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His direction is free of gimmicks and conceptual innovations......

I did catch one sort of gimmick (IMHO). Those around me didn't see it, but I'm pretty sure I did.

This production was set in Spain in the 1930s during the time of the Spanish Civil War (as you mentioned). That war was essentially a populist uprising against the fascist Franco regime. In that society Franco would have represented the ultimate authority of the state. I thought I saw the figure of Franco himself enter in during the procession of the bullfighters. He was dressed in a dark suit, looked like Franco, was about the right age, and was wearing sunglasses as Franco often did.

If I'm right about that......I think this was a bit of a gimmick, albeit a humorous and clever one, and one I liked.

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As to the 'beefcake' issue: my mother always bemoaned the fact that traditionally tenors looked like trolls (her word) and the baritones and basses like movie stars. Fortunately, tenors have gotten a lot better looking and the baritones and basses are still gorgeous! :wallbash:

A number of years ago Placido Domingo was "Mr. January" in the Opera News calendar, in a lovely, shirtless photo from Samson and Delilah.

It was January for several months at my sister's house.

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A number of years ago Placido Domingo was "Mr. January" in the Opera News calendar, in a lovely, shirtless photo from Samson and Delilah.

It was January for several months at my sister's house.

Not that I want to sound shallow or anything, but I purchased my CD version of Don Carlos solely because it had a drop-dead gorgeous photo of him on the front. :)

Back to Carmen, it looks like Gheorghiu is out altogether:

First it was eight, then two and now zero. Those are the number of Angela Gheorghiu’s appearances this season in “Carmen,” a production created for her at the Metropolitan Opera. It was to be her first Carmen. The Met on Friday said she had withdrawn from her two remaining scheduled performances of the work, directed by Richard Eyre.
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A number of years ago Placido Domingo was "Mr. January" in the Opera News calendar, in a lovely, shirtless photo from Samson and Delilah.

It was January for several months at my sister's house.

Not that I want to sound shallow or anything, but I purchased my CD version of Don Carlos solely because it had a drop-dead gorgeous photo of him on the front. :)

Back to Carmen, it looks like Gheorghiu is out altogether:

First it was eight, then two and now zero. Those are the number of Angela Gheorghiu’s appearances this season in “Carmen,” a production created for her at the Metropolitan Opera. It was to be her first Carmen. The Met on Friday said she had withdrawn from her two remaining scheduled performances of the work, directed by Richard Eyre.

Ms. Aldrich will sing with Mr. Kaufmann, who is contributing to my shallowness.

A few months ago I was lucky enough to be in the audience at Symphony Space for the hi def simulcast of La Scala's opening night production of Carmen with Kaufmann, Rachvelishvili and Schrott. Made you think they should have named the opera "Don Jose". Can't wait for his Met performances. Not that I'm shallow or anything...

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Kaufmann has a warm, rich voice....nothing shallow about liking him! Of course, his publicists are going to dress him up and capitalize on his looks, but the voice is there..........and isn't it lovely to have a tenor who doesn't make us want to close our eyes when he is onstage? Think of it: Garanca, Kaufmann, and Tahu Rhodes on stage in Carmen together: the entire audience would be in puddles by the time they finished.........

sigh....

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