Many windows make for a persuasive interpretation of Eugene Onegin in Krefeld

GermanyGermany Tchaikovsky, Eugene Onegin: Soloists, Chorus and Extras of Theater Krefeld Mönchengladbach. Niederrheinische Sinfoniker / Sebastian Engel (conductor). Theater Krefeld, 10.1.2025. (DM-D)

Sofia Poulopoulou (Tatyana) © Matthias Stutte

Production:
Director – Helen Malkowsky
Set – Tatjana Ivschina
Costumes – Anna Sophie Lienbacher
Dramaturgy – Ulrike Aistleitner
Chorus director – Michael Preiser

Cast:
Eugene Onegin – Rafael Bruck
Tatyana – Sofia Poulopoulou
Lensky – Woongyi Lee
Olga – Bettina Schaeffer
Prince Gremin – Matthias Wippich
Mme Larina – Eva Maria Günschmann
Filipyevna – Rena Kleifeld
Zaretsky – Bondo Gogia
Monsieur Triquet – Arthur Meunier

The cities of Krefeld and Mönchengladbach, some 22 miles apart on the Lower Rhine, have had a jointly run municipal theatre company since 1950. They have four sections (theatre, music theatre, ballet and the programme of the resident orchestra, Niederrheinische Sinfoniker), and one major theatre venue each in both cities, seating 726 (in Krefeld) and 778 (in Mönchengladbach). Their annual season sees work originating in one city and moving to the other, and vice versa. The current production of Eugene Onegin was first seen in Mönchengladbach and has now gone to Krefeld.

Director Helen Malkowsky set Tchaikovsky’s lyrical scenes on Larina’s run-down estate as she prepares for her husband’s funeral. Filipyevna, more housekeeper than nurse, is busy polishing the shot glasses. Tatjana Iyschina’s set consists of a number of walls with numerous suggested or real windows, many covered with brown paper – which Tatyana tears off to use as stationery for her letter to Onegin. As the opera progresses, the walls become fewer and the windows more, leaving a void with just a large dining table for the scene at Prince Gremin’s residence, to which windows return for Onegin’s final rejection by Tatyana. The pain she felt when Onegin commented on her love letter was palpable. At the celebration of Tatyana’s name day, many of the characters wear a festive yellow. Lensky is given copious amounts of alcohol by his ‘friends’, who behave like borderline bullies at best. Sadly this leads to his unnecessary quarrel with Onegin, who succumbs, most unwillingly, to accepting the challenge to a duel. At the duel itself, Lensky puts down his pistol before shooting, inviting Onegin to shoot him unchallenged, and the fatal shot is fired by accident. Anna Sophie Lienbacher’s costume design is efficient in contrasting Onegin’s worn-down, desperate look, evident from the white shirt only half-tucked into his trousers, with the formal elegance of Gremin and Tatyana’s attire.

[l-r] Rafael Bruck (Onegin), Matthias Wippich (Gremin), and Sofia Poulopoulou (Tatyana) © Matthias Stutte

General music director Mihkel Kütson was in charge of the production and earned praise for his feeling for the Russian nature of the music. Kapellmeister Sebastian Engel conducted this particular performance, in line with staff development policy of opera companies within the German municipal and state theatre structure allowing junior conductors to build their repertory. Engel certainly demonstrated awareness of and feeling for the Russian rhythmic idiom of the music, and he was alert to the singer’s needs as well. Rafael Bruck was thoroughly convincing as Onegin, engaging fully with the character’s initial boredom and resulting inability to commit, as well as his later despair. His voice had a steely core, which served as the basis for an expressiveness matching that of his acting. As portrayed by Sofia Poulopoulou, Tatyana developed from dreamy girl to mature and self-confident woman. Poulopoulou was brilliant, particularly in the long Letter Scene, her voice flowing gently with the music, at ease across registers. Woongyi Lee sang Lensky with an abundance of head voice. Some insecurity of intonation was associated with this – compensated, however, by a strong sense of musicality.

Matthias Wippich gave Gremin’s aria appropriately strong contours with his well-rounded, sonorous deep bass voice. Bettina Schaeffer contributed a lively, well-sung Olga. Eva Maria Günschmann was resonant as Filipyevna, and Arthur Meunier was very secure, offering beautiful sound as Monsieur Triquet.

Daniel Meyer-Dinkgräfe

Featured Image: Theater Krefeld © Matthias Stutte

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