BY LUCY RASH
Opera Australia
Directed by Kasper Holten and conducted by Guillaume Tourniaire
Eugene Onegin by Tchaikovsky
State Theatre, Arts Centre Melbourne, April 16 2014
Opera is about spectacle. But even more so, it’s about transformation. A story is adopted –quite often from folklore or literature – then nurtured and crafted into a new medium, for a live audience.
With Eugene Onegin, Tchaikovsky has done this to great effect. Themes of memory, reality, and despair inherent in Alexander Pushkin’s 1833 verse novel of the same name are expanded, explored, and nestled within a beautifully orchestrated score. It’s a transformation that is affecting, if not exceptionally moving.
In this joint venture between Opera Australia (OA) and the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Director Kasper Holten adds many ingenious layers to an already consuming plot. When shy, country-born Tatyana (Nicole Car) meets dishy Eugene Onegin (Paulo Szot), she falls deeply in love and pens a letter erupting with her passion and longing for him. However, their union is not to be, for Onegin simply dismisses Tatyana’s ‘childish’ proclamation. Such tales of unrequited love are woven through many operatic narratives, but the creativity with which Holten portrays it here is nothing short of spectacular.
We get to know the characters through their experience of two very distinct ‘worlds’: an inner world – that which exists inside our characters’ minds – and an outer world, where physical reality exists. The two are differentiated by particularly clever staging. Mia Stensgaard’s set is traditional and life-like, detailing the 19th Century Russian country house in which Tatyana, her younger sister Olga (Sian Pendry), and their mother Madame Larina (Dominica Matthews) live. Tatyana spends most of her time alone and to the fore of the stage, wilfully consumed by her beloved books. That is, until Onegin comes to visit. He quite literally steps from the outer world – that which lies to the rear of the stage and beyond the physical boundaries of the house – into the inner world. All doors, windows, and blinds about the house click shut, the sprawling countryside no longer visible to the audience. From this point onwards, Tatyana’s mind is dogged by Onegin’s presence.
Holten’s direction is clear: Tatyana’s and Onegin’s tumultuous inner worlds are shaped by their memory and experience of each other. The decision has been made to double the leads with two young dancers (Emily Ranford and Sam Colbey) who appear at central points throughout the production. Eerily, the older Tatyana and Onegin are often observers of their younger, unfledged selves: it’s an incredibly creative evocation of the vastly complex, multi-layered identities of each character. As the production moves on, memories begin to collect – quite literally – to the fore of the stage: defaced books, a chair broken during a fight, even the body of Lensky, Onegin’s (once) dear friend. The symbolism is obvious, but doesn’t feel tokenistic.
I’ll admit this production is quite the rollercoaster ride, but certainly one that has been engineered to perfection. To top it all off, there’s some singing going on, too. Paulo Szot gives a tremendous performance, his hearty baritone a good match for the strength of Onegin’s character. It’s clear he is a proficient actor; acting so well, in fact, that he runs (slightly) out of puff in the closing scenes. Yet, although we know Onegin owns the title of the production, it is clear that Tatyana – or, more accurately, Car – owns the production itself.
Nicole Car’s performance is sublime. Her Tatyana is elegant, thoughtful, convincing, and never overdone. The audience connects with her at all stages: from youthful, loved-up innocence right through to her selfless maturity as a married woman. It’s a tough gig, not least due to the emotional palette demanded by the role. No biggie: Car tackles the task with grace and finesse, and her vocal skill is stunning. The sound is rich and effortless at all points in her range and, as one punter next to me whispered, “always seems linked to Tatyana”. At the curtain call, a standing ovation. Car alone is reason to book a ticket.
James Egglestone puts in a gorgeous performance as the ill-fated poet Lensky, and Sian Pendry – who at present is also performing the role of Maddalene in OA’s Rigoletto – convinces as Tatyana’s naive younger sister Olga. Tatyana’s nurse Jacqueline Dark has a strong onstage presence, as does Dominica Matthews as the girls’ mother and, of course, Daniel Sumegi as Prince Gremin, the man to which Tatyana is eventually married. His soul-stirring bass is so divine that it seems the audience near marries him as well.
Like any production, however, the performance isn’t without its weaker points. Cues from conductor Guillaume Tourniaire seem unclear at times, and singing is occasionally obscured by overbearing orchestral accompaniment. The interpretation of the score is lively and colourful nonetheless: both conductor and orchestra deliver a solid musical offering.
OA’s Onegin is a gorgeous production. I am not convinced it would be the same without Car, the star that she is, but the important thing is that she’s here – and performing beautifully. Experience it while you can.
Image credit: Jeff Busby.
