Beyonce Knowles stars as Carmen
Just when critics thought the story of Carmen had exhausted all of its possible routes for interpretation, MTV, creates a new genre of musical production: the hip hopera.
From "habanera to hip hop" Carmen has proven to be a subject many different groups of people will feel drawn to. As Susan McClary states, "Bizet's opera Carmen depended on a fusion between high art and what he termed music of 'ill repute'. As Carmen ascended the cultural ladder, it lost the taint of its hybrid origins: today's listeners hear the passages that first scandalized Parisian audiences simply as classical music." She suggests that by using today's music of ill repute, these updated versions of the story, much to the dismay of the average opera lover, are actually more organically tied to Bizet's original vision as opposed to some of the more highly worshiped versions. (Perriam, 2005)
PLOT:
Quickly we move from the ancient streets of Spain to the modern-day, urban streets (and back alleys) of Philadelphia, PA, where we find Carmen Brown, "an aspiring actress who in her own words 'leaves the whole town speechless.'" The character of Don Jose is replaced with Sergeant Derrick Hill. Even though Carmen is well aware of Sergeant Hill's engagement, she sets her sights and her feminine wiles on him anyway. (IMDB)
MUSIC:
The musical score from this film is completely original and composed by Kip Collins. Though the style of music has been modified for this version into the category of hip-hop and rap, the listener can hear some of Bizet's themes being used as linking music between pieces. (IMDB) As stated before, this fusion has actually been received quite well with the audiences of the film. American audiences tend to enjoy the sound of melding two musical styles into one. It is in our "melting pot" nature to find this aesthetically pleasing. (Perriam, 2005)
Below is Carmen: A hip hopera's version of the famous habanera tune. Listen closely and you will hear the linking music of Bizet's tune play before the rapping begins.
From "habanera to hip hop" Carmen has proven to be a subject many different groups of people will feel drawn to. As Susan McClary states, "Bizet's opera Carmen depended on a fusion between high art and what he termed music of 'ill repute'. As Carmen ascended the cultural ladder, it lost the taint of its hybrid origins: today's listeners hear the passages that first scandalized Parisian audiences simply as classical music." She suggests that by using today's music of ill repute, these updated versions of the story, much to the dismay of the average opera lover, are actually more organically tied to Bizet's original vision as opposed to some of the more highly worshiped versions. (Perriam, 2005)
PLOT:
Quickly we move from the ancient streets of Spain to the modern-day, urban streets (and back alleys) of Philadelphia, PA, where we find Carmen Brown, "an aspiring actress who in her own words 'leaves the whole town speechless.'" The character of Don Jose is replaced with Sergeant Derrick Hill. Even though Carmen is well aware of Sergeant Hill's engagement, she sets her sights and her feminine wiles on him anyway. (IMDB)
MUSIC:
The musical score from this film is completely original and composed by Kip Collins. Though the style of music has been modified for this version into the category of hip-hop and rap, the listener can hear some of Bizet's themes being used as linking music between pieces. (IMDB) As stated before, this fusion has actually been received quite well with the audiences of the film. American audiences tend to enjoy the sound of melding two musical styles into one. It is in our "melting pot" nature to find this aesthetically pleasing. (Perriam, 2005)
Below is Carmen: A hip hopera's version of the famous habanera tune. Listen closely and you will hear the linking music of Bizet's tune play before the rapping begins.
THEMES:
This film stays quite true to the original themes of sex and exoticism. Beyonce dons the signature, sexy red Carmen dress that shows she is not afraid to show off her curvacious body. (Also note in her appearance, she wears the floral emblem that best represents Carmen: the red carnation in her hair.) In this treatment, we can see Carmen as a product of society. These hip-hop moguls are portraying the tough life of the budding actress and street scenes of urban Philadelphia. It is almost as if Carmen had no other choice than to end up the way she is: tough, sex-driven, and free.
Even Beyonce cannot escape the theme of superstition. After going to a tarot card reading, she sings "Cards Never Lie," which has become one of the films more notable tunes. Although it is unlike the style of music found in any of the other film versions of this song, the listener can hear the definite and familiar airs of foreboding and foreshadowing Carmen's eventual demise. This number features rappers, Rah Digga and Wyclef Jean, displaying a small portion of the production's fusion music.
''The cards never lie, my last breath a sigh
& now I think about if it's my time to die
I don't know what I was thinking
steady wasting time with Hill &
I need to live my life
because my time is unforgiven...''
"But the cards never lie, I thought I told you
Now it's her time to try, to reach her goals before she reaches the light."
This film stays quite true to the original themes of sex and exoticism. Beyonce dons the signature, sexy red Carmen dress that shows she is not afraid to show off her curvacious body. (Also note in her appearance, she wears the floral emblem that best represents Carmen: the red carnation in her hair.) In this treatment, we can see Carmen as a product of society. These hip-hop moguls are portraying the tough life of the budding actress and street scenes of urban Philadelphia. It is almost as if Carmen had no other choice than to end up the way she is: tough, sex-driven, and free.
Even Beyonce cannot escape the theme of superstition. After going to a tarot card reading, she sings "Cards Never Lie," which has become one of the films more notable tunes. Although it is unlike the style of music found in any of the other film versions of this song, the listener can hear the definite and familiar airs of foreboding and foreshadowing Carmen's eventual demise. This number features rappers, Rah Digga and Wyclef Jean, displaying a small portion of the production's fusion music.
''The cards never lie, my last breath a sigh
& now I think about if it's my time to die
I don't know what I was thinking
steady wasting time with Hill &
I need to live my life
because my time is unforgiven...''
"But the cards never lie, I thought I told you
Now it's her time to try, to reach her goals before she reaches the light."
The big question that remains with this rendition is why? Why should we depict Carmen in this way and why does it need to be done in the style of a hip-hopera?
Smith comments on this rendition of the tale saying "In tracing the cultural history of Carmen, a recent MTV production brings the history of the opera and the Prosper Merimee story full circle." He offers the idea that "this most recent chapter suggests that the emphasis on gender and ethnicity in the original has never completely disappeared, it simply gets re-articulated." (Smith, 2003)
As the newest rendition of a "black Carmen," I believe this film was created in the hopes of making the tale relevant to one more generation. The themes discussed throughout all of the films are attempting here to be portrayed once again.