Opera Now

Carmen

This is a performance from London's Royal Opera House that works better on film than it did in the house in 2006, where it seemed dramatically inert and Francesca Zambello's production came across as feeble Zeffirelli-on-a-budget stuff. But Jonathan Haswell's television production works wonders, making it all look lavish and highlighting two fine central performances. Anna Caterina Antonacci performs a magnetic, earthy Carmen. She's very sexy physically, but her voice, though tensile, is not rich enough to provide the ultimate vocal thrills the role demands. Jonas Kaufmann is a fascinating Don José, growing from repressed soldier to deranged killer, and he sings the role with seductive subtlety.