Yevgeni Onegin

This 1958 film remains the first (known in the West) and only film adaptation of Tchaikovsky's rare opera. First re-released on video by KULTUR in 1984, and now available on Amazon.com, the film is riding a strange wave of popularity for everything Onegin. The opera, relatively obscure in the West, is now being performed everywhere. I saw it a few months in lavish new production performed by Miami's prestigious Florida Grand Opera, with a distinguished, stellar all-Slav cast. The Fiennes family, of course, released "Onegin," the non-operatic version starring their most famous brother, Ralph............While the 1958 Soviet film, Yevgeni Onegin, is as artistic as it is operatic; and though it does use the sights and sounds of Saint Petersburg, and the Russian countryside to great effect, the film suffers by comparison to other "Onegin" versions. Not only to the recent lavish "live opera" presentations, but to Martha Fienne's film. Tchaikovsky's music, is of course, wonderful. However, the character development is serious lacking, practically non-existent, in this film. And the actors are all known Soviet-era actors, dubbed by the cream of Moscow's Bolshoi Theater (which also provides the chorus, corps de ballet and orchestra). This "dubbing" concept is also a distracting feature. This once ubiquitous process now seems very outdated and unnatural. All these faults contrast too sharply with the recent "Onegin" reincarnations featuring fabulous characterizations, which really bring the story line to life naturally. The live opera experience is also far more exhilarating than this film ever is, though....... In all fairness to director Roman Tikhominov, this film of an opera (it is not a filmed opera performance), is a ground-breaking film. It's just that since 1958, the opera film (especially the Franco Zeffirelli productions such as LA TRAVIATA, and OTELLO,plus CARMEN, and the more recent MADAME BUTTERFLY) has evolved greatly, and therefore this Soviet film pales by comparison. Ditto for the recent live opera productions, and the overall experience provided by the 1999 Fiennes film. Nevertheless, "Yevgeni Onegin" is a welcome addition to any opera lover's video/DVD collection. If for nothing else than curiosity value.

This is a superb film. The photography, the acting, the sets and costumes are very artistically done. There are not enough opera films set in real locations as this one is. Some people may object to the singers' voices being dubbed over non-operatic actors, but the lead actors are so beautiful and convincing that their presence adds greatly to the romantic atmosphere -- this film would not be the same without them. If you love Tchaikovsky's music then you will love this film. Roman Tikhominov directed two other excellent opera films set in real locations (not stage performances): Queen of Spades (1960) and Prince Igor (1970), but Eugene Onegin (1958) is the best of all.

This is an earlier opera by Tchaikovsky written 12 years before "Queen of Spades" and very different from it, although also by Pushkin. This was Roman Tikhomirov's first great opera screening, many consider it his best, and although consummate, there are problems, especially concerning the story. Eugene Onegin is not a sympathetic character, he is no hero but rather an intolerable cynic who behaves outrageously, and the story is rather sordid. Prince Lensky (tenor) brings his older friend Onegin to visit a family in the country with two lovely daughters, Lensky loves one of them and thinks Onegin would suit the other (Tatiana), who immediately falls desperately in love with Onegin and writes him a passionate love letter. Onegin answers insultingly with condescending arrogance, while he flirts with the sister, which outrages Lensky, who feels compelled to challenge his best friend Onegin to a duel. The less said about the rest, the better.

Vadim Medvedev is not quite convincing as Onegin. He is to polished and lacks that demonic attraction which hooks Tatiana. On the other hand, Igor Ozerov is perfect as Lensky, and all sympathy and compassion must be with him and Tatiana. Why didn't Tatiana take him on instead?

Tatiana is the leading character, she dominates the whole opera, her love letter scene is a centerpiece together with the two magnificent ballroom scenes, very different and excelling each other. These three scenes are the main outstanding credits of the film. Ariadna Shengelaya as Tatiana couldn't be better, she is the character that changes and develops, and every scene with her is adorable, especially in the beginning, when everything is still idyllic in pastoral bliss, wonderfully photographed mainly outside.

"Eugene Onegin" is less dramatic than "Queen of Spades", its story is more like a novel than like a drama, but the psychology of Pushkin is the main thing, making the book an everlasting classic in consummate verse all through, and the film matches it, no matter how little you can care for the rogue Onegin.

I'm a long-time fan of the great Pushkin's novel "Eugene Onegin" and the great Tchaikovsky's opera with the same title. And I always wanted to see a good film adaptation of "Eugene Onegin".

So, I've been watching 1988 Decca's screen version of the opera, 1999 British screen version of the novel...and I didn't like it. I almost despaired, but I was thinking: "There are no Russian screen version of "Onegin"? It can't be!" And I was right! There are Russian screen version. And WHAT A VERSION! This 1958 Soviet film is just perfect film adaptation of the story + amazing Tchaikovsky's music + singing of the Bolshoi Theatre stars. But that's not all! Beautiful locations, costumes, ball scenes...And what a beautiful Russian actors..! Vadim Medvedev (Onegin) is incredibly handsome, red-haired (Oh,red-haired Onegin is something special!) man with an aristocratic face, majestic posture and eloquent face expressions (love his haughty, puffed-up mien and these curved eyebrows...), and he is amazing as arrogant and selfish dandy Eugene Onegin, Igor Ozerov is good as young and naive poet Vladimir Lensky, and Ariadna Shengelaya makes a lovely Tatiana, a shy landowner's daughter...

Galina Vishnevskaya (Tatiana's voice) is the world famous Russian soprano and her singing is outstanding. Yevgeni Kibkalo (Onegin's voice) is a lyric baritone of truly beautiful timbre, and Anton Grygoriev (Lensky's voice) is expressive lyric tenor.

So, I can't say a single bad word about this film. Everything is perfect: singing, acting, direction, camera work, costumes...just everything. This tastefully made film is another proof of the greatness of the Soviet cinema and true pleasure for all the film and opera lovers.

P.S. Try also a Soviet film "Queen of Spades" ("Pikovaya dama"), 1960 (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0054183/). This is screen version of another Tchaikovsky's opera, directed by the same director (Roman Tikhomirov) and also starring Vadim Medvedev. A beautifully made opera film.

I saw this film when first released -- I was still at school in Perth, Western Australia. (Perth WA may have been one of the most isolated cities in the world but it worked at bringing the world to us, including the university's summer film festival of the latest movies from everywhere -- and it still is, and still actively connects with the world.) The film made an indelible impression, I've loved opera ever since. And I love the reviews here.

Travelling around the world in 1968, straight after university, I was taken to Glyndbourne, and the opera I saw was Onegin!

I loved the outright romanticism of the film, the music of course, the singing, everything. I knew at the time that it was highly stylised (including the rich colours) but I loved that too.

And now, returning to singing lessons as an aging amateur tenor, I am working on M. Triquet's couplets -- I remembered them from the film over 60 years ago!