• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Current Newspaper PDF
  • Eastwick Press Info
  • Contact Us

The Eastwick Press Newspaper

Eastern Rensselaer County's Community Newspaper

  • Community Calendar
  • School News
  • Sports Outdoors
  • Obituaries
  • Letters & Comments
  • Church Directory

La Tragedie de Carmen At Hubbard Hall

August 21, 2009 By eastwickpress

a review by Alex Brooks
The Hubbard Hall Opera Theatre has opened a new production of La Tragedie de Carmen, running through August 23. This is an adaptation created in 1981 by the celebrated English director Peter Brook and several other collaborators, with libretto by Sheldon Harnick. Those expecting the grand spectacle of the original Carmen, with its multiple choruses and grand production numbers, will not find it here. In this version, the story is boiled down to its essential elements, leaving four singers and two other speaking parts and a production that runs an hour and ten minutes with no intermission. The story thus moves at a dizzying pace and sometimes seems to progress faster than we can take it in. Carmen seems barely to have begun her love affair with the soldier Don Jose when she begins to fall in love with the bullfighter Escamillo, and Don Jose’s disintegration under the spell of Carmen proceeds at an alarming pace.
But this production is by no means lesser than larger productions of the traditional version, because of an extraordinary performance by Kara Cornell as Carmen. She is by turns imperious, sultry, passionate, and devious – everything that a great Carmen should be. The great crowd pleasing music is still here, sung solo rather than with the big choruses, and Cornell’s renditions of “La Habanera” and “The Flower Song” are delightful.
The high point of the opera is the scene in which Carmen is seducing Don Jose while he is leading her off to jail. The choreography, by MK Lawson, involving the rope he is leading her by, is lovely.
So by all means at some point in your life catch a production of the traditional Carmen with all the bells and whistles. But when you do, you will not get the experience offered at this Hubbard Hall opera – of experiencing in an intimate setting a first rate portrayal of Carmen by a performer of Cornell’s immense talent.
Remaining performances are Thursday through Saturday, August 20-22, at 8 pm and Sunday, August 23, at 2 pm. For tickets, you can call the Hubbard Hall box office at 677-2495 until Friday at 5 pm. Tickets will also be sold at the door, but, of course, there is a possibility that some of the shows will sell out.

Filed Under: Hoosick, Local News

Primary Sidebar

    Archives

        Footer

        Local News

        Pending Approval, County to Offer Tax Exemptions

        for Volunteer Firefighters and Ambulance Company Members Submitted by the Office of County Executive Steve McLaughlin Rensselaer County will recognize the service and dedication of volunteer firefighters and ambulance company members by offering a 10 percent county property tax exemption, County Executive Steve McLaughlin and members of the County Legislature announced. The exemption would also […]

        2023 St. Patrick’s Day Parade Grand Marshal

        Submitted by Kevin O’Malley The Hoosick Falls Saint Patrick’s Day Parade honors its deep-rooted Irish heritage while creating a genuine community connection between young and old, past and present, through a day-long celebration made possible by those who love this town. This year’s Grand Marshal selection is Arthur M. Hyde Jr., also known as Art. […]

        2023 July 4th Parade Theme 

        Submitted by the Berlin Parade Committee The Berlin July 4th Parade Committee announced their 2023 theme, Brave Americans. Brave Americans build, protect, serve, and improve our nation every day. It is not the Westmorelands or the Millers who display true courage, but those in the trenches, on the front lines, who display examples of true […]

        School News

        February 3, 2023 Edition

        View this week’s entire newspaper by tapping or clicking on the image: You must be logged in to view this article.

        Powers Claims Runner-Up

        At Inaugural NYSPHSAA Girls Wrestling Invitational Submitted by BNL Varsity Wrestling Coach Wade Prather Tallulah Powers was runner-up at 165 pounds in the inaugural NYSPHSAA Girls Wrestling Invitational held at Onondaga Community College. She was one of only three finalists from Section 2, and the only Runner Up. The meeting of 204 of the State’s top female […]

        November 25, 2022 Edition

        View this week’s entire newspaper by tapping or clicking on the image: You must be logged in to view this article.

        Copyright © Eastwick Press · All Rights Reserved · Site by Brainspiral Technologies