Review: (Vancouver) Carmen (Opera)

(photo by Tim Matheson)

Inspired (and Flawed)
by Jay Catterson

After a long and languid summer break, the 2014-2015 Vancouver Opera season opened on Saturday night with the sure-fire opera hit, Georges Bizet's Carmen. This was a great move on the part of Vancouver Opera to reinvigorate interest in the company, and the music is recognizable enough for many opera newcomers to feel a sense of comfort. In fact, it seems like the company has reinvigorated their brand, with a freshly minted logo and show artwork that reflects a fresh, contemporary opera company that is both relevant and relatable.

First-Person: Director Joel Ivany on Carmen (Vancouver Opera)

Michel St. Aubin's costume design

Conquering Carmen (x 2)
by Joel Ivany

Carmen is a stage director's dream. This piece has it all. Rich characters, a juicy story and tunes that seep into our minds and hearts.  

This is the first production of Carmen that I've had the pleasure to direct and I'm also excited to be making my debut with one of Canada’s great opera companies, Vancouver Opera.

Review: (Ottawa) Carmen

Alessandra Volpe

Duty, Love and Blood
by Jim Murchison

Carmen has been described as possibly the world's most popular opera. Given that so much of the music has seeped into popular culture having been featured in film scores, advertisements and on television  ranging from the Muppets to Gilligan's Island, it is hard to dispute that parts of Carmen are definitely in our collective consciousness more so than almost any other opera. I have no doubt that if you sang the opening notes of the Toreador song there would be few that wouldn't be able to at least la la la their way through a major portion of it. 

French director Bernard Uzan has directed Georges Bizet's tale of duty, love and jealousy with understated precision. I say understated because it is important that when large casts move about a stage that it be with care and dedication to the rich tableau of imagery, while trying to maintain a certain naturalism in the crowd reaction in all the supporting areas. Uzan succeeds in creating a grandness that flows naturally and with truth. This is of course perfected in collaboration with the choreography of Rosa Mercedes.

Italian Mezzo Alessandra Volpe plays Carmen with a sultry moodiness that flashes with desire, anger and ennui in equal proportion as passions fickle flame flickers and fades, being reborn in the breath of new love before its inevitable snuffing.