Latest Stories

Reviews

Absorbing, Thrilling, Intimate, Vast

21/09/2009

The Genesis Energy Season of Eugene Onegin, Sept/Oct 2009

PUBLICATION: Theatreview website
REVIEWED BY: Kate Ward-Smythe
DATE: 21 September 2009
WHERE: Aotea Centre, opening night

A strong cast and a vigorous Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra under the flawless command of Russian conductor Alexander Polianichko, guarantee a memorable production of Tchaikovsky' s Eugene Onegin.

Base on Pushkin's 'novel in verse', director Patrick Nolan ensures his artists communicate Eugene Onegin's enduring themes of love, honour, loyalty and death, with thorough sincerity and aplomb.

William Dazeley gives a well-rounded portrayal of Onegin, a social dandy whose self-awareness and humanity evolve too late to save him from being undone by love.

Roman Shulackoff and Kristen Darragh, as Lensky and Olga, are the perfect couple. Warm and engaging during Act 1, Schlackoff then communicates great depth of emotion during Lensky's aria of regret in Act 2, leaving the audience noticeably moved. Martin Snell, who portrays Prince Gremin with full and charming resonance, is another audience favourite.

Anna Lees delivers an absorbing portrayal of Tatyana, the naive innocent who matures into a woman of grace and moral fibre. From thrilling melody in the famous 'letter scene' to aching vocal as she grapples with loyalty over love at the end of Act 3, Lees proves she has an exciting career ahead of her as a dramatic and capable principal.

Andrew Glover shines for a fabulous minute in Act 2 as Monsieur Triquet. His combination of pleasing vocal, engaging acting and comic vitality fills the venue and momentarily steals the show.

Patricia Wright as Madame Larine and Rosemary Gunn as Nurse Filipyevna are charming at the top of Act 1, as they delightfully sing of "the tranquillity of the country side", reminiscing on men and marriage, remarking on "habit as a substitute for happiness". These were simpler times.

Production Designer Genevieve Blanchett's portrayal of 19th century Russian captures the majestic yet imposing nature of the Byzantium influence, as well as the vastness of Russia's landscape. She creates a series of suitably large impressive tableaus to surround Eugene Onegin's high emotions.

While lighting designer Bernie Tan regularly chose intimacy over artistic statement, I felt his best moments were achieved when he opted for the latter. The Chorus' first appearance, gathering the harvest, is complimented with a warm wash of pastoral tones, texture and depth: simple and beautiful. Similarly, at the end of the letter scene, Tan's slow breaking of the dawn as the awakening is mirrored by the APO, delivers memorable artistic synergy. Finally, Blanchett's chilling snow for the ill-fated dual in Act 2 is suitably enhanced by Tan's cold bleak shades. The lingering smell of sulphur wafting through the audience has an affect on the senses that is the perfect end to the Act.

While I am enthusiastic about this production, there are some unusual stage directions and choreography that I feel diminishes its overall impact.

The Chorus is sometimes so far upstage, or spaced in groups so far apart from each other, and without elevation, that they are in danger of not being heard as well as they could be. Another chorus is compromised when the dusting of dishes with forced military precision causes inevitable banging and clanging. Surely chores can take a break for a minute or two, so we can hear the full magic of the chorus.

While the choreography in Act 2 by Timothy Gordon was precisely executed, the heavily stylised "Dancing With Chairs" in Act 3 is perplexing and odd. Judging from the facial expressions of some Chorus members, they felt the same way.

Finally, some of the cast's most powerful scenes feature the artists sitting down for their star moment. Tatyana's celebrated "letter scene", the confrontation between Olga and Lensky in Act 2, and Onegin's reflections on the emptiness of his life and his remorse over the death of Lensky in Act 3, are oddly, all sung from a chair.