From July 18 to 26 at Chungmu Art Center Grand Theater... Tickets on sale from the 10th
[Asia Economy Reporter Park Byung-hee] The Universal Ballet Company will perform the passionate drama ballet "Onegin" from July 18 to 26 at the Chungmu Art Center Grand Theater. The Universal Ballet Company first premiered "Onegin" in Korea in 2009 (the second in Asia). This upcoming performance marks the first "Onegin" in three years. The 2017 performance was notable as the retirement performance of ballet star couple Hwang Hye-min and Eom Jae-yong.
"Onegin" is a masterpiece by the great choreographer John Cranko (1927?1973), portraying the poignant love story of two men and women. It is based on the novel "Eugene Onegin" by Alexander Pushkin (1799?1837), who established Russian realist literature.
Cranko first encountered the original novel while choreographing dances for Tchaikovsky's opera "Onegin" in 1952 and decided to adapt it into a ballet. Initially, he submitted the work to the Sadler's Wells Ballet (now The Royal Ballet), but it was rejected. After moving to the Stuttgart Ballet, Cranko created the masterpiece drama ballet "Onegin." He first gained recognition with the success of "Romeo and Juliet" at the Stuttgart Ballet and then staged his long-cherished "Onegin" in 1965.
"Onegin" is a work that intricately depicts the mismatched love and fate between Tatiana, a pure woman dreaming of beautiful love, and Onegin, an arrogant and free-spirited urban nobleman. The choreography by Cranko and the music arranged by composer Kurt-Heinz Stolze, who adapted several pieces by Tchaikovsky, brought the ballet to life. The Stuttgart Ballet premiered it worldwide in 1965, and it has since been a beloved repertoire for over 20 major ballet companies, including The Royal Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Bolshoi Ballet, and La Scala Ballet.
"Onegin" is not a fairy-tale fantasy like classical ballets such as "Swan Lake" or "The Sleeping Beauty," but rather a sincere love story reflecting real life. Cranko strongly infused dramatic elements into "Onegin" by repeatedly expressing the characters' emotions through jumps and lifts at a fast tempo.
The John Cranko Foundation grants performance rights only to top-tier ballet companies and strictly manages the artistic quality and brand value of "Onegin."
The Universal Ballet first approached the John Cranko Foundation in 1992 to obtain the performance rights for "Onegin," but it was only in 2009, 17 years later, that they were able to stage the ballet. The casting for "Onegin" will be announced separately, as a representative from the foundation, which strictly manages Cranko's copyrights, will visit Korea to decide the casting in person.
Tickets for "Onegin" will be available for reservation from 2 p.m. on the 10th via the Interpark website and phone (1544-1555). A 30% early bird discount will be offered throughout April.
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