American director excited and impressed by Vietnam's opera "Carmen"

Recently, the opera "Carmen" was performed by artists from the Vietnam National Opera and Ballet at the Ho Guom Theater, attracting and leaving an impression on a large audience of art lovers at home and abroad.

This is one of the performances organized by Ho Guom Theater to celebrate the 78th anniversary of the People's Security Forces' Tradition Day (July 12, 1946 - July 12, 2024), the 62nd anniversary of the People's Police Forces' Tradition Day (July 20, 1962 - July 20, 2024). Carmen on the stage of Ho Guom Theater is directed by People's Artist Nguyen Hong Phong, based on the version of director Leung Siu Kwan, Cindy - a famous director from Hong Kong, China and who has staged this work 7 times. This is also a rare time in Vietnam, an opera is conducted by a female conductor - artist Rebecca Novak. The opera Carmen on the evening of July 16, performed by the Vietnam National Opera and Ballet (VNOB), is condensed into about 120 minutes but still retains the value of a classic work. Along with traditional elements, VNOB’s Carmen has a modern twist. Audiences experience the vibrant blend of the original masterpiece in the present day setting of a 21st century cabaret with captivating Tap Dance and youthful K-Pop rhythms. The dramatic story is vividly portrayed, with colorful costumes and vibrant choreography, adding visual richness to the work. With this time bringing Carmen to the stage, VNOB seems to have fulfilled its desire to bring audiences to the pinnacle of opera interspersed with attractive and modern choreography. Meritorious Artist Phan Manh Duc, Director of the Theater and Artistic Director, shared: "We hope to bring the audience a real feeling of a world-class opera, skillful opera techniques and the acting ability of the artists, creating a romantic, charming and artistic space, meeting the increasing enjoyment needs of the public."

Beautiful and charming Lan Nhung as Carmen and Truong Linh as Don José (Photo: Organizing Committee).

Director Beverly Blankenship excitedly shared with Dan Tri reporter that she was really impressed with the Vietnamese opera Carmen performed by VNOB artists. "The standard version of Carmen is very long, but your shortened version is very smart, creating very good connecting rhythms. I was very impressed with the female conductor Rebecca Novak. Perhaps, in Vietnam, you rarely see a female conductor. In the program, Rebecca Novak conducted the orchestra very well. The Vietnamese artists are wonderful. Each person has their own strengths and I am very impressed with their voices," said Ms. Beverly Blankenship. The American director added that this was the second time she was at the Ho Guom Theater to watch a performance, the first time was Charlotte. She said she was very impressed with the way the Vietnamese audience enjoyed the academic operas here. Everyone was very focused and attentive. That shows that academic art has a place, closer to the audience and art market in Vietnam.

Versatile singer Dao To Loan left a strong impression with the character Micaëla in "Carmen" on the stage of Ho Guom Theater, although her role did not have much screen time (Photo: Organizing Committee).

Meritorious Artist Huy Duc in the role of Escamillo (Photo: Organizing Committee).

It can be seen that, in the performance night, Lan Nhung - First Prize of the Chamber Singing Competition brought to the audience a Carmen full of personality, charm, passion and caught in the net she herself had set. Carmen also marked the impressive return of Truong Linh (as Don José), Meritorious Artist Huy Duc (as Escamillo) and versatile singer To Loan (as Micaëla). Creating the success of Carmen on the stage of Ho Guom Theater were Dang Dung, Dinh Khanh, Khanh Cuong, Phi Hung, Huong Diep, Thu Quynh and artists of VNOB, Hanoi Voices International Choir. The musical Carmen by composer Bizet was born in Sevilla, Spain around 1830. It is the story of Carmen - a beautiful woman with a strong, fiery personality and freedom in love. She seduced Don José - a young soldier lacking experience in life. Their relationship causes him to abandon his former love, rebel against his superiors, and join a gang of smugglers. He becomes jealous when Carmen abandons him to return to the bullfighter Escamillo, and Don José kills Carmen. Since the 1880s, Carmen has been one of the most performed operas in the world, ranking fourth in the list of the 20 most performed operas in North America. In Vietnam, this opera is often remembered through musical melodies when concerts feature excerpts of arias from this work. Most of the public still considers Carmen as a symbol of love and freedom. Source: https://dantri.com.vn/giai-tri/dao-dien-my-hao-hung-va-an-tuong-truoc-vo-opera-carmen-cua-viet-nam-20240717125259072.htm