English Touring Opera's Eugene Onegin

Hackney Empire
09/03/12

I reviewed the revival of the the ETO Onegin - very fine show - definitely try and catch it. My comments on the singers were slightly moderated: Frances McCafferty I described as hooty (the hootynanny! hawhaw) and said that she began to grate (which she did), and Jaewoo Kim is just not up to singing Lensky - he's very bleaty above the passagio - don't know if this is fixable for him.

I also opine about the piece, another of my faves.

Read it here: http://www.bachtrack.com/review-eto-eugene-onegin-hackney-empire

I also absolutely love the Hackney Empire - such a charming venue, every seat is a good seat, it's cheap and it's very intimate - you can really see the expressions on the singers faces, and hear every word that they sing. Acoustically it is a little dry and the pit is small, but in every other regard it's a real jewel of a place.