Eugene Onégin Synopsis

Eugene Onégin is made of seven lyric scenes of tableau and is played out over three acts composed by Tchaikovsky, first performed in 1879 in Moscow and in London in 1892.

The story comes from the original text by Alexander Pushkin, who created this work in the form of versed novel.

ACT 1
Tableau 1:  We open in the garden of Madame Larina’s country estate. They are making preserves and she is being assisted by the family’s nursemaid Filipevna. In the distance Madame’s daughters Tatyana and Olga can be heard singing. The two older women listen and reminisce of their younger days and of younger loves.

The serfs come in from the fields after a long day and they have been reaping the wheat, they come to present Madame Larina with a decorated sheaf, and they sing and dance for her. Tatyana hears their singing, and it reminds her of faraway places and her sister Olga only wants to dance around.

Lensky and Onégin arrive at the Larina property, the two sisters are left to entertain the two men. Olga and Lensky are already engaged to be married; they lovingly bemoan that they have not seen each other since yesterday. There is an undeniable attraction between Tatyana and Onégin, they go for a walk and when they return the nurse, Filipevna openly speculates about how much Tatyana loves the young man.

Tableau 2: In Tatyana’s bedroom we find her restless and unable to sleep. The nurse worries that the young lady is ill. She professes to the nurse that she is in fact totally in love with the young Onégin. The nurse promises to keep her secret and when she leaves, Tatyana starts to write how she feels into a letter for Onégin. Can she love anyone ever, other than Onégin… No! Her letter is complete, in the morning Filipevna comes in and she is given the letter to have delivered to Onégin.

Tableau 3: In another part of the Larina Garden, the girls gather berries as they sing. Tatyana eagerly awaits a reply from Onégin. He arrives and coldly delivers a serious blow… Onégin does not see Tatyana in any romantic way but loves her as a brother would. He has humiliated Tatyana, and they leave. The girls continue to sing as they make the jam.

ACT 2
Tableau 4: We are inside the Larina house at Tatyana’s Birthday Ball. Everyone is dancing and Onégin and Tatyana are waltzing all through the party as the older guests watch on and gossip. Onégin who is not popular with the guests makes no attempt to hide his boredom at such an event. He takes his boredom out on his best friend Lensky who had made Onégin attend the ball. Out of spite and Onégin flirtatiously steals Olga away at the party and they dance. Onégin goads Lensky about why he is not dancing which turns the situation into a nasty exchange where the two men threaten each other with a duel. Onégin regrets this foolish challenge, but it is too late, it is impossible to turn back and the two men are separated by the guests at the party.

Tableau 5: At the side of a riverbank, Lensky discusses the duel with his second Zaretsky. He then takes a private moment to remember his youth and the present horror in front of him.

Onégin arrives at the duel and both men regret arriving at this moment. Lensky is shot and killed.

ACT 3
Tableau 6: St Petersburg, six years have passed. Onégin is present at a ball, he has spent his time travelling and trying to get over Lensky’s death. Prince Gremin and his wife Tatyana enter the ball. Her beauty enthrals everyone. Tatyana sees her husband talking with a man and asks who he is speaking with and Onégin is asking the prince who the enchanting lady is, he explains it is his wife of two years. Once Tatyana and Onégin are introduced to each other at the ball Tatyana excuses herself from the event which agitates Onégin greatly.

Tableau 7: In another room, Onégin has written a letter telling Tatyana of his great passion for her. He throws himself literally at Tatyana’ feet. She remembers the time he so cruelly rejected her and wonders if her new position in the world has made her more attractive to him. Onégin protests this and finally realises in his pleas that she cannot restrain her true love for him. They imagine what their lives might have been like and Onégin urges her to run away with him and find true happiness and true love. Tatyana refuses, she will be true to her marriage vows and heartbroken she leaves. Onégin is left alone with his grief and despair