Tag: Carmen

Voices make this Carmen shine

 

Carmen at Lyric Opera now through April 7. (Photo by Todd Rosenberg)
Carmen at Lyric Opera now through April 7. (Photo by Todd Rosenberg)

3 stars

Carmen, George Bizet’s brazen break with opera traditions when it debuted in Paris in 1875, is the perfect vehicle to introduce high school students to the genre. Indeed, I saw two student groups when at the Wednesday matinee March 15.

An opera that portrays a colorful, independent female who makes her own life and lover choices and that is filled with beautiful duets, solos and powerful musical themes, Carmen changed minds from its originally negative reviews to become among the most popular operas of all time.

Few listeners, even non-opera goers could disagree that Act 1’s “Habanera” “L’amour est un oiseau rebelle “ (Love is a rebellious bird), a song with a Cuban beat explaining Carmen’s temperament, and Act 2’s “Toreador Song” sung by the bullfighter Escamillo who would become Carmen’s lover, are easily identifiable as from Carmen.

In addition, the voices are superb. Lyric’s former Ryan Opera Center star, mezzo-soprano J’Nai Bridges, is the sultry Carmen. Famed tenor Charles Castronovo is Don José who drops his home-town girlfriend, Micaëla, and his regiment when seduced by Carmen.

Although audiences are familiar with most of Act 1’s music, the duet of Castronovo and soprano Golda Schultz as Micaëla about a letter and kiss from his mother (“Parle-moi de ma mère!”), drew applause from those listeners who appreciated Schultz’s voice. (She was definitely appreciated in Act 3 when singing her aria, “Je dis que rien ne m’épouvante” as she gathered courage to try to pull José away).  

Baritone Andrei Kymach is fine and appropriately confident as bullfighter Escamillo.

The set design nicely evoked a Spanish square and I still liked the mountains and moon I saw in an earlier Carmen at the Lyric. Of course, Bizet’s music dramatically tells the story. So why did the production feel that something was missing?

The voices were excellent, but except with Schultz, there seemed to be a gauze screen between the singers. I remember when years ago they stood still to sing their arias. Now, opera stars are expected to act their roles so I was looking for more intensity.

Maybe it was the music’s tempo. It’s not supposed to overpower the singers but it wasn’t strong enough in parts.

Or maybe Bridges, who is gorgeous, could up the sultry moves and maybe Castronovo could seem reluctant to leave Micaëla as Carmen tries to pull him in with her teasing.

I definitely recommend this Carmen because the voices are excellent but I left feeling something was missing.

Details:  Carmen is at the Lyric Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Dr., now through April 7, 2023. It’s in French with projected English titles. Running Time: 3 hours 25 minutes with 2 intermissions. For more information call (312) 827-5600 or visit lyricopera.org/carmen.

Jodie Jacobs

For more shows visit Theatre in Chicago

Alluring music, seductive leading lady and golden voiced lover makes this ‘Carmen’ a must see

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

‘Carmen,’ the popular opera by Georges Bizet’ where nearly all the music sounds very familiar, is an audience pleaser at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.

A new production directed and choreographed by Rob Ashford who did the Lyric’s Carousel’ two seasons ago, the opera has the kind of important touches that make Broadway musicals special.

Ekaterina Gubanova (Carmen) teases Joseph Calleja (Don Jose) in 'Carmen' at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Photo by Todd Rosenberg
Ekaterina Gubanova (Carmen) teases Joseph Calleja (Don Jose) in ‘Carmen’ at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Photo by Todd Rosenberg

There is fine acting of major roles, an outstanding voice, that of tenor Joseph Calleja as Don José, a leading lady, mezzo-soprano Ekaterina Gubanova who seems born to the part of Carmen, modern dance movements that capture audience attention during musical interludes, and exciting music thrillingly played by the Lyric Opera Orchestra that has people tapping their toes during the opera and humming during intermission.

Ashford’s staging is creative. The final scene where Don José stabs Carmen rather than have her go to her most recent lover, the dashing bullfighter Escamillo (Christian Van Horn), is  set against the dramatic, high back of a bullfighting arena where its audience is silhouetted against a red-orange sky.

Excellent set design by David Rockwell and costumes by Julie Weiss beautifully fit the period, location and atmosphere.

But make no mistake. This is opera. Bizet’s music and the libretto by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy have turned Prosper Mérimée’s ‘Carmen’ novella about seduction, jealousy and death into a dramatic opera, beautifully sung at the Lyric.

The takeaway from Lyric’s ‘Carmen’, a co-production with the Houston Grand Opera, is Gubanova’s ‘Habanera’ and ‘Seguidilla,’ Van Horn’s ‘Toreador Song’ and Calleja’s gorgeous ‘Flower Song.’

Details: ‘Carmen’ by Georges Bizet is at the Lyric Opera of Chicago in the Civic Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Drive, Chicago, now through March 25. For tickets and other information visit Lyric Opera and call (312) 827-5600.