Carmen

Royal Opera House (ROH)

You will cry, laugh and leave gobsmacked by the level of perfection this production of 'Carmen' displays. This show is the reason why you SHOULD be watching more opera.

My jaw is still on the floor after watching this production of 'Carmen'. Aigul Akhmetshina beautifully performs as the lead role of the fiesty gypsy Carmen, this actress knows the character inside out and oozes talent. The whole cast are just as talented in comparison. Her lover Don José, played by Freddie De Tommaso is the fan to her flame and the two create a divine stage chemistry, that is nothing that you will ever have seen before. This show is a fanfare of talent... see what i did there?

Damiano Michieletto directed this exquisite show. It's safe to say the audience are in safe hands, because Michieletto has been all over the globe creatively working on opera productions, ones that have also received Oliviers and he isn't a stranger to the Royal Opera House either. He previously worked on the ROH's production of 'The Tales of Hoffman'. The direction of this piece is divine. Don José's mother haunts his character on stage, reminding him and the audience of the guilt he holds from his actions that drowns him in self-loathing. The direction consistently reminds you of the character's sins and how their feelings progress. Freddie De Tommaso clearly displays through his performance how Don Josè is entangled in Carmen's seductive web; she sucks his power and good intentions away. He becomes her obsessed, fawning puppy until she decides to abruptly cut ties. Carmen is played by Aigul Akhmetshina, who's well versed in the role, having played the role for the Metropolitan Opera, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Arena di Verona and many more productions around the world. In an interview with the ROH it's stated that by the end of 2025 she will have played Carmen 100 times! She beautifully displays the character with many layers, how she flees from all responsibility and accountability. Her character is complicated, but Akhmetshina intrigues the audience as she gradually uncovers Carmen's colourful personality and right to her very tragic end.

Mark Elder and Christopher Willis conduct the orchestra as they revive the classic music composed by Georges Bizet, on the day I watched it was Elder conducting. The music is captivating, seductive and sets the scene for the rises and falls of the drama that the audience are immersed in. The voices of the actors and actresses perfectly match the emotion of the story of Carmen, as the tragedy unravels. The ending is raw and the music that matches gives the audience this unique feeling that only opera can make you feel, it's intense, the way the story makes you feel and the appreciation for the high-quality talent the cast reflect.

Design elements portray the hot, seductive, heat of Seville where the piece is set. Lighting and set work hand in hand to show this. Set is designed by Paolo Fantin and lighting by Alessandro Carletti. Setting beautifully shows the dusty, sun kissed surroundings and the abandoned areas that Carmen's friends hide away in. The most interesting piece of set is the night club, the outside seems seedy and hidden. Inside is this small colourful night club where the drama comes to life and the characters are intoxicated with alcohol and getting involved in activities and people that they may regret. The costumes compliment the seductive, colourful atmosphere, designed by Carla Teti. The women were short dresses and skirts, in an array of vibrant, eye-catching colours and they entrance the men with their looks and lure them in. The audience feel the heat of the setting and the drama.

This production is the PERFECT opera and will blow you away. The amount of hard work that has gone into putting every piece together is magnificent, creatives, musicians and actors work hand in hand to make this piece the high standard it presents. If you are looking to stepping into the glorious world of opera; experiencing the high drama and divine talent, then 'Carmen' is the show for you. It will leave you wanting more opera in your life and tragedy is on the cards in the story of Carmen.