Eugene Onegin, Opera Holland Park

An innocent young woman, who has learnt all she knows of love from romantic literature, falls for a man who is more worldly wise. She is rejected, and there are terrible consequences, but as the woman grows in maturity it is not she who feels the final pain.

Tchaikovsky's tragic opera Eugene Onegin is much loved, and every production is heartbreaking. The score, linked by dances that reflect the social tiers of the composer's native Russia, is full of wonderful arias and choruses.

The opera opens the Opera Holland Park season 2020, with an exciting cast. In the title role as the aloof new arrival is the Australian baritone Samuel Dale Johnson, making his house debut. The Armenian soprano Anush Hovhannisyan, a nominee in the 2018 International Opera Awards, also makes her OHP debut, as lovesick Tatyana.

Popular lyric soprano Amanda Roocroft makes her company and role debut as Tatyana’s mother, Madame Larina. Emma Stannard sings the role of her daughter, Tatyana’s sister, Olga. London-based international tenor Nicky Spence, who was hugely impressive in English National Opera's Orphée and appears in the Royal Opera House's Alice's Adventures Under Ground returns to his old stamping ground as Olga's fiance, Lensky.

A finalist in the Newcomer category of the 2019 International Opera Awards, and winner of the 2019 Off West End Award for Best Opera Production, director Julia Burbach, makes her OHP debut. An OHP audience favourite, Dane Lam, conducts.

Designer takis, whose set was a feature of last year's Verdi treate, the five-star Un Ballo in Maschera, returns to OHP for the first of three productions in the 2020 season. Mark Jonathan, winner of the 2019 Knight of Illumination Award for lighting in opera, is the lighting designer.

It all adds up to a very promising team for one of the loveliest operas in the repertoire. Listen out for Tatyana's letter song, in which she pours out her heart on discovering love.

---

Eugene Onegin is sung in Russian with English surtitles. Performances are on 2, 5, 9, 11, 13, 20, 25 and 26 June. A performance on 18 June is given by Young Performers. Public booking opens 10AM, Wed 26 Feb.