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Carmen in the Suburbs Montreal
Longueuil (Cocathédrale Saint-Antoine-de-Padoue)
06/07/2025 -
Georges Bizet: Carmen
Marie-Nicole Lemieux (Carmen), Emmanuel Hasler (Don José), Suzanne Taffot (Micaëla), Etienne Dupuis (Escamillo), Catherine St‑Arnaud (Frasquita), Florence Bourget (Mercédès), Dominique Côté (Dancaïre), Thomas Vinals (Remendado), Dion Mazerolle (Zuniga), Pierre Rancourt (Moralès)
Ensemble ArtChoral, Matthias Maute (Chorus Master), Orchestre du Festival Classica, Jean‑Marie Zeitouni (Conductor)
Isabeau Proulx-Lemire (Artistic Layout), Lumifest en cavale (Lighting)
J.-M. Zeitouni, M.-N. Lemieux, E. Hasler (© Agence BigJaw)
Carmen is one of the most perfect operas in the repertoire, thanks to its inspired setting, its marvelous orchestration and its beautifully-conceived vocal parts. But most of all, Bizet’s masterwork still holds power thanks to its intense drama. It was highly‑admired by no less than Gustav Mahler, who championed the work while Director of the Vienna Court Opera. It’s thought of as an indestructible work, a glorious stage success no matter whose vision we are witnessing. Carmen herself could be interpreted by a mezzo or a soprano; dialogue can be spoken or sung, as could be the recitatives; the opera could be set in Seville, as originally conceived, or during the Spanish Civil War, the Mexican Revolution or even a circus. A case in point is Otto Preminger’s powerful film version, the musical-comedy adaptation Carmen Jones, set in the segregation‑era U.S. South.
Festival Classica, already in its fourteenth year, is a festival held in the southern suburbs of Montréal that attracts a broad public thanks to the regular programming of an accessible repertoire of classical music with incursions into jazz, as well as pop music with a classical touch. Their choice of Carmen, the most popular French opera, was an excellent one, especially for a festival with a stated objective to celebrate local talent.
Never have Canadian and Québécois opera singers been as successful on international opera stages as today, therefore to present two of the most successful examples, contralto Marie‑Nicole Lemieux and baritone Etienne Dupuis, was a major coup for the festival. In addition to locals from Montreal’s “South Shore,” as these suburbs are referred to locally, many Montreal music lovers also made the journey to suburbia for this event. Judging from their reaction, they were not disappointed.
Contralto Marie-Nicole Lemieux is versatile enough to adapt her rich voice for this mezzo role. One’s expectations of vocal excellence were easily met and even surpassed. Given Lemieux’s huge vocal range, it was admirable that she avoided excess with an over‑use of lower notes, a contralto treasure trove. The high notes were no challenge for Lemieux. She was at her very best in the Act III aria “Les tringles des sistres tintaient”. Lemieux’s artistic sobriety was also palpable in her acting, producing a riveting Carmen with whom one could easily sympathize.
Many overplay the coy and sexy side of the character, failing to give the independent woman sufficient depth. Conversely, Lemieux had a clear conception of her role, and it was an attractive and intelligent one. Her Carmen is a free spirit, in search of stimulation and curious about others. What drew her to Don José was his ingenuity, strikingly different from the men she’d known so far. When he becomes overbearingly jealous in Act III, she managed to portray an almost maternal tenderness to a man she ceased to love. When she faces him in Act IV, it’s apparent she has made up her mind; either he will understand and leave her in peace, or she will choose death. This Carmen is not ready to live in fear or on the run. While few are able to deliver such a well‑defined interpretation in elaborately-directed staged performances, Lemieux was easily able to convey all this in a mere “concert version.” Hers was a truly memorable performance.
French lirico spinto tenor Emmanuel Hasler was a revelation. He had just the right timbre for Don José. This Frenchman’s diction is impeccable, as was demonstrated in the Act II aria,“La fleur que tu m’avais jetée” and in the opera’s final duet. For once, here was a Don José who did not struggle with the text; one perfectly understood his every word. Hasler’s dark timbre, a rarity among Gallic singers, is attractive. One can see him take on heavier German roles in the future. Endowed with amazingly secure high notes, he is utterly at ease in that register. In addition to vocal brio, Hasler has ample stage presence. His vocal facility and natural predisposition for the language of Molière enabled him to concentrate on his acting. He convincingly conveyed Don José’s initial naïveté and immaturity in the latter parts of the opera.
