Carmen at Glimmerglass: visually striking, dramatically inconsistent

Briana Hunter (Carmen)

Richard Ollarsaba (Escamillo) and ensemble

Carmen, Act 4

Ian Koziara (Don José)

By Cameron Kelsall, 19 July 2022

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“Graves is surprisingly adept at staging action fluidly and managing large-group tableaux”

Reviewed at Alice Busch Opera Theater, Cooperstown on 18 July 2022

Bizet, Carmen

Glimmerglass Opera

Joseph Colaneri, Conductor

Denyce Graves, Director

Riccardo Hernandez, Set Designer

Oana Botez, Costume Designer

Amith Chandrashaker, Lighting Designer

Briana Hunter, Carmen

Ian Koziara, Don José

Richard Ollarsaba, Escamillo

Symone Harcum, Micaëla

Peter Morgan, Zuniga

Aaron Jacob Keeney, Moralès

Helen Zhibing Huang, Frasquita

Lisa Marie Rogali, Mercédès

Yazid Gray, Le Dancaïre

Aaren Rivard, Le Remendado

A dark, delicious take on Elizabeth Cree at Glimmerglass Festival

Cameron Kelsall, 28th July

Mezzo-soprano Tara Erraught anchors a fluid and appealingly staged new production of Kevin Puts' penny dreadful.

****1

Child's play: inventive, moving Rinaldo at Glimmerglass

Cameron Kelsall, 31st July

Director Louisa Proske refracts Handel's tale of warlords and witches through the prism of a juvenile dream world, aided by a game cast headed by Anthony Roth Costanzo.

****1

Simon Godwin directs Gounod's Roméo et Juliette at Glimmerglass

Edward Sava-Segal, 30th July

The English theatre directs turns his hand to opera with a staging of Gounod's take on Shakespeare's star-crossed lovers.

****1

Brian Vu and Meredith Arwady shine in Glimmerglass Candide

David Wolfson, 8th July

Glimmerglass Opera Festival’s production of Candide leans heavily on a dry comedic sensibility, which most of the cast execute admirably.

***11

A streamlined Trovatore at the Glimmerglass Festival

Cameron Kelsall, 7th August

Rising mezzo-soprano Raehann Bryce-Davis offers a gorgeously sung and grippingly acted portrait of Verdi's gypsy.

****1

Isabel Leonard soars in Glimmerglass Festival's Songbird

Cameron Kelsall, 6th August

Set in New Orleans during the Jazz Age, this riff on Offenbach's La Périchole captures the festive spirit of the summer, despite some tired jokes.

***11

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Cameron Kelsall

Cameron Kelsall is a classical music critic and cultural reporter. He has written for Bachtrack since 2019, and his byline has appeared in many national and international classical music publications. Based in Philadelphia, he regularly travels around the United States for musical events. In addition to his career in journalism, Cameron also teaches in the Theatre Arts program at the University of Pennsylvania. He is also a certified sommelier and avid home cook. His favorite composer is Mahler. Twitter: @CameronPKelsall.