A straight Onegin for troubled times
At the opening of the 2022 Opera Holland Park season with Eugene (Yevgeny) Onegin - (and no, I have no qualms in watching a 19th century Russian opera in the light of what 21st century Russian autocrat is currently up to).
Once again Opera Holland Park has got its act together – with a very simple but versatile set – which convinces as a Russian county house, period (broadly) costumes, and good direction (musical and stage). The Opera itself is a slow burn, building towards the crescendo of the finale, Tchaikovsky’s music very much matching Pushkin’s pace.
The principals (and particularly Anush Hovhannisyan as Tatyana and Samuel Dale Johnson as Onegin) are in fine and expressive voice and the Opera Holland Park choir both sing and dance with gusto, as well as moving the set around as necessary.
Indeed the dancing – not really period but effective, including at one stage what appeared to be the Volta – was (appropriately) exuberant.
The direction was otherwise subtle, with characters at times silent observers to what concerns them – so that Onegin ‘seems’ present when Tatyana is considering, and then writing, a passionate note to him – but this isn’t forced and appears somewhat naturalistic.
The audience (but it was a season opening first night audience) was very enthusiastic at the (under-rehearsed) curtain (the only under rehearsed element) – but I think deservedly so.