March 28, 2015: Carmen in Milano

2015-03-28 Carmen (G. Bizet), Teatro alla Scala (Milano)

Carmen = Elīna Garanča
Don José = José Cura
Escamillo = Vito Priante
Micaëla = Elena Mosuc
Zuniga = Gabriele Sagona
Moralès = Alessandro Luongo
Dancairo = Michal Partyka
Remendado = Fabrizio Paesano
Frasquita = Sofia Mchedlishvili
Mercédès = Hanna Hipp
Lillas Pastia = Rémi Boissy
Un guide = Carmine Maringola

Massimo Zanetti, conductor

Staging - Emma Dante
Sets - Richard Peduzzi
Costumes - Emma Dante
Lights - Dominique Bruguière

Choreographic movements - Manuela Lo Sicco

The staging and regie was in a way showing us a real Sevilla with a lot of reality but then Emma Dante had to add more to the stage. The adding to the opera and taking away some of the reality to put supernaturality into the stage, it was a hit and miss. Choreographic movements by Manuela Lo Sicco did not help. In the whole it was a miss, it was distraction and it was not needed. Lovely as some of the ideas was, especially with Micaela, it was superfluous and most fatally it threatened to make the opera less.

The orchestra was good but even the maestro Massimo Zanetti could not prevent it to sound shrill at times. The singers was wonderful, their acting superb and so it was a Carmen to enjoy. I had what I would usually call the misfortune to have a tall man sitting in front of me. This time it was a blessing I could miss some of the most unfortuned addition and enjoy the opera. So long I could view the principal singers I was in for a treat.

Emma Dante did find ways to put children everywhere and some extra dancing movements here and there. That could have been lovely but it was destroying the reality of Sevilla, the reality of Carmen and Don Jose. And I wanted it to be real. Was it really necessary to make so many references to the Catholic church? Not in my mind it was. It was a nice touch to dress Micaela in black only to show her in white by just not holding up the black fabric and voila Micaela is in white during the duet with Jose. Church boys giving her a white veil and now she looks like a bride. But no kiss, not from Micaela to Jose or from Jose to Micaela. So it is no surprise that Micaela is followed by a priest to the smugglers nest. The whole black to white changes again and now Micael has graying hair, why, to resemble the mother of Jose and they cleverly make it seem she i laying in bed being his mother praying for him. Two nice touches that worked but the rest was just nothing to go bravo about.

Elina Garanca and Jose Cura was wonderful together and alone. Elena Mosuc was an amazing Micaela and the baritone Escamillo was not bad. The singers saved the day!! Jose Cura was in top form and I enjoyed Elina Garanca.

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February 2, 2013: Carmen in Munich

2013-02-02 Carmen (G. Bizet), Bayerische Staatsoper (Munich) 

Carmen = Nancy Fabiola Herrera

Don José = Thiago Arancam

Escamillo = Vitaliy Bilyy

Micaëla = Aga Mikolaj

Zuniga = Tareq Nazmi

Moralès = Andrea Borghini

Dancairo = Alexander Kaimbacher

Remendado = Kevin Conners

Frasquita = Eri Nakamura

Mercédès = Julia Faylenbogen

Asher Fisch, conductor

Nach einer Produktion von Lina Wertmüller

Chöre - Sören Eckhoff

Bühne und Kostüme - Enrico Job

Licht - Franco Marri

Nationaltheater

CARMEN with Nancy Fabiola Herrera

Thiago Arancam has won 3 Prizes of Operalia 2008 and audience in Munich loved him, just like the audience in Stockholm did. For me he does not have a great voice. Once he can sing all notes free and unguarded then I might like him. The way he sang ruined the flower aria for me, I could not wait for it to stop. The duet in the end was much better. He seemed freer and I could enjoy some if his notes.

Nancy Fabiola Herrera is the Carmen of our times. I have heard more exciting singing but she makes CARMEN totally Spanish. And I just love her interpretation. I just want to shout Viva España!! Viva Nancy!! BRAVA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Vitaliy Bilyy was superb as Escamillo. His looks, singing and acting was superb! It seems to be hard to find a great Escamillo these times. But now he is found and the perfect Ecamillo is Vitaliy Bilyy!!!!!! BRAVO!

Aga Mikolaj was Micaela. Her French was not that good (like Arancam whose French was...), but all could be forgotten. She was a marvellous Micaela. BRAVA!!

Lovely production!! What a CARMEN, Nancy Fabio Herrera!!!

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December 15, 2012: Carmen in Berlin

2012-12-15 Carmen (G. Bizet), 

Deutsche Oper Berlin

Carmen = Anita Rachvelishvili

Don José = José Cura

Escamillo = Bastiaan Everink

Micaëla = Martina Welschenbach

Zuniga = Seth Carico

Moralès = Zheng Zhong Zhou

Dancairo = Jörg Schörner

Remendado = Matthew Pena

Frasquita = Hulkar Sabirova

Mercédès = Rachel Hauge

Jacques Lacombe, conductor

Regie (Søren Schuhmacher)

nach der Inszenierung von Peter Beauvais

Bühne, Kostüme - Pier Luigi Samaritani

Überarbeitung der Ausstattung - Norbert Bellen

Chöre - William Spaulding

Kinderchor - Dagmar Fiebach

I just saw my 19th Carmen in theatre. I loved it. And I just realized that this was my first and only Cura performance this year. That was unsuspected. But it was also my 99th to see José Cura. It was the 4th time I saw José Cura as Don José. First time at all with Anita Rachvelishvili. This CARMEN was special mostly because of her. Cura sang well, too. And I liked the old production.

12 years ago, or closer to 13 years ago I saw this production with Agnes Baltsa, Alberto Cupido, Michaela Kaune and Ludovic Tezier. It was a better production then without the new addiction.

