Carman

Ryan, Tosh, and I went to see Carmen at the Volksoper. Carmen was written in French and tells the story of a Spanish army officer who falls in love with a young gypsy woman - Carmon. The production we saw was in German - not the original French - and was a modern interpretation. The costumes were also modern, and very minimalistic, not at all like the elaborate costumes of the French original. The plot was changed and the role of Escamillo, the matador was significantly downplayed. I am not sure how I felt about the opera. The music and orchestra, were excellent, but the profirhmance was lacking. Carmon was portrayed much more lascivious than in the original. The actress who portrayed Carmon had a very narrow range and while she hit the high notes with expertise, she sang all of her parts more than one octave too high for my ears. Don José was ok, but at points was a little flat. Escamillo was the best and the Bass who played him had an excellent voice and a full range. He was dressed in an all free suit and looked much more like a leprechaun than a matador. He was however the most amicable and enjoyable, character. Overall I really enjoyed the experience of going to an opera in Vienna, even if the interpretation was not my favorite. From the diversity in the crowed I learned that cultural events - like the opera - are much more universally popular than they are in the states.