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kristy Swift sings the role of Tatiana in Tcahikovsky's opera Eugene Onegin.

kristy Swift sings the role of Tatiana in Tcahikovsky’s opera Eugene Onegin.

Tchaikovsky opera comes to White Rock Theatre

Opera South East is in town with two performances of Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin at the White Rock Theatre. Chair John Rycroft sets the scene for what promises to be a memorable night out.

This year marks the 35th anniversary since Opera South East, then known as Hastings Opera, first performed at the White Rock Theatre, Hastings, with a production of Bizet’s Carmen in September of 1983.

It also marks 15 years of collaboration with artistic director Fraser Grant, who has directed no less than 17 of the last 25 productions for Opera South East.

We welcome Fraser back again to direct this April’s production of Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin. You will be enchanted as his interpretation gives Tchaikovsky’s musical moods — tender, grand and melancholic — free rein.

The opera, based on Pushkin’s iconic verse novel, is the story of Onegin, the definitive romantic Russian aristocrat caught between convention and boredom, and the young Tatiana, who grows from sentimental adolescent into sophisticated woman.

Tchaikovsky gives voice to the casualties of love, the victims in the battle between raw emotion and social convention. This exciting new production sees the action starting in 1820 in rural Russia and moving forward to the glittering imperial aristocracy of St Petersburg nearly a decade later. Fully costumed in the period in which it was set, this will be a feast for the eyes as well as the ears.

“Alas our youth was what we made it
Something to fritter and to burn
When hourly we ourselves betrayed it
And it betrayed us in return!”

Opera South East is delighted to introduce to Hastings audiences the exciting young Australian soprano, Kristy Swift, who will  be performing the role of Tatiana. Brian Kellow, OPERA NEWS, said of one of her recent performances: “Swift gave what seemed to me a perfect performance… She pulled off one of the most difficult things to do on an opera stage: there seemed to be no artifice to her acting at all. Nothing was ever overstressed: she simply was.”

She will be joined by Rene Bloice-Sanders in the title role of Onegin, with Jonathan Cooke and Felicity Buckland as Lenski and Olga. Kristy will be joined by her fellow countrymen, Jeremy Vinogradov and David Woloszko, in the roles of M Triquet and Prince Gremin respectively.

The opera is conducted by Kenneth Roberts, who was in at the very start and has not missed one production in all these years; he will be joined by the Sussex Concert Orchestra, in the pit for this wonderful feast of music and drama. You’ll be sitting on the edge of your seats throughout!

 

Opera South East performs Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin Friday 20 and Saturday 21 April, White Rock Theatre, White Rock, Hastings, TN34 1JX. Tickets cost from £12 to £21 and can be booked online, by telephone (01424 462288) or in person at the booking office.

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Posted 18:38 Thursday, Apr 12, 2018 In: Music & Sound

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