anger. “No matter how difficult it is, I’ll tell everyone to be silent and hide it from the count.” Marya Dmitrievna entered the room with decisive steps. Natasha lay on the sofa, covering her head with her hands, and did not move. She lay in the same position in which Marya Dmitrievna had left her.
- Good, very good! - said Marya Dmitrievna. - In my house, lovers can make dates! There's no point in pretending. You listen when I talk to you. - Marya Dmitrievna touched her hand. - You listen when I talk. You have disgraced yourself like a very lowly girl. I would do that to you, but I feel sorry for your father. I'll hide it. – Natasha did not change her position, but only her whole body began to jump up from silent, convulsive sobs that choked her. Marya Dmitrievna looked back at Sonya and sat down on the sofa next to Natasha.
- He’s lucky that he left me; “Yes, I will find him,” she said in her rough voice; – Do you hear what I’m saying? “She put her big hand under Natasha’s face and turned her towards her. Both Marya Dmitrievna and Sonya were surprised to see Natasha’s face. Her eyes were shiny and dry, her lips were pursed, her cheeks were drooping.
“Leave... those... that I... I... will die...” she said, with an angry effort she tore herself away from Marya Dmitrievna and lay down in her previous position.
“Natalya!...” said Marya Dmitrievna. - I wish you well. You lie down, just lie there, I won’t touch you, and listen... I won’t tell you how guilty you are. You know it yourself. Well, now your father is coming tomorrow, what will I tell him? A?
Again Natasha's body shook with sobs.
- Well, he will find out, well, your brother, groom!
“I don’t have a fiance, I refused,” Natasha shouted.
“It doesn’t matter,” continued Marya Dmitrievna. - Well, they’ll find out, so why leave it like that? After all, he, your father, I know him, after all, if he challenges him to a duel, will it be good? A?
- Oh, leave me alone, why did you interfere with everything! For what? For what? who asked you? - Natasha shouted, sitting up on the sofa and looking angrily at Marya Dmitrievna.
- What did you want? - Marya Dmitrievna cried out again, getting excited, - why did they lock you up? Well, who stopped him from going to the house? Why should they take you away like some kind of gypsy?... Well, if he had taken you away, what do you think, he wouldn’t have been found? Your father, or brother, or fiancé. And he’s a scoundrel, a scoundrel, that’s what!
“He’s better than all of you,” Natasha cried, standing up. - If you hadn’t interfered... Oh, my God, what is this, what is this! Sonya, why? Go away!... - And she began to sob with such despair with which people only mourn such grief, which they feel themselves to be the cause of. Marya Dmitrievna began to speak again; but Natasha shouted: “Go away, go away, you all hate me, you despise me.” – And again she threw herself on the sofa.
Marya Dmitrievna continued for some time to admonish Natasha and convince her that all this must be hidden from the count, that no one would find out anything if only Natasha took it upon herself to forget everything and not show to anyone that anything had happened. Natasha didn't answer. She didn’t cry anymore, but she began to feel chills and trembling. Marya Dmitrievna put a pillow on her, covered her with two blankets and brought her some lime blossom herself, but Natasha did not respond to her. “Well, let him sleep,” said Marya Dmitrievna, leaving the room, thinking that she was sleeping. But Natasha was not sleeping and, with fixed, open eyes, looked straight ahead from her pale face. All that night Natasha did not sleep, and did not cry, and did not speak to Sonya, who got up and approached her several times.
The next day, for breakfast, as Count Ilya Andreich had promised, he arrived from the Moscow region. He was very cheerful: the deal with the buyer was going well and nothing was keeping him now in Moscow and in separation from the countess, whom he missed. Marya Dmitrievna met him and told him that Natasha had become very unwell yesterday, that they had sent for a doctor, but that she was better now. Natasha did not leave her room that morning. With pursed, cracked lips, dry, fixed eyes, she sat by the window and restlessly peered at those passing along the street and hurriedly looked back at those entering the room. She was obviously waiting for news about him, waiting for him to come or write to her.
When the count came up to her, she turned restlessly at the sound of his man’s steps, and her face took on its former cold and even angry expression. She didn't even get up to meet him.
– What’s wrong with you, my angel, are you sick? - asked the count. Natasha was silent.
“Yes, I’m sick,” she answered.
In response to the count's worried questions about why she was so killed and whether anything had happened to her fiancé, she assured him that nothing was wrong and asked him not to worry. Marya Dmitrievna confirmed Natasha’s assurances to the Count that nothing had happened. The count, judging by the imaginary illness, by the disorder of his daughter, by the embarrassed faces of Sonya and Marya Dmitrievna, clearly saw that something was going to happen in his absence: but he was so scared to think that something shameful had happened to his beloved daughter, he He loved his cheerful calm so much that he avoided asking questions and kept trying to assure himself that nothing special had happened and was only grieving that due to her ill health their departure to the village had been postponed.

