This sumptuous version of Prokofiev’s War and Peace comes from the heart of Russian opera, the Mariinsky Theatre in St Petersburg and performed by the unmatched Kirov Opera. Conducting is Valerey Gergiev, returning to the work that gave him his 1978 debut with the Kirov. Sergey Prokofiev devoted the last twelve years of his life to War and Peace. Having completed the first version (containing eleven scenes) unusually quickly, the composer continued working on the opera over the next ten years. Consequently, the work has appeared in different versions and orchestrations. The greatest landmark in the stage history of the opera came with the 1991 production at the Mariinsky Theatre, when Prokoviev´s complete score was performed for the first time with no cuts (the musical director and conductor was Valéry Gergiev and the production was directed by Graham Vick and designed by Tim O´Brian). This production, staged at the start of the third millennium, presents a fresh reading of Prokofiev´s masterpiece. `What a wonderful company, reminding us what Russian opera is all about the importance of continuity and tradition, and how a large company of gifted singers … and a really powerful chorus can transform such a score. The orchestra, too, was gripping under the sustained intensity of Valery Gergiev´s musical direction.´ MusicWebPicture Format 43 / Sound Format PCM Stereo / Menu Languages GB, D, F, SP / Subtitle Languages GB, D, F, SP / Running Time 240 min / Region Code 2, 5 / Recording Date 1991 / Sung in Russian /