(Photo Credit Wolf Trap PR)

Stunning performances and engrossing acting kept the Wolf Trap audience involved and thrilled with “Eugene Onegin’s” presentation at the Barns. Alexander Pushkin’s revered Russian novel in verse, “Eugene Onegin,” is considered by many the greatest Russian classic. This book is the literary source that inspired Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and Konstantin Shilovsky to write the libretto, and that inspired Tchaikovsky to compose one of the greatest operas ever performed.

Wolf Trap Opera and director Emma Griffin gave this work a remarkable performance with outstanding singers, including an enthusiastic and robust Wolf Trap Chorus and a sizeable orchestra whose playing is to be envied by any major opera house. Maestro Steven White demonstrated a sensitive and involved approach to his conducting while communicating a thorough knowledge of the symphonic opera score and supporting the orchestra, soloists, and chorus. This enabled all to deliver a very memorable performance, with the unspoken main character of this masterpiece being the orchestra.

Tchaikovsky composed the “Letter Scene” first. This aria in Act one is well known and epic in its design. It gives Tatiana, a teenaged girl, an entirely believable reveal of her feelings for Onegin, whom she has just met. The “Letter” (“Let Me die, but first…”) leaps off the paper, transforming into a powerful statement of love for Onegin. Sung by soprano Magdalena Kuźma, Tatiana had the voice and power, along with vocal acting, for this great moment in opera. She delivered this aria with conviction, beauty in her tone, power in her vocal ability, while remaining entirely believable in her character portrayal.

Olga, sung by mezzo-soprano Elissa Pfaender, gave a fine contrasting character performance with a rich low voice that stood out among many wonderful singers (“Ah, Tanya, Tanya” in Act one). Her portrayal found the character’s delight in her friendship with Tatiana and her love for Lensky. Her response to Lensky’s jealous behavior was well acted and helped to move the plot along. She left us wanting to hear her in other great mezzo-soprano roles. Tenor Daniel O’Hearn, who sang the role of Lensky, has a bright tenor voice with ringing upper register, giving us some of the best acting and singing of the performance. He delivered his pre-duel aria, “Kuda, kuda vy udalilis” (“Where have you gone, O golden days of my spring?”), as a reveal of the Russian soul, with profound emotion, lyrical singing, and a memorable tenor voice.

The title role, sung by baritone Finn Sagal, had the right, slightly smoky, lyrical sound. He was seductive and aloof in his opening aria, “Kogda by zhizn’ domashnim krugom.” Sagal gave a fine portrayal and effortlessly cut a romantic figure as Onegin. Though others may disagree, one found his response to Tatiana’s letter in Act one, though humiliating for Tatiana, to be a good moment of honesty for him, even if it was unintentional.

In Act three, when Onegin rediscovers Tatiana after being away for several years, he falls in love with her, and we have the making of a great romance. However, even in their love, pain and regret make the passionate ending to the opera a dive into the depths of Russian pathos. As in Mozart and DaPonte’s “Don Giovanni” and Lord Byron’s “Don Juan,” the theme of constant romantic conquest leaves open the suggestion that Onegin is just trying to prove his masculinity and no conquest of his will ever leave him satisfied. His letter to Tatiana and its rejection is a mirror of his earlier rejection of Tatiana. Prince Gremin, sung by bass Sergio Martinez Salazar gave a solid vocal delivery and impressive image as Tatiana’s husband in his aria “Love knows no age.”

Many of the supporting roles gave full strength to their characters, lending the entire performance an air of excitement and success. These included mezzo-soprano Aubrey Odle as Madame Larina, contralto Cecelia McKinley as Filipyevna, tenor Jack Hicks as Monsieur Triquet, bass Michael Mensah as the Commander, and baritone John Arlievsky as Zaretsky. The Wolf Trap Chorus entered the theater while singing from behind the audience. The full voices of well-balanced male and female singers made the entire wooden structure of the Barns at Wolf Trap vibrate.

The composer, here as in every act, made good use of the chorus, giving us a taste of Russian musical culture. A few puzzles for me included lending the production a touch of “Midsummer Night’s Dream” by setting the stage, designed by Lee Jellinek, in the glowing forest — the luminous effects conjured by Alejandro Fajardo. I liked this touch, even though the woods included a wandering bear and a rooster-headed singer. If the bear was, as I assumed, symbolically Russia, it was not explained anywhere nor was its purpose ever made clear. Perhaps giving the stage work a dreamy quality was the purpose? The costume design by Christopher Ford was uneven looking, more like a western square dance than an elegant Russian name day ball. Using paper cups instead of fake crystal was a mistake, especially when announcing the challenge of a duel. The breaking of a glass can be as disturbing as the gunshots in the duel itself.

Wolf Trap Opera has grown as a company with three opera offerings this summer. The company is demonstrating that it is an important institution in training serious singers and artists. It is evermore present in today’s world of expanding American opera with a mature vision for fine and interesting performances combined with the best creative, instrumental, and singing talent.