Set in 1820s Russia Tired of the glitter and glamour of St Petersburg society, aristocratic dandy Eugene Onegin retreats to the country estate he has recently inherited With the arrival of the idealistic young poet Vladimir Lensky he begins an unlikely friendship, as the poet welcomes his urbane addition to his small social circle - and is happy to introduce Onegin to his fiancee, Olga, and her family But when Olga's sister Tatiana becomes infatuated with Onegin, his cold rejection of her love brings about a tragedy that engulfs them all