Eugene Onegin

Image: Anna Netrebko and Mariusz Kwiecien, photo by Lee Broomfield 

A phenomenal opera star, Netrebko has it all: voice, musicality, looks and acting ability. In one of the interviews that add to the interest of the Met opera films, it was revealed that this is the first time she has undertaken the role of Tatiana because it is only now that she feels ready to do so.

The question inevitably arises as to whether she is able to make a convincing 16year-old in unforgiving cinematic close-up. While it is true that she looks and sounds like a very mature adolescent, Netrebko is without doubt the most compelling member of an extremely impressive cast. Her portrayal of Tatiana as a dreamy, self-conscious romantic was very finely nuanced. Whether registering the bewildered shock of falling in love with a man she immediately felt destined to be her soul mate, or enduring the agonies and ecstasies of writing a love letter and waiting for a response, or the embarrassment of being the centre of attention on her name day – all were astonishingly convincing. Her transformation into the dignified wife of Prince Gremin was flawless. Netrebko’s ease of production is remarkable. Her rich, creamy voice just flowed seamlessly, without any hint of strain or wobble. The Russian style of singing can sometimes be over-blown and subject to a tremolo, but Netrebko has none of this.

As Onegin, Marius Kwiecien made a very plausible cad. Vocally strong, his interpretation of a bored aristocrat patronizing Tatiana and abusing Lenski, which of course leads to a fatal duel, reflected a confidence born of considerable experience in this role. Although he said in his interview that in this production he depicts Onegin as being slightly warmer and less arrogant, there is still plenty to find objectionable within his characterisation. Even his remorse at having provoked his friend and his eventual regret at having lost Tatiana strike one as ultimately selfish.

Other notable singers were Piotr Beczala as a proud and ardent Lensky and Larissa Diadkova as Filippyevna, Tatiana’s nurse. With an unusually powerful and resonant lower register, Oksana Volkova made a vivacious Olga and is sufficiently young and attractive to be a believable sister to Netrebko’s Tatiana. Although Alexei Tanovitski sounded a little unsteady at times, especially towards the beginning of his big aria, his Prince Gremin was suitably warm and imposing.

Valery Gergiev also conducted the Met’s 2007 production of Eugene Onegin with Renée Fleming as Tatiana. This time round a different cast of mainly Russian speakers has been chosen, several of whom he has worked with over many years – twenty, in the case of Netrebko. He brings to this reading of Tchaikovsky’s score a deep understanding and love of both the music and Pushkin, whose novel in poetic form he was compelled to memorise as a student. The Met orchestra responded superbly to every characteristic finger twiddle, bringing to vivid life the romantic passion and drama of the score.

The set design for this production is very different from the 2007 version, which was extremely pared back. This time naturalism won over minimalism with quite complicated, very beautiful sets for most of the first two acts. The duel scene was appropriately stark and the St Petersburg scenes featured gigantic columns and little else. This came as a surprise given the detail of the earlier scenes. Perhaps it was simply to mark the change of tone as things went badly wrong.

Under Fiona Shaw’s direction, Deborah Warner’s production was generally very effective, but it is irksome to see the staged image contradict the text. There were several instances of this. Furthermore, the choreography for the peasant dance sequence in Act 1 was repetitive, awkward and not nearly as appropriate as it had been for the 2007 production.

Despite these reservations, it would be hard to find a better version of this opera. There are so many outstanding features, particularly in the form of the three principal singers and the conductor, that it would have to be a highlight of not just this season at the Met, but of many seasons. Highly recommended.