RUSSIA: Moscow's Bolshoi Theatre opens season with new version of Tchaikovsky opera classic, Yevgeny Onegin

The Bolshoi Theatre, Moscow's premier opera and ballet theatre, opened its 231st season on Friday (September 1) with a new production of Pyotr Tchaikovsky's 19th century opera, 'Yevgeny Onegin.' Directed by, Dmitry Chernyakov, a winner of Russia's highest theatre honour, the Golden Mask, Yevgeny (Eugene) Onegin is based on a long poem by Alexander Pushkin. Published in 1833, Yevgeny Onegin is one of the greatest classics of Russian literature. Chernyakov's version of the opera wrapped up in stark set, and is a marked step away from the pretty and elegant classical adaption of 'Yevgeny Onegin'. "We have not really changed much; on the contrary, we have gone back to the original version, the time when the first adaptation was written and was first staged. And it is known that Tchaikovsky gave his opera to the Imperial Theatres, more than 10 years after he wrote it. And he regretted that it was changed and was a little bit different from his original version, and this (rearranged) version is known by the public," said the young director. Chernyakov is known for his reinterpretations of classic operas, and his past credits include the 'The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh' and 'Maiden Fevronia'', which premiered at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg in 2000. Tchaikovsky premiered Yevgeny Onegin in Moscow in 1879, and the opera entered the Bolshoi Theatre repertoire in 1881. Since then it has been one of the Bolshoi's most popular, with 2,252 performances. Boris Pokrovsky's 1944 classical version reigned at the Bolshoi until Friday. Nevertheless, officials said they will not mothball it, but rather will keep both the classical and contemporary versions in the repertoire since they will appeal to different audiences. The story is a classical Russian tale of friendship, betrayal, jealousy, violence, unrequited love, feminine pride and loyalty. The story begins when Yevgeny Onegin, a Russian dandy bored with life, inherits a mansion in the country from his uncle. There he develops a friendship with a poet, Vladimir Lensky, who one day invites Onegin to dine with the family of his fiancé, Olga Larina. There Onegin meets Tatyana, Olga's bookish and awkward younger sister. She falls in love with Onegin at first sight, and that very night she writes him a letter expressing her love. While this is something a heroine in the French novels which Tatyana reads would have done, such initiative was inappropriate for an unmarried and well-bred girl in Russia at the time. Onegin does not reply to Tatyana's letter, and when they next see each other, he rejects her advances in a polite but rather blunt speech. Soon after, during a party at the Larin family house, Lensky goes into a jealous rage over Onegin's flirting with Olga, and challenges him to a duel. The next morning, Onegin kills him, then flees. Some years later, Tanya leaves for St. Petersburg, and after developing into quite an astonishing woman she eventually marries into high society. Her husband is many years her senior, and a hero from the War of 1812 against Napoleon. When Onegin returns to St Petersburg from his travels abroad, he fails to recognise Tatyana. When he does, he tries to win her affection even though he is well aware that she is married. Onegin writes her a letter and receives no reply. He eventually manages to see Tatyana and expresses his love for her. But alhtough she still admits she has feelings for him, she says that her vows to her husband will not be broken and asks Onegin never to appear before her again. In the current production, Alexander Vedernikov, musical director of Bolshoi Theatre, directs the orchestra. He believes the production has a high emotional edge. "I think here the director has managed to touch the emotional chords of today's opera goers. If someone wipes a tear away, it means (for us) that we made a good job (of staging the new version of opera)," said Vedernikov. Ekaterina Shcherbachenko, a young Moscow soprano, plays the role of Tatyana. "Of course this is a new 'Tatyana', but for me it is the first 'Tatyana' and in a way it was a blank sheet with the director filling in," Shcherbachenko told reporters. Mariusz Kwiecien, the young Polish baritone who has already graced the stages at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City and Covent Garden in London, sings the role of Yevgeny Onegin. "I really like this production (of the opera); it is very strong and very Russian; and it is what I have always wanted to see in Russian music and opera productions," she said. The Bolshoi was founded in 1776 by Prince Peter Urusov and Michael Maddox, who organized performances in a private residence which had its own theatre. In 1780 the theatre acquired its first building, but the current building was opened in 1825 for performances of Russian works only. Starting in 1840, foreign works entered the repertoire. While the theatre's original stage will probably remain closed until 2009 for a complete modernization, performances are held in the adjacent New Bolshoi theatre which was built several years ago.

ITN Source | September 4, 2006

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