Tchaikovsky, Peter

Eugene Onegin (Lloyd-Jones English version) (1877-78)

Duration: 150 minutes
Lyrical Scenes in three acts (seven scenes)

Libretto by the composer after Alexander Pushkin; English version by David Lloyd-Jones (R,E)

Scoring
S,2M,A,2T,Bar,3B,mime; chorus; 2(II=picc).2.2.2-4.2.3.0-timp-harp-strings.
Abbreviations (PDF).

Territory
This work is available from Boosey & Hawkes for the world.

Roles

MADAME LARINA, estate owner	Mezzo Soprano
TATYANA and OLGA, her daughters	Soprano, Contralto
FILIPPEVNA, nurse	Mezzo Soprano
EUGENE ONEGIN	Baritone
LENSKY	Tenor
PRINCE GREMIN	Bass
A CAPTAIN	Bass
ZARETSKY	Bass
MONSIEUR TRIQUET, a Frenchman	Tenor
GUILLOT	silent role
Peasants, fruit-pickers (female), guests at ball

Time and Place
1820s, at a country estate and in St Petersburg

Synopsis
On the Larin family's country estate, people are merrily dancing and celebrating the harvest. Their fun is disturbed only by their concern for the daughter Tatyana who, unlike her rather foolhardy sister Olga, has a tendency towards melancholy. She becomes even more upset when she discovers that she has feelings for Onegin, who accompanies Lensky, Olga's fiancé, on a visit to the Larin estate. Onegin, however, has no intention whatsoever of embarking upon a liaison with a woman. He does not even seem to enjoy dancing with Tatyana when he returns to the estate on the occasion of her name-day. Instead, he decides to play a trick on his old friend Lensky by flirting with Olga. As a matter of course, this results in a duel between the two friends, during which Onegin strikes his friend a mortal blow. – Years later, Tatyana, who is now happily married to Prince Gremin, and Onegin meet again at a ball in the Prince's palace. Their feelings for each other are awakened…

Moods
Poetic, Tragic

Subjects
Relationships, Society

Recommended Recording
Thomas Hampson/Dame Kiri Te Kanawa/Welsh National Opera Chorus/Welsh National Opera Orchestra/Sir Charles Mackerras
Chandos CHAN3042
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Items on Sale

Eugene Onegin Op24 (revised)

(Vocal Score) (English)

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