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Programme Note

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Cast List:
   LÁRINA, 56 years old, Widow and landowner: Mezzo-Soprano
   TATIÁNA, 17 years old, daughter of Lárina: Soprano
   OLGA, 18 years old, daughter of Lárina: Contralto
   FILÍPYEVNA, 70 years old, their nurse: Mezzo-Soprano
   ONEGIN, 22 years old, visitor from St. Petersburg: Baritone
   LENSKY, 19 years old, Poet, in love with Olga: Tenor
   PRINCE GREMIN, 45 years old, General, Tatiana's husband: Bass
   CAPTAIN*: Bass
   ZARÉTSKY, Lensky's second in the duel: Bass
   TRIQUET, Frenchman, guest at Lárina's party: Tenor
   LEADER OF THE PEASANTS' CHORUS: Tenor
   GUILLOT, Onegin's valet and his second in the duel: Mute role
   Peasants, Guests, Servants, Officers, etc.
   *In this English version, the role of the Captain is combined with that of Zaretsky

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Synopsis:
The opera is set in St Petersburg at the beginning of the nineteenth century. The naive Tatiana falls in love with Eugene Onégin, but he condescendingly rejects her declarations of love. After killing his best friend Lensky in a dual, Onégin goes abroad and when he returns, the tables have turned. Tatiana is now the beautiful and sophisticated wife of Prince Gremin. Onégin now realises that he loves her and asks her to run away with him. For a moment she wavers, but quickly resumes a calculated coolness, declaring that she must fulfill her duty to her husband and sends Onégin away forever.