Tchaikovsky: Eugene Onegin

When Mariss Jansons, an outstanding conductor, joins forces with Stefan Herheim, one of the most sought-after opera directors, to bring out Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin, a special treat is to be expected. Even during the main rehearsal, it became clear what a great understanding Janson and the musicians of the Concertgebouw had of Tchaikovsky’s uniquely soulful music. Tchaikovsky was a tragic figure, according to Jansons, he could express his emotions, his pain and his longing for beauty musically. Therefore, the conductor warns against any exaggeration. “Don’t mix sugar with honey, it gets too sweet,” he learned from his father Arvid – himself an orchestra leader. The Norwegian Herheim tells the story from three perspectives: the “now” of the stage production, the “past” in which the work was created, and the historical context in which the work was created.