John Cranko created his full-length ballet Onegin in 1965 for the Stuttgart Ballet. He based it on Alexander Pushkin's 1825 novel, Eugene Onegin, and the ballet is still being danced by major companies around the world almost 60 years later. The music is by Tchaikovsky, some less well-known piano pieces, which were arranged for orchestra by Kurt-Heinz Stolze, the Kapellmeister at the time for Stuttgart Ballet.
The four principal roles are coveted by dancers everywhere, mostly because of the dramatic content. Czech National Ballet are dancing Onegin in Prague this month, and Bachtrack will be reviewing the opening night on February 9th. Czech National Ballet appear in photographs taken in the The Mozart, Prague, which depict the mood and sentiment from the ballet.
Tatiana is Olga’s older sister and the two are very different. Tatiana is more serious and bookish. Olga is carefree. The sisters think about their future and Olga remembers an old folktale: whoever looks into the mirror will see her true love (Lensky).
Lensky and Olga are in love but Lensky is angry, believing that his friend Onegin is flirting with Olga. He challenges him to a duel.
Onegin accepts the challenge with tragic consequences.
Tatiana was once in love with Onegin but after he dismisses her love as childish, she marries Prince Gremin and leads a contented life.
Many years later, Onegin writes a letter to Tatiana declaring his love for her, but to no avail. He returns to plead with her but she is resolute that even if she still loves him, she has moved on and insists that he leaves immediately.
The Czech National Ballet’s Onegin opens February 9th, and continues until June 6th at the Prague National Theatre (Národní divadlo).
