Carmen

Like the ballet, this seemed to be a place for the high class who had time to relax. But as soon as Carmen started, I knew I was wrong. It was a place for everyone, a place for people to enjoy the operas of the world. It was a place where the cultures of multiple countries came together and became a part of American culture.

The story of Carmen was quite spectacular. As was the character development. Each person had a specific type of clothing that was chosen the show aspects of their role that wouldn’t be seen if they were wearing something else. The contrast of Carmen’s dress with the dresses of the cigarette girls was chosen to show that Carmen wasn’t just a pretty cigarette girl. She was the cigarette girl. She was the one that everyone wanted and the one that all the guys fell for. Even Don José, who was at first was in love with Michaela, fell for Carmen as soon as she met him. This made me slightly angry. How at first Don José proclaimed that he loved Michaela, he wouldn’t do anything against his mother’s wishes. But then as soon as Carmen comes, all those values go down the drain. I was told later that the red crevice that was present in the curtain was also present in the dress of Carmen. I don’t know if it carried a meaning but to me it felt as if Carmen was still there when the act was over and the curtain was closed. When the dancers came out of the curtain, it was like they came out of Carmen. It was as if they were what was inside of Carmen and they were waiting to come out. The dancers could have been the inner emotions of Carmen and they could have foretold what was going to happen in the life of Carmen.