The last time SFO deployed a cast with all the major roles played by singers new to the company was La traviata in 2017, when soprano Aurelia Floriam, tenor Italia Ayan and baritone Artur Ruciński wowed in the leads. But with few exceptions, their voices lacked the distinctiveness of their stage presences. This cast sang all the music accurately, acted their roles with individuality and looked great in designer Michael Levine’s period costumes. The sleek, colorful Robert Carsen production has been seen at the Metropolitan Opera since 1997 (and on television worldwide). While the new faces didn’t exactly hit the jackpot, they got the job done in the opening performance of Tchaikovsky’s tuneful opera on Sunday. San Francisco Opera rolled the dice on its Eugene Onegin, assigning four major roles to (mostly) young singers who have not quite made the star level internationally. (HS) The letter scene with Evgenia Muraveva (Tatyana) © Corey Weaver United States Tchaikovsky, Eugene Onegin: Chorus and Orchestra of San Francisco Opera / Vassilis Christopoulos (conductor).

Onegin royal opera house