The opera's devotees also seem to ignore its unflattering and oversimplified portrayal of the Roma people, sometimes known as gypsies, just as fans of mafia stories put up with the stereotypes they often reinforce. Early audiences were scandalized by Carmen's overt sexuality and her violent death, but they went to the opera anyway - in droves.
Even people who say they've never listened to a note of opera in their lives have probably heard something from Carmen, even if it was only in an elevator.Īs for the opera's story, it showcases any number of elements that don't exactly mesh with opera's typical, highbrow image - proving that opera goers are attracted by the same guilty pleasures that draw people to sensational TV shows, or lurid films.Ĭarmen herself, for example, easily falls into the same, femme fatale tradition that includes the murderous characters played by Sharon Stone and Glenn Close in the movies Basic Instinct and Fatal Attraction.
But if there's one opera that does fit the pop culture bill, surely it's Georges Bizet's blockbuster, Carmen.įor one thing, Carmen may have more hit tunes than any opera ever composed. Generally, opera isn't tossed into the vast pot of entertainment that's loosely defined as "popular" culture. Beatrice Uria-Monzon and Marcus Haddock star as Carmen and Don Jose, from Houston Grand Opera.
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