TCHAIKOVSKY: EUGENE ONEGIN

Opera cross-section with piano accompaniment presented by Opera Compania formed by members of the Hungarian State Opera

Onegin: Lőrinc Kósa
Tatiana: Nikoletta Bolya-Pap
Lensky: Illés Rácz
Olga: Judit Anna Dévényi
Gremin: László Jekl

Piano accompaniment: Mariann Holló

Directed by: Orsolya Magyar

“I’m writing to you, ...and then what?
What else can I say?
I know that it’s in your power
to punish me with your contempt!
But if you have at least one grain of pity
for my unhappy lot,
you will not abandon me.”

Pushkin: Eugene Onegin

Many people find the genre of the opera distant and difficult to receive. Opera Compania's young team would like to prove that this genre can get close to people, reflect on our daily lives, it can be modern, and at the same time enchant us with the combination of classical music and acting.

What is the opera for us? "Play and Music". We extend our invititation to one of the romantic gems of opera literature, Eugene Onegin. Tchaikovsky considered his work much more lyrical than drama, so his wish was to have the first performance at the Moscow Academy of Music, presented by students. He didn't want conventional artists of the Grand Theater to perform Eugene Onegin, thus losing the intimacy of the piece and its true message on the big stage.

Our performance is based on intimacy, as we play in the middle of a room surrounded by the audience, so the singers play the roles of Onegin, Tatiana, Lensky, Olga and Gremin within reach of the audience. The piece is performed without choral scenes, focusing on the protagonists, to focus on the main message of the piece, unrequited love.

How does the young Tatiana, living in the countryside, not yet experienced in love, get to the point where she writes a love letter to the idol of upper class women, Onegin? What deep is the love of Lensky that he even faces death when he calls his good friend to duel because of his jealousy towards his fiancée Olga? How strong is Tatiana's marriage oath when years later her love, Onegin ask her on his knees to leave her husband and love him and she says no?

Among other things, we are looking for answers to these questions through this fascinating, captivating and ingeniously composed opera by Tchaikovsky.

Orsolya Magyar

Tickets: 1500 Ft, Student tickets: 750 Ft