CENTERblog

Anchorage Opera accomplishes elegance by pursuing the infamous, “Carmen.”
by Woodruff Laputka - University of Alaska Anchorage

The Anchorage Opera opens for a two night run of the infamous, long-celebrated, “Carmen,” presenting a variety of production values and operatic finesse that one can easily equate to an experience on Broadway. Offering us Georges Bizet’s classic tale of Love, Obsession and Loss, Anchorage Opera takes no modesty in the classic experience one would hope to be offered here, as is suggested in program letter from the foundation’s president, Richard Block, “ Opera is one of the most expensive yet transient of art forms.” From here, you can easily expect something to impress. And so it does.

The curtains open to an elaborate and interactive set that builds and projects the mood of a Spain ruled by dictatorship. The set construction, upon closer inspection, reveals a clever angle to the roofs, walls and even a calculated placing of structures and especially the town square fountain that mostly dominates the plays first act. From a production perspective, a simple hats off to Set Designer, Francesca Callow for such an effort. This effect cleverly allows the eye to direct itself center stage, where Director Cynthia Edwards, as expected, places her lead, the ever-sought Gypsy mistress, Carmen, played by Kathryn Allen. Allen’s voice sings brilliantly, while her physical beauty scores intentionally above the supporting cast around her. Her portrayal of Carmen is censual, fearless and even gripping in her forward and unyielding stubbornness. Her opposite, the soldier Don Jose’, played by Christopher Jackson, simply seems overtaken by the Gypsy’s luscious and shrew-like attitudes. The Orchestra ensemble, conducted by Sarah Jobin, reassures us of her dominant personality, and walks us through the story with an acceptable and certainly necessary skill of a world-class opera.

The story itself is not lost in the impressive front of this big-stage production, though certainly stands as a common theme. Likely, due to the plays immense success. Carmen the Gypsy allures a young soldier, Don Jose, to assist her after she gets arrested. The soldier falls head over heals for the woman, and agrees. Like every man on the stage, however, Jose’ is simply devoured by the need to have Carmen as his own, and is persuaded by Carmen to run away with her and her Gypsy friends to live a life of freedom, away from the instituded laws of the military. As fate would have it, Carmen eventually grows tired of Jose’, though this only leads Jose’ to an obsession for her, and promises to the audience an ending that will sum up the plays theme of Love and its powerful Obsession.

Though this theme is quite predominant, Carmen’s production, especially with the impressive lighting from Light Designer Lauren MacKenzie Miller, offers us something a bit more deep. Love is certainly human, but what we see on the stage is a simple cry of, what sort of freedoms do we desire? If we, simple humans, are given a taste of the wild-child of Love, how much can we resist before allowing it to consume us, and ultimately, destroys us? This is the tone that impresses the most, matched almost by a comical characteristic that never dares to interfere with the strong dramatic tones in the later Acts of the play. Even with the occasional presence of, Escamillo the Bullfighter, played by Anton Belov who portrays the character as chauvinistic arrogant that is easily laughable in his audacity, we still are over taken by much of the plays sincerity.

Carmen offers, if anything, a unique opportunity to look into the art form of opera, untouched, portraying major themes that can appeal to everyday life in a way so simple, it’s difficult to imagine a person that wouldn’t impressed by it. For a simple night out, one might look into a movie or perhaps a candlelit dinner. For an experience that will leave you talking about it afterwards and even thinking about its professional, well choreographed and classy presentation for days to come, consider Carmen as a choice above any other.

Carmen
Anchorage Opera
Wednesday, November 12 at 7pm
Alaska Center for the Performing Arts, Discovery Theatre