High 5

Bethania Aponte and Aracely Delgado's Review
of Carmen at New York City Opera

BETHANIA: Georges Bizet knew that his production of Carmen would be very different from anything 19th Century Romantics were accustomed to. 19th Century writing focused its attention on stories with happy endings. Most of the stories were not concerned with unexpected twists, much less with tragic endings. Bizet tried to make the controversial novel, Carmen, an award winning opera. He did not get the opportunity to see how widely accepted the play had become. On June 3, 1875, three months after Carmen's opening in Paris, Bizet died.

ARACELY: Carmen was quite a success and it is no surprise that it is still performed today. The costumes and singing draw you in. It was also adorable and a pleasant surprise to see that the children had a couple of songs to sing. This opera was absolutely filled with a talented cast. Carmen is the woman that everyone falls in love with. Love for her is frequent. She falls in love and then out of love, and then in love with a different person. She sees nothing wrong with it and this becomes her downfall.

BETHANIA: Carmen behaves as the seducer, the unconventional. In this way she breaks the stereotype of women. On stage her character even dares to smoke, something considered too insulting for everyday 19th Century traditional opera. At the same time she is beautiful, witty and smart. Carmen is attractive even to the highest-ranked officials.

ARACELY: She also knows that she possesses this power to captivate anyone she wants. It does not matter to her if they are married or are seeing someone. She definitely does not portray women of that time and that's what makes this opera so enchanting and unique.

BETHANIA: It is also important to point out that the atmosphere in the theater truly reflects the environment of the play. The New York City Opera is strategically engineered to encompass its audience. In this way it provides the illusion that the audience is also part of the play.

ARACELY: The atmosphere is always important because that's what draws one into the play. It makes you feel interested and that the drama unfolding in front of you is meant for your eyes only.

BETHANIA: Carmen is a good play and today it still defies the conventional endings. The opera is performed in French. I really recommend this play. The acting is great. The voices are exceptional and the orchestra delivers a great performance.

ARACELY: I also recommend this play. The opera is something that everyone should experience. It is amazing to hear their voices. It does not matter that it is in French because there is a screen above the stage that translates everything in English. It is not distracting because it is easily understood what's going on because of the actor's body language and performance. The music, acting, and singing are extremely worth it.