Asmik Grigorian’s Tatiana in the Letter Scene was overwhelming. On the flip side, Onegin made me so angry that my feelings for him stayed at a flat “zero” right to the end (lol). Four hours in which I clearly loved some characters while others I simply couldn’t stand. As always, today was the best.
More from the Encore 2026 series → MET Live in HD: Cavalleria Rusticana / Pagliacci (September 2026) / MET Live in HD: Turandot (September 2026)
What Is Eugene Onegin About?
It’s an opera by Tchaikovsky, based on Pushkin’s novel in verse. The story is set in 19th-century Russia (this production places it in the late 19th century). It follows four people whose romances, as well as a friendship, go badly astray: Tatiana, the elder daughter of a country landowner; her younger sister Olga; Olga’s fiancé, Lensky; plus Lensky’s friend, Onegin.
Sung in Russian in three acts, it runs about four hours, including two intermissions. Tatiana is sung by Grigorian, Onegin by Iurii Samoilov, with Deborah Warner as director.
From the Togeki Escalator: The Kabukiza in Everyday Life
I had hoped to catch as many encore screenings as I could, but my schedule just wouldn’t cooperate… This time, the timing worked out. Lucky!
The venue was Togeki, a cinema in Higashi-Ginza. A big MET poster hangs at the entrance, which already lifts my mood.
My favorite part: from the window of the escalator going up into the building, you can see the Kabukiza Theatre. There it stands, just sitting among the office buildings, with roads all around it. Not the Kabukiza you look up at from the front, but the Kabukiza as part of everyday life. To have this as your everyday view… Tokyo, I’m so jealous 🗼
Up the escalator with the red handrails. All right, let’s do this ⭕️
My seat was toward the front, on the left side. Compared with the back rows, the screen as well as the sound had far more impact. I felt completely immersed.
Scene by Scene, My Feelings Never Rested
Act 1: The Letter Scene Was Overwhelming
Tatiana falls for Onegin at first sight, then spends the whole night writing him a love letter: the famous Letter Scene. It completely overwhelmed me. Simply wonderful.
Next comes the scene where Onegin, having received the letter, gives his answer. Tatiana is happy to see him, yet crushed by embarrassment that he has read her letter, plus anxiety over what he might say… It was painful to watch.
Then Onegin tells her he is not the marrying kind, going so far as to lecture her about learning self-control. Nothing like my first impression of him. Such a terrrrrible guy. Honestly, I was completely put off.
Act 2: Onegin, Give It a Rest!
It’s the party for Tatiana’s name day. Annoyed by the gossip whispered around him, Onegin takes revenge on Lensky for dragging him to such a dull ball by asking Olga to dance. Right there, I was already let down by both Onegin and Olga.
Lensky protests, “You promised to dance with me!” Olga dances off with Onegin anyway. When he confronts her later, she brushes him off, telling him it’s his punishment for being jealous. Oh-ho, I’m not a fan of that response either. She has gone past cheerful or easygoing, all the way to clueless. To be honest, she was never my type from the start (lol).
Lensky faces Olga sincerely, telling her straight how he feels. I thought he handled it like a grown-up. Challenging Onegin to a duel in front of everyone is a bit much, but he must have loved Olga that much. I understand why he’s furious. I’m on his side.
As for Onegin… He flirts with his best friend’s fiancée, already regrets it by the end of the party (“I went too far”), yet can’t back down, so off they go to a duel. It also looked like a jab at Tatiana. Nobody ends up happy, not Tatiana, not Lensky. What childish behavior. Onegin, give it a rest!
In the middle of all this commotion, Tatiana, the one who is supposed to be celebrated, is quietly aching with jealousy, yet completely left out…
The duel? I was so angry that I felt nothing at all. He brought it on himself. I wanted Lensky to live, to find a good partner other than Olga, to build a happy family. (Purely my own wish, lol)
Act 3: The Reunion, My Favorite Scene
Years later, at a ball in St. Petersburg, Onegin meets Tatiana again, now a princess. This is my favorite scene. Serves you right, Onegin (lol).
But when you think about it, what draws Onegin to her is her dignified bearing, plus the prestige of having married a high-ranking prince. Those are accessories she gained later, aren’t they? He’s like someone whose eyes light up the moment they learn a person’s job title. Very disappointing. In fact, in their final scene alone together, Tatiana herself asks him: “Are you pursuing me now because I am in high society, wealthy, of high rank?” A title or a family name may shape part of who someone is, but it is never the whole person.
Then Tatiana admits, “I love you,” yet chooses to stay faithful to her husband, saying she now belongs to another, turning Onegin away. Saying “I love you” — well, it’s opera, so I’ll allow it. But I think that “liking” only lingers because the love never came true. It isn’t real love.
Prince Gremin, who sings that Tatiana brought light into his life, is such a good man, isn’t he? Meeting someone like him means that you, Tatiana, are just that wonderful. I hereby grant you my praise (lol).
The Intermission Interviews Are Part of the Fun
I love the intermission interviews in MET Live in HD, plus the footage of the set changes. I wish Cinema Kabuki (Shochiku’s filmed kabuki series) did this too.
Summary
On the way out, I snapped a photo of the Kabuki Nyantaro panel (Shochiku’s kabuki cat mascot) by the exit. Kabuki Nyantaro, always here for us. I should have brought along the plush I bought.
Tatiana stole my heart, while Onegin got nothing but “zero” from me to the very end. He stayed ridiculous right to the finish, with not a shred of attachment from me. The clearer my likes and dislikes became, the deeper I sank into the story. That’s what these four hours were. Still fuming, though!
In May 2027, the New National Theatre Tokyo will also stage Eugene Onegin. Next time, I plan to see Tatiana again, live on stage.
