New National Theatre, Tokyo's Opera "Carmen" on Opera Vision from 18 Oct. 2021
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New National Theatre, Tokyo is delighted to announce that Carmen which was staged on 8 July 2021 will be streamed on OperaVision from 18 October, 10:00 CET / 17:00 JST.
The stream will be availble to watch until 18 January 2022 with English, French and Japanese subtitles . It is free to watch online with no registration required.
This is the first time a NNTT's opera is shown on OperaVision - a world-leading degital platform for the streamings of Opera and Ballet performances. We look forward to presenting our opera performance to the theatre lovers across the globe!
Details
Link to watch on NNTT's Website
Viewing Period: 18 October 2021 - 18 January 2022
To learn more about the production, please read the director's production note from here.
Duration: 2 hours 45 mins.
Sung in French with English, French and Japanese surtitles
Recorded on 8 July 2021
Performed at Opera Palace, New National Theatre, Tokyo
Supported by the Agency for Cultural Affairs Government of Japan in the fiscal 2021
About the production - A Carmen of the modern age
New National Theatre Tokyo's new production of Georges Bizet's masterpiece Carmen met its world premiere in July 2021 with rave reviews. It is directed by Spanish director Àlex OLLÉ, who mounted his bold new production of Turandot to several venues in Japan in 2019. Ollé was co-director with Padrissa of the Opening Ceremony of the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games, and has worked on many large-scale shows, as well as opera houses/festivals such as The Royal Opera, Paris Opéra and Teatro Real Madrid, Salzburg Festival.
Artistic Director of New National Theatre Tokyo Opera ONO Kazushi takes up the baton, tag-teaming with Ollé. The title role is performed by French mezzo soprano Stéphanie D'OUSTRAC, while Japanese tenor MURAKAMI Toshiaki takes on the role of Don José and French baritone Alexandre DUHAMEL as Escamillo.
Ollé's idea was to take a distance from the usual Carmen expression, he thought this story could happen anywhere, and at any era as it is a universal drama, so the production is set in today's Japan this time, taking place in the showbusiness world which has some resemblance to the original Carmen story.
Here, Carmen is an Amy Winehouse inspired rock singer visiting the country for tour, Don José is a police officer in charge of security and Escamillo is a star toreador visiting Japan for a gala performance. D'Oustrac's charisma is apparent, portraying the character with boldness and sensitivity, gorgeous, yet vulnerable and always yearning for freedom, an impressive house debut.
Ollé's intent was to create a Carmen a proud woman of this age, with a strong will to live free and follow her own instinct, somewhat following the rise and fall of the real-life rock star Winehouse. Don José's childhood sweetheart Michaela is performed by SUNAKAWA Ryoko and international star soprano MORIYA Mari gives a house debut performance as Frasquita. One of the greatest Japanese bass TSUMAYA Hidekazu takes the role of Zuniga.
Alfons Flores's set design is consisted of a large steel frame dominating the stage, which could represent both iron grilles for the gaol and the sets for a huge rock concert. Carmen as the rock star gives a remarkable entrance singing Habanera on this concert platform stage.
Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Ono, The New National Theatre Chorus, BIWAKO HALL Vocal Ensemble and TOKYO FM Boys Chorus also contributes for the vibrance on stage.
This Carmen is a Carmen of this present age and a critically acclaimed performance deserving international attention and not to be missed.
Reviews
Bachtrack ★★★★☆
D'Oustrac's charisma as a rock star is apparent along with her splendid acting skills, portraying the character with boldness and sensitivity.
MORI Naomi, 9 July 2021
Opera Magazine
The idea that Carmen is primarily a performer whose job, as it were, is to be a sort of caricature version of herself is so compelling that one wants to go along with it, and every assistance is given in the form of a superbly committed performance and outstanding sets which realistically, and surrealistically, evoke the world in which touring popstars live. ... The performance properly belonged to d'Oustrac: she created a compelling, thoroughly believable character, channelling Winehouse into Carmen, or Carmen into Winehouse, and bringing a much greater sense of vulnerability to the heroine than is usually found in productions of Bizet's masterpiece.
David CHANDLER, Opera Magazine, October 2021