Carmen

Over the last few days I've been in France, having transported some furniture to our holiday home. I took the opportunity to look at Carmen as this is the opera for the second round of the Opera conducting Competition (see posts below).

I don't have much to say about Carmen, it is in so many ways the perfect opera. The plot is dramatic, the characters believable and the music is superb throughout. My favourite scene is in Act II when José tells Carmen he has to return to Barracks and she abuses him with great contempt. If you get a really good Carmen who is well directed and allowed a bit of musical licence by the conductor the effect of this scene can be quite frightening.

I’ve been approached to do Carmen twice, so I have vocal and full scores ready to go. Sadly neither occasion worked out, so although I have seen it many times and know it well, I have never conducted it. I will only get to do any of it in Bulgaria if I get through to the second round; time spent on the score now may not be of any use to me in the short term, but I now have a full marked up score which may be useful in the future.

I shall be really delighted if I make it through to the second round, if only because I shall at last be able to conduct a bit of Carmen!