JERUSALEM, June 7 (Xinhua) -- As part of the annual Masada opera festival, Carmen, an opera based on the tragic love story between a gipsy and a Spanish soldier, is brought to the ancient area as part of the Israeli Opera House's efforts to turn the Middle East country into an opera lover's destination.
The festival began two years ago with operas Nabucco and Aida, and has turned into a huge success that draws thousands of opera aficionados to the historic landmark of Masada close to the Dead Sea.
Although this year there were doubts about the convenience of staging Carmen, an opera set in a Spanish village, in the Judean desert, the public was delighted with the setting and the backdrop of the Masada plateau.
"It's amazing to see an opera like this, with so much passion and tragedy in a place like this. That's so magical," said John and Anna, a couple honeymooning in Israel who didn't want to miss the opera.
Setting Carmen in the desert is no small feat. With a crew of over 700 people, including singers, dancers, musicians and crew, Carmen's cast had to face many difficulties related with the weather and the environment.
"It's hard to sing in the desert. It's not the best place to sing opera, because it's really dry and the dust gets in your throat," Hilla Baggio, an Israeli opera singer who plays the role of Fresquita, one of Carmen's friends, told Xinhua on Wednesday.
"The wind also makes it difficult, because we have to use microphones and sometimes it interferes with the sound, but that's part of the challenge also," the singer said.
The cast is composed of Israeli and Spanish singers and dancers and is conducted by the Israeli Maestro Daniel Oren.
With ticket prices ranging from 128 U.S. dollars to 335 U.S. dollars, Carmen can host up to 5,000 opera aficionados.
|
