The Opera of Carmen

29th May 2010
Carmen
Dear Bloggers,

I know some of you may not find this of particular interest at all (maybe you will if you ever consider going to see this opera) but it was last Sunday that me, my two cousins and my aunt went to the 02 to see the very sassy and extrovert opera of Carmen. A story of a young gypsy girl who bewitches the heart of two soldiers and a sexy bull fighter. She causes death, murder and an extreme jealousy which, in end, only ended up to her own misfortune, if you get what I’m saying.

It was not at all planned, my opinion of the opera was that it was quite a mundane form of entertainment and I, personally, always found it extremely difficult to make out what the actors were saying, even if they were singing in English, which they were when I went there, if you were wondering. Anyway my cousins called me up asked if I wanted to go. Considering for the whole weekend the only likely thing I’d be obliged to do was to sit at home and sleep I was enthralled at the prospect of going to the opera. I had one hour, got changed, hurried out of the house and went to meet up with my cousins where we set off.

I’m not acquainted much with the tube on a day to day basis, like many Londoners are, and so I found it really rather unbearable. I could smell the sweat of the nearest stranger next to me, his face as red as a sun dried tomato. If I even moved my arm an inch I would prod the lady in front of me. I accidently did this when I tried to stretch my arms (a bad idea) and the lady and her posy turned to look at me suddenly with such disgust that I could be a worthless rat and they wouldn’t look at me any different.


I expected the 02 to be much bigger than it was, but I was still impressed by the vast majority of swanky restaurants and overpriced champagne (not that I got a taste or anything!) it had acquired. We had originally arrived to find our seats were way up top, which was a scary climb with those high stone steps. I tell you one tumble and you could fall fifty feet down! Some people say the sheer height made them nauseous. Just before the whole SHEBANG started we managed to go to the customer help centre and relocate our seats.

Afterwards we found our seats were much better, by far closer to the stage. However even sitting at the distance we were it was still pretty hard to make out the faces of the actors. Not to mention we sat behind the actors so they had their backs turned pretty much throughout the entire performance. It was a little ridiculous if you ask me, the actors stayed in the same direction and on the same tiny piece of the stage all the way through the play! It was impossible for some people to even see! It was like only a slelect bunch of people had the prime seats and everybody else, puting it blunlty, were screwed. I heard some people got so frustrated they walked out.

However I stuck through it and there was a very entertaining carnival scene towards the end. It had all the works, large headdresses, fire breathers and flimsy dancers doing giant back flips across the stage.


After the opera had finished I decided to make my own judgement on Carmen. I mean although I found that the performance was an........interesting experience, I don’t suppose my views on the opera has changed at all. It was difficult to tell who was singing or talking and to be honest I suppose the majority of people only came to see some guy of pop idol play the sexy bull fighter. (Don’t worry he wasn’t that much of a looker!) Although I do suppose he was only performing for one night only.

Later we went to Nandos and had some hot and spicy chicken! Hey and you know in Nandos we saw these women, who we presume went to the opera too, dressed like they were attending a red carpet event. It was strange watching the women in their glamorous attire, straight from the opera that we had also attended, because you took one look at us in our casual day clothes and...........well let’s just say we were put to shame!

After Nandos we went home. My cousins and my aunt were nice enough to come on the bus with me and drop me off home which I was very grateful for.

I’m glad I went to the opera; it’s given me a chance to experience it firsthand. And although there parts that refused to gain my interest and parts that totally confused me I suppose I did enjoy it. I love to take every one of these little chances to experience something as an opportunity to widen my horizons. This way I can make a judgement on the things and they would be fair because I’ve experienced it firsthand. I quite like the idea of someone looking down at me in disgust and asking: “I don’t suppose you’ve ever been to the opera,” and me replying, ever so modestly that is: “Well I have actually, and I thought it was marvellous!”