JANA SYKOROVA PERFECT CARMEN

by Henning Hoholt

JANA SYKOROVA is perfect as Carmen in the State Opera Prague production of Georges Bizets famous opera. Directed by Zdenek Troska in a good functioning scenograpfy by Milan Ferencik, which helped be the turning stage and agood decoration with many wellfunctioning detailed parts gave the right atmosphaere for this production. Costumes in the right atmosphaere by Josef Jelinek. Choreographie for the 16 dancers by Marcela Benoniova maked the stagescenery good alive.Michaela was beautifully sung by Simona Prochazkova, Fraquita and Mercedes was Jana Sibera and Sylva Cmugrova. Roman Vocel beautiful sounding and looking as Zuniga. Dancairo and Morales sung by Oldrich Kriz and Jiri Huska, made together with Carmen, Frasquita and Mercedes that the famouse quintet in second act, became an elegant hit in splendid tempo leaded by the brilliant conductor Guillaume Tourniaire.

Escamillo was right looking by Jiri Sulzenko, but for me his voise and type is too heavy for the role. Escamillio shall be looking more like a bullfighter, not like a cook. Igor Jan was sining Don Jose. I have been writing about his singing earlier, and my oppinnion is the same as before - last time was in Manon Lescaut this summer. I have notthing more to say about that.

As the State Operahouse i Prague now is on its way in to being in the very high quality level, and is among the houses being mentioned as importent for their good productions. It is importent that the opera management is keeping the high quality level, that we can hear they are having singers in their company and among guests to fullfill. Hopefully many visitors to Prague will follow my advise to visit the operahouses in the city when they have the posibility to visit Prague. The visitors will spread away the rumers of how beautifully performances they have seen in Prague, recommending a lot other to visit the State Opera and the Estate Opera and too the Nationaltheater, to view operas - and ballets, and they deserve to get the best singers - and dancers. One singer placed wrong in a leading role can spoile a lot.