{TABLE} Yevgeny Onegin.............Tchaikovsky {/TABLE} LUIGI FERRARI'S decision to replace the traditional ad hoc operatic scenes with abridged versions of standard repertoire works is more than justified on the evidence of this production, one whose many felicities augur well for the other three abridged operas scheduled for this year's Wexford Festival.
Compressing Yevgev Onegin into an uninterrupted 90 minutes focuses the attention on the essentials of the drama. And the dry acoustic of the venue, White's Barn, whatever difficulties it may present to the singers, somehow heightens the brittleness inherent in Tchaikovsky's superb setting of Pushkin's tale of rural Russian passions.
Russian baritone Anatoly Lochak's cynical, world-weary Onegin is a fine assumption, smoothly sung and enhanced by the singer's clever use of variation within quite a narrow range of dynamics.
Tatyana, the opera's real protagonist, is very well sung and acted by the English soprano Juliet Booth. The intensity of her letter-writing scene was matched by the way she managed the rapid maturing into the regal wife of the final scenes. This is a lyric spinto to watch out for.
Melancholy is the only aspect of the poet Lensky that we see in this opera, and this is well put across by Robert Lee, a Korean tenor whose plangent tones suit the character admirably. The three mezzo roles are nicely contrasted by Louise Arm it as a pert and by turns petulant Olga, Jane Haughton as a busy Filipyevna and Ruti Halveni as a gushing and vocally opulent Larina. Prince Gremin is sung by Fernand Bernadi, a sonorous bass who occasionally short-changes the smooth line called for in his big aria.
Dimitri Bertman directs a taut production, overcoming the small acting space and even using its claustrophobia to advantage.
Musical director/accompanist Fiona Mac Sherry moves the score along smartly, contributing to a riveting 90 minutes of intense music drama.