REVIEW: Carmen, Glyndebourne
GLYNDEBOURNE'S production of Bizet's Carmen, which had its first night on Sunday, silenced purists who may have thought the opera house was pandering to popular taste and box office imperatives.
David McVicar's almost cinematic version showed that this most frequently-performed of all operas can still appear newly-minted and throw up subtleties to captivate regulars who know the piece well.
In the title role, Dutch newcomer Tania Kross showed wonderful acting ability.
She was always hot-blooded and teasing but her stagecraft allowed her to convey the internal conflict that sets the tragic action in motion.
This achieved, the story was more than usually credible and the clean lines of Kross' mezzo-soprano were a consistent delight.
As Mercedes, Katherine Rohrer had a bell-like clarity and did enough to show that she will excel when stepping up to play the lead on tour later this year.
Both Carmen's lovers (Brandon Jovanovich as Don Jose and Wayne Tigges as Escamillo) proved credible characters who managed to immerse us in the plotline.
Michael Vale's set designs were restrained and uncluttered but had a hard edge, never leaving us in any doubt that this was a Seville where people worked, loved, smuggled contraband and fought for real.
The background maybe sometimes have been foggy (in the literal sense) but it always illuminated the meaning.
Conductor Stephane Deneve's expressive baton coaxed wonderful sounds out of the London Philharmonic that were full but never excessively lush.
The precise ensemble work was outstanding and McVicar contrived through countless innovative touches to establish a brooding quality, frequently arranging his cast like an oil painting.
The opera may be a comedy for much of the plot but a fraught, sexually charged atmosphere left even newcomers in no doubt where we were headed after the exuberant opening scenes.
As a result the finale seemed a natural outcome rather than an individual aberration. This latest offering, which has been supported by BAT, underlines that the opera house has not put a foot wrong all season.
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Weather for Lewes
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 14 C to 22 C
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Wind direction: South east
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Temperature: 12 C to 22 C
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