Normaly I dont like opera with microfones and all that electronic staff, as I use to mean that it is spoling the genuine autentic sound when a performance is being performed akustic, as all the older operas are planned to be. In this case it has been a wonderful performance, which enchanted 65000 people in the audience, and I hope to see it also on TV in other countries. Because it was a quality performance that we wieved.
CONDUCTOR - MARCO GUIDARINI
When Marco Guidarini, lifted his conductor baton, to start the ouverture to Carmen, the expectence in the 65000 big audience you could feel. Well the show have started two hours before, because many was there early, and was following small warming up events, and Flamenco dancing a.s.o.
Reader who follows the opera in Stockholm, Copenhagen and Oslo, will know the condutor, weel.
REGI - SCENOGRAPHY, COSTUMES AND LIGHT
Of course, when it is such a difficult enormeus sportstadion, where the singers are like small mosquitos, it takes a little time to get used to the way the regisseuers Bernard Schmitt and Andre Serre in god cooperation with the delicious large scenography, a circel round stage around the orchestra, with a gangway over, where the orchestra in the alst act was being covered by a circelround roof to make the bullfight arena, whic when Carmen in white, is being killed by Don Jose, is being completely red, looking as the blod from her breast is running out all over the huge stage and all the arena.
Further more it was elegantly done to solve the normal problem with that there is going on a bull fight at the same time as Carmen and Don Jose are having there final meeting outside the arena, by letting us see the bullfight filmed and presented at the screens, so we understand, why the quire is singing congratulations to Escamillo, at the same time, as the killing drama is going on.
A problem for regisseuers making Carmen is, that when Carmen is due to be brought to the prison by Don Jose, and she is disappearing from him, then the soldiers are arresting Don Jose, in stead of trying to run after Cramen to catsch her. That is unlogical. People dont understand it. She is the one there is going to prison, but they are not trying to catch her. - Something to think abot for coming regisseurs.
And costumes by Helene Robert and Anne Carles with excellent light by Jacques Rouveyrollis We excpecially enjoyed the mountains growing up like light on the audience, which were dresseing up in white, and the Bullfighter arena in 4 act. with 4 bulls in the corner by light shadows. In addition working well choreography by Bruno Agati.
The concrete problem was to get consstructed concentrated pictures of the story. So that in fact, thoe normally well organized chanhing of the guard ewen, if it as here was accompaigned by 12 soldiers on horses, split up in four groupes, was not easely to observe. But we heard and saw the childrens choir, mor than 50, and like 2000 childrens acting and marching. The guard could have had banners or flags, marking where they where.
But this is only critic details. Around the orchestra inside of the round stage, there was build up 10 very large monitors, which on importent details, that will say, normaly all solos and dialogues, and ensembles where Carmen participated, where showing detailed close ups, that helped a lot. If not, it has been difficult to catch all the details.
An other thing is that with microfons (god ones) and laughtspeakers, it is difficult to seriously judge the vocal quality, but in another way, the loudspeakers are also making larger if there was anything not good to lissen too, and in tihs case, the singers was excelletn, the balnaces good, between the singers and between the orchestra, choire and the singers. So the sound departement did a really good job.
CARMEN - NORA GUBISCH
Powerfull, dramatically excellent, beautiful voice, wonderful pianissimo. She was Carmen.
DON JOSE - LUCA LOMBARDO
Even in his most dramatis parts, it was beautiful to lissen to this wonderful tenor, If he continouse in this way, he will be a world star.
MICHAELA - LAURENCE JANOT
This former ballerina at the Opera de PAris, was looking good, I understadn that Don Jose was in love with her, and when she also was singing so beautiful, then it was a pleasure to lissen to.
For Micahela in the third act, she was not dressed up to go up in the mountains to find the smuglers. She looked like she was dressed for an afternoon promenade in Jardin des Luxembourg. However. Hers Turquise dress, with black feather as hat, was wonderful looking, so that was not importent to the audience.
ESCAMILLO - EVGUENIY ALEXIEV
This Bulgarian baryton was a good choise for ther ole as Escamilio, His voice sounded perfect, despite of a lacking power in the deepest tunes, but they are not so importent for this role. He was looking good. and I liked that in the third act, the costumes for him was suitable for going up in the mountain. He had the most spectacular entree in the second act I have ever seen to this role, weell, if you could see him between all the goods there was around him im a big roling stage with a small podium.
I was feeling deeply touched by the intimity that the mise enscene has created during the whole performance.
In addition to the main roles we heard Delphine Galaou as Mercedes, Elisa Doughty as Frasquita. Grant Youngblood as Dancaire. Thierry Felix as Zuniga, Jerome Correas as Morales. And Thomas Morris Remendado. In addition Jean-Paul Muel in the speaking role as Lillas Pastia.
Henning Hoholt, hoeholthus@c2i.net
