Tchaikovsky - EUGENE ONEGIN
'...Tatyana was Elena Prokina (Covent Garden's Katya), a lovely soprano with pure, true tone and perfect pianissimo, and an actress who can be eloquent in stillness. But to the letter scene she introduced adventitious antics - rolled on a ground, sang 'Are you an Angel sent from heaven?' lying flat on her back centrestage, pirouetted before the climax, ended by pouring a basin of water over her head. Needless underlining, turning honest emotions into a rather stagy display.'
Andrew Porter, the Observer, June 1994
''...Elena Prokina's Tatyana was exquisitely sung (how many Slaws can sing pianissimi and legatissimi as she)?.."
Rupert Christiansen, 'Spectator', 22 June 1996
'... There was no doubting who made the most impression. Russian singer Elena Prokina was quite simply outstanding as Tatyana and no more so than when she approached the conclusion of the astounding first act letter-writting aria. At nearly a quoter of an hour long, this she has to be one of the most demanding arias in opera, but Prokina literally took parts of it lying down [ ] her efforts were met with a resounding wave of applause and an enthusiastic cry of 'bravo'...'
Andy Freeman, ' Sussex express$ country herald', 14 June 1996
'... Superb cast, led by the outstanding Russian soprano, Elena Prokina, as Tatyana[ ] Prokina shows herself to be more than just an opera singer and more than an outstanding actress: she is one of those rare artists who become the character they are playing[ ] she is Tatyana of one's dreams.'
Edward Seckerson, The Independent, 4 June, 1994
Resonances of Fate
'In Elena Prokina's wonderful performance, you see her thoughts. You see Onegin in her eyes as she rushes downstage center to share feelings she can no longer keep in the secret of her heart. You really believe that her life changes for ever with the letter scene. The introspection of her singing is unforgettable[ ] I've never seen a Tatyana vocally and physically transform like this before.'
The Independent, 4 June 1994
'... Tatyana is sung by Elena Prokina whose Katya at Covent Garden a few months ago exhausted my supply of superlatives so that I can only repeat them now. She is an actress of the very highest quality, not only as soprano but also as actress. She is Tatyana as she was Katya.
Her musicianship in the Letter Scene was wondrous, replete with subtle nuances of phrasing, glorious in tone whether full or reduced to a thread of gleaming pianissimo as in her ' I love you' in a final scene. her voice is warm as though touched by ray of the sun and, when required, cool as if moonbeams were in it. It is a voice that invades the senses so that one feels as vulnerable to the character's fate as she herself so obviously is.'
Michael Kennedy, Sunday Telegraph, 5 June, 1994
'...As with her Covent Garden Katya, almost the most striking thing about Elena Prokina's Tatyana is the quality of her soft singing, often in thread of tone perfectly sustained over long, unbroken musical lines. When she lets fly, the effect is even greater, and her Letter Scene is a faultlessly conceived and executed dramatic paragraph, one that held the house breathless. she is, as we know, an outstanding actress. Her absolute misery throughout her Name Day celebrations, tore at guts. A great Tatyana, and she is young yet - there will be plenty more.'
Rodney Milnes, The Times, 6 June, 1994
Andrew Porter, the Observer, June 1994
''...Elena Prokina's Tatyana was exquisitely sung (how many Slaws can sing pianissimi and legatissimi as she)?.."
Rupert Christiansen, 'Spectator', 22 June 1996
'... There was no doubting who made the most impression. Russian singer Elena Prokina was quite simply outstanding as Tatyana and no more so than when she approached the conclusion of the astounding first act letter-writting aria. At nearly a quoter of an hour long, this she has to be one of the most demanding arias in opera, but Prokina literally took parts of it lying down [ ] her efforts were met with a resounding wave of applause and an enthusiastic cry of 'bravo'...'
Andy Freeman, ' Sussex express$ country herald', 14 June 1996
'... Superb cast, led by the outstanding Russian soprano, Elena Prokina, as Tatyana[ ] Prokina shows herself to be more than just an opera singer and more than an outstanding actress: she is one of those rare artists who become the character they are playing[ ] she is Tatyana of one's dreams.'
Edward Seckerson, The Independent, 4 June, 1994
Resonances of Fate
'In Elena Prokina's wonderful performance, you see her thoughts. You see Onegin in her eyes as she rushes downstage center to share feelings she can no longer keep in the secret of her heart. You really believe that her life changes for ever with the letter scene. The introspection of her singing is unforgettable[ ] I've never seen a Tatyana vocally and physically transform like this before.'
The Independent, 4 June 1994
'... Tatyana is sung by Elena Prokina whose Katya at Covent Garden a few months ago exhausted my supply of superlatives so that I can only repeat them now. She is an actress of the very highest quality, not only as soprano but also as actress. She is Tatyana as she was Katya.
Her musicianship in the Letter Scene was wondrous, replete with subtle nuances of phrasing, glorious in tone whether full or reduced to a thread of gleaming pianissimo as in her ' I love you' in a final scene. her voice is warm as though touched by ray of the sun and, when required, cool as if moonbeams were in it. It is a voice that invades the senses so that one feels as vulnerable to the character's fate as she herself so obviously is.'
Michael Kennedy, Sunday Telegraph, 5 June, 1994
'...As with her Covent Garden Katya, almost the most striking thing about Elena Prokina's Tatyana is the quality of her soft singing, often in thread of tone perfectly sustained over long, unbroken musical lines. When she lets fly, the effect is even greater, and her Letter Scene is a faultlessly conceived and executed dramatic paragraph, one that held the house breathless. she is, as we know, an outstanding actress. Her absolute misery throughout her Name Day celebrations, tore at guts. A great Tatyana, and she is young yet - there will be plenty more.'
Rodney Milnes, The Times, 6 June, 1994