{"id":56039,"date":"2018-10-01T08:22:38","date_gmt":"2018-10-01T12:22:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/?p=56039"},"modified":"2018-10-01T10:37:49","modified_gmt":"2018-10-01T14:37:49","slug":"scrutiny-cocs-bare-bones-eugene-onegin-makes-no-appologies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2018\/10\/01\/scrutiny-cocs-bare-bones-eugene-onegin-makes-no-appologies\/","title":{"rendered":"SCRUTINY | COC\u2019s Bare Bones Eugene Onegin Makes No Apologies"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Canadian
COC\u2019s Eugene Onegin may be sparse, but its minimalism only serves to clear the way for a powerful wallop. (Photo: Michael Cooper)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Eugene Onegin \/ Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky<\/strong><\/p>\n

Canadian Opera Company: Gordon Bintner (Onegin), Joyce El-Khoury (Tatiana), Joseph Kaiser (Lensky), Varduhi Abrahamyan (Olga), Oleg Tsibulko (Prince Gremin), Christophe Mortagne (Monsieur Triquet), Helene Schneiderman (Madame Larina), Margaret Lattimore (Filipevna). Peter McClintock, Revival Director, Robert Carsen, Original Director, Johannes Debus, Conductor. COC Orchestra and Chorus. September 30 at the Four Seasons Centre.\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Eugene Onegin<\/em> is Tchaikovsky\u2019s most popular opera. According to worldwide performance statistics from the 2017-18 season, it ranks 15th in popularity out of a total of 2,713 operas.\u00a0 It received a total of 1,568 performances in 364 productions, beating out such perennial warhorses as Turandot<\/em> (1,347), Lucia di Lammermoor<\/em> (1,000), I Pagliacci<\/em> (983) and Otello<\/em> (970).<\/p>\n

Based on one of Aleksander Pushkin\u2019s best-known works, Eugene Onegin<\/em> the opera amply demonstrates Tchaikovsky\u2019s creative genius, with a felicitous combination of sure-fire theatricality and uncommon melodic inspiration. And when a performance can boast a great cast, striking directorial vision with deft staging, and a maestro leading a superb orchestra with a knowing hand, it\u2019s an unalloyed pleasure.<\/p>\n

The stars were aligned this afternoon in the Canadian Opera Company\u2019s season opener. This Robert Carsen\/Michael Levine production originated from the Met, where it premiered in 1997. \u00a0The New York audience, with their penchant for lavish sets and general opulence, found the minimalist approach too austere. At the premiere, singers were cheered but the creative team was met with a mixture of cheers and boos, par for the course in German houses, but rare on this side of the pond.<\/p>\n

\"Eugene
Joyce El-Khoury as Tatyana and Gordon Bintner as Eugene Onegin (Photo: Michael Cooper)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Met premiered a new Onegin in 2013, directed by Deborah Warner. I don\u2019t think I am alone in feeling that it\u2019s less compelling than the Carsen production it replaced. None other than the New York Times\u2019s senior critic Anthony Tommasini called the Warner production \u201cmuddled\u201d and \u201ctentative.\u201d But the Met\u2019s loss is COC\u2019s gain, as the Carsen production was bought by the Company. It\u2019s now seen at the FSC for the first time. Having revisited it this afternoon for the first time in over a dozen years, I find it as striking as ever.<\/p>\n

The production has almost no sets to speak of, just three huge walls. Props such as tables and chairs are brought on and off by supernumeraries. The most distinctive feature is a stage floor in Act One covered with fallen leaves which, together with evocative lighting, gives it a poignant, autumnal air. A scrim, used at the beginning of several scenes, suggests flashbacks. The stripped down, deconstructionist approach has the benefit of getting rid of all the visual excesses while compelling the audience to focus on the \u201cessentials,\u201d that is the inner emotional worlds of the characters. What we ended up with is a powerful psychological treatment that packs an emotional wallop.<\/p>\n

The directorial duties fall into the hands of Peter McClintock, who has done a superb job. One is struck by the detailed and highly nuanced staging. Every character\u2019s motivations and actions are clearly delineated and logically presented. Olga\u2019s elation at the gift from Lensky turns to disappointment when it turns out to be more reams of poetry. It makes her motivation to flirt with Onegin more believable. Filippyevna is a bit of a rebel in this production. She rather resents Madame Larina, and when the mistress leaves, Filippyevna proceeds to eat the apples she was working to peel. It\u2019s little touches like these that make the characters come alive.<\/p>\n

\"Eugene
(l-r, foreground) Oleg Tsibulko as Prince Gremin and Gordon Bintner as Eugene Onegin (Photo: Michael Cooper)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Having seen more productions of Onegin than I care to count, I must say Carsen\u2019s vision for the title character ranks among the coldest. To go from having shot Lensky dead at the end of Act 2 immediately to dressing for the ball scene in Act 3 without a break makes his character particularly chilling. Bintner plays “cold” so well that it’s downright scary. I have seen productions where Onegin breaks down sobbing and embracing the dead Lensky, but not this one! More of an issue is the time lapse of four years that’s supposed to have happened between Acts 2 and 3, not made clear in this production without an intermission.<\/p>\n

Musically, it was a triumphant afternoon. Everyone sang well, with not a weak link. Kudos to Joyce El-Khoury for bringing Tatiana to life dramatically. Vocally the role\u2019s tessitura is quite low, but the soprano has the solid middle register to do it justice, not to mention her trademark exquisite high pianissimos, very much in evidence in the final scene. Gordon Bintner (Onegin) is the epitome of the Romantic anti-hero, singing with gorgeous, warm tone. It\u2019s a role that will serve him well into the future.<\/p>\n

Baritone-turned-tenor and former COC Ensemble artist Joseph Kaiser sang a most poetic \u201cKuda, kuda,\u201d one of the best I\u2019ve heard. Armenian mezzo Varduhi Abrahamyan, who was amazing as Polinesso two years ago, returns as a terrific Olga. Two more veteran mezzos took on supporting roles with impressive results \u2014 Helene Schneiderman as an ingratiating Madama Larina, while Margaret Lattimore was a vocally and dramatically vivid Filippyevna.<\/p>\n

Moldovan bass Oleg Tsibulko, last seen as the Emperor in Stravinsky\u2019s Nightingale and other Short Fables, was an exceptionally youthful Prince Gremin. French character tenor Christophe Mortagne was a perfect Monsieur Triquet. I would be remiss not to mention the sonorous Zaretsky of first-year COC Ensemble bass-baritone Joel Allison, or the engaging Captain of fellow baritone Samuel Chan. All in all, an exceptionally strong cast.<\/p>\n

That said, the lack of a physical set proved challenging for the singers. \u00a0The huge space created by the three walls and the lack of a ceiling mean the voices tend to dissipate rather than being propelled into the auditorium. Conductor Johannes Debus tried to hold down the orchestra, but it\u2019s not easy to do, especially when the sound coming from the pit was so thrilling.\u00a0 Kudos to Debus for being the busiest man at the COC these days, doing double duty conducting both Onegin and Hadrian. Last but not least is the excellent work of the COC Chorus, with a special nod to the women\u2019s chorus. All in all, a most auspicious season opener, and not to be missed.<\/p>\n

Eugene Onegin runs Oct. 4 \u2013 Nov. 3.\u00a0 Full details, here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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