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1 Eugene Onegin Music by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky Libretto by the composer and

1 Eugene Onegin Music by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky Libretto by the composer and K.S. Shilovsky based on the poem by Alexander Pushkin STUDY GUIDE presented by EDUCATION UNDERWRITER OPERA IN SCHOOLS SPONSORS Pacific Opera Victoria, 1815 Blanshard Street, Suite 500, Victoria, BC V8T 5A4 www.pov.bc.ca October 2005 2 Welcome to Pacific Opera! This Study Guide has been created to assist you in preparing your students for their visit to the opera. It is our hope that you will be able to add this to your existing curriculum in order to expand your students’ understanding of opera, literature, history, and the fine arts. Materials in the Study Guide may be copied and distributed to students. Some students may wish to go over the information at home if there is insufficient time to discuss in class. Make the opera experience more meaningful and enjoyable by sharing with them knowledge and background on opera and EUGENE ONEGIN before they attend. Please Note: The Dress Rehearsal is the last opportunity the singers will have on stage to work with the orchestra before Opening Night. Since vocal demands are so great on opera singers, some singers choose not to sing in full voice during the Dress Rehearsal in order to preserve their vocal chords and avoid unnecessary strain. 3 Table of Contents Welcome to Pacific Opera! ____________________________________________ 2 Opera at a Glance - Introduction _______________________________________ 4 Audience Etiquette __________________________________________________ 5 Cast List __________________________________________________________ 6 Who’s Who in EUGENE ONEGIN ____________________________________ 7 What’s Going On? (Synopsis) _________________________________________ 8 About the Composer – Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky ___________________________ 9 About EUGENE ONEGIN __________________________________________ 10 Alexander Pushkin __________________________________________________ 11 Fun With Translations________________________________________________ 12 Useful Internet Links ________________________________________________ 15 Who Wants to be an Opera Singer? _____________________________________ 16 The Six Basic Vocal Categories _________________________________________ 17 Glossary __________________________________________________________ 18 Workshop #1- What is this Thing Called Opera? ___________________________ 23 Workshop #2- Stage Business _________________________________________ 24 Workshop #3- Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky _________________________________ 26 Workshop #4- Exploring Plot and Character ______________________________ 27 Workshop #5- Write a Review _________________________________________ 29 Teacher’s Evaluation Sheet ____________________________________________ 31 4 Opera at a Glance: Introduction What is opera? An opera is a dramatic form which consists of many dimensions that combine to make it a unique whole: the human voice, orchestral music, the visual arts (scenery, costumes and special effects), drama (tragedy or comedy), and occasionally dance. The melding of these elements can make you laugh or cry and can transport you to a magical land of music and song. Operas are divided into scenes and acts that contain different types of vocal pieces for one or many singers. An aria is a vocal solo that focuses on a character’s emotions rather than actions. A recitative is sung dialogue or speech that occurs between arias and ensembles. Composers write the score or the music for the opera. The story of the opera is written as a libretto, a text that is easily set to music. How did opera get started? Opera originated in Florence, Italy, in the late 1500’s, with a small group of men who were members of a Camerata (Italian for society). The intellectuals, poets and musicians of the Camerata decided they wanted words to be a featured aspect of music. They used ancient Greek drama as their inspiration, including the use of a chorus to comment on the action. The first major composer to fully develop the ideas of the Camerata was Jacopo Peri (1561-1633), whose opera Dafne premiered in 1594 and is regarded as the first opera. Opera or Musical Theatre? What’s the difference between an opera and a musical like Les Miserables? There are many! The musical style is different in each; opera is usually classical and complex, while musicals feature pop songs and sometimes jazz. Singers in musicals have microphones hidden in their costumes or wigs to amplify their voices, whereas the voices of opera singers are so strong that no amplification is needed – even in a large venue. Operas are almost completely sung, while the use of spoken words is more common to musicals. It is interesting to note that there are some operas with spoken words; these are called singspiels (German) and opera-comique (French). Examples are Mozart’s THE MAGIC FLUTE and Bizet’s CARMEN, respectively. All terms in bold are defined in the Glossary on page 17 DID YOU KNOW? Today many opera companies in North America project supertitles on screens above or beside the stage. They are English translations of the opera designed specifically for the convenience of patrons unfamiliar with the language in which the opera was composed. 