Russian opera epic to kick off Shanghai Grand Theatre's new season

The Shanghai Grand Theatre (SGT) begins its 2019-20 performing season on Sep 11 with Tchaikovsky's opera epic Eugene Onegin, presented by the Moscow State Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Music Theatre.

"For many years we have celebrated our new season with opera productions. Onegin is a production true to the rich traditions of Russian art and theater. We hope audiences in Shanghai can experience its unique beauty and charm," said Zhang Xiaoding, general manager of SGT.

Two more performances will be held on Sep 13 and 14. This will be the first time the Russian production is performed in China. This year also marks the Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko theater's 100th anniversary.

"Our theater has always been trying to interpret characters in multiple dimensions, and to bring classical opera close to contemporary life," said director Alexander Titel who also directed this production of Onegin in 2007.

"However, this doesn't mean you have to dress the actors in real life clothes, or build a metro line or bank on the stage setting," he added. "The key thing is to convince audiences, and let them identify with the actors' ideas and worries."

Felix Korobov, director of the opera, said that he has toured China before and was impressed with the curiosity and enthusiasm of Chinese audiences.

"I hope Onegin can touch the audience and generate reactions between the actors and the audience. Only by achieving this can we accomplish a successful performance in Shanghai," he said.