| re: Carmen Jones at CSC | |
| Posted by: NewtonUK 11:22 am EDT 06/22/18 | |
| In reply to: Carmen Jones at CSC - hobokenken 11:00 pm EDT 06/21/18 | |
|
|
|
| I saw the London production (directed by Simon Callow) as well, and the one at CSC. I can't agree it's a good piece - many of the lyrics are risible (not in a good way), and the new plot strains to invent a story that parallels Merimee's CARMEN, but set in WW2 America. And the more or less cartoon African American dialects written into the book and lyrics by Hammerstein (in a non PC time) don't help. I thought the cast was strong - with Joe the weak link, actor wise and vocally. About an hour of the show is gone, so the plot careens from place to place, even more than in Bizet's opera. And the final moments where Carmen is killed by Joe (no spoiler unless you have lived under a rock!) carries no punch - really badly staged. I have seen this moment in the opera be heart wrenching, brutal. Especially in the Peter Brook/Marius Constant LE TRAGEDIE DE CARMEN. Anyone recall what they did at CSC with Poncho de Panther From Brazil, and Act 2 song in the original. The miniscule orchestra (piano, volin, Bass, cello, french horn, woodwind) sounds thin and way underpowered. And the boxer, 'Husky Miller' has the cheapest looking boxer robe you may ever have seen. Also for some reason, the theatre had several flies in it, who had a great time hopping from performer to performer. I find this show a charming artefact, but otherise not very good. CSC doesnt give you a program when you enter, but you can get a home printed one on the way out. The program is also online. There is no song list. Probably because the song titles are (examples) 'Dere's a cafe on de corner', 'Dat's love', and 'Dis flower'. |
|
| reply | |
|
|
|
| Previous: | Carmen Jones at CSC - hobokenken 11:00 pm EDT 06/21/18 |
| Next: | re: Carmen Jones at CSC - JAS 03:41 pm EDT 06/22/18 |
| Thread: |
|
Time to render: 0.022852 seconds.