On the 27th, Mother and I went to an opera show at Queen Elizabeth Theatre. Georges Bizet's Carmen is the most performed opera in the world. It is widely loved and I guess because it is so well known, people expect a lot out of it. Carmen is Bizet's last work and it is based on a novel by Prosper Merimee. It premiered at the Opera Comique in Paris in 1875 and did not receive the popularity it does today.
This is my first time going to Queen Elizabeth Theatre. We didn't have great seats so I feel like both the vocal and the orchestra weren't projected out to where we were sitting.
Carmen's voice didn't strike me as much as Don Jose's, who was played by David Pomeroy. His voice was full, warm and rich. I was very impressed with his performance. During the intermission, I overhead people commenting on how they had liked Pomeroy better in a previous opera performance. I would love to see him in other operas.
Micaela was played by Mariateresa Magisano. In the first number, I didn't think her voice was very engaging. The main reason was that I couldn't really hear her in the first song. As the show went on, I was more and more impressed. Her voice was so pure and so heavenly. There were moments during the performance that I felt teardrops appear by my eye ducts. Her voice made me sit up in my chair and lean forward with my eyes wide open, asking myself how this is humanly possible.
But each to their own. I really enjoyed Pomeroy and Magiasano's performance in Carmen. I wish to see more performances.
Images via Vancouver Opera
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