9790352203341Eugene Onegin — lyrical scenes of P. I. Tchaikovsky in three actions, seven pictures, the libretto of the composer with the assistance of K. Shilovsky based on the novel of the same name in A.S. Pushkin's verses. The idea of composing an opera based on this plot was prompted to Pyotr Ilyich by the singer and teacher Elizabeth Andreevna Lavrovskaya. In the letter to the brother dated 1877 the composer reflected: "Last week I was visiting Lavrovskaya. Conversation arose about plots for the opera. <...> Lizaveta Andreevna... suddenly told: "And perhaps Eugene Onegin?" The thought seemed wild to me. Then <...> I remembered Onegin, reflected. <...> Immediately ran home to find Pushkin's book, reread it with delight and spent absolutely sleepless night the result of which was a scenario of a charming opera with Pushkin's text". The premiereof Eugene Onegin took place on March 17, 1879 in the Moscow Maly Theatre. The opera was staged by forces of pupils of the Moscow conservatory under control of Nicolay Rubenstein. From 90th years of the 19th century Eugene Onegin does not descend from world stages. Parts of the main characters were performed by outstanding masters, such as Zhdanova, Katulskaya, Vishnevskaya (Tatyana), Sobinov, Lemeshev, Hedda (Lensky), Bocharov, Slivinsky, Leyferkus (Onegin). The opera was picturized by "Lenfilm" in 1959 (director R. Tikhomirov).