Both Adam Cooper & Ethan Stiefel did a great job in their portrayal as worldly, sardonic, & insensitive Onegin & romantic, idealistic Lensky. Adam has always been a great actor as well as a marvellous dancer & Ethan Stiefel has danced this role before with the ABT, so they do deserve credit for their roles.

Alina Cojocaru, while she was a charming & flirty Olga, I found her miscast because I think Olga is Tatiana's older sister while she is younger than Tamara Rojo & clearly looks younger than her, & that leaves me with an impression that this Olga isn't just flirty but spoilt as well.

Christopher Saunder was a calm, dignified, & authoritative as the Prince Gremin. I can't help thinking that this prince is a dependable though probably less exciting a husband to wed.

On the whole though I believe the Royal Ballet didn't disappoint John Cranko had he been there tonight. If they were a bit unsure, it was excusable because it was only the 1st night & there's so much hope for them to improve in later performances.

In both the version by the National Ballet of Canada and in the film with Fiennes, Onegin tries to convince Lensky NOT to fight the duel and goes to it reluctantly and when it is over is mortified by what he has does. His blase-ness does not extend to killing his friend.

Or is it but my aging eyesight? Bless all who joyously cheered - and Pushkin for the poetry.

Like you I had mixed feelings - nicely done by whole company. I am not a Cooper fan and I found him unconvincing (sorry to his fans) - a rather cardboard villain - could not she why she would fall for him - lacked charm; totally agree about Olga looking younger (programme said she is supposed to be older). I AM a Cojacaru fan and could watch her all night dancing anything and can't wait to see her as Tatiana because I thought her softer and more radiant presence was wrong against Rojo's much stronger more sophisticated looking Tatiana and Alina did not convince me with the flirting at the party bit. Love Steifel's dancing - agree with the comment on how beautiful he and Alina are together they are so graceful and have a Sibley/Dowell quality - (lets have more please Mr Stretton) but I think his acting was less convincing in this role - partly I think that it has dated and the music does not really support the drama which slipped into melodrama for me last night. I do think it needs dancers with some maturity and dramatic weight - Seymour, Markarova etc.

I am looking forward to seeing other casts.

Vanessa

My impression from the RB is pretty similar - Onegin trying to convince him not to duel. But his own arrogance and failure to see the concequences takes over. On killing Lensky he comes out satisfied as the winner. He meets Tatiana's eyes and realizing what he has done and collapses in despair.

It’s fantastic to see Adam Cooper back with the Royal Ballet in a role that he is eminently suited to and Tamara Rojo in a role that splendidly highlights her dramatic gifts. Rojo was so convincing in her mannerisms as a young girl. Rojo’s adolescent infatuation and Cooper’s disdain and cruelty made for some exciting chemistry – theirs is a partnership I’d never dreamed of seeing. The mirror scene was to say the least, emotionally draining. And I just loved how when Onegin came away from the duel the way Tatiana seemed to age years as she stood over condemning him.

I was delighted at the portrayals of Olga and Lensky which I thought were well fleshed out by Alina Cojocaru and Ethan Stiefel. Cojocaru dances with youthful sweetness, the spirited girl so well I’m more than curious to see her approach to Tatiana later on. Ethan Stiefel’s innocent sunny blonde looks and superb dancing made it easy to see why Olga loves him so. I keep seeing the word ‘clarity’ used to describe their dancing and it does make their partnership an ideal one. Their first pas de deux was extraordinarily romantic, a dance of youthful, unsullied love. Stiefel’s solo before the duel was beautiful to watch in his despair at what he saw to be his end and his parting kiss to Olga just about broke my heart.

Cranko’s choreography: his pdd are fascinating, the acrobatic lifts and innovative positioning of the arms in particular. And although there were a few dull moments I thought the choreography for the corps was very eye-catching and fun to watch. I can’t accept this ballet belonging just to the title role. The four roles have such extensive and gorgeous steps and were danced with such verve by Cooper, Rojo, Stiefel and Cojocaru that I feel the night belongs to all of them. I did feel that the their extended solos and pdd interspersed with the corps wasn’t enough – it left me wanting more.

As for the production, the sets are very simple, in most cases just a beautifully detailed backcloth and a few pieces of furniture. I think they catch the atmosphere perfectly and its simplicity allows the dancers to shine. The muted costumes especially those of the corps are indescribably lovely.

Tewsley a revelation. He was absolutely outstanding. His brilliant portrayal of Onegin was polished, cold, full of disdain and expressed through his exacting leaps and pirouettes. In Act III he was a man transformed, broken by guilt and by love. Galeazzi’s Tatiana is every bit as tragic as Rojo’s - achingly sad, beautifully danced and weightless in her lifts.

I've seen Nunez and Persson in lead roles before and haven't been very impressed. But the roles of Olga and Lensky brought out a sensitivity I'd never seen before in these two. They are very fine actors and were believably in love.

This cast is very memorable and highly recommended. After yesterday afternoon I’m tempted to watch the other casts and see what they make of the ballet.

Does anyone know if there are plans to film Onegin? This would have been a much better choice to film instead of the war horse Don Q. It sounds like the dream cast of opening night would make an incredible film and allow those of us that can't see the production live, at least see a film of the ballet.

I thought I'd lock this thread because its getting long anyway and the other has more scope for growth.

Wish I could merge threads btw - but I can't I'm afraid. So more Onegin comments on the following thread please:
http://www.danze.co.uk/dcforum/happening/2294.html