Alexander Porfiryevich Borodin (12 November 1833 – 27 February 1887) was a distinguished 19th-century Romantic composer and chemist of Georgian-Russian descent. He was a prominent member of "The Five," a group of composers dedicated to creating a uniquely Russian style of classical music. Borodin is renowned for his symphonies, string quartets, the symphonic poem "In the Steppes of Central Asia," and the opera "Prince Igor," which includes the famous "Polovtsian Dances."

Born in Saint Petersburg, Borodin was the illegitimate son of a Georgian nobleman and a married Russian woman. Due to the circumstances of his birth, he was registered as the son of one of his father's serfs, Porfiry Borodin, which gave him his Russian surname. Despite his illegitimacy, Borodin was raised in comfortable circumstances and received a comprehensive education through private tutors.

Borodin pursued a career in chemistry, enrolling at the Medical-Surgical Academy in Saint Petersburg in 1850. He graduated with distinction, later becoming a professor of chemistry at the same institution. His scientific contributions include early work in organic chemistry, particularly in nucleophilic substitution and the co-discovery of the aldol reaction. He was also a pioneer in promoting education for women, founding the School of Medicine for Women in Saint Petersburg in 1872.

Despite his scientific career, Borodin's passion for music was evident from a young age, and he played the piano, flute, and cello. He began composing music as a schoolboy and continued throughout his life, viewing it as a leisure activity. His acquaintance with Mily Balakirev in 1862 led him to join "The Five," alongside composers like Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov and Modest Mussorgsky. Balakirev's influence was significant in Borodin's development as a composer.

Borodin's musical style is characterized by its lyrical quality, rhythmic innovation, and use of orchestral color. His compositions often reflect the character of Russian folk melodies and employ harmonies that were unconventional in Western European music. Despite the demands of his scientific work and health issues in the 1880s, Borodin's contributions to Russian music remain highly regarded. He died suddenly at a ball in 1887, leaving behind a legacy that places him among the foremost Russian composers of his time.