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16/06/2004 A Carmen mired in mediocrity
Bizet's Carmen, the tale of a sultry gypsy maid who causes mayhem among men who get near her, is one of the most popular staples of the operatic repertoire. It's an engaging love story, chock full of memorable, whistlable tunes, familiar well beyond the narrow world of the opera house. But, if you were new to the work, English National Opera's Carmen, a revival of a Jonathan Miller production, would have you wondering what all the fuss is about. When I decided to cut my losses and leave after Act 2 (of 4), preferring a summer evening stroll along the River Thames, it was only the second time I've ever walked out of a gig. And the first opera performance where leaving early has even crossed my mind. The main weakness was the poor casting. Sara Fulgoni is an unconvincing Carmen. Her vocal tone and weak acting put me more in mind of a Home Counties girls' school Hockey Mistress than a horny temptress who ruins lives. In a part which calls for a desperate single mother from a Leeds or Newcastle council estate, we had a "nice girl" whose diction hinted that daddy might well be a vicar in Guildford. But Fulgoni wasn't the only miscast character. Though he sang well, Don Jose was stiff. Micaela, Carmen's rival for Jose's affections, was played by a stand-in who might have been more credible as the main man's oft-discussed but never seen mother. Mark Richardson's Zuniga was the sole principal who projected himself convincingly. Carmen was my first visit to the ENO. It might well be my last. Music for Grown-Ups Rating (/5): 1
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