Passion and Fury at Covent Garden

Perhaps in keeping with the Spanish win over the World Cup, the Royal Opera House boarded yet another Spanish Ole', the passionate Carmen with her fury and glitz. Now, I have to wade through the milling crowds at Covent Garden to reach the Royal Opera House (ROH). This is indeed a pleasant experience for someone who can never mingle in a crowd and I am not going to forget this in a hurry. In keeping with the theme the crowds that throng the ROH are colorfully dressed in vibrant summer colours (I think I look drab in my denims). Presently I am watching Carmen which is a ballet, opera and musical fiesta all rolled into one. Though skeptical about such arrangement, I am enjoying this like a duck taking into water, smoothly and gently.

Nay, not so smoothly because of the furor of the music, the sound of the castanats, loud and clear snap and crackle of flamenco dancing that is hammering the stage, almost to bring it down and Carmen is a ball of fire. She is gorgeous, sensuous and overly passionate. But Carmen is not all flamenco, is truly Spanish swirling, swishing her layered skirts, revealing her fabulous long legs to the tempo of he scores. Carmen is beating up the excitement of the crowds.

This dance is the main attraction for tourists, now with high-profile football. It binds many people to real glories and traditions of this form of dance. The government in a bid to promote and preserve the performing of many regional dances, founded the corosy danzas troupe in 1939 alongwith their traditional music. From the Basque of gypsies to the South, there is an extraordinary wealth of dance talent that are varied and fascinating. One will find a form of classical dance in bolero as well as classical ballet. But above all, Spanish dance is exciting and all dancers appear in theater, like tonight. Their dancing also tells the story of Spain's evolution in the last 500 years and if I may recall Jose Greco is their greatest dancer. (I am going to write about him when I get home)

Carmen is all about Spanish heat and gypsy passion that is at the Royal Opera stage now which is the second time this season with one of the most popular operas ever written. It is packed with one of the most memorable music in all opera. I do not favour opera but here I am seated diegesitng it. This has everything from intimate sols to rousing choruses, from the seductive Habanera and the toreador's song that are few of its few familiar melodies. And right at the center of this musical drama-ballet is the deadly passion of Carmen herself and the devastating effect she has on the men she ensnares. But this time she pushes one victim, Don Jose too far for her own good.

In this characteristically vivid and vibrant production, director Francesca Zambello, Seville is brought to life with bull fighters, soldiers, crowds, gypsies all dancing their parts to perfection. There is also a magnificent horse. This life-like spectacle, grips with drama and music which makes me heady enough to remember the Royal Opera.

Wonderful music by Georges Bizet (1838-1875) who was a lively energetic composer though not reflective or philosophical in character, was full of rhythm and colour. Had Carmen not been written bizet would be seen today as a promising but unfulfilled composer. This one score turned him around to be placed as one of the great composers from France.

Carmen signals an enormous leap forward. There is a dramatic power and dazzling orchestral score I am experiencing at the moment. It clearly paints Carmen with colour and rhythmic dash. Bizet also wrote much piano music and some stunning songs. Some of his best works are Symphony in C, Don Procopio Attempt, Roma, among others. But it was Carmen that sizzled him to the top.

Tactful choreography by Arthur Pits who had to combine ballet, opera and symphony music, has come out with flying colours. Watching this roll on, it is certainly art-craft at its best.

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