Photo: Onegin and Lensky. L. Timoshenko//literaturus.ru
Butler Opera Center at the University of Texas at Austin is in course of staging Eugine Onegin opera by P. Tchaikovsky. The premier is scheduled for April, 26. The Stage Director is Robert DeSimone, and the principal coach and inspirer is Tamara Sanikidze, the graduate of Tbilissi State Conservatory, who successfully performed at Hungarian State Opera house in Budapest, La Scala in Milano, Galina Vishnevskaya's Opera Centre in Moscow, Teatro Filarmonico in Verona, Royal Opera house in London and in other renown opera houses. Tamara Sanikidze insisted that the opera should be performed in Russian, Our Texas newspaper reports.
According to Professor Sanikidze, one of the reasons Eugine Onegin was chosen is because Tchaikovsky has initially composed it for the Moscow Conservatory opera studio. Tamara Sanikidze decided on original Russian version because it's a good tradition in US to stage operas in original language. After all, students will have to overcome obstacles learning their parts in unknown language.
Tamara Sanikidze has inspired everyone to put the opera on stage. She is very glad that students get chance to feel deeper Russian culture through working on the opera. During preparations participants discuss relations between principal characters. For example, it is hard for them to comprehend Lensky and Onegin relations. To explain psychology of 19th century characters they have to learn more about Russian literature and culture of that period.
Russkiy Mir
reported that Washington National Opera opened Russian classical music operas event for the first time with Eugene Onegin by Pyotr Tchaikovsky. Classical opera was be staged in historical costumes.
Russkiy Mir
