Sharmini Brookes: Lithuanian soprano Asmik Grigorian sings her heart out as the infatuated adolescent spurned by Onegin.

This was my first viewing of the Tchaikovsky opera, Eugene Onegin, and I wasn’t sure what to expect. It is Tchaikovsky’s favourite score based on Pushkin’s verse novel of a Byronic anti-hero as a bored Russian aristocrat caught between convention and ennui and it certainly displays his wonderful lyricism which Grigorian says is easier to sing than some of her other roles, but no less moving or beautiful.

It centres around the young aristocrat, Eugene Onegin (Ukrainian baritone Iurri Samoilov} who makes his debut in this role and Tatiana Larina, the passionate adolescent daughter of lowly country gentry.

As a rich aristocrat with no worldly concerns Onegin looks for excitement and revels in his detachment from everyday concerns. It is sad that he comes into Tatiana’s life as she is awakening to adolescent desires spurred on by her passion for novels – rather like many of us who read the Brontes – and falls passionately in love with Onegin on first meeting, pouring her heart out in a love letter. Onegin rejects her innocent passion somewhat harshly, stating that he does not want to be tied down by committments and that she must learn not to show her affections too obviously or others, not as gentlemanly as himself, may take advantage.

Tatiana’s sister, Olga (Russian mezzo-soprano Maria Barakova) is more confident and has already secured the attentions of the poet, Onegin’s friend, Lenski (French tenor, Stanislac de Barbeyrac).

The Larina’s are country farmers and Madame Larina is the widow who manages the small estate with her two daughters and a host of peasant workers. In honour of Tatiana’s Name Day, the peasant workers put on a show for her at the country house ball to which Lenski and a reluctant Onegin make an appearance. Bored by the ‘small town’ event, Onegin flirts with Olga, to the dismay of both Tatiana, who still loves him, and Lenski who feels betrayed. Angered by their flirtations, Lenski challenges Onegin to a duel, where he is shot to death, and Onegin flees abroad to safety.

In the final act, Onegin arrives in the aristocratic capital, St. Petersburg and attends a ball there, only to discover that the beautiful and sophisticated wife of Prince Gremin (Ukrainian bass-baritone, Alexander Tsymbalyuk) is none other than the young Tatiana he had long-ago spurned. Tatiana still feels the old passion she had for him, but has committed herself to her husband who loves her and she feels secure in their relationship, so she now spurns the detached and lonely Onegin whose life looks rather bleak and empty after gallivanting around the globe.

Musical highlights are Tatiana’s Love Letter scene in the first act, Lenski’s farewell to his life before the duel in Act 2 and Onegin’s contemplation of the pointlessness of his life in Act 3. However, my companions and I were rather moved by the handsome Prince Gremin and his singing, which we all thought was wonderful and better than the other two male leads.

It’s an enjoyable opera with some lovely homely scenes on the country estate that evoke the Russian rural landscape beautifully and doesn’t feel overly long.

Eugene Onegin is on at Ster-Kinekor Cinema Nouveau on 17 and 19 May. It is 4h long with a 20 min interval.

Sharmini Brookes
brookes.sharmini85@gmail.com
078 477 6938
Freelance

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