English National Opera Guides are ideal companions to the opera. They provide stimulating introductory articles together with the complete text of each opera in English and the original. This tender， lyrical and passionate story of unrequited love holds a special place in Russian hearts. Tatyana s Letter Scene and the Polonaise are two much-loved glories of the score; each Act is in fact tightly constructed around an antithesis of public and private scenes， and the dances are integral to the drama. The essence of both opera and poem is yearning， whether the artist s quest for his muse， or the lover for the beloved. Both poet and composer are true， in their quite different ways， to this theme. The essays included in this guide explore the subtle and unexpected relationship between the words and music in Tchaikovsky s intimate Lyrical Scenes after Pushkin.