The opera Eugene Onegin, a story of love, regret and tragedy composed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, is based on Alexander Pushkin’s 1833 verse novel of the same name. Pushkin is said to be Russia’s Shakespeare, not least for the fact that he shared The Bard’s inclination to insert – even in the direst tragedies – a bit of comic relief.

West Australian Opera’s Eugene Onegin. Photo © West Beach Studio

There is much agony in this opera but less ecstasy – even when our heroine, the rural-raised Tatyana (Eleanor Lyons), has become, like Cinderella, a loved and respected princess. The image that comes to mind when, at a ball, she approaches guests to make small talk is of the inconsequential (and probably bored) wives of world rulers put to such work on state occasions (particularly Melania). This ball is where Onegin (Samuel Dundas), back after a long absence from his Grand Tour, realises he was a fool for rejecting Tatyana’s outpourings of love in her country home. And, moreover, if he hadn’t, the tragedy that followed would not have occurred.

There are pivotal and gorgeous vocal moments in this Northern Ireland...