The children is fighting as they singing in their angelic voices the soldiers coming and going. Now that is stupid and completely against the words they are singing. The children steals the hat from Don Jose and he has to play and plead to get it back. Now what are that about? And in the 4th act Carmen is now dress like a female matador and Frasquita and Mercedes has black dresses with wings. Black wings like death or something.  The stets for Act 3 was from another Carmen production but that was unnoticeable.

Other than that it was great. It was a lot more dialogue than usual and in what I believe to be superb French.

I saw Carmen in Berlin in 2004 too, with Agnes Baltsa, Julian Gavin, Michaela Kaune and Laurent Naouri.

Anita Rachvellishvili was the perfect Carmen. Huge voice, great personality and great actress. José Cura did his best Don José ever. Then it was the question of Escamillo (Bastiaan Everink) and Micaëla (Martina Welschenbach). Bastiaan Everink looked the part but his singing was stiff. Martina Welschenbach looked very young, very thin, the first Micaela that looks 17. Great voice but I wanted more, not sure what.

Great CARMEN!

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November 7, 1992: Carmen in Bergen

1992-11-07 Carmen (Bizet), Opera Bergen

Carmen = Petra Malakova
Micaela = Lynda Russell
Don Jose = Mario Carrara
Escamillo = Anooshah Golesorkhi
Zuniga = Knut Jørgen Moe
Frasquita = Kirsten Landmark Mæland
Mercedes = Tone Kvam Thorsen
Remendado = Svein Erik Sagbråten
Dancaire = Oddbjørn Hanto
Morales = John Magnusson

Vladimir Giaurov, conductor




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October 25, 2014: Carmen in Madrid

2014-10-25 Carmen (G. Bizet), Teatro de la Zarzuela (Madrid)

Carmen = María José Montiel
Don José = Javier Palacios*
Escamillo = Rubén Amoretti
Micaëla = Sabina Puértolas
Zuniga = Francisco Tójar
Moralès = David Rubiera
El Donairo = Javier Galán
El Remendado = Néstor Losán
Frasquita = Isabel Rodríguez García
Mercédès = Marifé Nogales
CURRO FLORES = José Vicente Ramos
UN GUÍA = Juan Pedro Schwartz

Yi-Chen Lin, conductor
Orquesta de la Comunidad de Madrid
Coro del Teatro de La Zarzuela
Director:
Antonio Fauró

Stage directo - Ana Zamora
Sets - Richard Cenier
Costumes - Deborah Macías
Lights - Pedro Yagüe, Miguel Ángel Camacho
Asesor de verso - Vicente Fuentes
Asesor de movimiento coreográfico -
Javier García Ávila
Video design - Álvaro Luna
Director assistant - Fuensanta Morales
Costumes assistant - Anuschka Braun
Sets assistant - Almudena Bautista

Maestro repetidor - Andrés Junco

JAVIER PALACIOS as DON JOSE in replacement for Jose Ferrer who was not well.

Yes that was the announcement that started this Carmen in Madrid's Teatro de la Zarzuela. And a great Don Jose he was, this Javier Palacios on Saturday, October 25th, 2014. Maria Jose Montiel was Carmen just as expected.

This was not the usual Carmen, this was an opera turned zarzuela but for me it was nothing like a true zarzuela just Carmen sung and spoken in Spanish. No Lillas Pastia here, in this Carmen he was names Curro Flores. Here the spoken dialogue was in Spanish almost the same as the original French but expanded to more dialogue and more realistic in then Spanish version. But in this version I could here no doubt the music was French. Strange that when sung in French I could feel it spanishness and only lose Spain and suddenly be in France in the dialogue.

Zarzuela it might not be but the cast was strong with Maria Jose Montiel as a great Carmen, Javier Palacios also in great voice and believable as Don Jose. Sabina Puértolas as Micaela was a wonder as a strong Spanich Micaela. Rubén Amoretti was a rather usual Escamillo when compared to Montiel, Palacias and Puertolas. Francisco Tójar as Zuniga and David Rubiera as Morales were both great actors and singers.

Ana Zamora as stage director created a bright colored Carmen but her idea was that Carmen was to be very feminine but not feministic. That sound like someone who thinks that feminists can not be feminine. She tried to make Carmen into something "more" by setting each act into a newer time so Carmen ended in the 1960s or so. But Carmen can very well be a femistic idol, she rules her own and no man can make her different. Don Jose is a man still very much in the paternalistic pattern, his idea of honor, and he thinks Carmen can be become his help mate. He never listens to her views or believe in them as real. In the end he can only look at Carmen as an Idol or a Demon. Don Jose never sees himself as a man who chooses, so he think he has to kill her when she refuses to save him from himself. Micaela is a brave woman even if she fears Carmen. She never gives up. The soldiers street harassment of Micaela as young, unprotected girl (17)  walks into Sevilla to ask after Don Jose, the officer. Escamillo, the cynic, is he really that much better than the other men, or is he is just the benevolent sexist. And what would really be Carmen's story if Jose did not kill her? Maybe we should also ask how happy would Micaela  and Don Jose be together if Carmen never happened to them. What would be Micaela's story?

Bright colored Carmen, sweetly done, but still no layers here in Ana Zamora's zarzuela version of Carmen. Still: Viva Espana!!!

