BaL 19.09.20 - Tchaikovsky: Eugene Onegin

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

09.30
Building a Library
Nicholas Baragwanath joins Andrew to discuss different recordings of Eugene Onegin, Tchaikovsky’s tale of emotional repression and hidden love, working towards the must-have performance.


Available versions:-


Anna Samuil, Ekaterina Gubanova, Joseph Kaiser, Renée Morloc, Peter Mattei, Emma Sarkissián (mezzo-soprano), Aleksandr Pushkin (original text author), Andrea Bret, Wiener Philharmoniker, Wiener Staatsoper, Daniel Barenboim *

Nuccia Focile, Dmitri Hvorostovsk, Neil Shicoff, Sarah Walker, Olga Borodina, Irina Arkhipova, Alexander Anisimov, St Petersburg Chamber Choir, Orchestre de Paris, Semyon Bychkov

Tamara Milashkina, Vladimir Atlantov, Yuri Mazurok, Yevgeny Nesterenko, Choir & Orch Bolshoi Theatre, Gennady Cherkasov

Alexander Veselinovich, Valeria Heybalova, Dushan Popovich, Melanie Bugarinovich, Biserka Tzveych, Drago Startz, Miro Changalovich, Stepan Andrashevich, Ilya Gligorievich, Mira Vershevich, Belgrade National Opera Orchestra, Belgrade National Opera Chorus, Oskar Danton

Yuti Mazurok, Tamara Milashkina, Vladimir Atlantov, Tamara Sinyavskaya, Tatyana Tugarinova, Larisa Avdeyeva, Evgeny Nesterenko, Choir & Orchestra of the USSR Bolshoi Theatre, Mark Ermler

Yuri Mazurok, Lydia Chernykh, Alexander Fedin, Tamara Sinyavskaya, Emma Sarkisyan, Raisa Kotova, Alexander Vedernikov, Jannis Sprogis, Vladimir Matorin, Vladimir Silaev, USSR TV and Radio Large Chorus & Symphony Orchestra, Vladimir Feoseyev *

Renee Fleming, Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Ramon Vargas, Elena Zaremba, Sergej Aleksashkin, Svetlana Volkova, Larissa Shevchenko, Jean-Paul Fouchécourt, Metropolitan Opera, Valery Gergiev (DVD/Blu-ray)

Mariusz Kwiecien, Anna Netrebko, Piotr Beczala, Oksana Volkova, Alexei Tanovitski, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, Chorus and Ballet, Valery Gergiev (DVD/Blu-ray)

Ekaterina Godovanets, Vladislav Sulimsky, Dmitry Voropaev, Irina Rubtsova, Irina Dolzhenko, Margarita Nekrasova, Andrey Telegin, Valentin Sukhodolets, State Symphony Orchestra of Russia, Yurlov State Academic Choir Cappella of Russia, Mark Gorenstein

Olga Savova, Krassimira Stoyanova, Elena Maximova, Nina Romanova, Bo Skovhus, Andrej Dunaev, Mikhail Petrenko, Peter Arink, Roger Smeets, Guy de Mey, Richard Prada, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Mariss Jansons (DVD/Blu-ray)

Eugene Belov, Galina Vishnevskaya, Sergei Lemeshev, Larissa Avdeyeva, Valentina Petrova, Eugenia Verbitskaya, Ivan Petrov, Andrei Sokolov, Igor Mikhailov, Bolshoi Theatre, Boris Khaikin

Leonie Rysanek, Anton Dermota, George London, Gottlob Frick, Polly Batic, Mira Kalin, Hilde Rossel-Majdan, Peter Klein, Ljubomir Pantscheff, Chor & Orchester der Wiener Staatsoper, Berislav Klobucar

George London, Valerie Bak, Anton Dermota, Gottlob Frick, Lilian Benningsen, Gremin, Franz Klarwein, Max Proebstl, Choir & Symphony Orchestra Bayerischen Rundfunks, Richard Kraus

