Review | Carmen: Hong Kong is a fun adaptation of the classic opera that does away with original ending ‘fetishising violence against women’
- More Than Musical’s version of Georges Bizet’s opera set the Sevillian tale in a futuristic Hong Kong, and replaced all the bullfighting with horse racing
- The removal of key scenes and characters resulted in some awkward breaks but, all things considered, the result was entertaining and featured strong performances
Just imagine: a Carmen short on castanets, devoid of dashing bullfighters and fiery gypsies, set in a futuristic Hong Kong. Pardon the pun, but it’s no bull.
Carmen: Hong Kong, an adaptation of Georges Bizet’s opéra comique by More Than Musical (MTM), turned Escamillo into a star jockey down at the Happy Valley races, Don José into a security guard at an upscale nightclub in the city’s Wan Chai district, and Carmen herself into a waitress with dodgy friends in the triad underworld.
However, all things considered, it was an entertaining adaptation that featured some solid vocal performances and finely honed instrumental work across the board.
One of the interesting and more effective twists to this familiar tale was the omission of Micaela by director Jennifer Williams. Micaela’s role essentially highlights Carmen’s lewd behaviour and, in turn, justifies her murder by Don José.