A Met production of Carmen was presented at one of our local multiplex cinemas, and it was, in two words, visually stunning, and aurally stunning.
I've seen operas in the Metropolitan Opera House, and in Covent Garden, and in a number of lesser venues around the country, and I have to say, seeing in wide screen has got to be the next best thing to actually being in the house.
More to the point, I've seen Marilyn Horne as Carmen back in the 70s, when she was THE reigning Carmen of that era; and I've seen Denyce Graves as Carmen a decade ago when she was THE reigning Carmen of that era; and a couple other performances.
The best Carmen I ever saw was a traveling production that came to the Florida Theater in Jacksonville back in the nineties. I don't remember the lady's name, but she was a dead ringer for Vivian Leigh as the young Scarlett O'Hara, right down to the face and black curls. She was an amazing singer.
And I've seen Carmen performed in Palm Beach, in a production where the singer was required to sing while lying flat on her back on top of a table in the tavern seen. That particular Carmen as a BIG woman, and it wasn't a pretty sight.
Last night's Carmen started Georgian (that's Georgia as in Russia) Mezzo-soprano Anita Rachvelishvili, and she was Carmen to the core. The role of Don Jose was sung by a man from Latvia. Micaela was sung by a young soprano who recently had her debut in the role of Mimi in Puccini's La Boheme, and she would be perfect in that role.
The lady singing Carmen was a full-figured woman, and Don Jose was a big man. Which meant that when he threw her on the ground and climbed on top of her, it wasn't a pretty sight. LOL
However, the viewers were able to suspend their disbelief. Why? Because this lady, as stated, was Carmen to the core, and totally believable in the way she seduced the men.
As I said, we're hooked on opera at the movies now, and are looking forward to seeing The Barber of Seville in a couple of weeks.
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