reVIEW → Carmen
Saturday 17th October, State Opera South Australia
FIVE STARS
George Bizet’s Carmen is State Opera of South Australia’s fifth mainstage production that celebrates their 50th Golden Jubilee Year as a company. As a first time viewer of this piece last night, State Opera presents the enduring legacy of this opera like a gift for fans and newcomers alike. We may come with familiar expectations, but the best surprises lie in the beauty and humanity it unravels.
It is such a treat to finally see the original production of a show that is so subconsciously embedded in our cultural zeitgeist. The score is instantly recognisable, you know about the red flower, her red dress, and you know her name, all of which have endured since the first performance of Carmen in 1875.
George Bizet’s Carmen is a tragic opera where lust, obsession and freedom collide in the face of romance. At the centre of its tangled love story is Carmen, a rebellious gypsy woman who turns every head. She captivates Don José, a naïve soldier whose infatuation with her soon spirals into a dangerous obsession.
Director Laura Hansford sets this production in Seville, Spain, just as Bizet intended, and features a grandeur, re-purposed set designed by Alisa Patterson. Visually, this production instantly transports the audience into the vibrant alleyways of Spain, and standing as the show’s main motif is the large, winding tree that drops its red petals. When the tragic ending looms, the choice to have the petals continuously rain from the sky creates a melancholy sense of beauty amongst the heartache.
The greatest gift about seeing an Opera is that this artform remains completely human. The performers don’t need microphones, the orchestra equally swells and fills the theatre, and the audience remains completely present. Theatre is one of the final places we can go to collectively experience one moment.
Leading the cast is Adelaide’s own Charlotte Kelso as Carmen. Kelso is purely magnificent. This character is fiery, cheeky and knows where her power lies. Kelso delights the audience with her performance of Habanera, playfully taunting the soldiers with “L’amour est enfant de Bohême…” (Love is a gypsy child…) “Si je t’aime, prends garde à toi!” (If I love you, you’d best beware!). Kelso has the audience tracking her every move, yet under this command she knows when to strategically release the juxtaposing traits of Carmen. She can show fury and become distraught, utterly trapped within the turmoil of her actions. Many feminist questions can be asked of this opera. For me, I pondered why Carmen’s desire for freedom is a risk to the men who lust after her? Why are women like her still judged today? Who can be blamed for the tragedy? You can guess how Carmen ends, and when the crowd cheers that the “bull is down” in the final act, the symbolic timing of Carmen's fate makes for a chilling parallel.
Carmen’s conflicted lover, Don José is performed by Gerard Schneider who gives an equally powerful performance. Schneider charts Don José’s spiral from naïve soldier to a man completely consumed by his own obsession. Schneider’s passionate display of his explosive inner torment against Kelso’s strong defiance in the final act was a purely masterful dynamic to witness.
In the opera's love triangle is Escamillo, the handsome bullfighter who contributes to Carmen’s wandering eye. Samuel Dale Johnson boasts an incredible baritone voice that he unleashes for Toreador March (the other song I guarantee you’ll recognise!). With Dale Johnson’s charming and commanding presence, how could anyone not fall for him?
Also caught up in this love “triangle” is Don José’s fiance Micaëla, performed by Desiree Frahn. As an obvious character foil to Carmen, Frahn is tender in her portrayal of this devoted woman, yet she gives us a quieter display of female courage. Frahn’s stunning soprano voice shines in Je dis que rien ne m’épouvante (I say that nothing frightens me), as her search of Don José begins to wreck her.
The 30-member chorus adds a commanding strength in numbers in the scenes where they fill the stage. When they sing together en masse, the sheer harmonies they combine is spectacular, and Patterson’s costume design gives each chorus member unique details in their character dress.
Carmen continues to endure for both its relevance and recognisability. For those yet to experience it, consider State Opera’s Carmen as your prime opportunity to unwrap the world of opera.
Show Run: till 24Th October
Theatre: Her Majesty’s Theatre
Discounts: $35 for Under 30
Photography: Andrew Beveridge, AsbCreative