Carmen

René Jacobs and B’Rock Orchestra set out to rediscover Bizet’s Carmen in a version as the composer intended – before the managers of the Opéra Comique de Paris demanded major changes. Changes that Bizet, as a service provider, had to deliver, although he heartily disagreed. With the help of Bizet expert Paul Prévost, publisher Bärenreiter went back to the manuscripts and reconstructed an ‘original’ Carmen as it had never been heard before. The star-studded cast includes Gaëlle Arquez as Carmen, Sabine Devieilhe as Micaëla and François Rougier as Don José.

This production was realized with the support of the Tax Shelter measure of the Belgian Federal Government through Flanders Tax Shelter.

Photos: Björn Comhaire & Britt Ryckebosch / DE SINGEL

In the press

“A sensational version […] adieu tiresome bombast, welcome clever nimbleness. […] Fortunately, there was B’Rock in top form and a phenomenal cast in which there was not one weak link.” — De Standaard (Antwerp)

“‘The overture was a moment of grace. Momentum, colour, transparency of the voices, theatrical intensity in gentle nuances, clarity in the leitmotifs, everything came together to make theatre.” — La Libre (Antwerp)

“The result […] is convincing all along the line: B’Rock plays agilely and transparently on historical instruments with gut strings and the characteristically softer-sounding winds, the Choeur de Chambre de Namur and the children’s choir of Opera Ballet Vlaanderen sing slenderly and powerfully, the cast is first-class.” — Rondo Magazin (Antwerp)

“This Carmen gives the impression of rediscovering its opéra comique colours. […] B’Rock Orchestra, playing on historic instruments, reveals the typically French freshness and clarity of Bizet’s brilliant score, making it a pleasure to savour or rediscover.” — Diapason (Paris)

“The orchestra asserts itself in the overture, revealing expert instrumentalists joining in a precise ensemble sound. The ensemble sound [of the Choeur de Chambre de Namur] rises powerfully with a remarkable homogeneity.” — Olyrix (Paris)

“The Belgian ensemble, who will celebrate their 20th birthday next season, seduces with a theatrical streak, pleasing timbres of their historic instruments, and an ideal flexibility in accompanying the singers.” — Bachtrack (Paris)

“Jacobs’s line-up of performers is, honestly, formidable across the board. […] Stormy applause after a net duration of a good 3 hours – and rightly so!” — Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger (Cologne)

“Everything lead to the necessary, positive side effect of detoxification – with B’Rock’s line-up – instead of the exaggerated sound and stylistic pathos […] of a “regular” Carmen. Not to mention the now extraordinarely improved intelligibility in Jacobs’ choice, also in the balance in tutto.” — Bachtrack (Dortmund)

“As is Jacobs’ iron rule, the entire ensemble of native-speaking singers was hand-picked and perfectly suited to the historical requirements. It is sensational how well the ‘Ur-Carmen’ does when the orchestral sound is skilfully purified.” — Hamburger Abendblatt

“The Belgian B’Rock Orchestra, under the attentive baton of Jacobs, gave an impeccable performance, full of nuances, and the Chœur de Chambre de Namur, always enthusiastic, as well as the ORCAM’s Pequeños Cantores deserve a special mention.” — Ópera Actual