[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
from friend. In his rage, Lenski winds up
challenging his best friend Onegin to a duel.
Uncontrollable passions and feelings forecast tragic
consequences to their actions.
In the duel scene (Act II, Scene 2 ), Tchaikovsky
shows us how quickly a death can be arranged and
effected. Lenski is a tragic Tchaikovsky character
whom the composer identified with, so the
composer pours forth his agonizing romantic
feelings and frustrations in poetic cliches that are
underscored with magnificently lyrical and poignant
music. Lenski s aria is a tenor s golden operatic
nugget, not so much a test of high notes as a
challenge to the singer s ability to communicate
passion.
The duel demands social formalities. Onegin
and Lenski must turn their backs on each other
correctly. Zaretski becomes the agent of society s
insistence on the rules of politeness and correctness
in the duel, sublime yet ridiculous proprieties that
are indifferent to the horror of the consequences.
Onegin and Lenski sing to the same underlying
music, but they cannot sing it together. Love has
turned to hate as each declares his desire for one
forgiving embrace, but each arrives separately at
the frustration of his hope. Onegin has the final
words, Nyet! Nyet! Nyet! Nyet!
The duel scene portrays desperation. Can
anyone be blamed? Can the callous and indifferent
Onegin be blamed for precipitating the
confrontation? Can Lenski be blamed for allowing
emotion to overpower reason? In the end, the blame
Eugene Onegin Page 27
could be placed on Tatyana for having a birthday
celebration, or even Mme. Larina for holding the
party. Nevertheless, it is Tchaikovsky, the narrator
of Pushkin s story, who is announcing that death
has become the harsh reality working within the
stupidity of society s conventions, and the result
has become an unnecessary tragedy.
But for Tchaikovsky, Eugene Onegin is not to
end with the tragic death of Lenski. One of the main
themes of this opera concerns misunderstandings
and the failure of human communication.
Tchaikovsky is preparing his audience for the
ultimate paradox: the confrontation between
Tatyana and Onegin at the conclusion of the opera
and its classic reversal of emotions.
he time frame between Acts II and III is seven
Tyears. Onegin, after killing his best friend
Lenski, made a grand tour of Europe, dodging his
own unhappiness and escaping from reality. In Act
III, the wanderer and satanic protagonist of the story
returns. Act III transports the story from country to
city and takes place in St. Petersburg.
After Tatyana s rejections by Onegin seven
years earlier, her mother took her to Moscow on a
desperate search for a husband a search, Pushkin
tells us, that was financed with considerable
difficulty. After all the young men found her dull,
she finally succeeded with the elderly Prince
Gremin. At Prince Gremin s ball, the grand
polonaise underscores Russian society s
determination to demonstrate their aristocratic
sensibilities. They dance an imported Polish grand
polonaise; the Russian nobility in those years
considered anything foreign superior to anything
Russian.
Tatyana enters the ball, now a formidable
member of the powerful aristocratic establishment.
Tchaikovsky now reverses roles as Onegin becomes
transfixed by the sight of the beautiful Tatyana;
however, he is unable to recognize her in this
aristocratic context. Her husband of two years, the
60-year-old Prince Gremin, is Onegin s friend and
cousin.
Eugene Onegin Page 28
Gremin is a decent landowner who has married
the young, romantic Tatyana, recognizing in her all
the qualities Onegin was blind to. As his wife, she
has become a radiant figure of St. Petersburg
society. He has become infatuated with her, and
she has provided him with happiness and a renewed
sense of youth. Their marriage has become a
triumph of love, formality, decency, and class.
Gremin politely introduces Onegin to Tatyana.
Her response is formal: I m charmed to meet you.
Onegin becomes dumbfounded and overcome with
shock. Is this the same Tatyana he had spurned? Is
he dreaming? Tchaikovsky brilliantly echoes the
music from Tatyana s letter scene, his musical [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl freetocraft.keep.pl
from friend. In his rage, Lenski winds up
challenging his best friend Onegin to a duel.
