A Chilling Modern Take on Carmen Spotlights Digital-Age Dangers
In an era where social media influence can turn deadly, New Camerata Opera’s bold reimagining of La tragédie de Carmen couldn’t be more timely. Running from November 21-24 at Baruch Performing Arts Center, this innovative production transforms Bizet’s legendary tale into a haunting exploration of influencer culture and obsession.
Gone are the cigarette factory and bullfighting rings. Instead, director John de los Santos places Carmen in the perilous world of social media celebrity, where digital devotion can mask dangerous fixations. Speaking with 360° of Opera, de los Santos revealed the production draws painful parallels to real-world tragedies: “Women such as Christina Grimmie, Alexis Sharkey, and Janae Gagnier all amassed sizeable followings, and were all killed by men in connection with the personas they created,” he notes, explaining how these cases informed his contemporary interpretation.
Musical director Michelle Rofrano emphasizes the production’s urgent relevance, telling 360° of Opera: “The plot of Carmen is tragically quite realistic … It is essentially about a woman who is murdered by a jealous ex-partner because he can‘t control her.“ She points to UN statistics showing 2022’s record-high numbers for gender-based violence, underlining how Carmen‘s centuries-old story continues to reflect modern headlines.
Photo Credit: Russ Rowland / NCO
The 90-minute adaptation features an unconventional staging that places the orchestra at the center of the action. As Rofrano explains, this positioning carries deeper meaning: ”The orchestra’s position onstage perhaps symbolizes all of us as a society; they are innocent bystanders to a horrific crime, and yet they have helped to create a world in which Don Jose feels empowered to take Carmen‘s life.“
This production strips Bizet’s masterpiece to its essential elements while asking pointed questions about technology, celebrity, and society‘s role in enabling violence against women. With two rotating casts featuring some of New York’s finest emerging artists, this promises to be a thought-provoking and powerful theatrical experience that forces us to confront uncomfortable truths about our digital age.
[Content warning: The production contains depictions of violence and sexual violence.]
5 Reasons Why You Can’t Miss New Camerata Opera’s La tragédie de Carmen
In a world obsessed with likes, follows, and virtual connections, New Camerata Opera dares to ask: what happens when fatal attraction goes digital? Their production of La tragédie de Carmen transforms Bizet’s iconic femme fatale into a modern-day influencer. Here are five reasons why this isn’t just another Carmen:
1/ This Isn’t the Carmen You Know
Move over cigarette factory — Carmen is now a social media influencer! Director John de los Santos has reimagined Peter Brook’s already revolutionary adaptation for our digital age. This Carmen doesn’t roll cigars; she rolls out content, amassing followers and creating a carefully curated online persona that will prove fatally alluring. In an era where we’re all questioning the authenticity of what we see online, this production promises to hit super close to home.
De los Santos notes that this production was inspired by real-world tragedies involving social media influencers, making it particularly relevant to contemporary audiences. “Each of the four principals remain desperately lonely in the pursuit of their obsessions,” he explains. “These themes of loneliness and obsession are truer than ever in today’s culture of influencer worship where lives are lived (and ended) through a digital filter of idealization and inauthenticity.”
2/ 90 Minutes of Pure Intensity
Can’t find time for the four-hour original? This stripped-down version packs all the passion, jealousy, and tragedy of Bizet’s masterpiece into a tight 90-minute psychological thriller. Brook and Constant’s adaptation keeps the music you love while cutting straight to the emotional core of the story. It’s Carmen concentrated, and it packs a punch.
3/ The Orchestra Shares the Stage
In an innovative staging choice, Musical Director Michelle Rofrano places the orchestra right in the middle of the action. You won’t just hear Bizet’s iconic score — you’ll see it being created mere feet away from the drama. The musicians become sonorous witnesses to the tragedy unfolding before them, adding another layer to this already complex production.
4/ Double Cast, Double the Drama
With two stellar casts alternating performances, you might want to see this production twice. Anna Maria Vacca and Juliana Curcio share the title role, with José Heredia and Victor Khodadad alternating as the obsessed Don José. Each cast promises to bring their own interpretation to these complex characters.
5/ Opening Night Special
Who said going to the opera needs to break your budget? 10 tickets are available for opening night on November 21!
Photo Credit: Russ Rowland / NCO
Essential Details:
When: November 21-23 at 8:00 PM, November 24 at 4:00 PM
Where: Rose Nagelberg Theater at Baruch Performing Arts Center (55 Lexington Avenue, NYC)
Content Warning: Production contains depictions of violence and sexual violence
Running Time: 90 minutes
-written by Chloe Yang