Guillen’s fresh approach to Carmen focuses on drama

Having begun as an actress before turning into a film director, Laurice Guillen evidently focused on the acting involved in Carmen, her first venture into opera. This does not mean that the singing was secondary. Most members of the cast were very fine vocalists, but Guillen, with her considerable acting experience, must have prodded them to inject into their respective roles more passion, more drama, which in turn deepened the stark realism or verismo of Bizet’s 19th century opera.

Anna Guillen Feleo (Laurice’s daughter), a pretty, winsome Carmen, was totally fired up as the Gypsy temptress. With an appropriately ample display of cleavage, she was seductive, sensuous, a slut toying with men’s hearts. To my mind, Anna was highly impressive both as singer and actress. She rendered her arias, e.g., the Habanera, in a finely-spun, firm and focused voice, her accents and phrasing arresting. Further, she proved to be a graceful dancer who tried to seduce Don Jose with her flirtatious gyrations.

As Don Jose, tenor Randy Gilongo made up for his lack of height with his ringing voice, sustained top notes and persuasive portrayal of Carmen’s persistent lover who abandoned his duties as a soldier and joined Carmen’s gang of smugglers.

Margarita Gomez, Micaela, did not seem to be the singer I had previously heard perform, the diva with a magnificently powerful voice. To be sure, it still rang clearly and loudly, but it did not have the electrifying volume of her earlier engagements. Nevertheless, she was Don Jose’s tender, gentle, rejected sweetheart, her manner eliciting pity and compassion.

Baritone Noel Azcona, magisterial as the toreador Escamillo, thrilled the audience with his booming voice in the Toreador Song, his proud, arrogant air and braggadocio those of the typical Spanish bullfighter, lord of the ring. In his tussle with Don Jose, his defeat lost much credibility in this particular instance because of the great difference in height between the two protagonists.

As the officer Zuniga, baritone Jun Jarnilla dominated every scene he was in, owing mainly to his towering figure and magnetic presence. He remarkably asserted his role as Don Jose’s superior and as an admirer of Carmen.

Sopranos Jude Rubis Riccio and Roxy Aldios were refreshingly charming and vivacious as Carmen’s friends. Baritone Greg Abelardo de Leon as Morales, a brigadier, and tenor Nomer Nival as Dancairo likewise made their presence strongly felt. The chorus, augmented by the Vox Angeli Children’s Choir, lent vibrant assistance. The dances executed mostly by the women — choreography was by Irena Feleo — were delightful interludes that enlivened the crowd scenes.

There was only one set design consisting of plain, serviceable tiers on either side of the small stage of St. Cecilia’s Hall. The set served as background for all the four acts, thus saving valuable time for what would have been the long opera’s scene changes. However, it was also a limiting factor for there was no set design to convey the necessary mood and ambiance for each episode.

For instance, Act III seemed rather static, with no action from the seated singers on each side until much later, the unchanging set depriving movement of the cast; e.g., their going up and down the mountains, to or from the smuggler’s lair.

One wondered why the bare-foot, women workers of the cigarette factory were not colorfully attired. In their dull grey uniforms, they appeared like prisoners momentarily set free to mingle and flirt with the soldiers!

Carmen is regarded as one of the world’s greatest operas. Its marvelous musical score eloquently reflects local color. Although Bizet was French, his music strikingly captures Spain’s sparkling spirit and gay abandon while also conveying the opera’s strong, moving characterizations — particularly Carmen’s, Escamillo’s, Don Jose’s, Zuniga’s.

Arturo Molina conducted the Manila Symphony Orchestra masterfully, giving a major reason for the presentation’s success. The printed program described his baton-wielding as “instinctive, natural and intuitive”. Further, it is clear, precise and authoritative as his performance on the podium so admirably demonstrated.

Not the least reason for the sala’s success was Guillen’s “dramatization” of the opera which enhanced the wonderful singing of the cast, especially of the soloists, thus making it even more enthralling.

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I am deeply grateful to the eminent singer Sherwin Sozon for inviting me to Carmen. Its principal sponsor was the YMCA headed by Philip Huang, president, and Honorio Tan, chairperson of the Education, Culture and Arts Committee.