Uncontrollable passions and feelings forecast tragic
consequences to their actions.
In the duel scene (Act II, Scene 2 ), Tchaikovsky
shows us how quickly a death can be arranged and
effected. Lenski is a tragic Tchaikovsky character
whom the composer identified with, so the
composer pours forth his agonizing romantic
feelings and frustrations in poetic cliches that are
underscored with magnificently lyrical and poignant
music. Lenski s aria is a tenor s golden operatic
nugget, not so much a test of high notes as a
challenge to the singer s ability to communicate
passion.
The duel demands social formalities. Onegin
and Lenski must turn their backs on each other
correctly. Zaretski becomes the agent of society s
insistence on the rules of politeness and correctness
in the duel, sublime yet ridiculous proprieties that
are indifferent to the horror of the consequences.
Onegin and Lenski sing to the same underlying
music, but they cannot sing it together. Love has
turned to hate as each declares his desire for one
forgiving embrace, but each arrives separately at
the frustration of his hope. Onegin has the final
words, Nyet! Nyet! Nyet! Nyet!
The duel scene portrays desperation. Can
anyone be blamed? Can the callous and indifferent
Onegin be blamed for precipitating the
confrontation? Can Lenski be blamed for allowing
emotion to overpower reason? In the end, the blame
Eugene Onegin Page 27
could be placed on Tatyana for having a birthday
celebration, or even Mme. Larina for holding the
party. Nevertheless, it is Tchaikovsky, the narrator
of Pushkin s story, who is announcing that death
has become the harsh reality working within the
stupidity of society s conventions, and the result
has become an unnecessary tragedy.
But for Tchaikovsky, Eugene Onegin is not to
end with the tragic death of Lenski. One of the main
themes of this opera concerns misunderstandings
and the failure of human communication.
Tchaikovsky is preparing his audience for the
ultimate paradox: the confrontation between
Tatyana and Onegin at the conclusion of the opera
and its classic reversal of emotions.
he time frame between Acts II and III is seven
Tyears. Onegin, after killing his best friend
Lenski, made a grand tour of Europe, dodging his
own unhappiness and escaping from reality. In Act
III, the wanderer and satanic protagonist of the story
returns. Act III transports the story from country to
city and takes place in St. Petersburg.
After Tatyana s rejections by Onegin seven
years earlier, her mother took her to Moscow on a
desperate search for a husband a search, Pushkin
tells us, that was financed with considerable
difficulty. After all the young men found her dull,
she finally succeeded with the elderly Prince
Gremin. At Prince Gremin s ball, the grand
polonaise underscores Russian society s
determination to demonstrate their aristocratic
sensibilities. They dance an imported Polish grand
polonaise; the Russian nobility in those years
considered anything foreign superior to anything
Russian.
Tatyana enters the ball, now a formidable
member of the powerful aristocratic establishment.
Tchaikovsky now reverses roles as Onegin becomes
transfixed by the sight of the beautiful Tatyana;
however, he is unable to recognize her in this
aristocratic context. Her husband of two years, the
60-year-old Prince Gremin, is Onegin s friend and
cousin.
Eugene Onegin Page 28
Gremin is a decent landowner who has married
the young, romantic Tatyana, recognizing in her all
the qualities Onegin was blind to. As his wife, she
has become a radiant figure of St. Petersburg
society. He has become infatuated with her, and
she has provided him with happiness and a renewed
sense of youth. Their marriage has become a
triumph of love, formality, decency, and class.
Gremin politely introduces Onegin to Tatyana.
Her response is formal: I m charmed to meet you.
Onegin becomes dumbfounded and overcome with
shock. Is this the same Tatyana he had spurned? Is
he dreaming? Tchaikovsky brilliantly echoes the
music from Tatyana s letter scene, his musical [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]