From the day his wife arrived in Moscow, Pierre was preparing to go somewhere, just so as not to be with her. Soon after the Rostovs arrived in Moscow, the impression that Natasha made on him made him hasten to fulfill his intention. He went to Tver to see the widow of Joseph Alekseevich, who promised long ago to give him the papers of the deceased.
When Pierre returned to Moscow, he was given a letter from Marya Dmitrievna, who invited him to her very important matter concerning Andrei Bolkonsky and his fiancee. Pierre avoided Natasha. It seemed to him that he had a feeling for her stronger than that which a married man should have for the bride of his friend. And some kind of fate constantly brought him together with her.
"What happened? And what do they care about me? he thought as he got dressed to go to Marya Dmitrievna. Prince Andrei would come quickly and marry her!” thought Pierre on the way to Akhrosimova.
On Tverskoy Boulevard someone called out to him.
- Pierre! How long have you arrived? – a familiar voice shouted to him. Pierre raised his head. In a pair of sleighs, on two gray trotters throwing snow at the tops of the sleigh, Anatole flashed by with his constant companion Makarin. Anatole sat upright, in the classic pose of military dandies, covering the bottom of his face with a beaver collar and bending his head slightly. His face was ruddy and fresh, his hat with a white plume was put on one side, revealing his hair, curled, pomaded and sprinkled with fine snow.
“And rightly so, here is a real sage! thought Pierre, he sees nothing beyond the present moment of pleasure, nothing disturbs him, and that is why he is always cheerful, content and calm. What would I give to be like him!” Pierre thought with envy.
In Akhrosimova’s hallway, the footman, taking off Pierre’s fur coat, said that Marya Dmitrievna was being asked to come to her bedroom.
Opening the door to the hall, Pierre saw Natasha sitting by the window with a thin, pale and angry face. She looked back at him, frowned and with an expression of cold dignity left the room.
- What's happened? - asked Pierre, entering Marya Dmitrievna.
“Good deeds,” answered Marya Dmitrievna: “I’ve lived fifty-eight years in the world, I’ve never seen such shame.” - And taking Pierre’s word of honor to remain silent about everything that he learns, Marya Dmitrievna informed him that Natasha refused her fiancé without the knowledge of her parents, that the reason for this refusal was Anatol Kuragin, with whom her wife set Pierre up, and with whom she wanted to run away in the absence of his father, in order to get married secretly.

Polovtsian dances, listen to Polovtsian dances
A. P. Borodin

Plot Source

A Word about Igor's Campaign

Choreographer

Lev Ivanov

Subsequent editions

MM. Fokin, A.A. Gorsky, K.Ya. Goleizovsky, I.A. Moiseev

First production Place of the first production

Mariinskii Opera House

Ballet fragment of the 2nd act of the opera “Prince Igor” by Russian composer A.P. Borodin.

The choir and Polovtsian dance were orchestrated by Alexander Porfiryevich Borodin with the participation of N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov for the concert of the Free music school February 27, 1879. Rimsky-Korsakov in his Chronicle mentions the participation of A.K. Lyadov in the orchestration, but this is not confirmed by handwritten materials. “Polovtsian dances” gained enormous popularity.

The source for the libretto, written by the author himself with the participation of V.V. Stasov, was the monument of ancient Russian literature “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign,” which tells about the unsuccessful campaign of Prince Igor against the Polovtsians. To write the opera, Borodin became acquainted with the Polovtsian folklore preserved in Hungary by the descendants of the Polovtsians. According to family legend, Borodin’s father’s family was from the Polovtsian princes, assimilated by the Georgians.

• 1 Contents of the ballet act
• 2 Productions
  • 2.1 Goleizovsky’s production
  • 2.2 Fokine's production
• 3 Music
  • 3.1 Recording music
    • 3.1.1 Arrangement of Borodin's music
• 4 Notes
• 5 Literature
• 6 Links

Polovtsian camp. Evening. Polovtsian girls dance and sing a song in which they compare a flower thirsting for moisture with a girl hoping for a date with her beloved.

