Eugene Onegin: English National Opera Guide 38

pyotr ilyich tchaikovsky david lloyd-jones k. shilovskii nicholas john

English National Opera Guides are ideal companions to the opera. They provide stimulating introductory articles together with the complete text of each opera in English and the original. This tender, lyrical and passionate story of unrequited love holds a special place in Russian hearts. Tatyana's Letter Scene and the Polonaise are two much-loved glories of the score; each Act is in fact tightly constructed around an antithesis of public and private scenes, and the dances are integral to the drama. The essence of both opera and poem is yearning, whether the artist's quest for his muse, or the lover for the beloved. Both poet and composer are true, in their quite different ways, to this theme. The essays included in this guide explore the subtle and unexpected relationship between the words and music in Tchaikovsky's intimate Lyrical Scenes after Pushkin.

Genres musicclassicsrussiafiction

100 pages, Paperback

First published March 1,1879

This edition

Format: 100 pages, Paperback
Published: January 1, 1988 by Oneworld Classics
ISBN: 9780714541464
ASIN: 071454146X
Language: English

About the author

pyotr ilyich tchaikovsky

Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky (Russian: Пётр Ильич Чайковский) was a Russian composer of the Romantic era. While not part of the nationalistic music group known as "The Five", Tchaikovsky wrote music which was distinctly Russian: plangent, introspective, with modally-inflected melody and harmony.

Tchaikovsky considered himself a professional composer. He felt his professionalism in combining skill and high standards in his musical works separated him from his colleagues in "The Five." He shared several of their ideals, including an emphasis on national character in music. His aim, however, was linking those ideals with a professional standard high enough to satisfy European criteria. His professionalism also fueled his desire to reach a broad public, not just nationally but internationally, which he would eventually do.