This page is also available in / Cette page est également disponible en:
Francais (French)
If Marie-Nicole Lemieux’s arrival in Canada—and in Quebec, in particular—is always an event, what can we say about her local debut in Bizet’s Carmen, which celebrates its 150th anniversary in 2025!
Her very first take on the role dates back to 2017, in Paris, alongside tenor Michael Spyres. “I was ready to sing Carmen long before I did it,” she says. “I was waiting for a conductor to have the courage to entrust me with the role, and that was Michel Franck, general director of the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées. Let’s face it, Carmen is mostly given to tall brunettes, which is not my physique. I knew I had the voice, but I wasn’t fixated on this role, telling myself that I might never do it, and so be it.”
Photo: Christophe Agostinis
This June 7, at the co-cathedral of Saint-Antoine-de-Padoue in Longueuil, Lemieux will return to the iconic French role in a concert version with staging. For the singer who was once confined to contralto roles, this will be an opportunity to rediscover a tessitura that, in truth, comes naturally to her. “I was almost surprised at first,” says Lemieux. “Carmen is in the middle of my voice. A soprano, mezzo-soprano or contralto can sing this role. It’s more a question of whether you have something to say and whether you’ve worked out the meaning of the words. Basically, it’s good that I sang Carmen so late. The longer you wait, the more mature you become. With time, I learn that I can contribute something by being myself. Since Carmen is a completely free, whole woman, I think every performer has a duty to take the role head on and make it their own, with their own vision.”
No interpretation, however personal, can erase the universal and timeless nature of the work. “The fact remains that this is a story that is still being repeated today in our lives, because it is the story of femicide. This opera has something more than others, which is that it will always be modern. Its resonance is even stronger since the MeToo movement and the growing awareness of violence against women.”
Photo: Mirco Magliocca
Lemieux makes a clear distinction between Carmen and (Saint-Saëns’s) Dalila, another “exotic” and seductive woman who is driven by a desire for a revenge totally absent in Bizet’s creation, and above all, subject to a political system designed to bring down Samson. “Carmen is not dark. On the contrary; she has a great sense of humour. ‘Do you love me? I don’t love you. You don’t like me? Ah, you interest me.’ She laughs about it in her Habanera aria. She sees this man who doesn’t dare look at her and it attracts her. It’s the game, the seduction. Moreover, when she decides to do something, she assumes it. She is very honest when she advises Don José to go back to his mother. ‘You’re not happy, I can see that.’ At the same time, she knows that he’s a dangerous man,” says Lemieux, who has also immersed herself in Prosper Mérimée’s novel on which Carmen is based.
Vocal Evolution
Without betraying her intrinsic vocal identity, Lemieux did everything she could to fulfil her singing dreams, which included Carmen. “At the start of my career, my aim was to improve my voice so that I could sing the repertoire and, above all, (achieve) the colours I wanted to sing (with), especially in recitals and concerts. I still work with a teacher who is a voice doctor. My voice had a very short range at the beginning. It developed over time,” says the mezzo.
The richness of her vocal palette has opened up unexpected repertoire, such as her first Wagner role, Fricka. More recently, she has been happy to add Erda, another character from Wagner’s famous tetralogy, to her catalogue. “There, too, I discovered vocal zones, places where my voice resonated in a completely different and new way. It was exhilarating. Each piece of music leads to the exploration of a different sound. I think it’s partly my background as a recitalist that helps me and keeps me going.”
Returning Home
The bond between Lemieux and Marc Boucher, general and artistic director of Festival Classica, took shape and grew stronger during the pandemic, around their participation on ATMA Classique’s recording of the complete songs of Massenet. “I’d like to think that we’re at the start of a great collaboration,” says Lemieux. “Marc is passionate about the voice, about voices, and about French music. We have a lot in common in that respect. I’m extremely grateful that he’s getting me to sing Carmen in Quebec. I told my family: ‘If you want to hear me in Carmen, this is the place to do it!’”
Carmen by Bizet. June 7, Cocathédrale Saint-Antoine-de-Padoue, Longueuil. Production: Nouvel Opéra Métropolitain. Cast: Marie-Nicole Lemieux (Carmen), Emmanuel Hasler (Don José), Suzanne Taffot (Micaëla), Étienne Dupuis (Escamillo); Orchestre du Festival Classica, Ensemble ArtChoral; Jean-Marie Zeitouni, conductor. www.festivalclassica.com
Translation: Kaitlyn Chan
This page is also available in / Cette page est également disponible en:
Francais (French)