Khan Konchak offers the captive Prince Igor freedom in exchange for a promise not to raise a sword against him. But Igor honestly says that if the khan lets him go, he will immediately gather his regiments and strike again. Konchak regrets that he and Igor are not allies, and calls the captives and captives to amuse them.

The “Polovtsian Dances” scene begins. First, the girls dance and sing (choir “Fly away on the wings of the wind”). The choreographic action is based on the arias of the Polovtsian girl and Konchakovna, amazingly beautiful and melodious.

Then the general dance of the Polovtsians begins. The action ends with a general climactic dance.

A ballet fragment from the opera “Prince Igor” became a separate ballet performance for 15 minutes.

In the opera it comes at the beginning and end of the second act.

Scene	Time	Music	Ballet participation
1 Choir of Polovtsian girls	6"10	“In the absence of water, in the sun during the day”, Polovtsian girl, choir	corps de ballet
2 Dance of Polovtsian girls	2"21
3 Kavantina Konchakovna	5"56	“The earthly light is dimming”, Konchakovna, Choir
4 Stage and Chorus	2"50	“Girlfriends, give the prisoners something to drink”, Konchakovna, Choir
5 Recitative and Cavatina of Vladimir	5"41	“Slowly the day faded away”, Vladimir Igorevich
6 Duet	5"25	“Are you my Vladimir”, Konchakovna, Vladimir Igorevich
7 Aria of Prince Igor	6"49	“No sleep, no rest for the tormented soul”, Prince Igor
8 Scene of Prince Igor with Ovlur	4"07	“Let me, prince, say a word,” Book. Igor, Ovlur
9 Konchak's Aria	6"57	“Is the Prince Healthy”, Konchak and Prince Igor
10 Recitative	3"22	“Hey, bring the captives here”, Konchak, Prince Igor
11 Polovtsian dance with choir	10"55		Polovtsian girl, chaga, corps de ballet

Productions

• Ballet performances:
• October 23, 1890 - Mariinsky Theater, St. Petersburg - choreographer Lev Ivanov created an independent one-act ballet at the Mariinsky Theater, as part of an opera performance
• May 19, 1909 - “Russian Seasons”, Théâtre du Châtelet, Paris - staged by Mikhail Fokin. Conductor: E. A. Cooper, scenography: N. K. Roerich. Performers: A. R. Bolm, E. A. Smirnova, S. F. Fedorova
• September 22, 1909 - Mariinsky Theater, St. Petersburg. Choreographer Mikhail Fokin. Conductor: E. A. Krushevsky, artist: K. A. Korovin. Performers: V. P. Fokina L. F. Shollar, B. F. Nizhinskaya, S. F. Fedorova, A. R. Bolm
• November 5, 1914 - Bolshoi Theater. Choreographer A. A. Gorsky, as part of an opera performance.
• January 19, 1934 - Bolshoi Theater. Choreographer Kasyan Goleizovsky. Artist F. F. Fedorovsky. 1951 filmed - “The Big Concert”
• 1943 - Choreographer Kasyan Goleizovsky. Production in Donetsk
• 1953 - Bolshoi Theater. Choreographer Kasyan Goleizovsky. Artist: F. F. Fedorovsky. Conductor: M. N. Zhukov. Filmed in 1972.
• 1955 - Choreographer Kasyan Goleizovsky at the Theater. Kirov, in Leningrad.
• 1971 - one-act ballet by choreographer Igor Aleksandrovich Moiseev in the USSR Folk Dance Ensemble. Premieres: Sports Palace at the Versailles Gate in Paris, Moscow, Tchaikovsky Concert Hall, Leningrad and other cities of the USSR. The ballet was filmed.

Production by Goleizovsky

When creating his production, Goleizovsky thoroughly studied history. As you know, the content of Borodin’s brilliant opera “Prince Igor” is the unsuccessful campaign of the Severn princes Igor and Vsevolod Svyatoslavovich against the Polovtsians, sung in the famous “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign.” The appearance of the Polovtsians in Rus' dates back to the second half of the 11th century, more precisely to 1061. In one hundred and fifty years, until 1210, there were about fifty large Polovtsian raids, and small ones could not be counted.

Kasyan Yaroslavich explains the mixture of styles by the fact that the tribes gradually merged with the Polovtsian hordes and merged with them. This phenomenon had an impact on the formation of unique dance techniques of the Polovtsians.

