The ballet Onegin was adapted from the verse novel Eugene Onegin written by Russian author Alexander Pushkin. Respected choreographer John Cranko adapted the three-act ballet in 1965. A further re-working was made in 1967 and this remains the version that is performed today. Onegin made its debut, performed by the Stuttgart Ballet, in Stuttgart on April 3rd 1965. The music for the ballet was arranged by Kurt-Heinz Stolze a German composer and is taken from Tchaikovsky’s The Seasons.
Act One, Scene One sees the characters Olga, Madame Larina and the nurse excitedly preparing for Tatiana’s forthcoming birthday celebrations with Madame Larina in a wistful mood as she recollects her own lost youth and beauty. Olga’s fiance Lensky, a poet, arrives for the celebrations with Onegin, a young man from the city who is bored with his life and seeking new experiences in the country. Tatiana instantly falls for the worldly gentleman from the city but Onegin regards her as a simple country girl. Tatiana’s bedroom is the setting for Act One Scene Two and here we see Tatiana inflamed with love for the handsome stranger that Lensky has introduced to the family. In her heightened emotional state Tatiana writes Onegin a love letter that she gives to her nurse with instructions to pass it on to Onegin.
Act Two Scene One sees all the country gentry turned out to celebrate Tatiana’s birthday. Madame Larina’s first choice of husband for Tatiana attends the celebrations, Prince Gremin is an older man who Madame Larina believes would make the perfect match for her daughter. Onegin cannot hide his boredom and disdain for the country people and in his bad mood seeks out Tatiana to tell her he can never love her, tearing up the love letter. In a further attempt to alleviate his boredom Onegin begins to flirt with Olga. Olga reciprocates but the pair believe their flirting to be light-hearted. Lensky however does not see it this way and angrily challenges Onegin to a duel. The second scene in Act Two sees Olga and Tatiana trying to dissuade Lensky from the duel. However Lensky is determined to see out his challenge. The duel ends in tragedy with Onegin killing his friend and this makes Tatiana realise the foolishness of her infatuation, she sees Onegin for what he really is.
Act Three Scene One is set in St Petersburg at the palace of Prince Gremin several years later. Gremin is now married to Tatiana who has blossomed into a worldly and beautiful young woman. Onegin is invited to a ball at the palace after some years traveling the globe. Onegin, struck by Tatiana’s regal grace and beauty immediately regrets his previous treatment of her. Tatiana’s boudoir is the setting for the final scene in the ballet where we find Tatiana reading a love letter from Onegin. He comes to her room wanting to know if she can ever love him but is disappointed when Tatiana reveals that although she still has feelings for Onegin she would never be able to find Happiness with him. Tatiana orders the heartbroken Onegin to leave forever.
