Opera North are back. Known for their tendency towards bold modernisations and interpretations of classic operas, they showed no mercy with Edward Dick's stark reimagining of Bizet's seminal work.
Dick had obviously taken a minimlist approach using effective lighting and deep contrasting colours to bring his vision to life. And indeed the tableaux created were both creative and beautiful. They did not, at least for me however, say 'Carmen' in any way.
The story is quite well known: and the myth or legend of Carmen, (and her entering folk history), as well as it being partly based on the true story of a French soldier / writer Prosper Merimee, has made it one of the world's most beloved and enduring operas: not to mention the fact that the music is lyrical, tuneful, Spanish in flavour, memorable, and famous.
We are however, for this production, somewhere in the USA [we are left to assume] (not Spain - although the music would tell you otherwise, as would Carmen's expertise on the castanets), and a seedy Playboy-esque bar, where Carmen is the star attraction. This production also invents a young daughter for her too, which gives the character more depth as we understand an newly created backstory for her. Dick is trying to put Carmen centre stage as a woman telling her own story, rather than her being the object of other peoples'. But where this idea falls down, is I believe, in the fact that Dick is stretching the ideas and narrative too thinly, and trying to create something out of very little. The Musical Carmen Jones, for example, reinvents the whole successfully by changing everything; but here, using the original text, music and characters, was much more risky.
We are however, for this production, somewhere in the USA [we are left to assume] (not Spain - although the music would tell you otherwise, as would Carmen's expertise on the castanets), and a seedy Playboy-esque bar, where Carmen is the star attraction. This production also invents a young daughter for her too, which gives the character more depth as we understand an newly created backstory for her. Dick is trying to put Carmen centre stage as a woman telling her own story, rather than her being the object of other peoples'. But where this idea falls down, is I believe, in the fact that Dick is stretching the ideas and narrative too thinly, and trying to create something out of very little. The Musical Carmen Jones, for example, reinvents the whole successfully by changing everything; but here, using the original text, music and characters, was much more risky.
Unfortunately Opera North's production failed to fizz. It was a very pedestrian production which didn't come out of first gear all evening; even when the fight sequences and crowd scenes were enacted it was all done mechanically and obviously. There was no excitement in the show, no surprises, no gasping for breath: it was almsot as if I were watching the show underwater. Even the burlesque idea was very tame, and despite ostrich feathers aplenty, and Carmen (or Carmelita as she had been renamed) descending from the ceiling slowly on a white swing, there was absolutely no sexual tension. The soldiers in fact looked and acted bored, and the dancers simply went through the motions.
The set design, as I have already stated, was strange. I am still trying to understand what a huge neon sign lighting the word 'GIRLS' in capitals had to do with either settings for acts three or four. The costuming was surprising and unusual, and watching Escamillo, dressed as a fantasy rodeo entertainer, complete with bull whip and light-me-up costume, enter on a wooden bronco and do an Elvis Presley impersonation was simply a step too far for me. Whilst 'The Entrance Of The Torreodors '(or bronco stars in this case perhaps) was a line dance led by a scantilly-clad gender-bending Lilas Pastias.
Yes indeed, for all the crisp minimalism and starkness of the design; there were a lot of additions in the direction which tried to make the atmosphere seedy, dirty. and more contemporary. Smoking and copious cocaine guzzling in the first act, Micaela entering quite heavily pregnant, and strange and extraneous entr'acte scenelets added, but none of this really added to the original story, just detracted from it or obfuscated it.
The set design, as I have already stated, was strange. I am still trying to understand what a huge neon sign lighting the word 'GIRLS' in capitals had to do with either settings for acts three or four. The costuming was surprising and unusual, and watching Escamillo, dressed as a fantasy rodeo entertainer, complete with bull whip and light-me-up costume, enter on a wooden bronco and do an Elvis Presley impersonation was simply a step too far for me. Whilst 'The Entrance Of The Torreodors '(or bronco stars in this case perhaps) was a line dance led by a scantilly-clad gender-bending Lilas Pastias.
Yes indeed, for all the crisp minimalism and starkness of the design; there were a lot of additions in the direction which tried to make the atmosphere seedy, dirty. and more contemporary. Smoking and copious cocaine guzzling in the first act, Micaela entering quite heavily pregnant, and strange and extraneous entr'acte scenelets added, but none of this really added to the original story, just detracted from it or obfuscated it.
Fortunately the music saved the show. The orchestra, under the direction of Garry Walker, sounded simply perfect the whole evening, the string section especially, and the ebullience of the score never once letting us down; whilst the quality of the singing from both principals and chorus (especially the chorus) was without question, excellent.
Verdict: Colouful, contrasting, slow with mixed messages, but excellently sung.
Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 10.11.21
Verdict: Colouful, contrasting, slow with mixed messages, but excellently sung.
Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 10.11.21
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