The ballet was staged by Goleizovsky based on the score. Each drawing was constructed in accordance with the rhythm, melody and timbre of orchestral colors. For Borodin, the east in music is genuine, spontaneous.

Kasyan Goleizovsky - “elements in dances”:

1. Syncopation, emphasized in the “wild dance of men”, “dance of boys”, “chagas” and the finale
2. A melody that envelops and enchants with its bliss - “The smooth dance of the girls”
3. Harmony - Borodin's famous fifths, successfully and boldly emphasizing the overall pattern
4. Dynamics - accelerating movement from moderato to presto
5. Nuance - Strength of sound. On accents and pauses.

Fokine's production

On November 5, 1914, Mikhail Fokine created his choreographic version of “Polovtsian Dances” in Diaghilev’s Russian Seasons, the premiere took place at the Chatelet Theater, Paris. With scenery by N. K. Roerich, conductor E. A. Cooper; roles played by A. R. Bolm, E. A. Smirnova, S. V. Fedorova (Fedorova 2nd)

Vera Krasovskaya wrote about how Fokine embodied his choreographic fantasies in dance and convincingly revealed musical images:

“Fierce in appearance, with faces stained with soot and dirt, their gathering looked more like a lair of wild animals than a human camp... The captivatingly beautiful wave-like dance of the girls, full of languor, is swept away by the frantic whirlwind dance of the Polovtsians, who rush, soaring into the air. The curtain fell at the moment of complete revelry and madness of the dancing.”

Since October 2008, Andris Liepa has been preparing a program for the centennial anniversary of Diaghilev’s “Russian Seasons” with the Kremlin Palace troupe.

In March/April 2011, the ballet was seen by sophisticated Parisian spectators at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées.

“In 1906, Diaghilev took the “Russian Portrait Exhibition” to France, 1907 became the musical season when Scriabin, Rimsky-Korsakov and Fyodor Chaliapin came out for the first time. And in the 1908/1909 season, a ballet appeared that captivated the entire European public, and with this began the solemn march of Russian culture across Western Europe. I think “Russian seasons. The 21st century" is a continuation of that triumphant march of Russian art, once begun by Sergei Diaghilev. The influence that Diaghilev’s seasons had on the development of European art as a whole cannot be overestimated.” - A. M. Liepa

Music

Fragments of the themes of “Polovtsian Dances”

• The act begins with the Choir of Polovtsian girls and Aria Konchakovna
• Dance of Polovtsian girls - first dance (No. 8, presto, 6/8, F major)
• Polovtsian dance with choir - (No. 17. Introduction: Andantino, 4/4, A Major)
• Slow dance of Polovtsian girls (Andantino, 4/4, A Major)
• Dance of men wild (Allegro vivo, 4/4, F Major)
• General dance (Allegro, 3/4, D Major)
• Boys' Dance (Presto, 6/8, D Minor)
• Girls’ dance, “sliding” (reprise in music, combined with boys’ dance at a fast tempo (Moderato alla breve, 2/2)
• Boys' Dance and Polovtsian Dance (reprise, Presto, 6/8, D Minor)
• Final climactic dance (Allegro con spirito, 4/4, A Major)

Recording music

1. 1970 - “Melody”
2. 1978-1979 - Bolshoi Theater: Ivan Petrov, Tatyana Tugarinova, Vladimir Atlantov, Arthur Eisen, Alexander Vedernikov, Elena Obraztsova
3. 1997 - Jimmy Ltd. - BSA - Jimmy Music Group “Jimmy Classic” ADD/ OM 03 - 122-124 (Swiden)

Arrangement of Borodin's music

Sorry, JavaScript is disabled in your browser or the required player is not available.
You can download the video or download a player to play the video in your browser. “Polovtsian Dances” arranged by Spanish rock guitarist Daniel Bautista (fragment)

The popular melody is performed by many famous modern musicians and jazzmen in their own arrangement: French pianist Richard Clayderman, Russian saxophonist Alexey Kozlov.

The song was recorded in English by Sarah Brightman.

In 1953, the musical Kismet was created, from which the song "Stranger in Paradise" was later released as a single by Tony Bennett in 1954. Later it was also recorded by other performers, including: The group Four Aces, Tony Martin, Ray Conniff, Sarah Brightman.

