Sitting in on West Australian Opera’s general rehearsal for Eugene Onegin gave an impressive first look at Tchaikovsky’s tragic masterpiece ahead of opening night. While a final rehearsal comes with the understanding that small details are still being fine-tuned, and a few minor lighting cues and staging moments were still being ironed out, the overall production design is effective, visually smart, and deeply atmospheric.
Having been fortunate to attend WAO productions regularly since 2019, I feel like every time I leave the theatre I leave with a new favourite, and this staging of Eugene Onegin genuinely stands out as a highlight. While I’ll always have a soft spot for their traditional Italian repertoire, seeing the company tackle a sweeping Russian score is an exciting showcase of their artistic versatility. Tchaikovsky’s music is magnificent, and the orchestra delivered a rich, radiant performance that filled His Majesty’s Theatre with fantastic warmth and scale.
The narrative is framed around an elderly Tatyana living in a care facility, reliving her youth through her memories. The way past and present bleed into one another is executed beautifully, particularly during the birthday ball scene where facility staff move through the room cleaning between dancing guests, threading through the crowd seamlessly. The set design cleverly merges the facility’s common room with a garden space from her past, while striking lighting works in tandem with AV elements to pull the audience back and forth between stark present-day reality and vivid, colourful memory, and the costume design provides a vital visual anchor across these shifting timelines. The period costumes, especially Tatyana, Olga, and Madame Larina’s dresses, are visually stunning, adding a lush contrast to the facility backdrop and helping the audience navigate where we are in time as Tatyana’s memory shifts.
This visual richness is matched by a staging that is far more dynamic than you typically see in opera. Supported by seven professional dancers who carry the movement, the choreography is strong, stylised, and visually engaging, and the WAO Chorus moves so well alongside them that you would never guess they weren’t dancers themselves. One of the most captivating early sequences features the traditional harvest celebration – a moment I heard other patrons buzzing about during interval – rendered with fire, pitchforks, and eerie masks bringing an unsettling, ominous foreboding to the stage.
The principal vocal performances were strong across the board. In the title role, Samuel Dundas delivers an enticing performance anchored by a rich vocal tone and a natural gift for storytelling. Eleanor Lyons was an absolute joy to watch as Tatyana, combining a beautiful voice with nuanced, convincing characterisation. Seeing Ashlyn Tymms’ name on a cast list is always a treat because you know you are in for something special, and she brought a radiant energy and vitality to Olga. Paul O’Neill turned in a solid, reliable performance as Lensky, while Brigitte Heuser was another highlight as Madame Larina, offering a brilliant contrast to the ‘crazy cat lady’ character we saw her tackle just a few weeks back in the Canary Cantata. Later in the piece, Teddy Tahu Rhodes as Prince Gremin provides a commanding shift in tone, anchoring the stage with a booming voice and a warm, grounded presence.
Tying it all together, the WAO Chorus was sensational as always and really elevated the entire scope of the show. I’ve noticed over recent productions that the tenor section in particular seems to have found a fresh energy, bringing a rich depth and clarity to that line that gives the overall chorus sound a lovely extra sparkle.
The vocal strength and emotional weight on stage carried every moment so effortlessly that I frequently forgot to look up at the surtitles, especially during the lively, movement-heavy chorus scenes. Beyond a few expected final-rehearsal tweaks, Eugene Onegin is a beautifully executed and emotionally resonant production that stands as a true highlight for the company.
Please note: The writer received a complimentary ticket to this performance. Image sourced from West Australian Opera.
Eugene Onegin presented by West Australian Opera
August 6 – 15 2026