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Carmen cliché a video nasty
THE season at ENO opened last week with a new production of Carmen by film director, Sally Potter.
Stripping away the romantic gloss that so often surrounds this opera, she pulls it into our own era with handsome settings by Es Devlin. It could be Camden Lock, with its high walls, neon-lit bars, CCTV cameras, and sinister characters.
The men are security guards or police, the ladies of ENO chorus are transformed into thigh-booted tarts; hip-hop, transvestite flamenco and tango dancers (the excellent Lucila Cionci and Pablo Veron, choreographer and performer), weave in and out.
Superbly lit by Mimi Jordan Sherin, it works well, and is fast-paced and inventive.
But it is a mistake to have eliminated most of the spoken dialogue. It leaves crucial unexplained gaps in the story for first-time opera-goers.
There was also too much use of video (by Fifty Nine Productions) superimposed over the scenes at the beginning; its inexplicable abandonment early on was a relief.
Potter, who has not directed opera before, claimed in various blogs and interviews to be avoiding the clichés surrounding Carmen. She seems unaware that such use of video in opera productions is itself already a cliché.
The musical side finds ENO on top form from the moment the orchestra strikes up.
Alice Coote is a superb Carmen, skilfully using her beautiful voice to convey the wildly fluctuating emotions of this enigmatic spirit.
It wanted only for more expansiveness at the climaxes – perhaps restrained because of a recent illness.
Julian Gavin’s finely sung performance is outstanding, conveying the tragic dilemma of Don Jose with utter conviction and pathos.
David Kempster sang and acted the Torreador with all the necessary macho swagger while Katie Van Kooten was a touching Micaela.
Among a strong supporting cast Ronan Collett was outstanding. Edward Gardner, ENO’s music director, draws passionate, virile playing, with taut ensemble and the chorus were magnificent.
HELEN LAWRENCE
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