What a wonderful, wonderful operatic masterpiece. Everything was perfect, the costumes, music, performances everything. Based on Pushkin's verse novel, Eugene Onegin pretty much tells the story of Onegin, who finds himself the subject of infatuation by the beautiful Tatiana, and doesn't realise his true love for her until years later, by then his friend Lensky, has been killed in a duel. Now the costumes were exquisite, and so were the sets. Another element worth of note, you've got it, has to be the music, for it is Tchaikovsky's gorgeous music that makes this such a pleasure to watch. I have always loved his symphonies, ballet scores and The Romeo and Juliet fantasy overture, but here Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin so deserves to be up there with his best works- from the delightful letter scene, the heart rending Lensky's aria(definitely in the top 10 of the saddest operatic arias), to the gorgeous Gremin's Act 3 aria, not to mention the waltz and polonaise. George Solti never disappoints when he conducts, and boy he doesn't disappoint here, he is one of the best 20th century conductors along with Stokowski and Karajan. As for the performances, superb is the appropriate word. Stuart Burrows is a wonderful Lensky, and his performance of Lensky's aria is bound to bring tears, and Nicolai Ghiaurov was born for the role of Gremin. Bernd Weikl and Teresa Kubjak are superb as the voices of Onegin and Tatiana(with Magda Vasaryova delightful as her acting double). All in all, flawless. 10/10 Bethany Cox
2 Reviews
Music and movie: A masterpiece!
buckmann-15 December 2007
Warning: Spoilers
Music and movie: A masterpiece!
The Opera itself is a fantastic masterpiece of romantic music. The tragic contend of Pushkin's novel, with his own premonitory dead described in the duel scene, is also great and well interpreted. Sir George Solti conducts the Royal Opera House, the John Aldis Choir and the high qualified cast of singers in best performance. The same also did Petr Weigl with the "double" actors. The plot, the dynamic story line, the marvelous music, the superb acting and the voices, made this opera/movie very enjoyable and certainly not boring for non-initiates. Undoubtly one of the best pieces in this genre. 10/10
The Opera itself is a fantastic masterpiece of romantic music. The tragic contend of Pushkin's novel, with his own premonitory dead described in the duel scene, is also great and well interpreted. Sir George Solti conducts the Royal Opera House, the John Aldis Choir and the high qualified cast of singers in best performance. The same also did Petr Weigl with the "double" actors. The plot, the dynamic story line, the marvelous music, the superb acting and the voices, made this opera/movie very enjoyable and certainly not boring for non-initiates. Undoubtly one of the best pieces in this genre. 10/10
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