Opera Scotland

Eugene Onegin 2014Opera Bohemia

Read more about the opera Eugene Onegin

Opera Bohemia's production of Tchaikovsky's best known opera, Eugene Onegin, opened in Edinburgh last summer, and was here revived for a further tour.  This enterprising company have brought a fresh approach to all their stagings, and this was no exception, with an intriguing update to the period of the Russian Revolution. In truth, this made little obvious difference except in the final act. The essential requirement was to present the music as effectively as possible, with minimal cuts - there were occasions when chorus interjections could be supplied by unoccupied soloists. This also applied to Zaretsky's few lines in the duel scene. The dance music is kept to a minimum, with the action tactfully off-stage in the party scene. The grand ball at the end is the main victim of the time change, relocated to (a not yet retired) General Gremin's army camp in 1921.

The youthful cast members were accompanied by piano (Geoffrey Tanti) and violin (Feargus Hetherington), except in Greenock, where the chamber orchestra used on the earlier tour returns. The performances were sung in Russian, with English surtitles - a brave decision, with slightly stiff results when the production opened. By the March performances, however, everyone seemed thoroughly ar ease with the language.

The musical performance was thoroughly consistent and satisfying. The role of Tatyana gains enormously from having a young voice with no trace of wobble or shrillness.The women were all individually characterised and their ensembles beautifully balanced. The arias for Lensky, Gremin and Triquet all had real authority. Onegin was also well characterised - arrogant and immature without being stiff - and quite beautifully sung.