5 Audience Etiquette The following list of Dos and Do Nots will help you (and those around you) enjoy the experience of a night at the opera: • Do dress in whatever you are comfortable in. However, going to the opera can be an opportunity to get dressed in formal attire. • Do be on time. Latecomers disturb the rest of the audience and the singers. They will only be seated at suitable breaks – often not until intermission. • Do find your seat with the help of your teacher or an usher. It is also customary to remove your hat in respect to the artists and to the person sitting behind you. • Do turn off cell phones, pagers, digital watch alarms and all electronic devices. • Do Not take photos. The flash can be very disturbing to the artists. • Do Not chew gum, eat, drink, or talk. Let the action on stage surround you. As an audience member, you are a very important part of the process taking place. Without you there is no show. • Do get settled and comfortable prior to the performance beginning. Check your program before the performance; rustling through the program during the show can disrupt everyone. • Do CLAP as the lights are dimmed and the conductor appears and bows to the audience. Watch as the conductor then turns to the orchestra and takes up his or her baton to signal the beginning of the opera. • Do listen to the prelude or overture before the curtain rises. This is part of the performance and an opportunity to identify common musical themes that may reoccur during the opera. • Do sit still; whisper only when it is absolutely necessary, as a whisper is heard all over the theatre, and NEVER (except in an emergency) stand during the performance. • Do applaud (or shout Bravo!) at the end of an aria or chorus piece to signify your enjoyment. The end of a piece can be identified by a pause in the music. • Do laugh when something is funny. • Do read the English surtitles projected above the stage. Most operas are not sung in English (EUGENE ONEGIN is sung in Russian). Use the surtitles to understand the story. • Do listen for subtleties in the music. The tempo, volume and complexity of the music and singing often depict the “feeling” or “sense” of the action or character. Notice repeated words or phrases; they are usually significant. Finally, have fun and enjoy the show!!!!! 6 presents Eugene Onegin October 4, 2005, 7:30 pm Royal Theatre, Victoria, BC Music by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky Libretto by the composer and K.S. Shilovsky based on the poem by Alexander Pushkin First performance March 29, 1879, Moscow Approximately 2 hours 40 minutes, including one intermission Sung in Russian with English surtitles CAST & CREATIVE TEAM LARINA, a widow REBECCA HASS TATIANA, Larina’s daughter FRÉDÉRIQUE VÉZINA OLGA, Larina’s daughter VILMA INDRA VITOLS FILIPYEVNA, a servant ERIN CUNES LENSKI, a poet, Olga’s fiancé KURT LEHMANN EUGENE ONEGIN, Lenski’s friend JASON HOWARD A CAPTAIN GABRIEL CHENIER-DEMERS TRIQUET, a French tutor ERIC OLSEN ZARETSKY, Lenski’s second STEVEN DEVRIES GUILLOT, Onegin’s valet MARK MARQUETTE PRINCE GREMIN, Tatiana’s husband GARY RELYEA Conductor TIMOTHY VERNON Director GLYNIS LEYSHON Set Designer LESLIE FRANKISH Lighting Designer GERALD KING Choreographer JACQUES LEMAY Resident Stage Manager JACKIE ADAMTHWAITE Assistant Stage Managers NICOLE HANNAH STEVE BARKER Chorus Master and Répétiteur ROBERT HOLLISTON Language Coach ANNA CAL With the Victoria Symphony and the Pacific Opera Chorus 7 Who’s Who in EUGENE ONEGIN LARINA, a widow. Mezzo Soprano. Tatiana and Olga’s mother. Like Tatiana, she used to lose herself in girlish romantic daydreams, but eventually became a dutiful and contented wife and mother. TATIANA, Larina’s daughter. Soprano. A quiet, moody teenager who enjoys daydreaming and reading romantic novels. OLGA, Larina’s daughter. Contralto. Tatiana’s sister and Lenski’s girlfriend. A simple, light-hearted girl who likes parties and fun. She flirts with Onegin at Tatiana’s party. FILIPYEVNA. Mezzo Soprano. A servant who has been with the family since Madame Larina was young. LENSKI, a poet, Olga’s fiancé. Tenor. A poet who has loved Olga since childhood. He is also Onegin’s best friend. EUGENE ONEGIN, Lenski’s friend. Baritone. A handsome, spoiled, aristocratic young man who has just inherited his uncle’s land near Madame Larina’s estate. A CAPTAIN, Bass. One of the people attending the party in honour of Tatiana’s name day. TRIQUET. Tenor. An elderly uploads/Geographie/ onegin-study-guide.pdf