Eugene Onegin

Roles
Role Voice type
Larina, lady of the manor mezzo-soprano
Tatyana, her daughter soprano
Olga, Tatyana's sister contralto
Filippyevna, a nanny mezzo-soprano
Lensky tenor
Eugene Onegin baritone
Prince Gremin, bass
Company Commander bass
Zaretsky bass
Triquet, a Frenchman tenor
Guillot, Onegin's valet silent

Synopsis
Time: The 1820s

Place: St Petersburg and surrounding countryside

Act 1

Scene 1: The garden of the Larin country estate

Madame Larina and the nurse Filippyevna are sitting outside in the garden.
They can hear Madame Larina's two daughters, Tatyana and her younger
sister Olga, singing a love song. Madame Larina begins to reminisce about
her own courtship and marriage. A group of peasants enter, and celebrate
the harvest with songs and dances. Tatyana and Olga watch. Tatyana has
been reading a romantic novel and is absorbed by the story; her carefree
sister, on the other hand, wants to join in the celebrations. Madame Larina
tells Tatyana that real life is very different from her novels. Filippyevna
announces that visitors have arrived: Olga's fiancé Lensky, a young poet,
and his friend Eugene Onegin, visiting the area from St Petersburg. The
pair are shown in and Lensky introduces Onegin to the Larin family.
Onegin is initially surprised that Lensky has chosen the extrovert Olga
rather than her more subtle elder sister as his fiancée. Tatyana for her part
is immediately and strongly attracted to Onegin. Lensky expresses his
delight at seeing Olga and she responds flirtatiously. Onegin tells Tatyana
of his boredom in the country and describes the death of his uncle and his
subsequent inheritance of a nearby estate. Filippyevna recognizes that
Onegin has had a profound effect on Tatyana.

Scene 2: Tatyana's room

Tatyana is dressed for bed. Restless and unable to sleep, she asks her nurse
Filippyevna to tell her about her youth and early marriage. Tatyana
confesses that she is in love. Left alone, Tatyana pours out her feelings in a
letter to Onegin. She tells him that she loves him and believes that she will
never feel this way about anyone else, and begs him to understand and
help her. She finishes writing the letter at dawn. A shepherd's pipe is heard
in the distance. Filippyevna enters the room to wake Tatyana. Tatyana
persuades her to send her grandson to deliver the letter to Onegin.

Scene 3: Another part of the estate

Servant girls pick fruit and sing as they work. Tatyana waits anxiously for
Onegin's arrival. Onegin enters to see Tatyana and give her his answer to
her letter. He explains, not unkindly, that he is not a man who loves easily
and is unsuited to marriage. He is unworthy of her love and can only offer
her brotherly affection. He warns Tatyana to be less emotionally open in
the future. The voices of the servant girls singing are heard again. Tatyana
is crushed and unable to reply.

Act 2

Scene 1: The ballroom of the Larin house

A ball is being given in honour of Tatyana, whose name day it is. Onegin
is dancing with her. He grows irritated with a group of neighbours who
gossip about him and Tatyana, and with Lensky for persuading him to
come to the ball. He decides to avenge himself by dancing and flirting
with Olga. Lensky is astounded and becomes extremely jealous. He
confronts Olga but she cannot see that she has done anything wrong and
tells Lensky not to be ridiculous. Onegin asks Olga to dance with him
again and she agrees, as "punishment" for Lensky's jealousy. The elderly
French tutor Monsieur Triquet sings some couplets in honour of Tatyana,
after which the quarrel between Lensky and Onegin becomes more
intense. Lensky renounces his friendship with Onegin in front of all the
guests, and challenges Onegin to a duel, which the latter is forced, with
many misgivings, to accept. Tatyana collapses and the ball ends in
confusion.

Scene 2: On the banks of a wooded stream, early morning

Lensky is waiting for Onegin with his second Zaretsky. Lensky reflects on
his life, his fear of death and his love for Olga. Onegin arrives with his
manservant Guillot. Both Lensky and Onegin are reluctant to go ahead
with the duel, reflecting on the senselessness of their sudden enmity. But it
is too late; neither man has the courage to stop the duel. Zaretsky gives
them the signal and Onegin shoots Lensky dead.

Act 3

Scene 1: The house of a rich nobleman in St Petersburg

Years have passed, during which Onegin has travelled extensively around
Europe. Standing alone at a ball, he reflects on the emptiness of his life
and his remorse over the death of Lensky. Prince Gremin enters with
Tatyana, his wife, now a grand, aristocratic beauty. She is greeted by many
of the guests with great deference. Onegin is taken aback when he sees
Tatyana, and deeply impressed by her beauty and noble bearing. Tatyana,
in turn, is overwhelmed with emotion when she recognizes him. Gremin
tells Onegin about his great happiness and love for Tatyana, and re-
introduces Onegin to his wife. Onegin, suddenly injected with new life,
realizes that he is in love with Tatyana. He determines to write to her and
arrange a meeting.

Scene 2: A room in Prince Gremin's house

Tatyana has received Onegin's letter, which has stirred up the passion she
felt for him as a young girl and disturbed her. Onegin enters. Tatyana
recalls her earlier feelings and asks why Onegin is pursuing her now. Is it
because of her social position? Onegin denies any cynical motivation: his
passion is real and overwhelming. Tatyana, moved to tears, reflects how
near they once were to happiness but nevertheless asks him to leave. He
asks her to have pity. Tatyana admits she still loves Onegin, but asserts
that their union can never be realized, as she is now married, and
determined to remain faithful to her husband despite her true feelings.
Onegin implores her to relent, but she bids him farewell forever, leaving
him alone and in despair.
Principal arias and numbers
Act 1
Aria: "Ah, Tanya, Tanya" (Olga)
Aria: "Were I a man whom fate intended" (Onegin)
Aria: Letter Aria "Let me die, but first..." (Tatyana)
Act 2
Dance: Waltz
Aria: "Kuda, kuda vï udalilis" (Lensky)
Act 3
Dance: Polonaise
Aria: "All men surrender to Love's power" (Gremin)
Scene: Finale (Onegin, Tatyana)
Structure
Source: Tchaikovsky Research
Introduction Act 2
Act 1 No.13 – Entr'acte & Waltz
No.1 – Duet & Quartet No.14 – Scena & Triquet's
No.2 – Chorus & Peasants' Dance Couplets
No.3 – Scena & Olga's Arioso No.15 – Mazurka & Scena
No.4 – Scena No.16 – Finale
No.5 – Scena & Quartet No.17 – Scena
No.6 – Scena No.17a – Lensky's Aria
No.6a – Lensky's Arioso No.18 – Duel Scena
No.7 – Closing Scena Act 3
No.8 – Introduction & Scena with the No.19 – Polonaise
Nurse No.20 – Scena & Ecossaise
No.9 – Letter Scena No.20a – Prince Gremin's Aria
No.10 – Scena & Duet No.21 – Scena
No.11 – Chorus of Maidens No.21a – Onegin's Arioso
No.12 – Scena No.22 – Closing Scena
No.12a – Onegin's Aria