CARMEN
Zarzuela en cuatro actos, basada en la ópera cómica de Ludovic Halévy y Henri Meilhac
Traducción de Eduardo de Bray
Música de GEORGES BIZET

Estrenada en el Teatro-Circo Alegría de Barcelona, el 7 de abril de 1890
Nueva producción del Teatro de la Zarzuela

FECHAS Y HORARIOS
10, 12, 15, 17, 19, 22, 23, 25, 26, 29, 30 y 31 de octubre de 2014
19:00 horas (domingos, a las 18:00 horas)

Original blog post

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October 21, 1998: Carmen in Zurich

1998-10-21 Carmen (Georges Bizet), Opernhaus Zurich

Carmen = Sylvie Brunet
Don Jose = Francisco Araiza
Micaëla = Margaret Chalker
Escamillo = Cheyne Davidson
Frasquita = Elena Mosuc
Mercedes = Irene Friedli
Zuniga = Jozsef Dene
Remendado = Volker Vogel
Dancairo = Martin Zysset
Moralès = Peter Kalman
Lillas Pastia = Adriano

Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos, conductor

Carmen without Baltsa, but with Sylvie Brunet

This was a very good production. Jean Pierre Ponnelle's scenography and original production. But first someone from the management, told us that Agnes Baltsa had recently come from Vienna, she was having bronchitis, and that Sylvie Brunet had used much of the day to prepare herself for singing today, as well as on Friday. I don't like her myself, but she is a good Carmen. I found her a little too vulgar. Francisco Araiza was a totally convincing Don Jose, This was a more violent Jose, than I was used to. Violent from the start. First highlight was the duet Michaela/Don Jose, the soprano was superb. Araiza coughed during the duet, so I guessed he had a bit of cold. Margaret Chalker was the Michaela. Second highlight was her aria in the third act, another highlight was the duet Don Jose/Escamillo. The Escamillo was good in the Toreador-song, but I wanted a more substantial Escamillo, like Raimondi.

In the Second act, it was obvious for me, that she can't dance, her rhythmic was lacking. But the Smugglers quintet was real good. Good Remendado/Dancairo/Frasquita/Mercedes. The Frasquita (Elena Mosuc, soprano) was indeed excellent. The Scene Don Jose/Carmen, was so sexy, almost too much. Her dancing (again), and she sang "Tra-dla-dla" where it should be "Tra-la-la-la...", and that does make a difference, vulgarity versus elegance.

Third act, was a highlight in the entity, Ensemble singing, acting, all, perfect.

Fourth act, always a pleasure. The great ensemble, singing.acting. The duettino Escamillo/Carmen gave none impression, as I think it ought to do. In the ensemble, Don Jose with Michaela, almost unseen got into the crowd. Carmen waited for Escamillo, her friend notice Don Jose, watching them singing the duettino, warns her, Escamillo prays on stage to the Madonna, Escamillo goes into the corrida. Carmen waits for Don Jose, It is a great duet. Everything in the duet is true, at last Don Jose, after begging her one last time, , stabs her. When he sings "Vous pouvez m'arreter", Michaela looks out of the windows, and her shoulders move in weeping...

Great Opera in Zurich October 21, 1998

Musikalische LeitungRAFAEL FRÜHBECK DE BURGOS
Inszenierung/BühnenbildJEAN-PIERRE PONNEllE
SpielleitungGRISCHA ASAGAROFF
KostümeWERNER JUHRKE
LiehtgestaltungJAKOB SCHlOSSSTEIN
Chor ERNSTRAFFElSBERGER
CARMEN


BergführerLAURENT TCHANG
1. LeutnantMANUEL ADARVE
2. LeutnantTHOMAS PÜTZ
ManuelitaRENATE BLUM
" Rollendebüt
CHOR DES OPERNHf\USES ZÜRICH ZUSATZCHOR OPERNHAUS ZÜRICH KINDERCHOR DES OPERNHAUSES STATISTENVEREIN AM OPERNHAUS ZÜRICH

ORCHESTER DER OPER ZÜRICH
Verlag: AIIkor-Edition Kassel
Kritische Neuausgabe nach den Quellen von Fritz Oeser

Mittwoch, 21- Oktober1998Wiederaufnahme
Freier Verkauf
Lichtpausen nach dem 1. und 3. Akt Pause nach dem 2. Akt
Beginn: 19.00 Uhr
Ende:22.30 Uhr

OD Travel

October 10, 2009: Carmen in Munich

2009-10-10 Carmen (G. Bizet),
Bayerische Staatsoper (Munich)

Carmen = Julia Gertseva
Don José = José Cura
Escamillo = Teddy Tahu Rhodes
Micaëla = Maija Kovalevska
Zuniga = Christian Van Horn
Moralès = Nikolay Borchev
Dancairo = Christian Rieger
Remendado = Kevin Conners
Frasquita = Lana Kos
Mercédès = Heike Grötzinger
Lillas Pastia = Manfred Ultsch

Karel Mark Chichon, conductor

CARMEN: This time, like all other times with Carmen, the conductor is too fast in the Prelude. I think the rest of the world disagree with me, but that is my opinion. What can I say about the production? Well, it was YELLOW. Is that a code for Seville... It was in my opinion a fairly traditional Carmen. There was some really good ideas there and sometimes the execution of ideas was wonderful. Julia Gertseva was a wonderful Carmen. I had not expected to love her as Carmen, but Carmen is really her role. Brilliant. José Cura was an excellent Don José. Vocally and acting brilliantly. The only thing is that here is French dialog. And that is hard stuff. I really think Julia Gertseva was the best in dialog, very clear, easy to hear, unfortunately I doubt it was the best French diction. Micaela was sung and acted superbly by Maija Kovalevska. It must have been the best Micaela I have seen. Zuniga and Morales seemed to young. Nikolay Borchev (Morales) seem to be the old type opera singer who sings to the audience. Christian Van Horn (Zuniga) right voice but too young for Zuniga. The smugglers Dancairo (Christian Rieger), Remendado (Kevin Conners) was alright, but Frasquita and Mercedes was another species of singers. Lana Kos was nothing short of wonderful as Frasquita. She makes you want more. Beautiful woman, voice and a sure actress. Heike Grötzinger as Mercedes was also a luxury Besetzung. This time one felt that Frasquita could easily become Micaela, and Mercedes could be Carmen.

