Which Tchaikovsky opera is based on Alexander Pushkin’s novel in verse?

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s opera Eugene Onegin is based on Alexander Pushkin’s novel in verse.

Tchaikovsky composed the opera between 1877 and 1878, using a libretto prepared mainly by Konstantin Shilovsky with contributions from the composer. The plot follows the emotionally distant Eugene Onegin, the idealistic Tatyana, her rejected love, and the later consequences of their choices.

The opera is particularly known for Tatyana’s letter scene, in which she declares her feelings for Onegin. Its music combines lyrical arias, ensemble writing, and dances associated with Russian aristocratic life.

The source is sometimes called a novel, but Pushkin wrote Eugene Onegin in verse, using a distinctive stanza form now known as the Onegin stanza. Tchaikovsky adapted the story rather than setting every episode of Pushkin’s long poem.