Bizet: Carmen Overview
Jonas Kaufmann and Anna Caterina Antonacci bring rare erotic intensity to the drama of Don José and Carmen in this darkly passionate reading of one of the most popular operas. Kaufmann uses his burnished tenor and smouldering good looks to portray the man undone by Carmen's love. As the object of his desire, Antonacci gives a physical and compelling performance.
Bizet: Carmen Specifications
This Covent Garden production of Bizet’s Carmen, makes a vivid musical and dramatic impression. Director Francesca Zambello creates a properly Spanish atmosphere, filling the stage with a profusion of detailed characters. In Act One’s town square each of the many soldiers, strollers, cigarette factory girls, and children are individuals, so there’s a bustle of continuous, realistic activity. That attention to detail carries over to the rest of the opera, involving viewers in the action. Tanya McCallin’s sets are a perfect foil for the direction: simple, movable panels that serve as lightly sketched backdrops for the town square, a tavern, the smugglers’ mountain hideaway, and the final scene in front of the bull ring. But what makes this Carmen special is the singing and acting of the principals. Carmen is Anna Caterina Antonacci, a soprano known for the intensity she brings to her performances. Without taking anything to excess, her Carmen is a fiery temptress, sexy, insistent on setting her own terms for love and personal freedom. She sings all the set pieces well and, with tenor Jonas Kaufmann as her besotted lover, Don José, makes the final scene a hair-raising experience. If anything, Kaufmann trumps her with a beautifully sung, rounded portrait of the village boy turned soldier ensnared in a world beyond his experience. Kaufmann conveys the complexity of the character and etches his slow descent into obsessive madness. His rendition of the Flower Song is extraordinary for beauty of tone, phrasing and the soft singing essential to make this aria’s full impact. The toreador, Escamilio, is finely sung and acted by Ildebrando D’Arcangelo. He makes his entrance on horseback, sings the Toreador Song with brash arrogance, and projects this haughty, self-absorbed figure to perfection. And Norah Amsellem, as the village girl who loves Don José, uses her attractive soprano to depict her purity and innocence. Smaller roles are well done, with special mention due to bass Matthew Rose as Zuniga, the lieutenant of the guard. The vibrant conducting of Antonio Pappano is a big plus here; pacing is perfect, rhythms vibrantly precise, and melodies shaped with care. Under his baton, the Royal Opera House chorus and orchestra complete a rich, well-detailed performance of Bizet’s masterpiece. Lighting designs of Paule Constable add to the atmosphere of each scene, while television director Jonathan Haswell’s cameras always seem to be where they should be. --Dan Davis
Carmen is an all-regions disc in 16:9 ratio. Sound options include PCM Stereo and DTS 5.1 Surrdound. Sung in French, subtitles include English, French, German, Spanish and Chinese.
Customer Reviews
I am fairly new opera that is why my review with a grain of salt. I saw the wonderful film by Carlos Saura, Carmen, on the basis of the work. This absolutely blew away and I highly recommend. So I have some high voltage power supply was to be here. Perhaps my expectations were too high, when the first acts of the opera a little 'slowly found. I thought, "is the English version of French views against the Spanish?"
I loved the landscape and the cotumes and found theStaging and lighting very nice. The support cast was good. Gypsey The group was particularly interesting because it seemed to sing for their beauty and choose their skills. This makes for a pleasant viewing experience. The kids were adorable!
I think that view after a lifetime of movie I expect to see interesting people and do good, although I am sure that the vocal prowess is the first thing to be considered a star of the Opera. ItFor this reason, I was less than the power of Anna Caterina Antonacci enchanted. When I was at drama school, we were playing against a quality warned again and again. I wish someone would give Ms. Antonacci this advice. Sounds "gay" over and over again. We certainly had the idea in particular with his blouses cut very low, but after a while, 'was his tedious performance. I have not seen anything real nature --- Carmen Don José has ever really love? Why did he lose interestin it? She did really love Escamillo? It was she able to love someone? She is portrayed as a one-dimensional cliche that I really lost interest in her. Perhaps what bothered me most was their constant mocking expression. There were a few brief moments, particularly the first scene, which showed a complete smile and she was really beautiful then. Is not physical, that nice, Gypsey many of the other girls were much more beautiful, it seems that they should have shownto get any kind of spark or charisma, these men risk their lives for it. I think this kind of "action" the right thing for the theater, where strong emotions is essential to the project, but when you film, we need to see the small, subtle facial expressions. This is what Kauffman so well and what has not done too Antonacci.
Kauffman was sensational! This is an artist who can act, sing and too much. His facial expressions are wonderful, if from the beginningDiscounts that the antics of Wiley opera Carmen as we see him descend into madness near his passion for them. Was thorougly convincing as a real person who stole my heart, so that the last scene when he kills Carmen, I cried for him. For them ... Good Riddance. The last scene between the two of them are riveting, primarily because of his performance.
I'm in love with Ildebrando D'Arcangelo as Figaro in Le nozze di Figaro "with Anna Netrebko, and I was pleasedTo see him here as Escamillo. This role fits her wondrous beauty, and deep voice, and he plays the role of fiery toreodor a T-shirt.
The duel between Don José and Esmaillo was one of the best scenes of the work for me.
The last two acts are, when the land is thicker and a little 'heat, so I have to say that I enjoy. Carmen is a cute, had a total crush. Perhaps Anna Netrebko?
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