Act 2 a gipsy camp with tents. I don't like it. And then the Fat Lady as Fat Gypsy Lady. OK, no not OK. A little too much of EXOTISM made of Gypsies, especially Gypsy Women, Zigeunerinnen. Problematic, the ROM people has been marginalized a long time when not looked as Exotic. OK, so it is CARMEN. But a little more respect. A big program but nothing about how the Roma people was treated in Spain in the time of Carmen or about how it is now or why not in the European History. But essays, essays about other things. Our chance of insight wasted. Insight of women's situation in Spain would be appreciated instead of just Carmen and who was she, what kind of love... boring stuff.

I almost forgot Teddy Tahu Rhodes as Escamillo. Doesn't that say it all. Almost forgot. Yes, young and beautiful (handsome, I mean), but it the end easy to forget. The last duet with Carmen (Julia Gertseva) and Don José (José Cura) was absolutely the best. Ever...

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September 29, 2002: Carmen in Vienna

2002-09-29 Carmen (Bizet), Wiener Staatsoper

Carmen = Agnes Baltsa
Don José = Fabio Armiliato
Escamillo = Tom Fox
Micaëla = Ildiko Raimondi
Frasquita = Simina Ivan
Mercédès = Songmi Yang
Zuniga = Janosz Monarcha
Moralès = Yu Chen
Remendado = Helmut Wildhaber
Dancairo = Markus Nieminen
Lillas Pastia = Hacik Bayvertian

Vjekoslav Sutej, conductor



3 months ago I was on my first Carmen in Vienna with Agnes Baltsa as Carmen, I saw two in June (23 & 26), so I knew what to expect in a way. But I must say this was a much better show yesterday. For one thing, the conductor was great, and the orchestra played with an unusual warmth. The Chorus was also moving and acting better, especially the men had improved, the woman did need much improving, so they were great this time too.

Sutej, the conductor did not move much in, but he was always very clear about what he wanted from the orchestra. He know that the Wiener Philharmoniker is a great orchestra, so he knew when to let go, and when to be obvious to the musicians what he wanted, at which beat they should play. This time the trumpeter at the stage for the change of the guard, did no false notes. But there was some small incidents of unclear playing from one of two instruments, but I was not able to hear which one it was, but I think it was a wind-instrument.

The singers: Agnes Baltsa singing her CARMEN, her voice is no longer always perfect in the arias, especially was the Habanera showing that she had some difficulties. But Carmen is not about belcanto it is about a woman who can make men to her toys. She was beguiling and splendid, fascinating and a mystery. I do not regret coming to Vienna for another of her Carmen's. DON JOSE Fabio Armiliato was wonderful in singing and acting. Very truthful, and obviously he was a Don Jose that this Carmen liked, what a chemistry, he was under the Baltsa spell. MICAELA Ildiko Raimondi has a sweet and warm soprano voice, she was perfect as Micaela, maybe a traditional Micaela, but I liked her. ESCAMILLO Tom Fox, I could almost see in Baltsa's face a torment of listening to him singing the Toreador Song, well, it certainly was a torment for me. Baltsa is a professional, and did not go out of her role, but she really preferred Fabio to Tom. And then I must mention Frasquita and Mercedes, Simina Ivan and a stipendiate from Karajan Center, and it was the new Mercedes that impressed me very much, beautiful voice and perfect onstage. Yu Chen was a splendid Morales.

Wiener Staatsoper
sonntag, 29. september 2002
109.Aufführung in dieser Inszenierung

Carmen
Oper in vier Akten von Henri Meilhac und Ludovic Halévy nach einer Novelle von Prosper Mérimée
Musik von Georges Bizet

Dirigent Vjekoslav Sutej
Inszenierung und
Bühnenbild Franco Zeffirelli
KostümeLeo Bei
Choreographie Rafael de Cordova
Chorleitung Ernst Dunshirn
" .
Carmen Agnes Baltsa
Don JoséFabio Armiliato
Escamillo, ToreadorTom Fox*
Micaëla Ildiko Raimondi

Zigeunerinnen
Frasquita Simina Ivan
Mercédès Songmi Yang*A

Zuniga, Leutnant Janosz Monarcha
Moralès, Sergeant Yu Chen

Schmuggler
Remendado Helmut Wildhaber
Dancairo Markus Nieminen

Lillas Pastia Hacik Bayvertian
Tänze Rita Kommentisch
Rudolf Wächter
Christoph Wenzel
und das Corps de ballet

* Rollendebüt an der Wiener Staatsoper
A Stipendiatin des Herbert von Karajan Centrums

OD Travel + Photos

September 25, 2004: Carmen in Berlin

2004-09-25 Carmen (Bizet), Deutsche Oper Berlin

Carmen = Agnes Baltsa
Frasquita = Stephanie Weiss
Mercédès = Jessica Miller
Micaëla = Michaela Kaune
Don José = Julian Gavin
Moralès = Bernd Valentin
Zuniga = Harold Wilson
Escamillo = Laurent Naouri
Remendado = Peter Maus
Dancairo = Jörg Schörner
Lillas Pastia = Klaus Lang
Andres = Ulrich George

Jun Märkl, conductor




GEORGES BIZET :: CARMEN

Regie: Peter Beauvais
Scenography, constumes Pier Luigi Samaritani
1900-2300

3:45 hrs

Chorus Ulrich Paetzholdt
Choreography Klaus Beelitz

Carmen Agnes Baltsa

Don José Julian Gavin

Schöneberger Sängerknaben

2004-09-25 almost not Carmen in Berlin with Agnes Baltsa.


I arrived early in Oslo, took the early bus to Sandefjord Airport Torp. 0615-0810. My plane was due to go to Copenhagen at 1215, but the plane didn't arrived until that time. Then it was 1235 boarding time, then when we were in the plane, they found a fault. Then we had to get out of the plane, and then it was to be repaired, so in the end 3 hours later than scheduled we left Torp. Unfortunately no direct-flight to Berlin in Copenhagen, I had to go via Munich. So in the end I was in Berlin Tegel 2035. The opera started 1900.

