James Gill
Sean Panikkar as Don José, Aleks Romano as Carmen
Georges Bizet’s Carmen is always a crowd-pleaser, and the current production of this sure-fire opera certainly pleased the Madison Opera audience at its premiere Friday evening at Overture Hall.
It is a rousing production, brought off with great spirit. Particular praise is due to stage director E. Loren Meeker, who produces activity as needed, sometimes lively, other times subtle. The dancers do, I think, have just a tad too much to do, but are still an added touch of spunk.
In the pit, maestro John DeMain conducts a precise, vivacious and colorful rendering of the orchestral element. And good words are earned for strong work by the chorus throughout, while troops of children seem to run everywhere when they can.
This cast is not one of stellar names, but rather a feast of young singers early in already highly professional careers, the kind that DeMain is so good at catching just at the right time. The casting is consistently excellent from top to bottom.
Perhaps one reservation I might venture has to do with Corey Crider as Escamillo. He sounds as if he pushes his light baritone a bit to try to suggest the toreador’s commanding personality. But Cecilia Violetta López has just the right kind of lovely soprano voice that makes for a believable Micaëla, the only truly likeable character in the piece. And Anna Polum and Megan Le Romero are delightful as Carmen’s friends, Frasquita and Mercédès.
As Don José, the not-very-bright leading male character, Sean Panikkar has a splendidly ringing tenor voice, not with perfectly French leanness, but making him totally convincing in his role.
But the star of any Carmen must be the singer in the title role. Aleks Romano does not have a particularly lovely voice, but, as a powerful mezzo-soprano with a notably strong lower register, she really grabs the listener’s ears. And eyes, too, for she is an outstanding actress, providing a spunky anti-heroine that is difficult for either the other characters or the audience to resist. A memorable Carmen, she really gives this production its strength.
I thought the sets, from the Kansas City Lyric Opera, just a bit rough and ready, but the costumes from the Utah Opera are consistently apt and colorful.
This is a season, it would appear, of war-horse operas, with La Bohème coming up in February from the University Opera. Madison Opera has certainly made good on its choice of this one. It is a wonderful success for our valiant company. The production is repeated at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 5, at Overture Center.
