Grange Park Opera

The archetypal Russian romantic opera

Sketched out by Tchaikovsky in the course of a single sleepless night, Eugene Onegin bursts with passionate arias, soaring melodies, rousing choruses.

On a country estate, a young girl falls in love with a handsome stranger. He rejects her, realising his mistake years later, when she has married into the aristocracy.

Australian soprano Lauren Fagan makes a much-anticipated Grange Park debut, joining baritone David Stout’s tortured hero in Stephen Medcalf’s stylish production set against the backdrop of Imperial Russia.

Synopsis

Act 1

On the country estate of the widowed Madam Larina, they celebrate the harvest. Madam Larina’s daughter Olga teases her older sister Tatyana for avoiding the fun; she prefers romantic novels. Olga’s fiancé, the poet Lensky, arrives with his friend Eugene Onegin. Onegin asks Tatyana how she tolerates the boredom of country life. Unnerved by his good looks and elegance, she struggles to answer.

In her bedroom, Tatyana persuades her nurse Filipyevna to speak about her own marriage. Tatyana admits she is in love. Alone, she sits up all night writing a passionate letter to Onegin. At dawn she gives the letter to Filipyevna to deliver. In the garden. Tatyana and Onegin have a difficult conversation. He has received the letter and his response is measured. He admits he was touched by her letter, but predicts that he would quickly tire of her and can, therefore, only offer friendship.
He leaves with words of advice: that she take better control of her emotions.

Act 2: Some time later

It is Tatyana’s name day and a party is underway. Onegin dances with her but is bored by the guests’ provincial ways. Annoyed with Lensky for having dragged him there, Onegin dances with Olga whose head is turned by his charm. Monsieur Triquet serenades Tatyana with a song he has written for her. The dancing resumes and Lensky erupts in jealousy and quarrels with Onegin for flirting with Olga. Larina begs them to calm down, but Lensky cannot curb his rage. Onegin accepts his challenge to a duel.

Lensky waits for Onegin at the appointed spot. He reflects on the folly of his life and imagines Olga visiting his grave. Onegin finally arrives, and they agree that the duel is pointless. They would prefer to laugh together than to fight, but honour must be satisfied. Onegin kills Lensky.

Interval

Act 3: A few years later; a ball at the Gremin Palace, St Petersburg

Onegin has wandered the world seeking meaning to his life. He has found nothing and is back where he began, socialising. He sees Tatyana, bearing herself with great dignity – no longer the country girl – and the elderly Prince Gremin introduces her as his wife. Onegin is in love with her.

Tatyana receives an impassioned letter from Onegin. He rushes in and falls at her feet. With poise, she asks if it is her status that makes her attractive now. The days when they might have been happy have passed. Onegin reiterates his love. Faltering for a moment, Tatyana admits that she still loves him, but she will not leave her husband and ruin her life.

Onegin is alone, regretting his foolish past and an empty future.

Cast & Creatives

MADAME LARINA, owner of a rural estate ∙ OLIVIA RAY
FILIPYEVNA, the housekeeper ∙ SARAH PRING
TATYANA, Larina’s older daughter ∙ LAUREN FAGAN
OLGA, her sister ∙ KATIE BRAY
LENSKY, Olga’s fiancé ∙ LIAM BONTHRONE
EUGENE ONEGIN, his friend from St. Petersburg ∙ DAVID STOUT
PRINCE GREMIN ∙ JULIAN CLOSE
MONSIEUR TRIQUET ∙ JEFFREY LLOYD ROBERTS

CONDUCTOR ∙ MARK SHANAHAN
DIRECTOR ∙ STEPHEN MEDCALF
DESIGNER ∙ FRANCIS O’CONNOR
LIGHTING DESIGNER ∙ TIM MITCHELL
MOVEMENT ∙ LYNNE HOCKNEY