Argentina Tchaikovsky, Eugene Onegin: Buenos AiresLírica. Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of Buenos AiresLírica, Conductor:Javier Logioia Orbe. Teatro Avenida, Buenos Aires. 9.11.2012. (JSJ)
Cast:
Eugene Onegin: Fabián Veloz
Tatiana: Carla Filipcic Holm
Lensky: Pedro Espinoza
Olga: Vanina Guilledo
Filipievna: Elisabeth Canis
Larina: Alicia Alduncín
Prínce Gremin: Walter Schwarz
Triquet: Sergio Spina
Zaretsky: Emiliano Bulacio
Captain: Ricardo Crampton
Peasant: Sergio Vittadini
Guillot: Martín Paladino
Production:
Director: Mercedes Marmorek
Sets: María José Besozzi
Costumes: Lucía Marmorek
Lighting: Alejandro Le Roux
Chorus: Juan Casasbellas
Choreography: Omar Saravia
Continuing its tradition of putting on lesser performed works, Buenos AiresLírica has brought its ninth year of opera to a conclusion with Tchaikovsky’s lyric Eugene Onegin – coincidentally marking as many productions of the work in the last two years as did its previous production (2006) in the 95 since its local premiere.
This is an entirely new production with director Mercedes Marmorek and María José Besozzi’s simple but elegant sets providing an uncomplicated view of what is ultimately a somewhat banal story. This of course puts the focus very much on the music and Javier Logioia Orbe conducted with sensitivity and style, soon leaving behind a little initial imbalance to trace out its lushness and colour. Most importantly he eschewed quantity over quality and for each of the singers, according to the needs of their voices, the balance was just right.
Carla Filipcic Holm presented a solid performance of the young Tatiana, sung with accuracy and passion, especially her Letter Scene. Likewise Fabián Veloz, who goes from strength to strength with his expanding repertoire, well portrayed the changing emotions of Onegin. Chilean tenor Pedro Espinoza strove to present the youth of the poet Lensky, but of the four main protagonists Vanina Guilledo’s Olga came across as the most youthful, although still older than the 16 or 17 years she is supposed to be.
Such was not a problem for Elisabeth Canis as the old maid Filipievna. Nor for Sergio Spina, who presented a clownish Triquet, while Walter Schwarz well shaped Prince Gremin’s aria.
For once the voices of the ladies of the chorus didn’t meld quite as smoothly as usual but they sung with their customary enthusiasm, and the dancers also performed well.
Jonathan Spencer Jones