Search - Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky, Semyon Bychkov, Dmitri Hvorostovsky :: Tchaikovsky - Eugene Onegin / Hvorostovsky · Focile · Shicoff · Borodina · Arkhipova · Orchestre de Paris · Bychkov

Your Essential Onegin

Alejandra Vernon | 06/14/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Dmitri Hvorostovsky debut recording of Tchaikovsky and Verdi Arias that came out in 1990 featured two arias from "Eugene Onegin" - this gave us the first look at his incredible interpretation of the title character, long considered a prime baritone role in Russian opera. So when Philips released the complete opera with him, I had to have it, even though there have been wonderful recordings of it in the past, particularly with Galina Vishnevskaya as Tatiana. Hvorostovsky does not disappoint, his dark expressive baritone is perfect for the role, from the icy "Vy mne pisali?" to the desperate "Pozor... Toska..." of the final duet. Interestingly, Hvorostovsky does not end the first aria with the optional high note as he did on his debut CD, but instead accents the finality of Onegin's refusal of Tatiana's love with long priestly low note. The whole cast is first class: young Italian soprano Nuccia Focile gives inspired vulnerable characterization of Tatiana, and Borodina's Olga defies Onegin's "dull moon" description and makes us fall in love with her just like poor Lenski did, whose role is sung with real emotion here by Neil Shicoff. Incidentally, Lenski has become Shicoff's signature role and both Bychkov and Levine cast him in their respective Philips and DG recordings. Being a native speaker, I have to commend Focile for her Russian pronunciation, nicely done! A pleasant and very welcome surprise here is the most beautiful-voiced Filipievna on record - the legendary Bolshoi mezzo-soprano Irina Arkhipova. By the way, in 1997 season, she sang this unusual role for her at the Met. Bass Alexander Anisimov does full justice to the character of Prince Gremin who, while not a part of Pushkin's poem, is an integral figure in the opera. Thoughtful, well-paced conducting of Semyon Bychkov and carefully crafted chorus work round off this set, making it a top choice for any Tchaikovsky fan."

The Definitive Eugene Onegin

Z. Yang | Hockessin, DE USA | 10/28/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This album is the definitive recording of Eugene Onegin in a long time to come. Recorded during its stage production season (with almost the same cast) at Theatre du Chatelet in Paris in 1992, it is sung with a most distinguished cast - singers of Russians and non-Russians, in each of the distinguished roles.



Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin, which was inspired by Pushkin's narrative poem, is an opera with the style of its own. Apart from its music distinctions, it is not an opera in the traditional sense (larger than life characters, grand scenes, etc.), but a series of "lyrical scenes" as Tchaikovsky referred, although its drama is not any less intense to be an opera. It is about love, aspects of love - bliss, longings, and passions - that is reflected from each of the central characters. It works very well on stage in an intimate production, and so does it on recording. The music sets the mood and flavor of each scene that speaks for itself and plays by itself. The psychological conduction of the characters is largely relied on the singers' vocal acting. As firstly insisted by Tchaikovsky, it is essential that characters are played by young singers who look and feel the closest to the characters.



They say there is a lot of Pushkin in the title role Onegin, who is bright and dashing, also aloof and cynical, and whose deep passion was not grown into flame until the last act of the opera. You'd feel grateful that Tchaikovsky gave Onegin to a baritone. Russian baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky, with a beautiful lyric voice and a dramatic temperament, fits perfectly for the role. The dark toned voice is most effective in striking the dramatic chord while his lyrical sense brings sensitivity to this otherwise not-so-likable character. His Onegin is idiomatic in the emotional coloring in the music that comes from the sound of Russian language. At the time of this production's season in Paris, Hvorostovsky, who waltzed and mazurka-ed on stage, was about the same age as Onegin in the last act. These days he still sings the role regularly in various opera houses. You could very much say that this role belongs to him and he has made Eugene Onegin convincingly human and real. Compared to Onegin's complexities, Tatyana and Lensky are two characters easier to identify. Nuccia Focile's voice rings with clarity and freshness that fully realizes the beautifully illustrated Tatyana. In Tatyana's elaborate letter-writing scene, Focile's singing embodies the character's tenderness, sensitivity, and impulsiveness with great conviction. Neil Shicoff's lyric tenor is ideal for Lensky. The voice has an elegant timbre, well focused and expressive. He sings Lensky with such vivid emotions, and in the famous Lensky's aria he delivers a most heartfelt rendering. Distinguished Russian mezzo Olga Borodina makes the most of the simple-minded Olga, which is a role that wasn't given a lot of depth for what it lacks. Russian mezzo Irina Arkhipova is in the cameo role of Filipyevna, singing with great strength. St Petersburg Chamber Choir is brilliant as ever, particularly in the ethnic songs. And the last, but certainly not the least, Russian-born conductor Semyon Bychkov imparts Tchaikovsky's sensitivity, poetic beauty, and passion through the orchestra with success and style.

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Gorgeous

Hecuba | UK | 08/05/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Hvorostovsky was the star draw that attracted me to this recording, but every time I've listened to this opera, it has drawn me deeper and deeper into its coils. I find it incredibly touching and moving, and having recently heard numerous tenors giving Lensky's Kuda kuda aria a go in the Cardiff Singer of the World competition, Shicoff's rendition is startling in its memorability and clarity.



I'm not Russian, so I can't make any comment on the ability of the singers to handle the language, but, this recording has made me a complete fan of Tchaikovsky and drawn me to his other operas and his symphonies. Every time I hear it I find it more poignant, enthralling and romantic."