The symphonic group “Niobeth” made their cover version of “Polovtsian Dances” in 2011.

The Russian group “Aria” also recorded their version of the arrangement (“On the Wings of the Wind”) in the single “Battlefield” (2009).

American rap artist Warren G, together with the Norwegian soprano star Sissel Kyrkjebø, in 1998, recorded the collection The Rapsody Overture, which is a combination of rap and classical music, where he raps to music from A. P. Borodin’s opera “Prince Igor”

Notes

1. Prince Igor. Opera. http://www.compozitor.spb.ru/catalog/?ELEMENT_ID=22181
2. "Russian Ballet: Encyclopedia". - M.: “Great Russian Encyclopedia; Consent", 1981. - 632 p.
3. Kasyan Goleizovsky, chapter “On Polovtsian dances” in the book “Life and Creativity” (1984).
4. "Russian Ballet: Encyclopedia". - M.: “Great Russian Encyclopedia; Consent", 1997. - 632 p. - 10,000 copies. - ISBN 5-85370-099-1.
5. Polovtsian dances. el.enz. "Belkato". Archived from the original on June 18, 2012.
6. “The third seasons of Russian ballets opened in Paris with a full house.” - RIA Novosti, 04/01/2011.
7. “Russian seasons of the 21st century have opened in Paris.” - ITAR-TASS, 04/01/2011.
8. Irina Korneeva “Diaghilev has not aged in 100 years.” - “Rossiyskaya Gazeta”, 10/21/2008. - Vol. Federal. - No. 4776.
9. Kenyatta 2000, p. 14

Literature

• Encyclopedia "Russian Ballet". Scientific publishing house "Big Russian Encyclopedia". Publishing house "Consent", page 365.
• Book "Bolshoi Theater of the USSR". State Musical Publishing House, Moscow, 1958, page 57

Links

• Brief summary of the opera
• Video: Polovtsian dances
• Video: Polovtsian dances, Mikhailovsky Theater
• the Rapsody feat. Warren G feat. Sissel - Prince Igor (1997) HD

Ballets by Mikhail Fokine
	Acis and Galatea (1905) Eunice (1907) Chopiniana (1907) Armida Pavilion (1907) Swan (1907) (1909) Feast (1909) Cleopatra (1909) Carnival (1910) Scheherazade (1910) Firebird (1910) Orientals ( 1911) The Vision of the Rose (1911) Narcissus (1911) The Martyrdom of St. Sebastian (1911) The Underwater Kingdom (1911) Parsley (1911) Butterflies (1912) The Blue God (1912) Tamara (1912) Daphnis and Chloe (1912) The Legend of Joseph (1914) ) The Golden Cockerel (1914) Midas (1914) Eros (1915) Faust (1925) Russian Soldier (1941)

Polovtsian dances, Polovtsian dances October 23, Polovtsian dances youtube, Polovtsian dances Moiseev ensemble, Polovtsian dances download, Polovtsian dances words, Polovtsian dances listen

Polovtsian dances Information About

The action takes place in the Polovtsian camp in 1185.

History of creation

In the spring of 1869, a prominent art critic and musical critic V. V. Stasov (1824-1906), former ideologist of the circle of St. Petersburg musicians, called Mighty bunch, suggested to Borodin, by that time the author of a symphony and romances, to write an opera. As a plot, he proposed an epic theme from ancient Russian history. The libretto, the initial sketch of which was made by Stasov himself, was based on the monument of ancient Russian literature “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign” (1185-1187). Borodin decided to heed this advice, taking Stasov’s sketch as a basis. He approached the creation of the libretto as a scientist: he studied many different historical sources, including chronicles, ancient stories “Zadonshchina” and “ Mamayevo massacre», historical research, epics, music of the descendants of the Polovtsians, and even visited the places of those ancient events.

The content of the opera was the unsuccessful campaign against the Polovtsians of Novgorod-Seversky Prince Igor Svyatoslavich, his capture and escape from captivity. The action took place both in Putivl, the place of Igor’s reign, and in the Polovtsian camp. The opera was created over many years, since work proceeded only in fits and starts, in short intervals between numerous official duties: pedagogical activities, scientific research, administrative and social activities. In total, 18 years were dedicated to “Prince Igor”. The composer created Polovtsian dances in the summer of 1875, while on vacation in Moscow. Shown in the fall in a circle of friends, they, according to Borodin’s letters, created a sensation. The opera was never completed in its entirety. After the death of the composer, based on the remaining sketches, it was completed by Glazunov, and Rimsky-Korsakov orchestrated most keyboard The premiere of “Prince Igor” took place on October 23 (November 4), 1890 at the St. Petersburg Mariinsky Theater. Polovtsian dances were staged by L. Ivanov and made a tremendous impression on the public.

