#pointe

Ballet Master Larissa Ponomarenko, who danced with Boston Ballet for 18 years, shared her experience performing the role of Tatiana in John Cranko’s Onegin.In performing the role 3 times, Larissa expressed her tremendous growth not only as a professional dancer and artist, but as a human being.

Can you give a quick overview of the story, from your perspective?

The story of “E. Onegin” by A.S. Pushkin illustrates the life and dramatic destinies of aristocratic intelligentsia of Saint Petersburg. The nature of Russia at that time – the fashion, the food, the traditions, the architecture, as well as Russian lexicon, dialects, and influences of foreign languages — and all of it is in rhyming verses! It’s quite an incredible piece of art! 

At a young age, the drama between people and the life of the society were hard to grasp, and Onegin was simply just a negative character to me – a man who was bored with life, upsetting people for his own amusement, and ultimately killing his best friend – I pitied him. Now I see that what lies in the very base of his character is in almost every human being – the longing for what is forbidden, for what we don’t have; and most of the time we are blind to what is right in front of us, carelessly passing right through what is given. That, to me, is a beautiful life lesson! 

Tatiana is the main character, aside from Onegin, in this ballet. She writes Onegin a letter proclaiming her love for him and he coldly rejects her. Can you talk about the emotion behind Tatiana?

The character of Tatiana was always very clear to me. I identified a lot with her disposition to the simple life she knew in a quiet village with a wild garden, a good book, and candle light. Nature and change of seasons were worth much more to her than fame and recognition amongst tinsel and glitter of elite and aristocratic society of that time. I admire her honesty and courage in revealing her feelings to Onegin, and I respect her honor and strength in staying by her husband later on. 

How you would advise others to prepare for the role? What are the intricate details in capturing Tatiana’s character?

Tatiana is from a different time period and origin, a Slavic soul, with sentimental nooks and corners in her heart. Simple details are important. For example, Tatiana writes her letter to Onegin with the feather pen – what is the feather pen? How does it work? How do you hold it and write a letter with it? One must stay true to a time period.

The key element in portrayal of the role of Tatiana, in my opinion, is to show the change from young, tender, dreamy girl, with a long braid and reading French novels living a simple life, to a stunning sophisticated woman, wearing pearls, successfully married and adopted stately. Illustrating the transition from her careless manners to a fashionable hostess and a trendsetter of the society. 

Do you have a favorite part? To either dance or watch? 

There is one scene that always made me cry when I was dancing – at the very end of the ballet, the last duet of Tatiana and Onegin, when both of them are full of passion and it is very clear that they are in love with each other. Onegin falls on the floor embracing Tatiana’s knees, and Tatiana looking down at him lifts her hand gently in a genuine loving desire to caress his head, but instead collects her whole inner power to resist that tempting desire and with that same hand shows him to the door. After Onegin leaves, she realizes her last chance of true happiness was shattered and she hopelessly turns and runs down stage after him in overwhelming despair!

What is the importance of this work to a dancer’s career?  How did it affect your career? 

The dancers in the ballet have to transform the characters through years of life experience in a matter of only 20 minutes. That is a true challenge! For every artist, working on this ballet will push their edge, broaden their horizons, and develop them technically and artistically without a doubt. 

This ballet returned to Boston Ballet’s repertoire three times, staged by three different stagers – Reid Anderson, Jane Bourne and Lyn Vella Gatte – and every working process held incredible value for me. Each performance was at different stages of my artistic development and life experience. Each stager had awoke the weaker senses and tightened up the lacking details. As I was building the professional partnerships with my four different Onegins, I believe I was growing tremendously not only as professional dancer and artist, but also as a human being.

Thank you to Pushkin, Tchaikovsky, and Cranko for creating such incredible masterpiece!

John Cranko’s Onegin opens February 25-March 6 at the Boston Opera House. Join us in this timeless tale of unrequited love: http://bit.ly/1J2aF71