Metropolitan Opera & Le Poisson Rouge to Present RUSSIAN EXOTICISM: FROM FOLK MUSIC TO PRINCE IGOR, 1/15

The Metropolitan Opera and Le Poisson Rouge announced details for "Russian Exoticism: From Folk Music to Prince Igor," a concert at Le Poisson Rouge on Wednesday, January 15 at 8 p.m. Soprano Anna Netrebko will join three stars of the Met's new production of Borodin's Prince Igor for the event-bass-baritone Ildar Abdrazakov, who sings the title role, mezzo-soprano Anita Rachvelishvili, and bass Štefan Kocán. The concert will include arias from Prince Igor and folk songs from the outer reaches of the Russian borders and beyond, as well as selections by other Russian composers also influenced by "exotic" music. Musicians will include pianist Natalia Katyukova, an assistant conductor at the Met.

Looking to set their music apart from Western classical conventions, Russian composers including Borodin turned east for inspiration. Blending these influences with their own folk traditions, they created a new sound that was by turns sensuous and exuberant-as heard in the Polovtsian music in Prince Igor.

Tickets are available through Le Poisson Rouge for $35 (seated) or $20 (standing) at lepoissonrouge.com. Standing room tickets will be sold at $25 on the day of the performance, subject to availability. Underwriting for the concert has been provided by a generous gift from Ann Ziff.

Prince Igor, Borodin's defining Russian epic, comes to the Met for the first time in nearly 100 years on February 6. Dmitri Tcherniakov's new production is a psychological journey through the mind of its conflicted hero, with the founding of the Russian nation as the backdrop. Gianandrea Noseda conducts an exciting ensemble that includes Abdrazakov as the courageous leader, Rachvelishvili as Konchakovna, and Kocán as Khan Konchak, alongside Oksana Dyka (Yaroslavna), Sergey Semishkur (Vladimir Igorevich), and Mikhail Petrenko (Prince Galitsky). The March 1 performance will be seen in movie theaters around the world as part of The Met: Live in HD. The production runs through March 8.

"Russian Exoticism: From Folk Music to Prince Igor" marks the fourth collaboration between the Metropolitan Opera and Le Poisson Rouge. The series started in October 2012 with "An Evening with Thomas Adès & The Tempest," with the composer at the piano. The second collaboration, "An Evening with Nico Muhly, Two Boys, and other works" in May 2013, featured a diverse repertory curated and performed by the composer, ranging from early music to contemporary work (the program is available for video streaming at npr.org). The most recent collaboration was "An Evening of Britten and Muhly" in October 2013, in celebration of the Britten's centennial.

Le Poisson Rouge is a multimedia art cabaret founded by musicians on the site of the historic Village Gate. Dedicated to the fusion of popular and art cultures in music, film, theater, dance, and fine art, the venue's mission is to revive the symbiotic relationship between art and revelry; to establish a creative asylum for both artists and audiences.

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