# Eugene Onegin from the Royal Opera House



## cwarchc (Apr 28, 2012)

The BBC showed this on BBC4 last night
Here's the link (if you can view it in your geographical area ?)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/i/b01rtf6t/

I'm very green when it comes to opera, but thought it was very entertaining
kept me watching for over 2 hours


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## MagneticGhost (Apr 7, 2013)

Eugene Onegin is a fine piece of work. Looking forward to
watching this interpretation later in the week. I read that it was heavily criticised for
It's use of flashbacks on it's theatre run. Should work well on the box though.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

I've seen it on YouTube and I thought it was really excellent, flashbacks and all. It's not at the cinemas here but I will definitely get the DVD.


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## guythegreg (Jun 15, 2012)

I really loved the first half. I thought it kind of lost focus toward the end - having Prince Gremin on stage while the two sing their last did not seem an inspired touch - but Holten got a lot more emotion out of it that I was expecting. I thought the communication between the different generations - Tatiana comforting her younger self and especially the young Onegin handing the pistol to his older self - was really remarkably effective. And Pavol Breslik, when Montague's Mme. Larina came to him saying, "In my house!" - I never expected him to get that much out of his response. Really great.

Stoyanova and Keenlyside are both remarkable actors, which helped. 

It was a nice touch having the words of the letter go all watery as Onegin's lecture proceeds, and Tatiana's hope fails. If the Met wants to do better with their new production in the fall, they've got their work cut out for them!


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> I've seen it on YouTube and I thought it was really excellent, flashbacks and all. It's not at the cinemas here but I will definitely get the DVD.





guythegreg said:


> I really loved the first half. I thought it kind of lost focus toward the end - having Prince Gremin on stage while the two sing their last did not seem an inspired touch - but Holten got a lot more emotion out of it that I was expecting. I thought the communication between the different generations - Tatiana comforting her younger self and especially the young Onegin handing the pistol to his older self - was really remarkably effective. And Pavol Breslik, when Montague's Mme. Larina came to him saying, "In my house!" - I never expected him to get that much out of his response. Really great.
> 
> Stoyanova and Keenlyside are both remarkable actors, which helped.
> 
> It was a nice touch having the words of the letter go all watery as Onegin's lecture proceeds, and Tatiana's hope fails. If the Met wants to do better with their new production in the fall, they've got their work cut out for them!


I've found both of your views on this really interesting as I saw it in the house.

When I first saw it, at the final dress rehearsal, I didn't really like it. It was too 'fussy' & I found seeing two Onegins & two Tatianas all rather confusing.

Then I spent a whole week thinking about it & thinking what Kasper Holten had tried to do & found myself coming round to it. I didn't understand why all the detritus had been left on the stage but I do now and also I understand the significance of the bough. When I saw a performance proper I really loved it. I loved how the young Onegin tried to stop the older Onegin from shooting his friend. That was heartbreaking.

I watched it on TV & enjoyed it all over again.


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## Gizmo (Mar 28, 2013)

I saw this at the cinema Sunday. This was the first time I have seen Eugene Onegin. I read a number of reviews ahead of time and went with an open mind. The concept of flashbacks worked most of the time. The young Tatiana climbing up to to the top shelf of the bookcase and sitting there until the end of the act, I found a little odd. I thought the dead body lying there until the end was too much. Now for the tree limb, what was that all about ? I didn't get it. 

The letter scene and the dual was unique and well done. Overall I did enjoy it and loved the music, vocals and acting.


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## Aksel (Dec 3, 2010)

Gizmo said:


> I saw this at the cinema Sunday. This was the first time I have seen Eugene Onegin. I read a number of reviews ahead of time and went with an open mind. The concept of flashbacks worked most of the time. The young Tatiana climbing up to to the top shelf of the bookcase and sitting there until the end of the act, I found a little odd. I thought the dead body lying there until the end was too much. Now for the tree limb, what was that all about ? I didn't get it.


I have admittedly not seen the cinema broadcast (although I saw it in-house at the night of the taping), but from what I understood, the young Tatyana climbing on top of the bookcase was one of the most striking images of the whole production. I think the you Tatyana does what the old Tatyana wants to do (ie. go be by herself, not at the party).
The cut-off tree trunk is a very common symbol for young lives cut short. It's common to find it at gravestones.

And Lensky lying there until the end was THE BEST PART. Often productions can brush over the death of Lensky rather quickly, as it happens mid-opera, but by having him there all the time, we're continually reminded that Onegin did, in fact, murder his best friend.


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## guythegreg (Jun 15, 2012)

sospiro said:


> I didn't understand why all the detritus had been left on the stage but I do now and also I understand the significance of the bough.


Well, if you understand the bough, maybe you can explain it to me - I thought it was a fairly weak attempt to pretend they were outside!

The detritus, though - I thought Holten missed a trick there. Lensky's body, I thought, should have joined a number of other bodies that suddenly appear after the shot. Gremin, I'm sure, shot a few duels of his own, after all! There are bodies under the floor for all and to spare.

BTW - I thought when you got your pic taken with Holten you told me (or implied) he was some minor functionary! He's a brilliant director! yeesh.


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## guythegreg (Jun 15, 2012)

Aksel said:


> but from what I understood, the young Tatyana climbing on top of the bookcase was one of the most striking images of the whole production. I think the you Tatyana does what the old Tatyana wants to do (ie. go be by herself, not at the party).


I was wondering what that was all about! I thought it kind of screwed up the lack of connectedness that was supposed to exist between scenes - it was intended as lyrical scenes that weren't close in time, right? but that's a good explanation.



> The cut-off tree trunk is a very common symbol for young lives cut short. It's common to find it at gravestones.


I was wondering what that was all about!



> And Lensky lying there until the end was THE BEST PART. Often productions can brush over the death of Lensky rather quickly, as it happens mid-opera, but by having him there all the time, we're continually reminded that Onegin did, in fact, murder his best friend.


Well said.


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## Aksel (Dec 3, 2010)

guythegreg said:


> I was wondering what that was all about! I thought it kind of screwed up the lack of connectedness that was supposed to exist between scenes - it was intended as lyrical scenes that weren't close in time, right? but that's a good explanation.


I don't quite remember, but wasn't the intermission just before the duel, right in the middle of the 2nd act? Because the first and second acts are not that far apart time-wise. A couple days, max.



> I was wondering what that was all about!


I was too when I saw it, but then the Twitter enlightened me. It was a nice touch.


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

sospiro said:


> I didn't understand why all the detritus had been left on the stage but I do now ...





guythegreg said:


> The detritus, though - I thought Holten missed a trick there ...


It was their lives. Whatever you do in life you can't make things un-happen.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

sospiro said:


> It was their lives. Whatever you do in life you can't make things un-happen.


Aaargh, too true.


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## guythegreg (Jun 15, 2012)

mamascarlatti said:


> Aaargh, too true.


I was going to say that! :lol: We need a rewind button - and a pause - and the wisdom to know when to use them.


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