Review: Cape Town Opera's Carmen at Artscape Opera House

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Everything you didn't know opera could be

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In his introductory address, Cape Town Opera’s CEO called the talent of the company “world class”. By the final curtain, this production makes it very difficult to argue otherwise.

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Red is the visual language of Carmen , as befits the meaning of the name. It begins with a single flower tossed by Carmen at José with casual, cheeky confidence. The hue gradually suffuses the piece, scene by scene, to the final act parade procession showered in confetti and blooms, and finally Carmen herself in a full, layered carmine gown (just one of Maritha Visagie’s truly eye-catching costumes). The production is set during the Second Spanish Republic (1931–36), in the midst of the Spanish Civil War and the graffiti-strewn scenery displays that context deliberately, echoing Carmen’s defining philosophy: Libertad o muerte! [freedom or death].

The sets (by Gregory King) are gorgeous, though on the Artscape stage they feel a touch imposing at times as the horde onstage is squeezed between the stage edge and the set. Lighting, however, is where the production (ahem) shines. Faheem Bardien’s spots pick out soloists with precision, keeping the eye oriented in what could easily become chaotic scenes (a huge supporting cast, lyrics and dialogue in a foreign language, bilingual subtitles to track … it’s a lot to ask of an audience). The light does the organising work quietly and cleverly. Meanwhile, the subtitles, offered in both English and isiZulu, are thoughtfully handled. The translations are simple and easily absorbed without dividing the audience’s focus. Key lines are rendered, then the screen goes dark during repetitions and refrains, trusting the audience to simply watch and listen. A couple of technical glitches aside, it works.

In the title role, Nonhlanhla Yende is mesmerising from her first entrance. She demands the audience's full attention and holds it through the entire evening. Her voice is both powerful and emotionally precise, perfectly broadcasting Carmen’s independence and unshakeable self-assurance. Quite simply she is, as my companion succinctly put it, sexy.

Lukhanyo Moyake is her ideal foil. Don José is adorable in his helplessness, utterly believable as a man dismantled by a force of nature he never stood a chance against. You feel for him as Carmen’s affections cool, and the final duet is a masterclass in building desperation. The repeated exchange of Don’t you love me any more? … No … But I love you tightens like a vice until the tragic ending feels inevitable to everyone, Carmen included. Her attempts to shake him off swing from dismissive to panicked and back again as he tries every tack to convince her to stay with him.

Conroy Scott as Escamillo is perfectly swaggering and confident. His rendition of the famous Toreador aria is toe-tappingly delightful and the audience loved every second of it. Micaëla (Vuvu Mpofu) is, for me, the production’s revelation. I'll confess I nearly wrote her off in the opening scenes: demure, low-key, easy to overlook beside Carmen’s pyrotechnics. That was my mistake. Her return in Act 3, and her fierce dedication to redeeming Don José, is tremendously affecting. Her voice builds from that early restraint to something powerful and strident that stopped the show. The cheer she received at her curtain call was thunderous, and entirely deserved.

Special shout-out to the children’s cast, who were impeccably drilled and an absolute delight to watch. And another to Carmen’s two female companions (Brittany Smith as Frasquita and Nica Reinke as Mercédes) who brought tangible chemistry and comic flair to their scenes as the smuggler band’s resident distraction team. “When it comes to trickery, you need a woman by your side” goes the line, and with these three, there is no room for doubt.

Every element of this production serves the whole. Under Stephen Stead’s direction, the set, costumes, lighting and blocking work together with a precision that comes from a creative team who understand both each other and the story they’re telling. Conductor Tim Murray shares that same understanding. He did the legwork to ensure that the score and book were the real thing and true to Bizet’s original, free from outside additions and changes, which plays perfectly into Stead’s vision for the piece.

For anyone coming to opera fresh, as I did, there is also a welcome surprise waiting: despite the tragedy of the story and the urgency of its setting, Carmen is frequently deliciously funny. Nobody warned me about that. And yet, the comedy never undercuts the darkness gathering underneath; if anything it sharpens it. By the time the final act arrives the audience has been lulled just enough to make the ending land with full force.

Go see it. If you have never set foot in an opera house, Carmen at Artscape is about as good a first foray as you could hope for. If you’re a seasoned opera-goer, there is plenty here to savour: the artistry is undeniable and the choice of setting does something genuinely interesting for both the story and its characters. Cape Town Opera has made something special. Don't miss it.

Carmen is on at the Artscape Opera House until 31 May. The show is 3 hours (with two intervals), which sounds intimidating but which utterly flies by with so much to absorb on the stage, and tickets range from R135 to R720.

Photo credits: Oscar O’Ryan

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_Originally reported by [BroadwayWorld](https://www.broadwayworld.com/south-africa/article/Review-GEORGES-BIZETS-CARMEN-at-Artscape-Opera-House-20260520)._