Book and Lyrics: Phil Willmott Director: Phil Wilmott Music: Georges Bizet Arranger: Teddy Clements Reviewer: Karl O'Doherty The original opera is a relatively bleak production. Death, loneliness and danger stalk throughout the love story at its core. This vibrant reimagining manages to somehow increase the shadow of violence and yet come out as a vibrant, energetic and charismatic show. This ...
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Choreographer: Olga Kostel Reviewer: Maryam Philpott Drama, passion, jealousy, Bizet’s most famous opera, Carmen has it all. A much revived work, a new ballet version arrives at the London Coliseum this week that splices elements of the original story and music with up-to-the-minute commentary on the plight of refugees, a cause close to the heart of star Irina Kolesnikova whose ...
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Music: Georges Bizet Lyrics: Henri Meilhac, Ludovic Halévy Director: Ellen Kent Reviewer: Dawn Smallwood Opera &Ballet International is taking Ellen Kent’s Carmen all over the country, including a stop at Bradford’s Alhambra Theatre. Bizet’s tragic and convention-breaking opera stars an international cast of soloists and a critically acclaimed orchestra. Carmen was adapted from a novel of the same time by ...
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Composer: Bizet Conductor: Vasyl Vasylenko Director: Ellen Kent Reviewer: Richard Hall For almost the last twenty five years, producer Ellen Kent’s large scale productions of popular Grand Operas have graced the stages of many regional theatres up and down the country. A venue that Kent visits regularly is Manchester’s Opera House and on this occasion she returns with her own ...
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Composer: Georges Bizet Director and Librettist: Robin Norton-Hale Reviewer: Nicole Evans Once horrifying French audiences, Carmen certainly stands as one of the best known and most reproduced operas of all time and also one with the most recognisable compositions, whether you realise their origins or not. Recreating Bizet’s work arguably needs to be undertaken with great care to stay true ...
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Creator: Matthew Bourne for New Adventures Music: Terry Davies and Rodion Shchedrin Choreographer: Matthew Bourne Director: Matthew Bourne Reviewer: Laura Jayne Bateman Matthew Bourne’s reimagining of Bizet’s Carmen turns 15 this year: it premiered in 2000 at London’s Old Vic, won an Evening Standard Award, was nominated for an Olivier Award, and hasn’t looked back. This revival is punchy ...
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Music: Georges Bizet Libretto: Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halevy Reviewer: Sharon MacDonald-Armitage The Welsh National Opera arrives at Southampton’s Mayflower with a trio of operas under the title “Liberty or Death” that includes Rossini’s William Tell and Moses in Egypt plus the 1997 production of Georges Bizet’s Carmen. It was the latter that was on show last night. Presented with ...
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Composer: Georges Bizet Directors: Patrice Caurier and Moshe Leiser Conductor: James Southall Reviewer: Claire Hayes In reviving its Caurier and Leiser version of Carmen, Welsh National Opera (WNO) has chosen a solid foundation for its autumn season. It may not have been an instant success at its première in 1875, but Bizet’s tale of the life and loves of a ...
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