An all-star cast and refined sound engineering lend this Italian-language recording of Prince Igor an accessible allure for listeners new to Borodin’s grand, evocative score. Giuseppe Taddei, in the title role, imbues the character with a commanding swagger and confident vocal bravado. Boris Christoff, undertaking the dual roles of Vladimir Galitsky and Kontchak, employs his resonant bass with both dramatic authority and a keen sense for comic nuance. Oralia Dominguez, as Kontchakovna, brings a richly colored mezzo-soprano ideally matched to the part’s sensual contours. Rendered in Italian, this version of Borodin’s Russian masterwork places renewed emphasis on the opera’s melodic opulence.