I took a taxi to Deutsche Oper Berlin. I was so lucky to be allowed inside to stand behind the door, for the last 30 minutes of Act 2, from the Smuggler-quintet. Julian Gavin sang a terrible Flower-song,
that was joyously applauded by the audience. I saw act 3 + 4 in my place, Agnes Baltsa sang magnificently the card-scene. And the end-duet was event brilliantly sung by Julian Gavin (Don Jose). The cast was mediocre, I found. But it was still nice to be there. I would have loved to see act 1 and the complete act 2.

OD Travel + Photos

September 16, 2013: Carmen in Vienna

2013-09-16 Carmen (G. Bizet), Wiener Staatsoper

Carmen = Rinat Shaham
Don José = Roberto Alagna
Escamillo = Laurent Naouri
Micaëla = Anita Hartig
Zuniga = Jongmin Park
Moralès = Gabriel Bermúdez
Dancairo = Mihail Dogotari
Remendado = Sebastian Kohlhepp
Frasquita = Hila Fahima
Mercédès = Juliette Mars

Dan Ettinger, conductor

Inszenierung und Bühnenbild - Franco Zeffirelli

Kostüme - Leo Bei

2013-09-16 Carmen (Bizet), Wiener Staatsoper
Carnen = Rinat Shaham
Don José = Roberto Alagna
Escamillo = Laurent Naouri
Micaela = Anita Hartig

Dan Ettinger, conductor

I would have loved the ticket to be cheaper. But how can one regret PERFECTION. It started with the most perfect Prelude. I have never enjoyed the Prelude of Carmen just like it was on September 16, 2013. DAN ETTINGER was the conductor. And Dan with his crazy hair made my day with that piece. I never thought it would be possible but my Dream Carmen Prelude came through. Other conductors just annoyed me from their first beat of the Prelude. This was a Dream. The wonderful conductor with this wonderful orchestra. The crisp, clear sound of orchestra and one sound that just continued to amaze, Dan Ettinger made CARMEN sound new and fresh. And that is just impossible, after all This is Carmen!!!!

This time even where the dialogue was cut it was cut in a way that only works in the advantage of the drama. That is rare. I did not expect to like Roberto Alagna a lot but he was perfection. The perfect Don José and with Rinat Shaham so very close to the perfect Carmen. But with Rinat Shaham that is just nitpicking. I loved Anita Hartig as Micaela, but I want to see her in bigger roles like Marguerite in Faust. And while I am in an Alagna rush with Roberto Alagna as her Faust. Laurent Naouri was also great, how great is hard to say with a smallish role as Escamillo.


Even as it rained hard when the opera ended I was surprised so few waited for the Great Roberto Alagna. But that made my waiting short and my back pain managable. He came out with his girl friend. So that was a 2 for 1 moment.

OD Travel & Photos
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July 20, 2015: Carmen in Barcelona

2015-07-20 Carmen (Bizet), Palau de la Música Catalana (Barcelona)

Carmen = Marta Valero
Don Jose = Sergi Giménez
Micaela = Elvira Galo
Escamillo = Alberto Cazes Spinoglio
Frasquita = Sara Banares or Itziar Espinar
Mercedes = Carla Mattioli
Dancaire = Xavier Aquilar
Rememdado = Jorge Jasso
Zuniga = Nestor Pintado

Orquestra Terrassa 48
Xavier Puig, conductor

Jesús Fernández, stage direction

Yasmina Pulido, choreograph

It was not the very different version of Carmen, it just had more cuts in the score. It was Carmen with orchestra on the stage with the stage area used to showcase Carmen as opera as opposed to just a concert. It had seemed to me that this was to be Carmen as 2 hrs continuous play. In that case the opera would have had serious cuts. In stead it was act 1+2 in 2 hrs and the rest as 30 minutes. We had real Flamenco dancers that danced to Bizets music. Carmen, Don Jose, Micaela, Escamillo, Mercedes, Franquita, Dancaire and Remendado was all there and Zuniga was there, too.

It was beautiful and realistic staged.

It started 2030 and ended 2310. It was as lovely as it could be, but no revolutionary vision.

OD Travel & Photos
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June 30, 2003: Carmen in Vienna

2003-06-30 Carmen (G. Bizet), Wiener Staatsoper

Carmen = Agnes Baltsa
Don José = Julian Gavin
Escamillo = Ildar Abdrazakov
Micaëla = Roxana Briban
Frasquita = Simina Ivan
Mercédès = Cornelia Salje
Zuniga = Goran Simic
Moralès = Yu Chen
Remendado = Walter Pauritsch
Dancaïro = Hans Peter Kammerer
Lillas Pastia = Csaba Markovits

Vjekoslav Sutej, conductor



Wlener Staatsoper
Montag, 30. juni 2003
114. Aufführung in dieser Inszenierung

Carmen
Oper in vier Akten von Henri Meilhac und Ludovic Halévy nach einer Novelle von Prosper Mérimée
Musik von Georges Bizet

Dirigent Vjekoslav Sutej
Inszenierung und
Bühnenbild Franco Zeffirelli
KostümeLeo Bei
Choreographie Rafael de Cordova
Chorleitung Ernst Dunshirn


Tänze Patricia Sollak
Rudolf Wächter
Christoph Wenzel
und das Corps de ballet
.
Micaëla Roxana Briban Debüt an der Wiener Staatsoper

Carmen in Wiener Staatsoper 30.6.2003 again with Julian Gavin and Agnes Baltsa. New Micaela = Roxana Briban (first time in Vienna State Opera). A really another Carmen, of course it is still the same Zeffirelli production, but a lot of small and not so small changes in the interpretation. A much better performance, but a cooler audience I think, but totally extatic in the end. This Micaela is really a young girl from the country 16/17 year old as the libretto states, or at least in the full dialogue
version, but this is still a minimal dialogue version most of the opera. She is very young and innocent, wonderful voice and acting of Roxana Briban. I have found out what is wrong with Julian Gavin and his singing, I think it is the dynamics, his voice often looses his strength, his French pronunciation is a bit better today. Agnes
Baltsa is the most fiery Carmen. This time she do get an applause after the 3 act aria, even though she is awfully quick in saying "eh bien" after the aria, usually we have no time to applaud the opera just go on quickly. I wish I really could describe this Carmen, especially all the the changes in not only interpretation, where
Carmen is on stage, but also some changes in the dialogue. And it is the last opera performance in Wiener Staatsoper for the season 2002/2003. I got the new program in my hands. And is a wonderful end of the season, and also the last opera in this travel.

