Alexander Pushkin's classic Russian novel Eugene Onegin has been transposed to opera, ballet, theatre, TV, cinema and other art forms. But in this contemporary stage adaptation of the 1833 novel, director Timofey Kulyabin has stripped the story of its grand period details to tell a searing human drama centred on the hopes and passions of Onegin, Tatiana, Olga and Lensky. Shorn of the magnificent ball scenes and beautiful costumes, Onegin appears as an even more enigmatic figure, both romantic and cruel, hopeful and cowardly, a challenger of and slave to societal conventions.

Onegin (a film version of Kulyabin's stage production) will be shown as part of Stage Russia series on Aug 31 at 7.30pm at The Projector. Tickets at S$25 available at the door.