highly effective solo contributions rescue Opera North’s misguided updating of Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin

Tchaikovsky: Eugene Onegin,Act Two, scene one – John Brancy as Eugene Onegin, Caspar Singh as Lensky & refrain – Opera North [Photo: James Glossop]

Tchaikovsky: Eugene Onegin; John Brancy, Verity Wingate, Caspar Singh, Jingwen Cai, director: Patrick Nolan, conductor: Garry Walker; Opera North at Leeds Grand Theatre
Reviewed 24 October 2026

Some very positive particular person performances notably from the three principals make for a satisfying night regardless of the manufacturing’s misguided choice to relocate the motion to Russia within the Eighties and Nineties

Administrators have a passion for relocating Japanese European operas right into a more moderen time interval coated by Soviet and Communist rule. In 2014, I caught Opera North’s manufacturing of Smetana’s The Bartered Bride [see my review] relocating it (efficiently) to 1972, however I nonetheless have sturdy reminiscences of a manufacturing of Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin which relocated the primary two acts to only earlier than the Revolution, with the third act coming after the Revolution and Act Three’s dance sequence changed by a political rally.

For the brand new manufacturing of Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin at Opera North, director Patrick Nolan (creative director of Opera Queensland) determined to set the piece within the Russia of the Eighties and Nineties in the course of the period when Communism gave technique to the Russia of the oligarchs, with a view to giving ‘a up to date power’ to the piece. Patrick Nolan’s manufacturing of Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin (a co-production with Irish Nationwide Opera and Opera Queensland) opened at Leeds Grand Theatre (seen 24 October 2026), with Garry Walker conducting. Set designs had been by Leslie Travers with costumes by Elizabeth Gadsby, lighting by Malcolm Rippeth, choreography by Maxine Braham and battle directed by Enric Orturio. Verity Wingate was Tatyana, John Brancy was Onegin, Jingwen Cai was Olga, Hannah Mason was Madame Larina, Claire Pascoe was Filipyevna, Caspar Singh was Lensky.

Tchaikovsky: Eugene Onegin Act One, scene three – John Brancy as Onegin, Verity Wingate as Tatyana – Opera North [Photo: James Glossop]

The manufacturing stretched the libretto’s time interval in order that Act One befell within the run as much as the Moscow Olympics in 1980, Act Two after Gorbachov’s reforms in 1985 and Act Three in 1991. Act One started with the group rehearsing a routine for the Olympics with the peasant dances changed by a static routine with colored boards. The setting was a run down corridor, and this shaped the setting for all three acts in order that the extra intimate scenes had been performed out right here in relative lack of privateness. Because the acts progressed, costumes obtained more and more extra elaborate and far enjoyable had clearly been had with this. The opera was sung in Russian however the surtitles had been adjusted in order that there was no disturbance to the brand new dramaturgy.

Fairly what the manufacturing was supposed to inform us in regards to the characters, I’m not certain. Tchaikovsky’s opera was premiered in 1879 and the work seems again to the Russia of the 1820s. Life on the Larina’s property is woven into Act One, and Madame Larina’s identification (and that of Filipyevna) may be very a lot certain up with it. This was a society the place class was vital, and this class factor was completely lacking from the primary two acts of the manufacturing. Add to this, the detailed motion within the opera’s first scene together with the well-known jam-making, was solely absent. As an alternative Madame Larina and Filipyevna (Hannah Mason and Claire Pascoe) messed round with quite a lot of enterprise that added nothing to our understanding, and typically merely confounded – what had been the villagers attempting to realize with their show? The letter scene befell in the identical corridor, as did the ultimate scene in order that Onegin (John Brancy) and Tatyana (Verity Wingate) met with folks watching them. For the duel scene in Act Two, it’s clear from the libretto that Onegin has introduced his valet to be his second, thus undermining the basics of duelling, one thing lacking from this manufacturing.

Tchaikovsky: Eugene Onegin Act One, scene one – Verity Wingate as Tatyana & refrain – Opera North [Photo: James Glossop]

I’ve all the time regarded dance as an vital factor on this opera. Any manufacturing that minimises this will get marked down in my guide. In Act Two, there was certainly loads of dancing however of a really unstylish Eighties selection. Clearly choreographer (Maxine Braham), refrain and soloists had had nice enjoyable with this and should you take pleasure in a visit down reminiscence lane to the Eighties (undoubtedly not a trendy decade) then this labored. And it needs to be admitted that the scene went down effectively with the viewers. Nonetheless, as Madame Larina’a celebration it didn’t fairly present the best backdrop for the drama. Act Three fortunately did open with dancing to the Polonaise, although fairly why such a grand celebration (with visitor in elaborate night costume) must be gathering in such a shabby corridor, I have no idea. And the remaining dances appeared to have been lower.

All through all three acts the fundamental set remained shabby and relatively ugly. The manufacturing gave the impression to be aiming to take away the prettification of the opera that may occur. There may be all the time a hazard that the depiction of the 1820s can transfer away from realism and descend into Jane Austen fairly. Right here, the alternative had occurred, and for me the outcomes had been unsatisfactory. The manufacturing labored solely as a result of the principals introduced such superb power to their roles, and also you wished Nolan had chosen a setting which resonated extra with Tchaikovsky’s authentic opera, in the best way that the corporate’s present revival Verdi’s Rigoletto does [see my review]

There was some pretty detailing within the costumes, together with Lensky and Zaretsky’s overcoats, plus the best way the kinds mirrored the interval (for good or in poor health). The black and white color scheme for the Act Three ball made for a classy look, contrasting with the brilliant colors of the earlier act. Brancy’s night swimsuit right here was additionally fantastically lower, however did one way or the other make him seem like a thug! 

