reviewed by Carmen Ferreiro-Esteban
I love opera. And before you say you don’t, and quit reading, please, click here and listen to Carmen’s Overture, a gorgeous piece of music that I’m sure, will change your mind.
As I was saying, I love opera and so when Saturday morning I read in the Philadelphia Inquirer that one of my local theaters was playing Carmen recorded during a performance by The Covent Garden Theater in London, I didn’t need extra convincing to rush there.
It was a wonderful experience (a 3D one to boost) I plan to repeat, for this was not an isolated incident. Apparently local theaters show recorded operas on a regular basis. I will keep my eyes open for next time and, please, let me know if you learn of it first.
Back to Carmen.
Composed by George Bizet and based on a novella by Prosper Merimee, Carmen is one of the most beloved operas nowadays and it is not difficult to see why. Unlike other more ‘difficult’ operas, Carmen has catchy tunes like The Habanera,
and Toreador
And a torrid story of passionate love, betrayal and revenge that is, as is usually the case in operas, a little over the top, yet works quite well on stage.
I was shocked to learn that Carmen was not well received when it premiered in 1875 in Paris. And poor Bizet died of a heart attack three days later, without knowing it would become one of the most popular operas ever.
Like Becquer and Lorca, Bizet was another artist who died young (36) and before becoming well known. So I am seriously considering making him one of the immortals in my novel Garlic for Breakfast https://www.notreadyforgrannypanties.com/2010/11/garlic-for-breakfast.html. He totally deserves it.
Pat, glad you liked my clips. And yes it is much better in person.
Thanks Sandra for the information.
Carmen, I listened to all your clips, they are really glorious! I’ve never been to an opera but I’d like to sometime, I’m sure it’s even more thrilling in person.
This post can serve your NJ readers or those of you in PA who might be willing to travel a little further, but I’m pretty sure the Rave Theatre in Voorhees, NJ offers these operas regularly.