Astonishingly good – simply put, this is an astounding production and will delight those new and old to Carmen.
This production of Carmen comes to the Edinburgh International Festival direct from Opéra-Comique – the Parisian opera house where it all began, brought to the stage by conductor Louis Langrée and director Andreas Homoki. The story of a woman, living and dying on her own terms, using her wits and wiles to escape imprisonment, whilst beguiling men along the way.
Over four acts, we see Carmen (played flawlessly by Gaëlle Arquez) win the affections of soldier Don José (a passionate Saimir Pirgu), much to the displeasure of Micaëla (Elbenita Kajtazi) and his officer Zuniga (François Lis), and eventually turn him aside for Ecamillo, the swaggering Toreador (played by Jean-Fernand Setti), before disaster strikes in the shadow of the bullring.
Exceptional vocal and acting performances came from all the main cast – Gaëlle Arquez’s Carmen flirted, smirked and scoffed her way into the audience’s affections before she’d even sung a note. It’s hard to look past Habanera as the standout aria, but she made every song a delight, and her poised and nuanced characterisation was incredibly enjoyable to watch. Saimir Pirgu was truly heartbreaking as the besotted Don José, even when in voiceless torment in Act 3. His performances with Elbenita Kajtazi’s Micaëla were drenched in agony, and produced beautiful singing even from kneeling or seated positions, which was incredibly impressive. Our swaggering Ecamillo, strutted and posed as befitting a champion, and the superb performances of the adult choir Accentus, and the wonderful children from Maitrise Populaire de l’Opéra-Comique have to be mentioned too.
The staging and lighting was deceptively simple and effective – the large brickwork backdrop was complemented by swags of red-gold, dusk, and even glittery curtains as the show progresses. This movement, of the performers between the curtains added an extra layer of depth to the show – with the full case often coming to the front of the stage to peer at the audience at various timepoints. The intriguing costume design of Gideon Davey took our characters from 1800s, through to 1940s, and to the present day, underlying the commonality of the human experience.
The Scottish Chamber Orchestra, were characteristically note-perfect from the second the famous Prelude began, through to the final note of the score, and were a joy to listen to throughout.
Although sung in French, with English surtitles, this opera feels accessible to everyone – those who might be intimated by “going to the opera” you needn’t fear as the powerful storytelling on stage bypasses the language barrier, even with the English translation alongside. Simply put, this is an astounding production and will delight those new and old to Carmen.