Thomas Allen, Mirella Freni, Anne Sofie von Otter, Neil Shicoff, Rosemary Lang, Ruthild Engert, Paata Burchuladze, Rundfunkchor Leipzig & Staatskapelle Dresden, James Levine

Thomas Hampson, Kiri Te Kanawa, Neil Rosenshein, Patricia Bardon, John Connell, Nicolai Gedda, Chorus of Welsh National Opera, Sir Charles Mackerras

George London, Lucine Amara, Richard Tucker, Rosalind Elias, Giorgio Tozzi, Martha Lipton, Belén Amparám, Metropolitan Opera, Dmitri Mitropoulos

Maria Butenina, Glafira Zhukovskaya, Bronislava Zlatogorova, Konkordiya Antarova, Sergey Lemeshev, Panteleimon Nortsov, Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra, Bolshoi Theatre Chorus, Vasili Nebolsin

Elena Kruglikova, Ivan Kozlovsky, Panteleimon Nortsov, Maxim Mikhailov, Elizaveta Antonova, Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra, Alexander Orlov

Mirella Freni, Wolfgang Brendel, Peter Dvorsky, Rohangiz Yachmi, Gertrude Jahn, Margaritha Lilowa, Nicolai Ghiaurov, Chor und Orchester der Wiener Staatsoper, Seiji Ozawa

Rosanna Carteri, Giuseppe Taddei, Cesare Valletti, Eugenia Zareska, Amalia Pini, Britta Devinal, Raffaele Arié, Mario Carlin, Dmitri Lopatto, Orchestra di Milano della RAI, Nino Sanzogno

Sena Jurinac, Rudolf Schock, Gottlob Frick, Gisela Litz
NDR Orchestra, Wilhelm Schuchter

Teresa Kubiak, Bernd Weikl, Stuart Burrows, Julia Hamari, Nicolai Ghiaurov, Enid Hartle, Anna Reynolds, Michel Sénéchal, , Richard Van Allan, William Mason, Orchestra of Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Sir Georg Solti *

Teresa Kubiak, Bernd Weikl, Stuart Burrows, Julia Hamari, Nicolai Ghiaurov, Enid Hartle, Anna Reynolds, Michel Sénéchal, Richard Van Allan, William Mason, Orchestra of Royal Opera House Covent garden. Sir Georg Solti [abridged] (DVD)

Yuri Mazurok, Anna Tomowa-Sintow, Nicolai Gedda, Rossitsa Troeva-Mircheva, Nicolai Ghiuselev, Stefka Popangelova, Margarita Lilowa, Sofia National Opera Chorus Sofia Festival Orchestra, Emil Tchakarov

Krassimira Stoyanova, Simon Keenlyside, Elena Maximova, Pavol Breslik, Peter Rose, Diana Montague, Royal Opera Chorus & Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Robin Ticciati (DVD/Blu-ray)

Staatsorchester Stuttgart & Stuttgarter Ballett, James Tuggle *

Mariusz Kwiecien, Tatiana Monogarova, Makvala Kasrashvili, Margarita Mamsirova, Emma Sarkisyan, Andrey Dunaev, Anatolij Kotscherga, Valery Gilmanov, Soloists, Orchestra and Chorus of the Bolshoi Theatre, Alexander Vedernikov (DVD/Blu-ray)

Kristine Opolais, Lena Belkina, Artur Rucinski, Dmitri Korchak, Günther Groissböck, Margarita Nekrasova, Helene Schneiderman, Emilio Sanchez, Toni Navarrate, Aldo Heo, Simon Lim, Orquestra De La Comunitat Valenciana & Cor De La Generalitat Valenciana, Omer Meir Wellber (DVD/Blu-ray)


(* = download only)



There’s also this recording, but I haven’t been able to identify the conductor:

Sergei Leyferkus (Eugene Onegin), Yuri Marusin (Lensky), Tatiana Novikova (Tatiana), Larissa Dyadkova (Olga), Nikolai Okhotnikov (Prince Gremin), Evgenya Gorokovskaya (Madame Larina), Ludmila Filatova (Nursemaid)
Kirov Opera (DVD)

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I have three recordings of this: Tchakarov, Solti and (not listed here) Friedmann. The Solti is quite magnificently sung and recorded, though I'm sure some will say it isn't Russian enough. But it's my preferred version, though I'm open to persuasion.