I waited too long at the stage door thinking Agnes Baltsa would appear. And then I walked quickly the Kärtnerstrasse up to U-Bahn Stephanplatz and took U-Bahn to Westbahnhof, my luggage out of the locker, and was just in time to see the train leave the station building.

OD Travel + Photos

June 26, 2002: Carmen in Vienna

2002-06-26 Carmen (G. Bizet), Wiener Staatsoper

Carmen = Agnes Baltsa
Don José = Richard Leech
Escamillo = Egils Silins
Micaëla = Anja Harteros
Frasquita = Simina Ivan
Mercedes = Stella Grigorian
Zuniga = Goran Simic
Morales = Yu Chen
Remendado = Walter Pauritsch
Dancairo = Markus Nieminen
Lillas Pastia = Csaba Markovits

Jun Märkl, conductor



WIener Staatsoper
mittwoch, 26. juni 2002
107. Aufführung in dieser Inszenierung

Carmen
Oper in vier Akten (nach Prosper Mérimée) von H. Meilhac und L. Halévy
Musik von Georges Bizet

Dirigent Jun Märkl
Inszenierung und
Bühnenbild Franco Zeffirelli
KostümeLeo Bei
Choreographie Rafael de Cordova
Chorleitung Ernst Dunshirn
,

Tänze Rita Kommentisch
Rudolf Wächter
Christoph Wenzel
und das Corps de ballet
(A) Stipendiat des Herbert von Karajan Centrums

This time I will never forget the great duet at the end of the opera.
Carmen on June 26th, was the most memorable erlebnis than June 23rd.

No fault this time for the trumpeter in act 1. Agnes Baltsa seemed to be in a special mood. She did many thing she didn't do June 23rd. She was special. Unfortunately was the Escamillo Egils Silins not a better Escamillo today. Anja Harteros was still happily applauded with shouts of Bravo. Richard Leech and Agnes Baltsa seemed get better together. The duet "C'est toi!" was incredible. And it was murder on the stage, really shocking, believable. Simina Ivan and Stella Grigorian must be the best Frasquita/Mercedes I have ever seen.

Then the opera was over. I had my camera, with my small flash. But there were "big guns" there, flashed the lit out the almost the whole floor. Many flashes. AGNES BALTSA is GREEK, the diva reacts with fire, some threatening gestures to the parts of the audience, which she think is guilty. I felt myself being struck by lightening, even though my small camera, is just a little baby. Short small flash. Then AGNES BALTSA knows what to do, she must remember the most of the audience is innocent, and so she smiles and raises her arms in a gesture of thank-you.

I definitely do not dare to try to take a picture of Agnes Baltsa as she leaves the operahouse. Besides I don't have the time. I have trains to catch, I am going back to Scandinavia, and on June 28th I will see José Cura in Dalhalla, Sweden.

OD Travel + Photos

June 25, 2000: Carmen in Zurich

2000-06-25 Carmen (G. Bizet), Opernhaus Zurich

Carmen = Agnes Baltsa
Don José = Gösta Winbergh
Micaëla = Elena Mosuc
Escamillo = Cheyne Davidson
Frasquita = Eun -Yee You
Mercedes = Irene Friedli
Zuniga = Jozsef Dene
Remendado = Volker Vogel
Dancairo = Simon Jaunin
Morales = Peter Kalman
Lillas Pastia = Adriano

Jacques Delacôte, conductor



Musikalische Leitung JACQUES DELACÔTE
Inszenierung/Bühnenbild JEAN-PIERRE PONNEllE
Spielleitung GRISCHA ASAGAROFF
Kostüme WERNER JUHRKE
Lichtgestaltung JAKOB SCHLOSSSTEIN
Chor ERNST RAFFElSBERGER


Dancairo SIMON JAUNIN°

Bergführer JONAS VEYA
1.. Leutnant MANUEL ADARVE
2. Leutnant THOMAS PÜTZ
Manuelita RENATE BLUM
0 Mitglied des Internationelen Opernstudios
CHOR DES OPERNHAUSES ZÜRICH ZUSATZCHOR OPERNHAUS ZÜRICH KINDERCHOR DES OPERNHAUSES STATISTENVEREIN AM OPERNHAUS ZÜRICH
ORCHESTER DER OPER ZÜRICH
Verlag: All,or-Edition Kassel
Kritische Neuausgabe nach den Quellen von Fritz Oeser
,Sonntag, 25. Juni 2000Migros-Abo B
Lichtpausen nach dem 1.. und 3. Alu Pause nach dem 2. Akt
Beginn: 20.00 Uhr

Opernhaus Zurich, Carmen, Agnes Baltsa, Gosta Winbergh, Elena Mosuc, Cheyne Davidson
Jacques Delacote had used all his patience on Werther, and had none for Carmen. The prelude of Carmen was played extremely fast, painful. I had taken night-train to Zurich, and already had one opera, and this inpatient conductor. Carmen Opriseanu had replaced Vesselina Kasarova as Charlotte in Werther (and it was a lucky choice for my ears and eyes), but Gösta Winbergh was replacing José Cura as Don José... I was disappointed, I had wondered about Cura being Don José, and to see Cura with Agnes... I admired Winbergh, but he is not my Don José. I was also disappointed about Agnes Baltsa, maybe I was too tired, and I don't like the Zurich production of Carmen, it have lost it charms. (... and God, was I tired when I came to my hotel room!)