In 1909, M. Fokin (1880-1942), an outstanding Russian choreographer-innovator, who persistently sought ways to expand the repertoire of the Russian seasons in Paris, organized by Diaghilev, turned to the music of Borodin. Fokine staged the Polovtsian dances anew, deliberately taking nothing from opera production L. Ivanova. He managed not only to brilliantly embody his frantic choreographic fantasies in dance, but also to convincingly reveal musical images. “Fierce in appearance, with faces stained with soot and dirt, in green robes speckled with red and brownish-yellow spots, in bright striped pants, their gathering looked more like a lair of wild animals than a human camp.” The alluringly beautiful first dance of the girls is smooth, undulating, full of languor. She is, as it were, swept away by the dance of men, based on a frantic whirlwind movement. The Polovtsians rush, “soaring into the air with their legs tucked at the knees. In their wild dance there immediately appeared the running of horses, the flight of steppe eagles, and the ringing of arrows” (V. Krasovskaya). The boys' dance is also impressive - wildly rhythmic, with a whimsically changing group pattern. The final general dance captivates with its elemental pressure and barbaric brute force. All previously heard themes are united here, intertwined in a frenzied movement. “... a synchronized flow... flooded the stage, rolling in waves, when the running crowd abruptly strayed in a different direction, so that, receding, again repeat the motif of the raid - the surf... The bodies swayed in a powerful unison-incantation, as if echoing the choir, glorifying the khan. There was a witchcraft, a shamanism in the repetitions of a hasty jump, cut by a sudden squat, in the same splashes of hands, in the same madness of dancing. The curtain fell at the moment of her complete revelry” (V. Krasovskaya). The Polovtsy, in their final rush, rushed like an avalanche straight towards the audience.

The performance was first staged as part of the Russian Seasons in Paris theater"Chatelet" on May 19, 1909, and on September 22 of the same year it was used in the revival of "Prince Igor" on the stage of the Mariinsky Theater. The new production was received with enthusiasm by both critics and theater circles.

Plot

There is no plot as such. The action takes place in the Polovtsian camp, in the steppe, the endless expanse of which is disturbed only by the tents of nomads. The girls encircle the space in a wide round dance, the Polovtsians fly at them like a whirlwind, each chooses a victim. The young men try to shield them, but the running crowd sweeps them away. In the magical dance movement, everyone praises the khan.

Music

The music of Polovtsian dances is distinguished by its convincing embodiment of oriental images, elemental power, truly dazzling colors, and at the same time - grace and plasticity. Four different scenes merge into continuous action. The girls' smooth dance, the unbridled male dance, the swift and easy boys. The scene ends with a general wild, temperamental whirlwind dance.

L. Mikheeva

The premiere took place on May 19, 1909 as part of the Russian Season, Paris.

The world premiere of Alexander Borodin's opera Prince Igor took place at the St. Petersburg Mariinsky Theater in 1890. At the same time, choreographer Lev Ivanov composed and choreographed the dances in this opera based on the plot. The choreography has not survived; the opinions of the participants are very contradictory. But it is clear that these dances did not attract much attention. Therefore, when Sergei Diaghilev was planning the Parisian “Russian Season” of 1909, in which the opera and ballet parts were almost equal, he invited director Alexander Sanin to stage the second act of “Prince Igor”, and Mikhail Fokin to compose the dances based there.

The choreographer recalled his idea this way: “In “Polovtsian Dances” I tried to give an example of expressive mass dance. Before that, the tasks of the corps de ballet in the performance were reduced mainly to the background for the dances of the ballerina or soloists, to the accompaniment. There were corps de ballet dances completely without the participation of soloists. All its tasks were reduced to ornamentation in movement, to uniting the dancers in one rhythm. There were transitions and groupings that were pleasing to the eye, but they did not talk about the expression of feelings, about ecstasy, about emotional upliftment with the corps de ballet. To create a dance - exciting, exciting - was for me. an interesting task... I consider “Polovtsian Dances” one of my most important works.”

