Opera Scotland

Prince Igor 1990Slovak National Opera, Bratislava

Read more about the opera Prince Igor

The 1990 Edinburgh Festival saw an interesting concentration on the performing arts of the newly-created Slovak Republic. While the National Theatre from Prague had visited Edinburgh before, and had Slovak artists in the ensemble, the Bratislava company now had a prominent identity of its own. Four operas were brought. Two big shows, using the ballet company in addition to opera, appeared at the Playhouse. These were Prince Igor and Faust. The King's Theatre hosted two more intimate native pieces in Julietta and The Whirlpool, which received its British premiere.

The Playhouse schedule was in the week commencing 20 Aug: Mon Faust; Tue no perf; Wed Prince Igor; Thu Prince Igor; Fri Faust; Sat Faust.

The King's showings the following week were: 27 Aug The Whirlpool; 29 & 30 Aug Julietta.

Prince Igor is an opera which appears to frighten British managements. This may partly be because of the importance of the dance element, but also because, like many operas unfinished by its composer, there are editorial questions to be resolved. Covent Garden did an excellent production under the Haitink regime, with Sergei Leiferkus in the title role and Paata Burchuladze as Konchak. It was televised, but never released on DVD, and stranger still, never revived. Opera North also presented it, quite successfully.

In Scotland in recent years. the only professional performances have been by the Belgrade Opera at the 1962 Festival, and these two, by the Slovak company, which had its own integral ballet group to perform the Polovtsian Dances.

The whole evening worked very well. without a weakness among the singers and a notably high standard of dancing. Perhaps the production was basic, with little by way of sophisticated acting, and the orchestra wasn't absolutely first class, but it was all thoroughly enjoyable nonetheless.