Eugene Onegin

Synopsis

Based on Pushkin's masterpiece of Russian literature, Tchaikovsky's great opera tells of the fated love between the innocent Tatyana and the world-weary cynic Eugene Onegin. The opera includes the famous ?letter scene', a tour-de-force of the soprano repertoire, in which Tatyana dramatically and magnificently declares her true love for Onegin, a love that is tragically rejected. The ensuing maelstrom of emotions ends in duel between Onegin and his best friend, the poet, Lensky, which leaves Lensky dead and Onegin devastated. Years later, at the St Petersburg Ball, Onegin meets Tatyana again and realises his mistake, but now the married Tatyana is unable to accept his love.

Our Review:

Anne Morley-Priestman - 11 April 2012

English Touring Opera has re-cast the James Conway production of Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin for this year; Joanna Parker’s set – which both literally reflects the action and keeps us (the audience) firmly as lookers-in – continues to both enthral and distract. The David Lloyd-Jones translation is used, in conjunction with surtitles. Surely these should not be necessary for an English-language production?

Overall, it’s not the most sympathetic of stagings. Sarah-Jane Davies is a statuesque Tatiana, though she deserves her applause after the letter scene. I found it difficult to warm to Nicholas Lester in the title role, though he gave an object lesson in enunciation to some of the cast. That vital touch of Byronic glamour as well as Slavic mood-shifts is lacking. Although Jaewoo Kim delivered Lensky’s two arias effectively, his characterisation also lacked that vital spark.

Around these three principals circulate ...

Read more of the review

Latest User Review

No reviews yet

Click here to add your review