This Eugene Onegin is a live HD transmittion (that is, broadcast live worldwide) from the Metropolitan Opera. Deborah Warner, the mastermind behind the production, characterizes the opera as: 'a complete picture of the human condition, seen from the perspective of youth and first love.' Warner's earlier productions sometimes caused quite some controversy. Here, however, it is very true to style and
… integrity, although the story has been moved from Pushkin's time to that of Tchaikovsky. Gergiev is of course the ideal conductor to bring the world of the Saint Petersburg aristocracy to life, his career is like no other intertwined with the theater and opera of this city. Anna Netrebko - she is glorious here as Tatiana - is said to have scrubbed the floors of the Mariinski Theater as a singing student before being noticed by the director (Gergiev that is). Gergiev's career is of course also closely intertwined with Putin's regime, the two have known each other for years. As a result, Gergiev's actions and statements are weighed on a gold scale, now that Putin's domestic and foreign policy is increasingly causing international tensions. For example, New York reviewer Alex Ross (of The Rest is Noise fame) noted that he was uncomfortable with Gergiev's Shostakovich interpretations because of Gergiev's 'pact with authority'. After all, was Shostakovich not the composer whose creativity was seriously thwarted by a potentate? (HJ) Gergiev's career is of course also closely intertwined with Putin's regime, the two have known each other for years. As a result, Gergiev's actions and statements are weighed on a gold scale now that Putin's domestic and foreign policy is increasingly causing international tensions. For example, New York critic Alex Ross (of The Rest is Noise fame) noted that he was uncomfortable with Gergiev's Shostakovich interpretations because of Gergiev's 'pact with authority'. After all, was Shostakovich not the composer whose creativity was seriously thwarted by a potentate? (HJ) Gergiev's career is of course also closely intertwined with Putin's regime, the two have known each other for years. As a result, Gergiev's actions and statements are weighed on a gold scale, now that Putin's domestic and foreign policy is increasingly causing international tensions. For example, New York reviewer Alex Ross (of The Rest is Noise fame) noted that he was uncomfortable with Gergiev's Shostakovich interpretations because of Gergiev's 'pact with authority'. After all, was Shostakovich not the composer whose creativity was seriously thwarted by a potentate? (HJ) As a result, Gergiev's actions and statements are weighed on a gold scale now that Putin's domestic and foreign policy is increasingly causing international tensions. For example, New York reviewer Alex Ross (of The Rest is Noise fame) noted that he was uncomfortable with Gergiev's Shostakovich interpretations because of Gergiev's 'pact with authority'. After all, was Shostakovich not the composer whose creativity was seriously hampered by the action of a potentate? (HJ) As a result, Gergiev's actions and statements are weighed on a gold scale now that Putin's domestic and foreign policy is increasingly causing international tensions. For example, New York reviewer Alex Ross (of The Rest is Noise fame) noted that he was uncomfortable with Gergiev's Shostakovich interpretations because of Gergiev's 'pact with authority'. After all, was Shostakovich not the composer whose creativity was seriously thwarted by a potentate? (HJ)more
