Search - Tchaikovsky, Charles Mackerras, Kiri Te Kanawa :: Tchaikovsky - Eugene Onegin / Te Kanawa · Hampson · Rosenshein · Gedda · Sir Charles Mackerras [in English]

Tchaikovsky, Charles Mackerras, Kiri Te Kanawa
Tchaikovsky - Eugene Onegin / Te Kanawa · Hampson · Rosenshein · Gedda · Sir Charles Mackerras [in English]
Genre: Classical

Track Listings (30) - Disc #1
1. Introduction
2. Scene 1.1: Duet And Quarter: Oh, did you hear the lovesick shepherd boy
3. Scene 1.2: Chorus And Dance Of The Peasants: My legs ache and can no
4. Scene 1.2: Chorus And Dance Of The Peasants: In a cottage by the water
5. Scene 1.3: Scene And Aria: Oh, how I love to hear the people singing
6. Scene 1.3: Scene And Aria: I'm not the sort to sit in silence
7. Scene 1.4: Scene: Come here, my darling Olga!
8. Scene 1.5: Scene And Quartet: Mesdames, I hope that you'll excuse me
9. Scene 1.5: Scene And Quartet: Now tell me, which of them's Tatyana?
10. Scene 1.6: Scene And Arioso: How perfect, how wonderful
11. Scene 1.6: Scene And Arioso: How I love you, I adore you, Olga
12. Scene 1.7: Closing Scene: Ah, here you are!
13. Scene 2.8 Introduction And Scene: Introduction
14. Scene 2.8 Introduction And Scene: There! No more talk tonight
15. Scene 2.8 Introduction And Scene: I can't sleep, Nanny
16. Scene 2.8 Introduction And Scene: Well, let me think now
17. Scene 2.9 Letter Scene: To write is foolishness, I know it
18. Scene 2.9 Letter Scene: I had to write
19. Scene 2.9 Letter Scene: No, there could never be another
20. Scene 2.9 Letter Scene: For you were always there beside me
21. Scene 2.9 Letter Scene: Are you an angel
22. Scene 2.9 Letter Scene: No, come what may
23. Scene 2.10 Scene And Duet: Ah, night is over
24. Scene 2.10 Scene And Duet: Oh, Nanny, may I ask you a favour?
25. Scene 2.10 Scene And Duet: Then make your grandson go in secret
26. Scene 3.11 Chorus Of Girls: Dear companions, come this way
27. Scene 3.12 Scene And Aria: Onegin! Here! To see me!
28. Scene 3.12 Scene And Aria: You wrote a letter
29. Scene 3.12 Scene And Aria: Were I the sort who had intended
30. Scene 3.12 Scene And Aria: But try to practise self-control
Track Listings (29) - Disc #2
1. Scene 1.13 Entr'acte, Waltz And Chorus: Entr'acte And Waltz
2. Scene 1.13 Entr'acte, Waltz And Chorus: This is superb
3. Scene 1.13 Entr'acte, Waltz And Chorus: Certainly! But why aren't you dancing?
4. Scene 1.13 Entr'acte, Waltz And Chorus: So that's their verdict!
5. Scene 1.14 Scene And Triquet's Couplets: How Can I have deserted to be so haunted by you?
6. Scene 1.14 Scene And Triquet's Couplets: By chance I 'ave with me a song
7. Scene 1.14 Scene And Triquet's Couplets: A cette fete conviee
8. Scene 1.15 Mazurka And Scene: Messieurs! Mesdames!
9. Scene 1.15 Mazurka And Scene: Why aren't you dancing, Lensky?
10. Scene 1.16 Finale: Here in your house!
11. Scene 1.16 Finale: Your challenge I accept
12. Scene 2.17: Introduction, Scene And Aria: Introduction
13. Scene 2.17: Introduction, Scene And Aria: What's happened? Where can your opponent be?
14. Scene 2.17: Introduction, Scene And Aria: How far, how far away you seem now
15. Scene 2.18 Duel Scene: Ah, here they are!
16. Scene 2.18 Duel Scene: We fight to satisfy our honour
17. Scene 1.19 Polonaise
18. Scene 1.20 Scene And Aria: Here too, I'm bored!
19. Scene 1.20 Scene And Aria: Ecossaise
20. Scene 1.20 Scene And Aria: The Princess Gremina!
21. Scene 1.20a Aria: The gift of love is rightly treasured
22. Scene 1.21 Scene And Arioso: And now you must be introduced to her
23. Scene 1.21 Scene And Arioso: Is this the very same Tatyana
24. Scene 2.22 Final Scene: Introduction
25. Scene 2.22 Final Scene: Why, why did he return and write this letter?
26. Scene 2.22 Final Scene: Onegin, I was then far younger
27. Scene 2.22 Final Scene: Ah, Tatyana!
28. Scene 2.22 Final Scene: Onegin, as a man of honour
29. Scene 2.22 Final Scene: Onegin! Leave me, I entreat you

