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Setting: An estate in the Russian countryside and its surroundings; St Petersburg

ACT I – Summer

Scene 1

Madame Larina and the nurse Filipyevna listen to Larina’s daughters,

Tatyana and Olga, sing a song. Madame Larina reminisces about her

own courtship and marriage. Peasants celebrate the harvest. Olga

wants to join in with the dancing, but Tatyana is more interested in a

romantic novel she has been reading. Her mother points out that real

life is very different to that in books.

Olga’s fiancé Lensky, a young poet, arrives with his friend Eugene

Onegin, who is visiting from St Petersburg. Lensky introduces Onegin,

who expresses his surprise that Lensky is to marry Olga rather than

Tatyana. Tatyana is immediately attracted to Onegin, while Lensky

declares his love to Olga. Onegin tells Tatyana of his boredom being

away from the city, and explains that he is in the countryside because

his uncle has died and left him a nearby estate.

Filipyevna notices the deep emotional effect Onegin has had on

Tatyana.

Ìý

Scene 2

Tatyana is unable to sleep. She asks Filipyevna to tell her about her

own marriage. Tatyana confesses that she is in love.

Alone, Tatyana starts to write a letter to Onegin: she loves him and

declares that she won’t ever feel this strongly about anyone else. She

writes through the night. In the morning, she persuades Filipyevna to

send her grandson with the letter to Onegin.

Ìý

Scene 3

While peasant girls sing at their work, Tatyana waits for Onegin and

his response to her letter. Onegin arrives. He tells her that he is not

suited to marriage. However, he is happy to love her as a brother, and

warns her not to be so open in the future. Tatyana is devastated.

Ìý

ACT II – Winter

Ìý

Scene 1

Tatyana’s name-day party is in full swing. She and Onegin dance

together. Onegin overhears a group of gossiping guests and

becomes irritated with them, as well as with Lensky for bringing him

to the ball in the first place. He dances and flirts with Olga, which

provokes Lensky’s jealousy. Lensky confronts Olga, but she tells

him he is over-reacting. She dances once more with Onegin.

Monsieur Triquet, a French tutor, sings in praise of Tatyana.

Lensky and Onegin continue their argument. In front of the guests,

Lensky denounces his friend and challenges him to a duel. Onegin

reluctantly accepts.

Ìý

Scene 2

Lensky and his second, Zaretsky, wait for Onegin. Lensky reflects on

his love for Olga and his feeling of the imminence of death. Onegin

arrives with his manservant Guillot. Both Lensky and Onegin sense

their recklessness, yet neither has the courage to stop the duel.

Onegin shoots Lensky dead.

Ìý

ACT III – Three years later

Scene 1

Onegin, alone at a ball, reflects on his travels since the duel with

Lensky, and the emptiness of his life.

Prince Gremin arrives. With him is Tatyana, his wife. Onegin is

astonished by Tatyana’s beauty. She, too, is overwhelmed with

emotion when she sees Onegin, but does her best not to show it.

Gremin enthuses to Onegin of his love and devotion for Tatyana,

and ‘introduces’ them.

Onegin knows immediately that he is in love with Tatyana.

Ìý

Scene 2

Tatyana has received a letter from Onegin, which has revived all her

earlier feelings for him. When he arrives, she asks him if he is pursuing

her because of her new standing in society. He denies this; he is in

love with her.

Tatyana recalls that they were once so close to happiness. She

still loves him but she is now married and must be faithful to her

husband. Onegin begs her to change her mind. She cannot. Onegin

is left alone in despair.