[verismissimo]

I also have the Friedmann, Alpie, and it's somewhat available in this very good value 60CD Tchaikovsky Edition from Brilliant.

And I have the Ermler. I'll re-listen to both this week - may be open to investment. :)

[verismissimo]

I also have the Friedmann, Alpie, and it's somewhat available in this very good value 60CD Tchaikovsky Edition from Brilliant.

And I have the Ermler. I'll re-listen to both this week - may be open to investment. :)

One special feature of the Brilliant box is that it contains no less than 8 Tchaikovsky operas. I seem to remember that David Nice chose one of them a few years ago in BAL. Was it Pique Dame?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

One special feature of the Brilliant box is that it contains no less than 8 Tchaikovsky operas. I seem to remember that David Nice chose one of them a few years ago in BAL. Was it Pique Dame?

Yes, it was that version, though the sound quality is quite dire.

[Pulcinella]

Bychov version here.
Lots of time to reacquaint myself with it while in self-isolation (what's the terminology when there are two selves?) before the weekend.

[teamsaint]

Bychov version here.
Lots of time to reacquaint myself with it while in self-isolation (what's the terminology when there are two selves?) before the weekend.

Wesolation ?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Wesolation ?

[Pulcinella]

Wesolation ?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

And of course, the most famous part of the opera is Tatiana's Letter Scene - yet another example of Tchaikovsky creating something amazing out of a simple descending scale.

[teamsaint]

And of course, the most famous part of the opera is Tatiana's Letter Scene - yet another example of Tchaikovsky creating something amazing out of a simple descending scale.

Interesting area for discussion, that I have meant to bring up on , but never got round to.

The fourth movement of Schumann Spring Symphony springs to mind, both in the introduction,(rising major scale) and then with the use of a rising harmonic minor scale in the strings. The rising harmonic scale is really effective, and such an apparently simple idea.

I can't remember off -hand where I have spotted other examples, though I have a feeling Sibelius may have a few .

( Not that you would be keen EA , what with its key........)

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I can't remember off -hand where I have spotted other examples, though I have a feeling Sibelius may have a few .

Do you mean Sibelius's 7th Symphony opening?

But Tchaikovsky's tend to be descending scales.

E.g.
Opening of Swan Lake
Both finale themes of 6th symphony.
Pas de Deux form The Nutcracker

[Off topic] But a bigger use of the descending scale is in Strauss's Alpine Symphony:
Opening (and closing) 'Night' music.
Sunrise - you'd expect rising music here, but it isn't
Waterfall - logical I suppose, though Smetana thought otherwise.
Thunderstorm - fast downward scales

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Solti’s DVD video version is a strange one. The sound is taken from the audio recording, with actors miming to Solti’s cast. It works well, but it is spoilt somewhat by being heavily cut.

[Pianoman]

Yes I have that and it has some really memorable scenes, great photography etc. but the cuts are excessive (particularly missing the ‘proper’ opening..) and the lip syncing is poor. I watch it occasionally but ended up buying the Bychkov on cd.

[Darloboy]

I have three recordings of this: Tchakarov, Solti and (not listed here) Friedmann. The Solti is quite magnificently sung and recorded, though I'm sure some will say it isn't Russian enough. But it's my preferred version, though I'm open to persuasion.

The Solti was David Nice’s modern recording choice way back in 94 when BaL last covered Onegin. Khaikin was 1st choice.