Yaroslav Mudriy

Conceived on a grand scale, and written in a straightforward diatonic style, the opera evokes comparisons (not entirely in its favour) to Mussorgsky's Boris Godunov and (especially in its last two scenes) Prokofiev's Alexander Nevsky.

The episodic plot of the opera - which contains a number of perplexing coincidences and bewildering changes of character by the leading roles, and scarcely testifies overall to the hero's wisdom - deals with Yaroslav's attempts to govern despite the destabilising influences of the town of Novgorod, the Viking Varangians, and the invading Pechenegs.

The scribe Sylvestr supervises his pupils, including Mykyta who is in fact the son of Kosnyatyn, the governor of Novgorod, imprisoned by Yaroslav.

Zhureyko complains to Yaroslav that a Viking, Turvald, has attempted to rape his wife Mylusha and has murdered her brother.

Djemma, a girl from Harald's retinue, declares her love for Mykyta, who vainly fobs her off, claiming he is a monk.

Zhureyko returns to Kiev in secret and happens to overhear Ingigerda plotting with Ulf to murder Yaroslav.