16.10.2012
Ten Days to Go until the Première
Final preparations are underway for the première of the opera Eugene Onegin; the final touches to the scenery are being made, technical details sorted out, and costumes adjusted. A well-coordinated team is working on the production, and the role of each of them — from soloist to scene-shifter — is important. Those involved in the production told us about their work.
Mikhail Tatarnikov, Music Director:
„I am trying to continue the traditional St. Petersburg interpretation of Eugene Onegin established by Yuri Temirkanov. That primarily means total harmony between the libretto and the music: each word blends with each chord, so that the orchestra becomes a direct participant in the narrative. Andriy Zholdak has a modern — some might even say brusque — approach, and I want to bring the traditional musical fabric in line with his directing, to achieve symbiosis between the orchestra and the dramatic action“.
A. J. Weissbard, Lighting Designer:
„The lighting for Eugene Onegin is firmly linked to its dramatic aspect. The principal concept is the movement from light to darkness, both metaphorically and visibly, and the other themes develop around it. The clashes between the real world and the other world are an important feature of the production; everything outside the Larin house bears the imprint of mysticism, and it is also important to emphasize this with the lighting. I very much like the fact that Andriy Zholdak reveals layers that are not obvious, additional themes of Onegin, and my job is to emphasize those themes, literally drag them out into the light. This approach really suits me: in my opinion, opera should not be regarded as a museum exhibit — it is a living work and has to be allowed to breathe on the stage“.
Alexander Sukmanyuk, Head of the Production Team:
„The production is being staged by a drama director, and we can all feel the difference: there will be a lot of technical novelties in Eugene Onegin to which we are not accustomed in opera. Andriy Zholdak pays great attention to the props — the place and role of every object on the stage. We have enlarged the production team especially for this production — even the simplest changes and rearrangements on stage require coordinated work by a large number of people“.
Viktor Krylov, extra:
„I work in musical theatre, but I have always wanted to try my hand at drama, and this production gives me that chance. I have been given the part of the valet at the Larin estate. He has worked in the house for a long time: he knows each object, and each object knows him. Every day he walks around the estate: his mind is going with his advancing years, and these walks are turning into a kind of obsession. It is the image of a kind-hearted madman who feels strongly everything that occurs in the family, to whom he is devoted. On one hand, my character finds himself in comic situations: sometimes he appears at the most inopportune moment, shows his embarrassment, and so attracts even more attention to himself. But sometimes this valet becomes something like a medium linking the real and unreal worlds“.
Mikhail Tatarnikov, Music Director:
„I am trying to continue the traditional St. Petersburg interpretation of Eugene Onegin established by Yuri Temirkanov. That primarily means total harmony between the libretto and the music: each word blends with each chord, so that the orchestra becomes a direct participant in the narrative. Andriy Zholdak has a modern — some might even say brusque — approach, and I want to bring the traditional musical fabric in line with his directing, to achieve symbiosis between the orchestra and the dramatic action“.
A. J. Weissbard, Lighting Designer:
„The lighting for Eugene Onegin is firmly linked to its dramatic aspect. The principal concept is the movement from light to darkness, both metaphorically and visibly, and the other themes develop around it. The clashes between the real world and the other world are an important feature of the production; everything outside the Larin house bears the imprint of mysticism, and it is also important to emphasize this with the lighting. I very much like the fact that Andriy Zholdak reveals layers that are not obvious, additional themes of Onegin, and my job is to emphasize those themes, literally drag them out into the light. This approach really suits me: in my opinion, opera should not be regarded as a museum exhibit — it is a living work and has to be allowed to breathe on the stage“.
Alexander Sukmanyuk, Head of the Production Team:
„The production is being staged by a drama director, and we can all feel the difference: there will be a lot of technical novelties in Eugene Onegin to which we are not accustomed in opera. Andriy Zholdak pays great attention to the props — the place and role of every object on the stage. We have enlarged the production team especially for this production — even the simplest changes and rearrangements on stage require coordinated work by a large number of people“.
Viktor Krylov, extra:
„I work in musical theatre, but I have always wanted to try my hand at drama, and this production gives me that chance. I have been given the part of the valet at the Larin estate. He has worked in the house for a long time: he knows each object, and each object knows him. Every day he walks around the estate: his mind is going with his advancing years, and these walks are turning into a kind of obsession. It is the image of a kind-hearted madman who feels strongly everything that occurs in the family, to whom he is devoted. On one hand, my character finds himself in comic situations: sometimes he appears at the most inopportune moment, shows his embarrassment, and so attracts even more attention to himself. But sometimes this valet becomes something like a medium linking the real and unreal worlds“.
