On the one hand, it is easy to guess with his background and past projects – the English actor has been a known and proud Russophile for years, speaking (at least some) Russian and starring in his sister’s film adaptation of Pushkin‘s novel in 1999. He’s a very good Onegin in it, even if the rest of the film varies wildly from excellent to dire. (Adapting a script from a novel in verse is not something that can be done by half-measures.)

Based on this, for his operatic directorial debut, I’m expecting something very traditional and faithful to Pushkin in spirit, even if the setting is not exactly 1810s Russia. The cast assembled is strong, and Bychkov conducting promises great things musically. It will probably be handsome and a bit dull – but the star power and pull of the glamour is undeniable, and I’ll be toying with my holiday days (and budget) to try to be there.