The Met’s cast fires on all cylinders in Carrie Cracknell’s first-rate truck stop Carmen
Article by Robert Beattie from Seen and Heard International
Daniele Rustioni ensured cast, chorus and orchestra remained on track. In the overture I was struck by the freshness and vitality of the rhythms and Rustioni’s eye for detail. The pacing of the material was well judged, and careful thought had clearly been given to Bizet’s shifting textures and sonorities. Rustioni managed to coax some very beautiful playing from the strings and woodwind during the entr’actes to the opera.
He also ensured there was a good balance of sound between the soloists and orchestra and ensured the orchestral accompaniment was flexible when required. Overall, this was a first-rate production of Carmen from a cast firing on all cylinders.
