Russian opera thrills audience at the Tusten Theatre

REVIEW by TOM KANE

NARROWSBURG, NY – Sitting at the Tusten Theatre at the Delaware Valley Opera’s (DVO) production of “Eugene Onegin” by Peter Tchaikovsky on Saturday evening, August 13, mesmerized by the music, I regretted that I had missed the other two summer productions by the opera company.

Besides “Onegin,” the company produced Verdi’s “La Traviata” and Offenbach’s “Tales of Hoffman.”

To think that I had missed similar productions as this one made me almost ill.

I am a fan of Verdi and especially a fan of “La Traviata.” In fact, the last time DVO did this opera, I sang the role of Alfredo, the tenor.

I have no excuse but neglect.

Let me tell you the reasons why I feel neglect.

“Onegin” under the gifted baton of DVO Artistic and Music Director Ron DeFesi simply charmed me, delighted me and made me tingle at times—especially during the arias of the soprano Zhanna Menshikova, (Tatiana) who was born in Russia.

Before the curtain, DeFesi told the audience that Miss Menshikova was suffering from a serious cold that congested her lungs and was not going to perform. But as the performance approached, she began to feel that she would give it a try.

If this is the kind of singing Miss Menshikova does with a cold, she should be sure she develops a cold before every performance of anything she does.

She was brilliant, especially during her aria at the end of Scene Two of the first act after she has written a passionate love note to Onegin.

Tchaikovsky has the orchestra play with her as if it were another voice as she repeats a motif. Often, the orchestra played independent of the melody of the singers, a kind of harmonic background for them.

DeFesi’s command of the orchestral voices, almost pleading with them to speak with a passion similar to the singers, was a thrill to hear.

A friend of mine recently told me that he had attended an opera at the New York City Opera at Lincoln Center.

“They had two pianos accompany the singers,” he said. But when he came to a performance of a DVO opera and saw a real, live orchestra, he was deeply impressed. What a wonder it is that a tiny town like Narrowsburg has an opera company with a such an orchestra!

If he had heard this orchestra on this occasion, he would have been impressed indeed.

Menshikova was not the only thrilling singer. Lisa Marion Smith (Olga) sparkled with her singing and acted with a winning smile that drew the audience to her. Some of the members of the chorus sounded like they could be solo performers, especially Andrew Matrens (Prince Gremin), a wonderful bass baritone.

During the second scene of the second act, Michael Costik (Lensksi) sangs one of the most beautiful arias ever written for a tenor, called simply “Lenski’s Aria”. Singing soulfully, he foresees that he is going to die during a duel with Onegin, which he does. Again here, the orchestra played a kind of second voice along with Lenski’s, led by the oboe, played beautifully by Josh Siegel, a plaintive voice of foreboding death.

The cad, Onegin, played rather stiffly by Eric Johnson but with a good voice, is haunted through his life by the fact that he killed his best friend. He pays for it by being rejected by Tatiana, whom he finally realizes is the love of his life.

Bravo DVO! Bravo DeFesi and his company of singers and players!

It is sad for me to tell you that the DVO summer season is over and that they will not perform until next year.

Like me, swear that you will attend every opera that they produce next summer.