Prince Igor, a vast nationalist epic which describes the clash of cultures between the Russians, symbolised by Prince Igor, and the Tartar Polovtski tribe, led by Khan Konchak, is one of the greatest of all Russian operas. This historic recording, which omits Act III (in accordance with performance practice of the time), was made in Moscow during 1951. It features the legendary Bolshoy Opera, the preeminent opera company of the Soviet era, at its peak, with the leading rôles taken by the cream of the Company’s singers.The outstanding conductor Alexander MelikPashayev, who joined the Bolshoy in 1931, did much to extend its repertoire with both new works and operas from the Western canon.