I must admit this wasn’t the Carmen of my dreams, as I left the theatre with the feeling that director Daniele Finzi Pasca hadn’t taken the drama too seriously. This production appeared weak in its concept, and, as moving as the story still remained and the performance was musically pleasant, the staging did not convince overall.
The director’ effort diminished the force and vitality which are highlighted by other productions, by mainly working with colours, lights and choreography, thus denouncing his origins as a circus artist and of director of the Cirque du Soleil. Hence, Moorish-style frameworks dotted with thousands of small bulbs and a hanging globe made up of hundreds of tiny lights were meant to create rarefied, dreamlike atmospheres; unfortunately all of this clashed against the passionate character and shocking sexuality which are the ardent essence of the opera.
The weirdest staging ideas were the tube-shaped neon lights carried by nine mimes who encircled Carmen, possibly representing the gleams of lust and passion she emanated; I found them mostly disturbing though, and they were greatly disliked by the audience, especially when Frasquita and Mercédès had to hold them while reading their fortunes from the cards.
Zubin Mehta’s conducting was surely paced and fine-touched. He focused on the drama without being hefty, both in the big moments and in the intermediate passages: the prelude and the three entr’actes were pleasantly played, and the orchestra excelled throughout.
Maria José Montiel, in her hundredth assumption of the title role, did the job vocally as Carmen, but she has a lighter-weight voice, and sometimes one missed a vocally warmer colour. Her upper register is not exceptional, but the colour of her mezzo in the middle and low range is outstanding.