Carmen in the Square

Carmen in the Square
By Georges Bizet. State Opera SA. Victoria Square, Adelaide. March 24, 2019

For the first time the State Opera of South Australia has moved out of a theatre and into a central city venue, namely Victoria Square. Presumably this is based on Opera Australia’s successful ‘Opera on Sydney Harbour’.

The choice of Carmen for this first production was a wise one. Known by any opera fan, with hummable tunes (including a football team song) and a dramatic storyline, it has all the ingredients to be a sure-fire hit.

Victoria Square was almost unrecognisable when we arrived: a large stage with side screens at the northern end, rows and rows of white plastic seats, pop up bars (and toilets) and beautifully lit trees, all providing the ambience needed for an open-air opera experience.

We were given an Aboriginal welcome to land, touching everyone present with a heartfelt speech and song.

Set on a bare stage except for two large scaffolding elements and some furniture, Stuart Maunder’s production stripped the opera back to bare emotion too, through exclusion of elaborate sets and costumes. It was clear and tight and the blocking for such a limited performance space was remarkable. There was interest wherever you looked without detracting from the central performances.

Helen Sherman’s Carmen was raw, earthy and gutsy. Her “Habanera” and “Je vais danser en votre honneur ... La la la” were beautifully sung, but there was more to her performance than that. Her portrayal of a woman who would rather die than be untrue to herself was totally convincing and we were swept along with her passion.

James Egglestone’s Don Jose was a tortured soul. He was like a caged animal; Carmen’s plaything. We were left at the end of the opera wondering if Don Jose had lost his mind or was merely overly focussed on his goals. His flower song “La fleur que tu m'avais jetée” and the epic singing of Act 4 are amongst the most exacting parts of the opera and Egglestone delivered both the singing and acting demanded of him with ease.

Morgan Pearse’s Escamillo (very much an audience favourite) has a voice that soars past the expected baritone range. His ‘Toreador’ song commanded the stage and enabled him to strut like a peacock. We were left wondering if Escamillo was as shallow as he seemed or if he really did love Carmen.

Emma Pearson’s Micaela, while a smaller role, drew bravos from the audience with her “Je dis que rien ne m'épouvante” when trying to rescue Don Jose from Carmen. She drew every ounce of emotion from the role and quietly dominated every scene she was in.

Desiree Frahn and Bethany Hill’s Frasquita and Mercedes, Carmen’s friends, provided some of the lighter moments. Their fortune telling scene with Carmen was particularly enjoyable. They reminded me of schoolgirls who want to hang around with the ‘cool kid’.

Samuel Dundas and Adam Goodburn’s Morales/Dancairo and Remendado teamed well with Frasquita and Mercedes to share their plans to dispose of some recently acquired contraband, “Nous avons en tête une affaire”. Both proficient in comedy, Dundas and Goodburn ensured this scene was a delight.

Wade Kernot gave Zuniga the officious characterisation and richness of voice needed for this role.

The State Opera chorus delivered some memorable moments, particularly their song while waiting for the bullfight “Les voici! Voici la quadrille!”. They seemed to be everywhere on the set and provided the essential background for the drama played in front.

The Adelaide Symphony Orchestra led by conductor Oliver Von Dohnanyi gave us the colour of the night. Their overture and  entr’actes, at times brooding and other times triumphant, showcased, once again, the technical brilliance of this orchestra.

Fight scenes realistically choreographed by Ruth Fallon, lighting by Wes Hiscock and costumes by Emma Brockliss complete the picture.

While the artistic side of Carmen in the Square was a triumph, I do have a few reservations about the staging. The lighting needed for the orchestra and conductor overpowered the stage lighting at times and made the performers hard to see clearly. The surtitles were on the side screens and not above the stage, so I found myself watching the screen more than the stage, much like a movie. The rest of the technical side of the production was virtually flawless.

Carmen is an opera comique, though far from comic, and so there is some dialogue. A neutral accent rather than Australian would have ensured a smoother transition between dialogue and song.

Carmen in the Square was a bold experiment in taking opera to the masses and judging by the excitement from the audience and the talent pouring from the stage, it was a definite success. I look forward to another opera in the square in the future.

Bravo State Opera SA for having the courage and forethought!

Barry Hill

Images: Soda Street Productions.

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