Customer Reviews

Bizet: Carmen (The Metropolitan Opera LIVE in HD)

5 star:		(27)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

When Peter Gelb announced a new production of Carmen for the 2009-2010 Metropolitan Opera season, the original cast was to have been the husband and wife team of Angela Gheorghiu and Roberto Alagna. Then before the 2009-2010 season started, Angela Gheorghiu and Roberto Alagna had a very well-publicized split, and Gheorghiu cancelled her performances as Carmen. Alagna stayed in the production, and Peter Gelb quickly replaced Gheorghiu with the fast-rising Latvian mezzo soprano Elina Garanca. Mariusz Kwiecien was the original Escamillo in the run of Carmens, but on the day of the HD broadcast he cancelled as well, so Teddy Tahu-Rhodes stepped in his place.

For a production that had so much cast shuffling, the HD broadcast that is now on DVD is a remarkably cohesive performance. Elina Garanca's voice is not what you'd expect for a Carmen -- it's cool, with a slightly icy edge to it. When she first steps onstage (or actually, in this production, climbs out of a trap door), she's wearing an unflattering curly dark wig and a plain raggedy dress, and doesn't seem overtly sexy. She doesn't do the typical Carmen hip sashaying, and coldly stares down all the men before beginning the famous "Habanera." But the more I watched Garanca's performance (and I saw it live, too) the more I appreciated how well-thought her interpretation was. Carmen's coldness and elusiveness became part of her sex appeal. Her Carmen is the ultimate "belle dame sans merci." In the last scene of the opera, she stands almost like a statue as Don Jose begs and pleads. Garanca's voice itself is her greatest asset. It sounds like a beautiful column of sound, completely even throughout its range, and she even includes the trills written in Bizet's score.

Roberto Alagna's Don Jose is cut from a different cloth than Garanca's Carmen. Alagna is now middle-aged and, in closeups, a bit pudgy and tubby, but onstage he's still as boyishly eager as ever. It's both his greatest strength and his biggest limitation. He makes Don Jose a sympathetic character, a sweet boy led astray, but in the later acts of the opera when Don Jose's character takes a much darker turn, Alagna isn't quite as believable. His comfort with the French language, and the intensity with which he always throws himself into any role is much appreciated. Vocally, Alagna had some rough patches (including a crack on the B-flat in the Flower Song) on the HD broadcast that were "smoothed over" by the time this Carmen was broadcast on PBS. He still has a tendency to sing sharp and under pressure his voice can sound harsh. Overall, I think Alagna is one of those singers that needs to be heard and seen, instead of just heard over the radio.

Barbara Frittoli is the Micaela. Traditionally this has been considered a "boring" role and Frittoli unfortunately falls into all the "boring role" traps. She shuffles onstage, she stands around and make sad eyes, she sings her boring duet with Jose, she sings her pretty aria, she leaves. Her voice has a slow vibrato that in a few years could verge on a wobble, but the actual timbre remains pleasant. Teddy Tahu-Rhodes I thought was an improvement over Kweicien vocally, but he too fails to make much of an impression as Escamillo. I have a friend who told me that Escamillo is a role that promises more than it delivers, and I have to agree. Very few baritones can successfully pull off the dashing toreador without descending into camp. One great thing about this Carmen production was the energetic, almost frenetic conducting of Yannick Nézet-Séguin, who treats the score as a big steam engine, and brings a definite vitality to this often overplayed score.

The production by Richard Eyre is what I'd call a "non-update update." It updates the scene to Franco's era, which gives the soldiers more modern-looking costumes, but does not change the story or basic theme of Carmen at all. Don Jose is still the soldier gone astray, Micaela still the good "hometown girl," Carmen still the femme fatale gypsy. The women wear long skirts and dresses and have long hair. Eyre's set is a turntable yellow brick set that with the right lighting and slight changes in decor suggests the different scenes of the opera. The only misfires: the orchestral preludes have rather uninspired choreographed dances by Christopher Wheeldon, and the final scene is that of a massive slaughtered bull. Don Jose and Carmen are rotated offstage to the scene of the bull. I think this is wrong because Bizet deliberately made the last scene of the opera all about Carmen and Don Jose, and for Eyre to change the focus so suddenly seems wrong. Plus, the huge wooden bull gives the viewers a rather campy last impression. Overall, though, this is a handsome production that should be able to withstand many revivals and cast changes.

I can make this review real simple: it is the BEST Carmen I've ever seen and our HD audience all felt the same way. In talking to my opera friends (who also have seen many Carmen productions) they all, without exception, said it was the best production they have ever seen. I thought all sang very well with Garanca OUTSTANDING as Carmen in every way. Not sexy? The heck she wasn't sexy! I also thought the video quality was excellent and should be a treasured DVD. This is a perfect Christmas gift for people who haven't gotten hooked on opera yet - this DVD just might get them hooked. Alagna was fine throughout (he had a cold which could explain his b flat in the Flower song) and his acting and hers in the final scene was more intense than any I've ever seen. He actually had tears streaming down his face. Her death scene was totally believable. Difficult to imagine how hard it was for these two to go through the action and sing at the same time in this final scene. I loved every minute of it and saw it several times. I highly recommend this as one of the best opera DVD's available! The entire cast was excellent! Unlike the other reviewer, I liked the ballet and the bull. One of the best touches was Don Jose putting the ring on dead Carmen's finger. That was chilling! If you haven't seen this Carmen, do yourself a favor and order the DVD.

