Ildar Abdrazakov Earns Praise for his “Magnificent” and “Powerful” Prince Igor

Following its February 6 opening, the Metropolitan Opera’s new production of Prince Igor has earned Ildar Abdrazakov critical and audience acclaim for his portrayal of the title role.

“Solid and ruggedly handsome, Mr. Abdrazakov is a confident actor. Though his voice is firm and robust, he is not one of those formidable, gravelly Russian basses…and his Igor has moments of Italianate lyrical refinement,” writes The New York Times. “Mr. Abdrazakov does his most burnished, powerful singing in the prince’s despairing soliloquy”

“Abdrazakov hurled his dark bass-baritone into Igor’s soul-searching arias, the warm, lyrical tone suggesting the proud prince’s underlying vulnerability,” added the New York Observer. Likewise,Bloomberg News noted, “Ildar Abdrazakov, Russia’s great bass, was magnificent, especially in Igor’s grieving aria.”

Prince Igor continues at the Met through March 8; the March 1 performance will be transmitted to movie theaters worldwide as part of the Met’s Live in HD series.

(Photo: Cory Weaver)