Astana Opera presents Tchaikovsky’s widely acclaimed Eugene Onegin on 31 January and 1 February. Maestro Alan Buribayev, Honoured Worker of Kazakhstan and laureate of the State Prize of Kazakhstan, will conduct the house symphony orchestra.
Special attention this time is focused on the role of Prince Gremin: for bass Sargis Bazhbeuk-Melikyan, this performance marks his debut in one of the most noble and beautiful roles in the operatic canon. The character of Gremin is that of a mature, restrained and internally steadfast man who celebrates the love and dignity of his wife, Tatyana. It is a role historically performed by legendary masters of the stage arts.
“When Pushkin wrote Eugene Onegin, my character was only sketched in – he appears in the novel as an ‘important general’ without a name or a detailed portrait. It was Tchaikovsky who gave him the name Gremin, making him one of the key figures in his work. Tchaikovsky completed the score in San Remo, Italy, where he was staying after his divorce; he was only 37 at the time. This fact explains a great deal: in Gremin’s music, one hears not so much the weight of age, but rather internal composure, dignity and a deep, calm feeling,” says Sargis Bazhbeuk-Melikyan. “The part of Gremin is small in volume but exceptionally significant; his aria is one of the most famous and beloved in the opera. I am trying to find my own interpretation of this character, carefully preserving traditions while truly living through this music. I very much hope the audience will feel this,” the singer concluded.
The opera house’s principal soloists head the cast across the two days. Honoured Worker of Kazakhstan Talgat Mussabayev and Rassul Zharmagambetov will present the title role of Onegin. Galina Cheplakova, whose name is currently featured at the world’s major opera houses, including the Metropolitan Opera, will perform Tatyana, while on the second day, Honoured Worker of Kazakhstan Aigul Niyazova will portray this character. Appearing as Lensky are Honoured Workers of Kazakhstan Medet Chotabayev and Zhan Tapin, with Honoured Worker of Kazakhstan Tatyana Vitsinskaya taking on the role of Olga. The production also features Honoured Workers of Kazakhstan Zhanat Shybykbayev and Yevgeniy Chainikov, as well as Saltanat Muratbekova, Yelena Ganzha, Gulzhanat Sapakova, Ramzat Balakishiyev, Yerzhan Saipov, Shyngys Rassylkhan and Sultan Bakytzhan.
This staging of Eugene Onegin is the work of renowned Italian director Davide Livermore. His production unfolds as a stream of memories from an elderly Tatyana looking back on her life.
The opera house’s technical capabilities allow this concept to take on an almost cinematic form, with 3D projections creating the sensation of a living space. The mass scenes are impressive in scale, while the house chorus sounds lingering and soft, as if becoming part of a living landscape (principal chorus master: Honoured Worker of Kazakhstan Yerzhan Dautov). One of the visual highlights of the performance is the Gremin ball, which particularly showcases the work of costume designers, Honoured Workers of Kazakhstan Sofya Tasmagambetova and Pavel Dragunov.
While Astana Opera’s Eugene Onegin was previously presented on tour in Russia, having been showcased at the Hvorostovsky Festival in Krasnoyarsk, every return of the production to its home stage remains a significant event.