I saw this production when PBS showed it as part of the "Great Performances at the Met" series. I had seen New York Magazine's review of the production headlined, "After 24 Years, the Met Finally Has a Great 'Carmen' Again," but was skeptical. Over the years, I have heard about many productions that would finally be great, but always felt like something was lacking. This production simply did leave all the others behind.

One of the shortfalls of many Carmens is the performance of Carmen herself. It is a challenging role that requires so much of a soprano, and few are able to meet the vocal and physical requirements. In order for the role to work, the audience must believe that Carmen is so unbelievably desireable that she can cause men--any man she chooses--to throw away everything in life just to have a chance to be with her. Ms. Garanca is one of a very few sopranos ever who can convey that degree of desireability.

While the roles of Don Jose and Escamillo are not performed as ably as Ms. Garnaca's Carmen, that does not detract from the production. For one thing, her setting of the bar is unbelievably high. The two male leads do well with their roles--though Don Jose is better performed on this night. Neither of them do anything that should spoil the performance for the casual opera fan.

The orchestra, lighting, sets, and costumes are up to the normal Met standards--that is to say, very strong.

If, like me, you have seen several productions of this opera without really loving it, give this one a try. It may not turn "Carmen" into one of your favorite operas, but it will change the way you think of the opera forever.

Right from the first bar you know you are in for an exhilarating Carmen. In his Met debut, Conductor Yannick Nezet-Seguin clearly relishes driving the Ferrari that is the Met Orchestra, and while his speeds are sometimes dangerously fast, they are thrilling and never out of control. The revolving set is strongly evocative without being literal, cleverly and smoothly shifting the mood and context between scenes. The crowd scenes have all been exceptionally well choreographed and the unscripted dance interludes between certain scenes are a nice touch that set an appropriate mood. The cast ranges from very good to outstanding. Barbara Frittoli is a touching Micaela, Keith Miller a strong Zunega, Teddy Rhodes a memorable Toreador in both voice and presence, and Roberto Alagna a tormented and convincing Don Jose. Leaving the best for last, Elina Garanca's performance as Carmen is simply stunning. Hers is a complex and controlled interpretation, combining tenderness with viciousness, vulnerability with self-assurance. It doesn't hurt that she is very good looking indeed. The chemistry between her and Alagna is excellent and the final climactic scene of the opera is shattering. For those who feel that they have seen Carmen too many times in their lives, you have to see this one. For those who want to experience this great opera for the first time, look no further than this DVD. Highly recommended.

I love this version of Carmen. Elina Garanca sizzles and smolders as Carmen. She possesses an incredible voice.
What can I say about Roberto Alagna? He's a wonderful tenor and his fluency in French is a plus. Barbara Frittoli is lovely both in voice and appearance as Michaela. I also greatly enjoy the version starring Anna Caterina Antonacci & Jonas Kauffmann. Get both!

I have seen Carmen quite a few times at the opera house and on DVD but never was I more impressed than with this production. Garanza is the best Carmen I have ever heard. She is also very good looking which does not hurt when making a DVD. Not only does she have a beautiful mezzo soprano voice but she is also a great actress to boot.
Roberto Alagna is his competent self but is overshadowed by his partner. The production is also first class with the conducter Nezet-Seguin getting the best out of the Metropolitan Oprea orchestra.
A great DVD which I can wholeheartedly recommend even if Carmen is not your favorite opera.

Even if one is not an opera fan,( I am not a huge fan generally) this version of Carmen is so good it is hard to imagine anyone not being enthralled. Ms Garanca not only has a voice that is so beautiful I wanted to cry, but she acts and dances so well the audience is enchanted--well, anyway, I was. Don't miss this. The perfection of the Met, the professionalism and love for their craft demonstrated by the orchestra, the conductor, and the stage crew is humbling and I am grateful these folks are there.

I attended the SAT Afternoon at the Opera Live HD transmission of "Carmen" at my local Theater. This DVD is from that performance. The folks attending the live performance at the Met need to buy this Video. Besides being beautiful even as a Brunett, Elina Garanca has the finest Metzo voice I have heard in my 76 years on this earth. She also has the facial expressions equivalent to the fine actresses of our time. This DVD shows that, something the Met audiance could not see. The audiance at my HD broadcast gave her a Standing ovation. An 80 year-old lady sitting next to me said her performance was the most sinsual thing she had ever seen in her Life. I am sure everyone has seen the pop sars videos that are shown on MTV. Well on Elina's web site Deutchegramaphone has released the first MTV type video on an Opera star. Wow! It is titled Jabenera. If you Love opera as much as I do .you will not be able to get enough of Elina, and this DVD is a fine example of her Talents.

I didn't like "Carmen" before I saw this production, and now I know why. They lacked passion, intensity and believability of the relationship. This production has everything - physical intensity, violence, passion, sensuality, great production values, wonderful acting and singing to die for! Elina Garanca and Roberto Alagna inhabit their roles and do a fantastic job. I highly recommend this DVD to anyone who can tolerate "bold sensuality and a brazen herione", as Renee Fleming said in her introduction.

This new production of Carmen by Richard Eyre is more Spanish to me than the Covent Garden production by Francesca Zambello! Elina Garanca was a better Carmen than Anna Caterina Antonacci. I saw this production in HD on January 16, 2010 and I thought it really showed the best production of Carmen that currently exists!