Cameroonian-Canadian lyric soprano Suzanne Taffot managed to bring Micaëla to life in a role that’s often quite dull, especially when juxtaposed with the overwhelming Carmen. Bizet’s assignment of overly serene music to Micaëla makes her so angelic that she has no chance against the sultry Carmen. In many productions, a tepid Micaëla seems most appropriately destined to become a nun. Not so in the case of this impressive soprano. Taffot’s interpretation was superb: impeccably clear diction, beautiful phrasing, ease in the upper register and, most importantly, a facility in conveying a strong personality. Finally, Carmen has a worthy rival. She was charming yet reserved with the frisky Corporal Moralès, tender and affectionate yet timid with Don José, and finally defiant when apprehended by the smugglers in Act III. Her “Je dis que rien ne m’épouvante” was luminous and moving, displaying both strength of character and vulnerability. Amazingly, Taffot is also a professional lawyer and singing is merely a sideline. With her talent, she could easily be a leading lyric soprano in the world’s leading opera houses. As Carmen famously says, “Il est permis d’attendre, il est doux d’espérer.”
Endowed with a powerfully virile voice and magnetic stage presence, Québec’s Etienne Dupuis was a dashing Escamillo. Despite the absence of sets and an actual staging, he was able to appear dominant and convey a strong, nonchalant character, easily flirtatious and almost arrogantly self‑assured in his response “Cette réponse n’est pas tendre; je me contenterai d’espérer et d’attendre” to Carmen’s “Je répondrais qu’il ne faut pas m’aimer.” Escamillo, despite the brevity of the role, is not an easy one, as it requires both high and low notes. It is truly a bass‑baritone role, and few baritones have ease in the lower part of the role. Dupuis did not disappoint, despite a minor weakness in the lower notes. His rendition of the toreador song, “Votre toast, je peux vous le rendre,” elicited as much enthusiasm as Carmen’s habanera.
The secondary roles were also first-rate, both vocally and dramatically. Baritone Dominique Côté and tenor Thomas Vinals, interpreting smugglers Dancaïre and Remendado, revealed a natural comic verve, which helped lift the Act III quintet, “Nous avons en tête une affaire.” If he does not pursue a career as a leading tenor, Vinals, thanks to his stage presence and acting, could become a first rate character tenor. Soprano Catherine St‑Arnaud and mezzo Florence Bourget stood out in the card trio “Mêlons ! Coupons !” Both were naturally light‑hearted, providing contrast to a somber Carmen, aware of her imminent doom.
In addition to a truly splendid cast, conductor Jean-Marie Zeitouni led the Orchestre du Festival Classica with gusto. Zeitouni is an outstanding conductor, especially of opera, with an obvious affinity for French music and a vast knowledge of vocal repertoire and history. The orchestral passages, especially the Entr’acte starting Act III, were a pure delight. Likewise, Ensemble ArtChoral was impressive, with excellent diction and every word understood. Moreover, the relatively small choir sounded twice its size. In some respects, having the chorus placed behind the orchestra and immobile, one paid more attention to the texts they sang, whether in Act I during the brawl in the cigarette factory, or at the opening of Act IV before the final scene between Carmen and Don José.
Bizet’s Carmen is an action-packed, almost a romantic thriller, featuring seduction, cross‑border smuggling, mano a mano fighting between Carmen’s old and new lovers, and finally the murder of Carmen by her jilted lover. At first sight, it seems the least appropriate opera to receive “in concert” treatment. However, Festival Classica’s production was a brilliant success, not only thanks to its superb singers, excellent orchestra and winning chorus, but also to Isabeau Proulx‑Lemire’s brilliantly-conceived mise en espace.
Thanks to simple but tasteful costumes and deep involvement of the singers in their characters, their interpretation was truly riveting. Much more so in fact than the last few productions of Carmen I’ve endured at major European venues, with substantial budgets but uninspired staging. In all respects, this was a convincing and superior Carmen. I look forward to future “opera in concert” productions by this bustling festival, which is to be treasured.
Ossama el Naggar
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