from Act I, Scene 1 of the Russian opera Eugene Onegin by Peter Illyich Tchaikovsky

Libretto: Peter Illyich Tchaikovsky

Role: Lensky, fiance of Olga and friend of Onegin

Voice Part: tenor       Fach: lyric tenor

Setting: twilight in the garden on Madame Larina's estate, St. Petersburg, Russia, late 1700s

Synopsis: Lensky meets his fiancee, Olga, for the first time and is immediately captivated by her. Unable to contain his feelings, he pours out his love to her.

from Act I, Scene 1 of the Russian opera Eugene Onegin by Peter Illyich Tchaikovsky

Libretto: Peter Illyich Tchaikovsky

Role: Olga, daughter of Madame Larina and sister of Tatiana, engaged to Lensky

Voice Part: contralto       Fach: contralto

Setting: twilight in the garden on Madame Larina's estate, St. Petersburg, Russia, late 1700s

Synopsis: When her sister comments that folk songs sung by the harvesters make her think of places far away from the estate, Olga responds that she has a different reaction when she hears the songs. Dreaming about other places does absolutely nothing for her. Instead, the songs just make her want to dance along with the peasants.

from Act II, Scene 1 of the Russian opera Eugene Onegin by Peter Illyich Tchaikovsky

Libretto: Peter Illyich Tchaikovsky

Role: Monsieur Triquet, an old Frenchman employed by Madame Larina as a tutor

Voice Part: tenor       Fach: buffo tenor

Setting: a simple ballroom in Madame Larina's house, St. Petersburg, Russia, late 1700s

Synopsis: During a party for Tatiana's birthday, Triquet sings a song in honor of Tatiana.

from Act I, Scene 3 of the Russian opera Eugene Onegin by Peter Illyich Tchaikovsky

Libretto: Peter Illyich Tchaikovsky

Role: Eugene Onegin, friend of Lensky

Voice Part: baritone       Fach: lyric baritone

Setting: the gardens on Madame Larina's estate, St. Petersburg, Russia, late 1700s

Synopsis: Tatiana has written Onegin a letter in which she declares her love for him. Onegin, however, doesn't want Tatiana. Although he does not make fun of her love, he does tell the truth : that he does not love her in anything but a brotherly way. He asks her to find another man who would return her love.

from Act II, Scene 2 of the Russian opera Eugene Onegin by Peter Illyich Tchaikovsky

Libretto: Peter Illyich Tchaikovsky

Role: Lensky, fiance of Olga and friend of Onegin

Voice Part: tenor       Fach: lyric tenor

Setting: a stream near a mill at dawn, St. Petersburg, Russia, late 1700s

Synopsis: The night before, Lensky challenged Onegin to a duel in response to Onegin's advances on Lensky's fiancee, Olga. Now, on the morning of the duel, Lensky looks back on his happy youth as he waits for Onegin to arrive. He realizes that he will probably die in the duel and that he does not particularly care if he does. The only great loss in his death would be that he would never see Olga again.

from Act III, Scene 1 of the Russian opera Eugene Onegin by Peter Illyich Tchaikovsky

Libretto: Peter Illyich Tchaikovsky

Role: Prince Gremin, a retired general

Voice Part: bass       Fach: lyric bass

Setting: a fancy ballroom in a house in St. Petersburg, Russia, late 1700s

Synopsis: Gremin explains to Onegin how Tatiana came into his life two years prior and filled his life with love and happiness. She is now his wife and he continues to be completely happy.

from Act I, Scene 2 of the Russian opera Eugene Onegin by Peter Illyich Tchaikovsky

Libretto: Peter Illyich Tchaikovsky

Role: Tatiana, daughter of Madame Larina and sister of Olga

Voice Part: soprano       Fach: lyric soprano

Setting: Tatiana's bedroom in Madame Larina's house, St. Petersburg, Russia, late 1700s

Synopsis: Tatiana decides that the only way to express her love for Onegin is to write him a letter in which she explains her feelings towards him. As she writes, she discovers more and more about the depth and strength of her love for him.

from Act III, Scene 1 of the Russian opera Eugene Onegin by Peter Illyich Tchaikovsky

Libretto: Peter Illyich Tchaikovsky

Role: Eugene Onegin, friend of Lensky

Voice Part: baritone       Fach: lyric baritone

Setting: a fancy ballroom in a house in St. Petersburg, Russia, late 1700s

Synopsis: After spending years away from civilization after the duel in which he killed his friend Lensky, Onegin attends a ball in St. Petersburg. He sees Tatiana once more but, to his surprise, she is happily married. Remembering how he rejected her love in the past, he realizes the true extent of his feelings for her. He expresses the deep love for her that he has found inside himself and the sorrow that he feels because he has lost his chance.