English Touring Opera's rising star Amanda Echalaz, having won plaudits as Handel's Alcina and Janacek's Jenufa, consolidates her reputation in what always seems as if it ought to be another title role, but isn't. Tatiana, the heroine of Tchaikovsky's most popular opera, Eugene Onegin, is an ideal part for the South African soprano. While she is youthful enough to suggest the gaucherie of the romantic girl who blurts out a love that might have been better left unrevealed, she also possesses the stature and poise to give us Tatiana in maturity. By then, having scaled the heights of Moscow society, she is able to reject - indeed, she must reject - the man who once spurned her.

Tatiana's reckless admission of love for Onegin comes, of course, in a letter, the writing of which supplies the opera's most famous episode and loveliest tune. Tchaikovsky composed the music for this scene first, owning as he did so that he loved Tatiana and was highly indignant with Onegin. These sentiments have been shared by generations of opera-goers ever since, especially during the callous rejection scene that follows in the orchard. He'll love her like a brother, indeed!

Baritone Roland Wood, as the cold-fish anti-hero, proves a well-matched vocal talent in ETO's fast-paced, good-looking production, under conductor Michael Rosewell. Its highlight for me, however, proved to be the Act II ball when Lensky, sung by the excellent Michael Bracegirdle, explodes into fatal anger with Onegin. Here designer Joanna Parker's clever use of a mirror comes into its own (pictured) in doubling the number of attendees at the dance, all of whom are decked out in her lovely costumes.

ETO's tour continues at various venues in the weeks ahead, with performances of Eugene Onegin at Warwick Arts Centre on May 16 and 19. The company is also staging Mozart's The Seraglio (May 15 and 18) and Spirit of Vienna, with music by Johann Strauss the Younger (May 17).