The photograph accompanying this review sums up something of the evening for me. Tatyana stands with her arms open, surrounded by golden light. There is hope in that image, and vulnerability too. For me, that is what love is about: allowing someone to see how you feel, without knowing quite what they will do with it.
Unfortunately, Eugene Onegin could do with a little help on that front.
Opera North brought Tchaikovsky’s story of love, pride and terrible timing to The Lowry, and there was much to enjoy. Tatyana falls for Onegin and declares her feelings in a letter. He rejects her, only to discover years later, when she has moved on, that he loves her after all. Anyone who has ever thought “you could have told me that at the time” will find something familiar here.
Patrick Nolan moves the action into late twentieth-century Russia, with an imposing communal setting surrounding these very personal encounters. The staircases and rows of seating give the stage a hardness that makes the warmth of the lighting particularly striking. It is why I chose this photograph: your eye goes straight to Tatyana, despite the scale of everything around her.
Verity Wingate’s Tatyana was a particular highlight. The letter scene asks a great deal of a performer, moving between excitement, uncertainty and the fear of making a fool of yourself. She gave it real feeling, making Tatyana’s openness all the more affecting. You wanted Onegin to understand what it had taken for her to write those words.
John Brancy made a compelling Onegin, whose eventual desperation left me wishing he had discovered his feelings rather sooner. Caspar Singh brought warmth and sensitivity to Lensky, while Jingwen Cai’s rich-toned Olga made a strong impression. The Chorus of Opera North also deserves recognition for its contribution to an evening with plenty to applaud.
As a musician, I found much to enjoy in the orchestral playing. The Orchestra of Opera North gave Tchaikovsky’s score tremendous energy, although the balance occasionally felt a little uneven. At times, the orchestra overpowered the singers, and I wanted more space to hear the detail in the voices. It never spoilt the evening, but a little more restraint from the pit in those moments would have helped.
Opera North deserves credit for bringing ambitious productions like this to the region, and The Lowry for continuing to welcome them. We are fortunate to have this work on our doorstep. You do not need to know the opera beforehand to recognise the feelings at its centre, or to find yourself becoming rather invested in other people’s questionable romantic decisions.
We also made use of our Canal St Card during the visit, worth remembering when planning your own evening at The Lowry.
Despite the sadness of the story, it is that image of Tatyana I will remember: arms open, full of light, with everything still possible. A lovely way to capture an evening that gave us plenty to talk about on the journey home.
Dean Thomas-Lowde for Canal Street Media