“I might love you, and if I do, beware.” — Those are the words of Carmen, played by mezzo-soprano Anita Rachvelishvili, and she means it.
[Originally published in the Toronto Star]
Carmen
★★★★ (out of four)
By George Bizet. Presented by The Canadian Opera Company (COC) at the Four Seasons Centre, 145 Queen St. W., until May 16. www.coc.ca or (416) 363-8231.
One of the main obstacles with Bizet’s Carmen is its audience familiarity. The challenge for Joel Ivany, who made his Canadian Opera Company main stage debut last night, is to somehow pull something new from one of opera’s most travelled paths. People expect to see a Spanish-styled spectacle with strong characters, fetching melodies, memorable choruses, and eye-catching scenes. And for goodness sake, don’t mess with the Habanera in Act I.
But Ivany has actually done it. It was subtle at first, but he has created a familiar Carmen with a contemporary taste for interaction between the characters and the audience. As he writes in the program, “This is our Carmen.”
Ivany’s hyper-real plays were found between the expected elements of opéra comique, and the accepted realism between the characters in Carmen. Act IV included an off-stage procession leading to the bullfight, with characters selling mock cigars and cigarettes directly to the audience who were all too happy to play along.
Ivany updates the setting to 1940s Cuba with a traditional set designed by Michael Yeargan peppered with splashes of Crimson reds in François St-Aubin’s costumes.
It was hard not to notice the proud, strutting feminism in mezzo-soprano Anita Rachvelishvili’s Carmen. She was not overly dark, and the chemistry between the naïve soldier Don José, played by tenor Russell Thomas, was compelling throughout. In particular, the love-hate relationship between them moved beyond the ne’er do well Gypsy clichés (Oh, those Gypsies). Thomas’ voice was most intense in moments of heightened drama, and his tone nodded towards a young Pavarotti. The smoldering and hot-blooded Rachvelishvili kept her voice as feisty as her personality.
The many highlights included French Canadian bass Alain Coulombe as the captain, who held court against the crowds of officers and colourful townsfolk. His voice was full and commanding, and his French was noticeably more natural against the non-native French speakers in the cast.
Another shining light was bass-baritone Christian Van Horn, whose Toreador cut a perfect heroic figure and had the audience rooting along with him. Simone Osborne was a sweet Micaëla, and was countered with her slightly dark soprano in the lower range.
Musically, Carmen was in good hands with Paolo Carignani, and he kept the Bizet’s winning melodies dependable.
Ivany mentions a quote from Philip Glass in the program notes, “If you don’t need a new technique, then what you’re saying probably isn’t new.” What we saw last night wasn’t new, but just gave it enough innovation to make Carmen seem new. Jump at your chance to see it.
Correction, April 13, 2016: The off-stage procession happens at the top of Act IV, not Act III, and the setting is in 1940’s Cuba, not Seville.
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