John Brancy’s Onegin gave the impression to be intentionally an anti-hero bringing out the character’s extra unsatisfactory traits. Slight and shaven-headed, Brancy gave no factor of the Byronic in his portrayal. In Act One his ‘large man of the village’ persona was threaded by with a way of self-importance and being self-satisfied. On the finish of the primary scene he even kissed Tatyana (Verity Wingate). The closing scene of Act One was a uncomfortable as you might want, with none sense of Onegin as dashing hero. Within the Act Two dance, Brancy’s Onegin was very a lot outlined by some very sharp dance strikes (!) and appalling behaviour in the direction of Olga (Jingwen Cai) and Lensky (Caspar Singh). The duel scene was low-key, counting on the singers’ efficiency, and in Act Three motion and conception got here collectively in a strongest approach due to Brancy’s singing. All through the night his musical approach with the half rose effectively above the relatively shabby routine being depicted, and I’d love to listen to Brancy in a extra satisfying manufacturing.  

Tchaikovsky: Eugene Onegin duel scene – Caspar Singh as Lensky, Dean Robinson as Guillot, Simon Grange as Zaretsky, John Brancy as Onegin – Opera North [Photo: James Glossop]

The opera might simply be referred to as ‘Tatyana Larina’ because it actually does embody Tatyana’s journey. Verity Wingate gave us this in spades, making instantly obvious the linkage between the younger woman of the primary scene and the mature lady within the final. Within the work’s opening scene she was considerate, youthful and somewhat distant from proceedings, then within the letter scene Wingate actually did pour out Tatyana’s youthful coronary heart. Right here Wingate’s plangent but shiny tone had the ample power required. Within the Act Two celebration, right here considerably older, this Tatyana was additionally relatively faraway from proceedings, usually watching from the sidelines. Then in Act Three, her exceptional poise gave technique to coruscating depth within the last scene. Right here the sparks flying between Wingate and Brancy made the efficiency come alive.

Caspar Singh made a relatively severe, intense Lensky with much less sense of the poet in Act One. On this new setting, Lensky and Olga (Jingwen Cai) sat on the again and canoodled. Singh is a positive lyric tenor however there have been moments in Act Two’s celebration when his voice appeared below strain. Nonetheless within the duel scene he gave us a finely managed and nuanced aria resulting in an account of the duet with Brancy’s Onegin that was notable for its shifting restraint.

Jingwen Cai made a splendidly participating Olga, her costume and manner suggesting a eager for better, extra thrilling issues, with Lensky solely a way-station. Cai managed to make the function’s decrease tessitura appear apt and bubbly. Each Hannah Mason and Claire Pascoe as Madame Larina and Filipyevna felt much less well-defined in comparison with extra conventional productions. They nonetheless fussed within the opening scene however to much less constructive intent. In Act Two, everybody was so vividly sketched that Hannah Mason’s Larina appeared diminished. Nonetheless, Claire Pascoe actually shone in her scene in Act One with Wingate’s Tatyana.

Tchaikovsky: Eugene Onegin Act Three, scene one – John Brancy as Onegin, Joshua Bloom as Gremin – Opera North [Photo: James Glossop]

Joshua Bloom’s Gremin (right here an oligarch) was very a lot the silver fox, no signal of both navy profession or conflict damage. Nonetheless Bloom sang his aria with positive resonant tone and a convincing air. Florian Panzieri was an unusually younger Triquet, singing with vibrant lyricism mixed with some clean strikes worthy of an Elvis impersonator. The smaller roles had been effectively solid albeit with much less dramatic enterprise than in he authentic libretto, with Paul Gibson because the Captain, Simon Grange as Zaretsky and Dean Robinson as Guillot.

The refrain had been onerous working as ever. The manufacturing employed no dancers, so in Act One refrain members stood in serried ranks manipulating colored boards while a small group danced. Then in Act Two all involved participated within the household equal of Eighties dad dancing, plus the elegant Polonaise in Act Three. All this while singing with tone and a powerful sense of character. Impressively 5 solo roles had been drawn from the refrain – Madame Larina (Hannah Mason), Filipyevna (Claire Pascoe), Captain (Paul Gibson), Zaretsky (Simon Grange) and Guillot (Dean Robinson).

Within the pit, Garry Walker and the orchestra had been on terrific type and it was clear that this music was cherished. The Grand Theatre is a perfect dimension to listen to Eugene Onegin, allowing for Tchaikovsky’s conception of the work as lyric scenes carried out by college students. Right here Walker and his gamers drew you into that world.

Tchaikovsky: Eugene Onegin Act Two, scene one – Florian Panzieri as Triquet, Verity Wingate as Tatyana, Hannah Mason as Madame Larina & refrain – Opera North [Photo: James Glossop]

Our weekend in Leeds was very a lot a story of two operas. Each reset the items whereas Femi Elufowoju jr’s imaginative and prescient of Rigoletto actually resonated with Verdi’s authentic, Patrick Nolan’s manufacturing of Eugene Onegin appeared to virtually work towards the opera and relied on the person efficiency to create a satisfying night.