Eugene Onegin
Starring Anna Netrebko, Piotr Beczala, Mariusz Kwiecien and Alexei Tanovitski, conducted by Valery Gergiev. From October 5, 2013.
By
La Cieca
Streaming and discussion begin at 7:30 PM.
Netrebko sent her voluptuous soprano surging like thick cream through Tatiana’s lush melodies. Even more impressive, she damped down her electric stage presence to portray the mousy, pathologically shy heroine. In a simple ecru dress and girlish braid, she even looked plain.
Matching her vocally was Piotr Beczala as the young poet Lensky, his silvery tenor throbbing with emotion in his final aria before his mortal duel with Onegin.
As the antihero himself, baritone Mariusz Kwiecien looked every inch the elegant dandy and caressed the music with suave legato. The voice, though, sounded a size too small for the vast Met. — New York Post
Photo: Ken Howard / Metropolitan Opera
La Cieca
James Jorden (who wrote under the names "La Cieca" and "Our Own JJ") was the founder and editor of parterre box. During his 20 year career as an opera critic he wrote for the New York Times, Opera, Gay City News, Opera Now, Musical America and the New York Post. He also raised his voice in punditry on National Public Radio. From time to time he directed opera, including three unsuccessful productions of Don Giovanni. He also contributed a regular column on opera for the New York Observer. James died in October 2023.
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Topics: opera in exile
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People: Anna Netrebko, Mariusz Kwiecie?, Piotr Beczala
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Works: Yevgeny Onegin
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Places & Organizations: Metropolitan Opera
