Opera Report Carmen Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Opera Report Carmen - Essay Example The walls were painted in dark or pale shades of grey. The whole set seem to have leaped out of an antiquated book whose pages have turned brittle and its colors have faded with age. I could almost see the book settled quietly on a dusty shelf on the back portion of the library. If set designer John Conklin’s and lighting designer Gary Marder’s intentions were to give a hint to the opera’s tragic ending, then they have been successful in this part. But a story is not just about a happy or sad ending. A story has a beginning, a complicated plot and an ending. In this view, I think the stage could have made use of better lighting. There were some parts where the actors almost disappear into the shadows, especially when they move towards the wall or the back portion of the stage. On the story itself, I give its director, Sonja Frisell, the liberty to make her own interpretation of Prosper Merimee’s novel. I believe that the director should be given enough room to exercise her artistic skills and decide on the details of the story. I think Frisell did a very good job at telling the story of Carmen and her daring adventures on love. I especially love Carmen, both the character and the actress. I like the character Carmen’s go-getter attitude. Although she was a gypsy, she did carry herself well in the crowd and commanded everyone’s attention with her larger-then-life presence. She does not mind how she rank compared to others. She just wanted to live her life to the fullest. And I believe that Nino Surguladze gave justice to Carmen’s colorful lifestyle. She was pretty with an equally captivating mezzo soprano voice. For me, Surguladze and her portrayal of Carmen was the highlight of the show. Finally, the three and a half hours of musical bliss was a great experience. The actors did deliver their pieces quite well. The soprano music is a welcome break from the rock and pop music that floods my senses in