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CD Details

All Artists: Tchaikovsky, Charles Mackerras, Kiri Te Kanawa, Thomas Hampson, Neil Rosenshein, Nicolai Gedda
Title: Tchaikovsky - Eugene Onegin / Te Kanawa · Hampson · Rosenshein · Gedda · Sir Charles Mackerras [in English]
Members Wishing: 0
Total Copies: 0
Label: Chandos
Original Release Date: 1/1/1994
Re-Release Date: 4/24/2001
Genre: Classical
Style: Opera & Classical Vocal
Number of Discs: 2
SwapaCD Credits: 2
UPC: 095115304228

Synopsis

Amazon.com

Before raising an eyebrow at Chandos's Opera in English series, we should remember that until not so long ago, the greatest European opera houses regularly performed in the language of their country. Doing so undoubtedly made opera more accessible and enjoyable to the audience, so sacrificing the unity and homogeneity of words and music seemed well worthwhile. Today, we are not so sure, and the knotty question remains unanswered. This record illustrates several of its problems. Making a good "singing" translation is a difficult, treacherous undertaking, especially if rhyming is involved. Some languages are more compatible than others, and sung words are so difficult to understand, particularly in ensemble and choral sections, that it often hardly matters what language is being used. This can leave listeners trying to understand the text (which is often best ignored) when they should be concentrating on the music. On this record, highest marks for clear diction go to Thomas Hampson, who is also vocally much the best and makes Onegin a convincing, not unsympathetic character. Kiri Te Kanawa sounds deliberately girlish at first, then matures, perhaps too quickly, during the Letter Scene, which she sings beautifully. Rosenhein is a properly romantic poet, but his top is pinched and wobbly. Connell sounds sonorous but rough, and the three mezzo-sopranos are good. The weakest link is the orchestra: bland, uninvolved, rhythmically stiff, and lackluster in sound. --Edith Eisler

CD Reviews

A wonderful surprise

Maria-Ana Smith | Santarém, Portugal | 05/28/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I had never heard Eugene Onegin, therefore did not know what to expect. I was very pleasantly surprised. The music is so wonderful, listening to this opera is like seeing one of Tchaikovsky's ballets.I love Kiri Te Kanawa and Thomas Hampson in this recording.The only thing I regret is that it is not sung in Russian. I think it would sound much better in the original language. To me it sounds slightly stilted in English."

Excellent Concept; Flawed Performance

Aronne | 09/21/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I obtained this recording from my library, desirous of getting acquainted with Tchaikovsky's operatic output. But as is often the case with library recordings, it was never played enough for me to get into the opera. Later I bought the fabulous DG recording with Thomas Allan as Onegin and fell in love with this classic Russian work.

Chandos' Opera in English series always attracted my admiration; however, I never listened to one of its entries until now. Yes, the English doesn't sound as perfectly natural as the Russian (it's to be expected!), but this recording still uses a fine translation. Not only does it capture the meter of the libretto, but often the rhyming. Somehow, though, I think the main reason we think the English sounds odd is because we aren't used to it - and we understand it. I am thoroughly happy that this recording was made. There are plenty of Russian Eugene Onegins out there.

On to the performance. This is where things become really sticky. Thomas Hampson is ideal as Onegin - almost as good as Thomas Allan in my opinion. He packs a lot of emotion into his character, with splendid singing that shows Baritones can be romantic too. Kiri Te Kanawa has a few un-girlish moments, but on the whole is a splendid Tatyana. No complaints concerning John Connell as Prince Gremin or Patricia Bardon as Olga.

The two tenors are another matter. As fine as Gedda's singing was in the days of analogue, it comes over far less freshly here. Mackerras also rushes him through Trinquet's Couplets at a speed that accentuates the decline in Gedda's powers. Neil Rosenshein sings Lensky with a lot of emotion, but his upper range often comes over as unpleasantly strained. The wobble of his upper notes distracts from what is otherwise a very good set.

The chorus (which has little to do, overall) is very good, though the magic of the Peasant's Chorus really isn't captured to the same extent as in other performances. Part of this is due to the orchestra, which lacks some of the cohesion and bite present in, say, James Levine's DG recording.

Chandos is very generous with tracking - 59 tracks on two CDs - but many of these divisions take place in the middle of songs, making the purchasing of the MP3 album undesirable. There would be many clicks between music that should flow smoothly upon playback.

Overall, this is a noble effort at appealing to English-speaking music fans that is very commendable, flaws notwithstanding. If you can get past the strained Lensky, there is much to enjoy here - but not as much as there could have been."