Frustrating Carmen (Audio Only – That's the Frustration)

I learned today from Michael Fabiano’s Facebook post that the new production of Carmen by Dmitri Tcherniakov at Aix-en-Provence is being broadcast on Arte.tv (but not in the U.S.) and on France Musique radio (via website or phone app* ).

I am listening to it now as I type. I am pleased with the musical performance but perplexed by the production. There is a whole dialog** scene before the overture starts. Tcherniakov (as is his wont) has layered a new concept over the opera, and the visual element (apparently) is not what one usually expects from Carmen.  The point is there is a lot going on that is not music. I want to see what's happening! Hence my Carmen Frustration.

As I listen, I tracked down a few reviews in English, so I now have an idea what I am missing. The idea of enacting Carmen as therapy*** is interesting (though I doubt it would ever catch on over here in the U.S.) and I look forward to seeing the realization. The production also stars a favorite mezzo: Stéphanie d'Oustrac.

I do have a quibble—one that is pointed out by more than one reviewer: apparently Tcherniakov created this new concept because couldn’t really “get into” the traditional bullfighter/gypsy/soldier story. I echo one of the reviewers, wondering why T. accepted the job if he really didn’t “feel” the opera.

Jonas Kaufmann and Kate Aldrich in Carmen Live Tomorrow

More live opera this weekend: 

Saturday, July 11, 4:45 Eastern U.S. Time 

Kate Aldrich (Carmen) 
Inva Mula (Micaëla) 
Hélène Guilmette (Frasquita) 
Marie Karall (Mercédès)
Jonas Kaufmann (Don José) 
Kyle Ketelsen (Escamillo) 
Jean Teitgen (Zuniga) 
Olivier Grand (Le Dancaïre) 
Florian Laconi (Le Remendado) 
Armando Noguera (Moralès)

Choir of the Angers-Nantes Opera, Choir of the Opera Grand Avignon
Choir of the Nice Opera, Mastery Des Bouches Du Rhône
Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France 
Mikko Franck musical direction
Louis Désiré stage director, set designer, costumes 

More Vocal Delights on Ö1 Radio

More programs from Ö1, archived for seven days after the (first broadcast).

A Helen Donath 75th Birthday Retrospective on Stimmen Hören (July 2)

Vintage Thomas Hampson (Samuel Ramey, Gregory Kunde, Denyce Graces, and June Anderson) in a 1993 EMI recording of Thomas' Hamlet (30 June)

Obscure Bizet on Apropos Musik: Beyond Carmen (30 June)

Daniel Behle is a Pearlfisher (in Concert)

I was going to post one of the Ottavio arias from his recent Paris Don Giovanni, then I came across this performance of Nadir's aria, Je crois entendre encore from Bizet's Pêcheurs de Perles. Just when I think Daniel Behle can't impress me any more than he already does, I come across another performance like this. 

Gratuitous Friday – Hvorostovsky & Kaufmann sing Bizet

I think the only complaint one could possibly have about the beautiful duet Au fond du Temple Saint is that Bizet didn't write more like it. 

It’s good to remember that Bizet was quite a melodist, and did write other stuff besides Carmen—not a lot—but there is other stuff. In general, however, there simply are not enough tenor/baritone duets in the opera world!

Gratuitous Friday – Jonas Kaufmann is Don José

Jonas Kaufmann is heartbreaking in this beautiful rendition of the flower song. 

La fleur que tu m'avais jetée

Carmen, La Scala, 2009

BPO Digital Concert Hall – Part 1: The One that's about the new Carmen Recording

I just discovered the Berlin Philharmonic's Digital Concert Hall (DCH): yet another reason to spend time in front of my computer. I came across the site through Anne Sofie von Otter's Facebook page. I will say more about ASvO and DCH in a later post, since this post is supposed to be about the new Carmen recording. 

You have probably already read about the new recording of Carmen conducted by Sir Simon Rattle, and starring Mrs. Rattle Magdelena Kožená, Jonas Kaufmann, and Genia Kühmeier (a soprano to watch... and listen to, of course!) It's already been reviewed, previewed, and otherwise discussed at blogs such as Likely Impossibilities, Music Web International, Parterre Box, and I Hear Voices.  

More Blog Posts I Wish I had Written

Now and then, I come across a blog post that really speaks to me.  It might be deep, thoughtful, spiritual, analytic, or just silly. Here are a few more that I wish I had written, and some clips to go with them. 

Gratuitous Friday – Dorothea Röschmann IS Michaela

This one caught me by surprise.  Not only is Dorothea blonde(!), she's singing in French. 

Unfortunately, it seems she is not in the commercial DVD release of this 2006 Berliner Staatsoper production. It looks pretty interesting; it also stars Rolando Villazón, is conducted by Daniel Barenboim (apparently his first Carmen), and directed by Martin Kušej.  It seems Don José dies during the overture and the rest is in flashback. I hear that Escamillo falls before the Finale, too. 

Die blonde Dorothea