The second act of the opera, as is known, takes place in the Polovtsian camp. Here Prince Igor, his son Vladimir and other Russian soldiers are languishing in captivity. Captivity is not physically difficult, but rather “sweet”. The owners, dreaming of becoming not enemies, but friends of the Russians, please and entertain them in every possible way. The Polovtsian dances themselves conclude the action, filled with dances of captives “from beyond the Caspian Sea,” a love scene between Konchakovna and Vladimir, and arias by Konchak and Igor (the latter was cut short in Paris). Borodin's music did not strive for ethnographic truth, and where could it be found? But the image of the steppe expanse, the unbridled will of madly racing wild horsemen was conveyed by the composer with a rhythmic freedom that was surprising for its time. The choreographer tried to coincide with the composer in the figurative structure, coloring it with powerful patterns.

The girls slowly begin their part. They, moving smoothly and languidly, gradually group two circles, between which three soloists dance. The music abruptly changes its tempo - Borodin’s remark: “The dance of men, wild.” In a high jump with bent legs, the Polovchanin flies out first, his bow raised threateningly up. After him, the combination is repeated by four more archers. The rhythm of the dance increases, archers fill the stage, girls press towards the wings. The rush to the ramp is accompanied by the bows hitting the ground. The choir sings the glory of Khan. The general dance begins. The archers either rush towards each other, or vigilantly, as if on a hunt, look out for prey.

The “prey”—the girls—appears, timidly slowing down. Polovchanin invades the circle formed by them, followed by other hunters. Couples form and then disintegrate. As the music suddenly stopped, each warrior threw his chosen victim over his shoulder. They are obscured by slender young men. The dance of young Polovtsians quickly begins, prancing around the stage, rhythmically striking their knees and heels. Jumping in different directions, whimsical dance patterns end with a fall to the floor on the proscenium. The bodies are already exhausted, and the legs and arms are still cutting the air, not having time to obey the order of the brain. The finale was built on the principle of a choreographic coda. The stream of dancing Polovtsians captured the entire stage, the waves continuously changed direction, again and again trampling everything in their path. Witchcraft and shamanic repetitions of movements merged with choral spells. The madness of the dancing grew more and more, and the curtain fell at the moment of complete revelry of a well-organized element.

Alexandre Benois, as an eyewitness to the Parisian tour, reported to his homeland: “The “Polovtsian Camp” from Borodino’s “Prince Igor” turned out to be a particularly successful, central performance. And this is not so much because the choirs sang harmoniously, Petrenko was beautiful in the role of Konchakovna, and Smirnov delightfully performed his affectionate aria, not so much because of Roerich’s poetic, spacious, wild scenery, with smoke stretching from the yurts to the burning evening sky, not so much because due to the successful selection of costumes. No, the “Polovtsian Stan” “defeated Paris” thanks to the ingenuity of Fokine and the presence on the stage of our irreplaceable ballet dancers(these ballet youth are mostly ardent admirers of some Gorsky and some Fokina), who gave themselves so much to their role (one might say that they all have exactly one role), so they survived it, so they reincarnated themselves into some kind of ancient heroic savages and sensitive steppe girls “It was impossible not to believe what was happening on stage.”

The director of the Diaghilev troupe, Sergei Grigoriev, confirms: “At the end of the act there were dances to the accompaniment of a full orchestra and big choir Moscow Opera. The impression from this scene and from the music was so enormous that stormy applause repeatedly interrupted the action, and when the curtain fell, the excitement was indescribable. For a while they even forgot about Chaliapin, who sang Konchak. The role of the main warrior was played by Adolf Bolm, and no one could compare with him in this role. Sofia Fedorova danced the Polovtsian Girl fieryly, and the entire troupe outdid itself.”

The Imperial Mariinsky Theater already showed on September 22 of the same 1909 new production operas by Borodin, which included Fokine’s “Polovtsian Dances”. The sets and costumes by Konstantin Korovin were considered successful, although it was in the Polovtsian act that they were, by all accounts, inferior to Roerich’s, which became famous all over the world thanks to the tours of Diaghilev’s troupe. In subsequent productions of Prince Igor, they also tried to preserve Fokine’s choreography. Now it is performed at separate evenings, along with “The Ghost of the Rose”, “The Dying Swan” and other Fokine masterpieces. In Moscow, Alexander Gorsky (1914), Kasyan Goleizovsky (1934) and Igor Moiseev (1971) demonstrated their original “Polovtsian Dances”.

A. Degen, I. Stupnikov