And this was my only chance to see the great Swedish tenor live (or indeed alive, since he is dead now) SAD....

OD Travel

June 23, 2002: Carmen in Vienna

2002-06-23 Carmen (G. Bizet), Wiener Staatsoper

Carmen = Agnes Baltsa
Don José = Richard Leech
Escamillo = Egils Silins
Micaëla = Anja Harteros
Frasquita = Simina Ivan
Mercedes = Stella Grigorian
Zuniga = Goran Simic
Morales = Yu Chen
Remendado = Walter Pauritsch
Dancairo = Markus Nieminen
Lillas Pastia = Csaba Markovits

Jun Märkl, conductor



Wiener Staatsoper
sonntag, 23. juni 2002
106. Aufführung in dieser Inszenierung

Carmen
Oper in vier Akten (nach Prosper Mérimée) von H. Meilhac und L. Halévy
Musik von Georges Bizet

Dirigent Jun Märkl
Inszenierung und
Bühnenbild Franco Zeffirelli
KostümeLeo Bei
Choreographie Rafael de Cordova
Chorleitung Ernst Dunshirn
-

Tänze Rita Kommentisch
Rudolf Wächter
Christoph Wenzel
und das Corps de ballet
" Stipendiat des Herbert von Karajan Centrums

Carmen in Wiener Staatsoper, not a Premiere as in Zürich, but the 109th performance of Franco Zeffirelli's wonderful Carmen.

The sets was wonderful, the costumes too. Agnes Baltsa got better and better in the performance, Richard Leech was a wonderful Don Jose, Anja Hartelos was wonderful as Micaela. Frasquita and Mercedes was wonderfully portrayed by Simina Ivan and Stella Grigorian. I didn't like Escamillo, Egils Silins, but he was good. Needless to say I loved it.

OD Travel + Photos

June 22, 2002: Carmen in Zurich

2002-06-22 Carmen (G. Bizet), Opernhaus Zurich

Carmen = Luciana d'Intino
Micaela = Elena Prokina
Don José = Julian Gavin
Escamillo = Michele Pertusi
Frasquita = Martin Jankova
Mercedes = Irene Friedli
Zuniga = Jakob Will
Remendado = Martin Zysset
Dancairo = Peter Kalman
Morales = Valeriy Murga

Michel Plasson, conductor



I never thought I could get bored during a Carmen performance. The Prelude was fine, but then the curtain was raised, such a boring stage, and the people was all dressed in black. When I say people, I just mean the soldiers, there was no ordinary people on the stage (Drôle de gens). So it was just meaningless the "Sur la place". When Carmen, Luciana D'Intino, came into the stage, it lit up, not the stage, she was too dressed in black, but her presence was much needed to make this opera exciting. Micaela, Elena Prokina, was the only one that was not dressed in black. Unfortunately it didn't get better in the second act, so black and boring, the only excitement came from Luciana D'Intino. Julian Gavin was a OK Don Jose. Well, I forgot about Escamillo, Michele Pertusi, he was in black too, but one could see the silver from his black Matador-outfit. He was exciting. The only extraordinary thing in this Carmen production was the two dogs who came in the stage in the Entr'acte music, they was wonderful.

I LEFT THE OPERA in the middle, I never do that, but I longed for Vienna and Carmen in Vienna with Agnes Baltsa.

Bizet: CARMENd
Musikalische LeitungMICHEL PLASSON
InszenierungPETER MUSSBACH
RegiemitarbeitTINE BUYSE
BühnenbildERICH WONDER
KostümeANDREA SCHMIDT-FUTTERER
LichtgestaltungFRANZ PETER DAVID
ChorERNST RAFFELSBERGER

MicaelaELENA PROKINA*

EscamilloMICHELE PERTUSI*
FrasquitaMARTINA JANKOVÁ*

RemendadoMARTIN ZYSSET*
DancairoPETER KÁLMÁN*

* Rollendebüt
CHOR DES OPERNHAUSES ZÜRICH ZUSATZCHOR OPERNHAUS ZÜRICH KINDERCHOR DES OPERNHAUSES ZÜRICH STATISTENVEREIN AM OPERNHAUS ZÜRICH
ORCHESTER DER OPER ZÜRICH
EIN KULTUR-ENGAGEMENT DER
CREDIT SUISSE PRIVATE BANKING
Samstag, 22. Juni 2002PREMIERE, PREMIEREN-ABO A
Pause nach dem 2. Akt
Beginn: 19.00 Uhr, Ende: ca. 22.1 S Uhr
Musikalische Assistenz
und EinstudierungFRANCK VILLARD, THOMAS BARTHEL
Abendspielleitung und
RegieassistenzCLAUDIA BLERSCH
RegiehospitanzPASCAL SCHMID
BühnenbildassistenzMICHAELA BÜRGER, DANIELA JUCKEL
KostümassistenzJOHANNA BRONNER
KostümhospitanzCRISTINA NYFFELER
Organisation und
Betreuung der KinderSUSY SIEGRIST
KampfszenenKLAUS FIGGE, WERNER HUG
InspizienzSUSANN ZAHLER
SouffleurLORENZO COLADONATO
Die Hunde Pyros und Aisha wurden
von der Kantonspolizei Zürich zur VerfÛgung gestellt.

