One thing a good opera always should excel at is the ensemble. Opera productions are meant to be bigger than life — illustrious stories, powerful music, emotions spilling over the top — but often the power of the ensemble is forgotten in the clamor for a powerful tenor or mezzo soprano.
The Cairo Opera House’s new production of Georges Bizet’s legendary opera, “Carmen,” doesn’t fall into this trap. Abdel Moneim Kamel, the show’s director, puts the ensemble front and center, opening every act with a massive song and dance number, complete with twirling ladies, boastful matadors, and a whirlwind of colorful costumes. The costumes and set, under the directions of Mona Ashour and Mahmoud Haggag, are so elaborate they steal the show.
The design takes full advantage of the Spanish setting — not just with the traditional reds and golds, but also using bright pinks and even dark blues and purples, especially for Act III’s mountain scene. The choir of soldiers, dressed in dark green, is remarkably effective, especially when contrasted with the children’s choir in Act I.
However, the ensemble can’t stay on set forever, and it falls to the leads (Carmen and Don Jose), appropriately, to keep the show’s dynamics moving. Dragana del Monaco’s mezzo soprano is accurate and dynamic, playing Carmen’s selections with all the right notes and flourishes.
The story, for those unfamiliar, revolves around Don Jose, an army officer, who meets an enchanting gypsy girl (Carmen), whose presence intoxicates him, causing him to turn his back on his military career and his village sweetheart, Micaela (played with subdued charisma by Iman Moustafa.)
Del Monaco plays her character with mature sensuality — a thought-provoking choice, and one which could make for a stimulating subtext. Unfortunately, her counterpart (Jean-Noel Briend, playing Don Jose) finds himself overmatched by del Monaco.
Briend’s singing is fine; he hits every tenor note required by Bizet’s score. However, his acting feels a bit too static, especially when contrasted with del Monaco’s dynamism. Briend seems to settle on one character direction per act. Sometimes this works — his childlike confusion pairs wonderfully with del Monaco’s practiced wisdom in the first act. But his swing to increased confidence in Act II rings a bit false, and also robs the scene of any comedy it might possess. Even by the conclusion, it’s still hard to believe Don Jose’s anger is anything other than feigned for the score’s convenience.
Other chief performances include the baritone Russi Nikoff, playing the matador Escamillo (Carmen’s other love) with the bombastic arrogance his part requires, and Reda El Wakil as the army captain Zuniga with a commitment that dominates every scene he takes part in.
The non-ensemble scenes do have their artistic moments — some hit and some miss. The fight scenes could have been a bit more interesting; the actors feel like they’re rushing through them out of duty, not engagement. However, when the artistic beats do work, they land with impact. For example, in one notable scene, midway through Act II, Carmen is seen alone on stage bathed in red light, calmly brushing her hair as the voices of approaching soldiers are heard in the distance. The effect is striking.
Kamel has added some modern touches to the proceedings as well. A lone dancer, clad in all black with the ace of spades emblazoned on her chest, pirouettes her way through the opera’s most dramatic moments, apparently meant to remind the audience of the role chance and fate play in the proceedings. Likewise, the orchestra — led by conductor Peter Tiboris — adds a modern zeal to their performance.
Still, it is the ensemble which carries the day. If an act begins to slog, one need wait only for its conclusion, when the massive and enthusiastic ensemble returns, complete with colorful costumes and enthusiastic dance moves, to remind the audience why it was worthwhile to come out to the opera in the first place.
Cairo Opera Company presents “Carmen,” closing on May 16. In French, with Arabic supertitles. No English translation is offered, though a plot summary is provided. Entrance is LE 50. Tel: 2739 0114.
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The show’s director, puts the ensemble front and center, opening every act with a massive song and dance number.
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