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La Tragédie de Carmen - Norwich Theatre Royal (26.07.2024)

As I left the theatre, one audience member vocalised rather loudly (and quite rudely) his dissatisfaction with what he'd seen. He seemed keen to ensure those around him knew he's a regular opera-goer, and that this version paled in comparison to productions of Carmen that he'd seen on far grander stages, and likely at multiple times the cost.


Firstly, this is not Bizet’s Carmen. It is an adaptation by Peter Brook (which is by no means new, debuting in 1981), and the idea behind the reimagining of the classic opera was to strip it of some of its grandiosity and reduce it to the core elements of the Prosper Mérimée novella upon which it is based.


As such, this means there is no place for a chorus, with just four singing roles in the company, and the orchestra is reduced to 14 players. While I can accept that the more condensed form loses some of the narrative context, what this production offers is a sharper focus on each element, and the characters in particular.


It allows a more nuanced view of Carmen, and reframes the way she behaves as mere survival rather than simply being a 'femme fatale'. And mezzo-soprano Niamh O'Sullivan brings the character to life beautifully, balancing charming and seductive with determined and steadfast, as well as a gorgeous voice to match.



Elgan Llŷr Thomas as the love-struck and dangerously obsessed Don José is a marvel with his silky smooth vocals, and his portrayal of the murderer is enthralling. He's a perfect foil to the outward macho bravado of bullfighter Escamillo. However, Steffan Lloyd Owen also sprinkles the part with a touch of vulnerability and self-doubt to counterbalance his powerhouse vocals.


Erin Gwyn Rossington has a little less to work with as Micaëla, Don José's spurned love interest, but gives a fantastic account of herself nonetheless. Complementing the four singers was Cameron Cook who charmed the audience in his variety of roles as narrator, bar owner, Carmen's husband, and Don José's superior officer.


There was plenty to enjoy visually too, with Bettina John's innovative set, an imposing half-pyramid of stairs which was broken up at points to form anything from a prison cell to a bar.


In his programme notes, Norwich Theatre Chief Executive Stephen Crocker writes that this co-production with Buxton International Festival "is the perfect opera for audiences both old and new, combining wonderful production values with accessibility to challenge perception of who opera is for." And I couldn't agree more - there is clear storytelling for those not necessarily in the know, and great technical skill on display to satisfy more experienced audiences. And this is something we, as theatre-goers, should all embrace.


La Tragédie de Carmen continues at Norwich Theatre Royal until 28 July.

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