OD Travel

May 24, 2008: Carmen in Karlsruhe

2008-05-24 Carmen (G. Bizet),
Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe

Carmen = Denyce Graves
Don José = José Cura
Escamillo = Thomas J. Mayer
Micaëla = Barbara Dobrzanska

Jacques Delacôte, conductor

Musikalische Leitung Jacques Delacôte
Inszenierung Achim Thorwald
Bühne Christian Floeren
Kostüme Ute Frühling
Badischer Staatsopernchor
Extrachor, Theaterkinderchor am Helmholtz-Gymnasium
Badische Staatskapelle

"Non, tu ne m'aimes pas" (Carmen, Karlsruhe 24.5.08)

I was looking forward to a tradional CARMEN with the same sensational people that I had enjoyed in 2004 in London as Samson et Dalila (José Cura and Denyce Graves) and conducted by the great Jacques Delacôte. But I must admit that by the time that Cura had sung a wonderful Flower song and Denyce Graves was responding with "Non, tu ne m'aimes pas" that I knew what I was going to called the review of this Carmen. Yes, Carmen or Denyce Graves I do not love your voice anymore. It makes me sad!!! Already at the Habanera I thought, what have happened with the wonderful full mezzo voice, Denyce two voices appeared, one of a grown woman and the voice of a small and whiny child. Then my hopes was for the Seguedilla, but the same thing happened, but the Card Aria in act 3 was wonderful. So SAD... But hopefully this is just temporary problem... Of course, 2nd act of Carmen is a bit like Samson et Dalila, I even fantasized this Carmen being morphed into a SAMSON ET DALILA where Denyce Graves would have no vocal problems at all. And as a Baltsa fan I must admit I wanted Agnes Baltsa to come and rescue this Carmen, even if one at this stage of AB's career can hear that she is over 60.

DENYCE GRAVES was despite her vocal state, a wonderful Carmen, she can act and she can dance. And she was celebrated in Karlsruhe. JOSE CURA was wonderful as Don José. His only problem, and that was the whole ensembles problem; the French dialogue. It was hard to hear, the pronunciation was not all that good by all singers. And the dialogue was cut shorter which really did not help that much. As if one got instead of thought got half thought. The dialogue was such a pain that I wanted the sung recitative (and I normally "hate" that one).

The Escamillo was great as an actor but as a singer so much volume was missing and he was too light in voice. Nice, cute, good-looking, yes.... But I missed a voice, big and with resonance (like Ruggero Raimondi in the opera film by Rosi). Micaela was wonderful in the duet with Don José and OK in her big aria.

Last act. We are in the matador's room, we see Escamillo pray the Prayer all matador pray before the corrida, he was dressed up by his men. Of course he walked into the room with Carmen. The duettino (Si tu m'aimes, Carmen) and the when Escamillo walks out to the corrida, Frasquita and Mercedes come to warn Carmen about Don José. It is all in the room, José and Carmen meets again, he pleads and then he kills. Escamillo has finished his job at the corrida, and does not see Carmen is killed, he is too busy with Frasquita and Mercedes. Fine man, that Escamillo!! Mercedes sees and finally Escamillo... (what? a slight shock) while Don José is all finished and asked to be arrested, he has killed his love, his Carmen.


The Production was OK. Modernized. But the men were all creeps and the women was nothing worth. And the Gypsies smuggled cocaine. Is it modern to be so negative... or is it just CARMEN?

Signierstunde after the opera with José Cura, Denyce Graves and Jacques Delacôte. And I had just a mobile phone. In the end I was the last to get to take a photo of José, he was tired as you can see, and as you can also judge a mobile camera is no competition to a real camera. but still....

OD Travel
Blog post: "Non, tu ne m'aimes pas" (Carmen, Karlsruhe 24.5.08)

For more reviews from my travels, see www.operaduetstravel.com
If you want to see more photos from my OperaDuets Travels, go to www.operaduetsphotos.com

May 3, 1985: Carmen in Oslo

1985-05-03 Carmen (Bizet), Den Norske Opera (Oslo)

Carmen = Anne Gjevang
Don Jose = Kåre Bjørkøy
Escamillo = Terje Stensvold
Remendado = Arild Eriksen
Dancairo = Tor Fagerland
Zuniga = Carsten H. Stabell
Morales = Yngvar Krogh
Micaela = Toril Carlsen
Frasquita = Inger Lise Walseth
Mercedes = Vessa Hanssen

Per Åke Andersson, conductor




DEN NORSKE OPERA
Friday 1985-05-03
CARMEN
Opera in 4 acts by Georges Bizet
Text: Henri Meilhac & Ludovic Halevy
Translation: Per E. Fosser
Conductor: Per Åke Andersson
Regie: Frank Corsaro
Scenography: Franco Colavecchia

Sølvguttene
. 19.30 - ca. 22.45

Guerilla-Carmen. Carmen in Latin America with Carmen and the Bandits as guerilla soldiers. Norwegian guest-stars, Anne Gjevang who really was a international star at that point, Kåre Bjørkøy success abroad and at home.

But frankly, does Carmen need up-dating. No. But the production was not bad...

OD Travel

May 1, 2014: Carmen in Barcelona

2014-05-01 Carmen (Bizet), Barcelona

CARMEN - Ana Ferro
DON JOSÉ - Sergi Giménez
MICAELA - Cristiana Oliveira
ESCAMILLO - Nuno de Araujo Pereira
FRASQUITA - Anna B. Gómez
MERCEDES- Carla Mattioli


Piano - Montse Pujol Dahme

A great opera erlebnis in an Opera Salon

Sitting just a few feet from the opera singers this was intense. On sofas and chair in a living room with a piano we sat. The prelude and entr'acte was played on speakers. Then the pianist starts the live opera or maybe we should call it lived opera. The space was used for optimal operatic tension. The staircase was used theatrically and so was other rooms used as backstage. One of the best Carmen performances and in such a limited space! Amazing!!!


OD Travel & Photos
Original blog post

For more reviews from my travels, see www.operaduetstravel.com If you want to see more photos from my OperaDuets Travels, go to www.operaduetsphotos.com