Tchaikovksky’s Eugene Onegin

Tchaikovksky’s Eugene Onegin

Tchaikovsky based his masterpiece on Pushkin’s 1833 novel in verse, which is recited to this day by Russian students who revere Pushkin as we do Shakespeare. Faithful to Pushkin’s work, he wrote the libretto with help from his friend Konstantin Shilovsky and it was first performed in 1879.

And what a dramatic opera it is! There are coincidental echoes in the story of both Pushkin’s and Tchaikovsky’s lives. Pushkin was a literary giant in his own lifetime. In his 20s (like the young Onegin) he led a reckless life in St Petersburg before seeking refuge in the country. Onegin’s friend, the poet Lenski, dies young in a duel: Pushkin also died young, at only 38, in a jealousy-induced duel.

Tatyana falls hopelessly in love with Onegin in the opera, but is rebuffed. Tchaikovsky confessed that, unlike Onegin initially, he fell in love with Tatyana himself and his music wonderfully reflects the depth of his passion and her despair. At this time, in the ‘real world’ a Conservatoire student confessed her love to Tchaikovsky who, perhaps influenced by Onegin’s romantic tragedy, married her: a disaster as the composer was gay and soon abandoned his new wife.

The lush ensemble music of Onegin is exquisite (not surprising, from a composer who was Professor of Harmony at 23); the Letter Aria is one of the most heart-rending moments in any opera and the Ball is, as you would expect of Tchaikovsky, lively, sumptuous and grand.

Tchaikovsky was a late starter (unlike Mozart and Verdi), not composing his first symphony until he was 26. He died in 1893, aged 53, having written seven symphonies, 11 operas and three ballets among other great works. He remains the most popular Russian composer of all.

Sung in English.

Image © Kushevsky ‘Onegin and Tatiana’, 2011