Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky - Eugene Onegin (Gustavo Gimeno)

Information

Composer: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

• Eugene Onegin, Op. 24

Iurii Samoilov; Kristina Mkhitaryan; Bogdan Volkov

Victoria Karkacheva; Katarina Dalayman; Elena Zilio

Maxim Kuzmin-Karavaev; Frederic Jost; Juan Sancho

David Romero; Alexander González

Teatro Real Chorus

Orquesta Sinfónica de Madrid

Gustavo Gimeno, conductor

Date: 2026

Label: EuroArts Music International

_____________________

The Teatro Real’s production of Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin delivers a profound exploration of love and regret through stellar performances and Christof Loy’s minimalist staging. Iurii Samoilov presents a compelling, nuanced Onegin—accented by a subtle pearl earring hinting at hidden identity—while Kristina Mkhitaryan delivers a standout, deeply expressive Tatiana. Bogdan Volkov brings sincerity and increasing tragic weight to Lensky, particularly in his poignant pre-duel aria. Conductor Gustavo Gimeno leads the orchestra with precision and dramatic intensity, using dynamic tempo shifts and powerful brass accents to mirror the characters' inner turmoil. Loy’s painterly, stripped-back direction keeps emotional focus squarely on the drama.

Gustavo Gimeno is Music Director of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra (since 2020) and served as Music Director of the Luxembourg Philharmonic from 2015 to 2025; he becomes Music Director of Teatro Real in 2025/26. A frequent guest with leading orchestras worldwide, he began his career as a percussionist with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra before turning to conducting in 2012 under mentors including Mariss Jansons, Bernard Haitink, and Claudio Abbado. Now recording exclusively for harmonia mundi, his recent releases include Messiaen’s Turangalîla-Symphonie and Stravinsky works with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, alongside earlier recordings with the Luxembourg Philharmonic.