Carmen

Not only did we get to go to the Ballet last week, but we were able to go see The Metropolitan Opera's production of Carmen. It was a week full of culture and new experiences!

We picked up Brian from work and headed up to have dinner at Francesco Pizzeria on Columbus Ave and 68th St. It is our favorite pizza place in that area. We usually make a stop here either before or after we visit the temple. The pizza is delicious and the walls are covered with autographed pictures of celebrities that eat there (a common sight at restaurants in New York). 

Carmen was showing at the Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center. The building is located in the same plaza as the Koch Theater and has been open since 1966. It is beautiful, especially when all lit up from the inside.

The interior of the Opera House is gorgeous. The floors are covered in red velvet and there is a grand staircase that winds up and up. There are elevators, but we chose to walk up the stairs to get the full experience. The handrails are even covered in red velvet. It was awesome...I felt like I was severely under-dressed. A nice, formal dress would have fit the surroundings nicely!

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The crowning feature of the building would have to be the fantastic chandelier hanging from the ceiling of the opera house. It is actually composed of 11 separate chandeliers that hang downward through the open center of the building.  Each piece is shaped like exploding fireworks or stars. The staircase and floors are built in such a way to leave an open center the entire height of the building. It is very dazzling. My pictures of the chandelier don't do it justice.

  

The auditorium is just as opulent as the rest of the building, if not more so. The ceiling is painted in gold and there is another mass of chandeliers in its center, 21 to be exact. The chandeliers were a gift from the Austrian government. The center, and largest, piece is 18 feet in diameter. The smaller pieces are suspended on wires and they rise to the ceiling when the performance is about to begin. Their lights turn from bright white-silver to a soft golden color once they reach the top. It reminded me of the garland and stars on a Christmas tree. 

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Their are five floors, or balconies, above the ground level. We were seated on the fourth balcony, off to the left side. We had a great view of the stage, even though we were quite a ways away. Their were red velvet lined railings in front of us. Located on the railings in front of each seat was a digital display that provided the English translation of the songs as they were being sung. Brian and I were especially grateful for this. Although we had done a bit of research and knew the general gist of the story, it was still nice to know exactly what was going on. Layne and Kris brought binoculars so we could take turns looking at the performers up close.

Carmen was written by George Bizet, a French composer, so naturally the Opera is sung in French. There are four acts, and the story is set in Spain during the 1930's. It is 3 hours and 15 minutes long, and the orchestra is playing the entire time, except during intermission!  The music was beautiful and the sets were wonderfully done.

The story starts out with the soldier Don Jose, played by the Tenor Yonghoon Lee. He is in love with Micaela, played by the Soprano Kate Royal, a sweet girl from his home town. Micaela comes to find Don Jose in the city to deliver a message from his mother, but he is away from the post. She leaves, planning to come back later. In the meantime the bell rings at the local cigarette factory, signalling break time. All of the soldiers go to the factory to meet the cigarette girls getting off from work. These girls are not "good" girls, not the type you would take home to meet your mother. This is were we get to meet Carmen, a gypsy and a favorite of the soldiers. They call her Carmencita. She is the one that they all swoon after, and not a nice lady at all. The role was played by the Mezzo-Soprano Anita Rachvelishvili. Her voice was amazing and was so loud at times. I don't know how someone can sing with that much volume! It was awesome.

Carmen: Source

She sings a number basically telling the men to watch out for her. Don Jose is the only one that doesn't pay any attention to her, which immediately makes her pay attention to him. She throws him a flower before going back to the factory with the rest of the girls. Micaela comes back and delivers her message to Don Jose then leaves. The factory girls spill back out of the factory because of a fight between Carmen and another girl. Don Jose is ordered to arrest Carmen and deliver her to the prison. Instead she seduces him and he helps her escape. He is arrested and spends a few months in prison.

Don Jose & Micaela: Source

Next we get to meet Escamillo, the toreador or bullfighter, played by the Baritone Dwayne Croft. He is bragging about himself and flirting with Carmen. Escamillo is by far the most entertaining character. Carmen tells him she is in love with someone else and he leaves. She is then asked to join a gang of smugglers and declines as well because she is waiting for Don Jose, who was just released from prison. He comes to find Carmen and tells her how much he loves her. When he refuses to leave the army and run away with her she tells him that he doesn't truly love her and that he should leave. The Lieutenant comes in and makes advances on Carmen. Don Jose defends Carmen and fights with him. When the smugglers come back and assist Don Jose, he is forced to run away with Carmen because he is now involved with them.

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Carmen eventually loses interest in Don Jose as they live in the mountains with the smugglers. She tells him to go back to his mother, but he won't leave her because he has lost everything for her. The gypsies tell their fortunes and Carmen's fortune is death. Micaela shows up to try to convince him to return, and as a last ditch effort tells him that his mother is dying. Don Jose finally decides to leave Carmen and return with Micaela to see his mother.

The toreador, Escamillo returns and Carmen ends up hooking up with him. The scene shifts back to the city where there is a parade being held before a bullfight. The mayor and bullfighters walk along the parade followed by Escamillo with Carmen on his arm. They all go into the arena except Carmen. Don Jose appears and tries to get her back. She refuses and he ends up stabbing her with a knife and killing her. One of those "if I can't have her no one can" sort of situations. So basically, Don Jose has thrown away everything and ended up in ruin because he went for the wrong girl. Not a very happy, uplifting story.

It was a great experience though, and I'm so glad we got to go. The music was wonderful and the singers were great! Brian and I both really enjoyed our first opera. We have found ourselves humming the songs more than once since. Again, thanks to Layne and Kris for making it happen!