Carmen in CARMEN
Chicago Opera Theater
“A seriously intense, stunningly sung Carmen, a deep exploration of sexual passion, jealousy, and human frailty. Propelled by glorious, insightful singing…the performance went far beyond the conventional binaries. It’s hard to believe that Barton was making her role debut as Carmen. She absolutely embodied the character. Confidently sauntering the stage, taking the measure of the men around her with a subtly skeptical, amused gaze, she was a woman in full. Her voice was an intricately deployed combination of fire and ice. Flirting with Don José in Act I, she turned the Habanera into a quietly mesmerizing master class in seduction, her sultry low notes lingering in the air like fragrant cigarette smoke. But when she and José fought, her ringing top notes and furious leaps and plunges whipped the air like a merciless winter wind… COT’s Carmen was a triumph for everyone involved. The audience roared its approval throughout the evening.”
–Wynne Delacoma, Musical America
“The two mezzo-sopranos sustained a doomed romance at a compelling level. From the start, with her sinuous Habanera, the explicit essence of the rebellious bird, Barton gave a performance to remember. Vocally, she was marvelously changeable, from seductive kitten to baleful harbinger of death. She also invested Carmen with a physical animation and spark…”
–Lawrence B. Johnson, Chicago on the Aisle
“That Red Dress, pointedly, hangs off to the side, never worn. Who needs ‘em with this power couple? Jamie Barton’s hard-to-get Carmen is an equal match for Oratonio. If opera is to live, let this expansion and experimentation of roles blossom into a fuller reality.”
–Patrick O’Brien, Chicagoland Musical Theatre
“Carmen entered not in the iconic red dress, but instead sporting a black leather jacket, slacks, and a fiery attitude to match. The orchestra executed the iconic Habanera with both power and great sensitivity to Barton’s musical artistry, giving her room to fully embody Carmen’s fiery spark and playfulness.”
–Jillian DeGroot, I Care if You Listen
“Ms. Barton, who has publicly condemned body-shaming and celebrated her queer identity, was ready to demonstrate that when it comes to singing, size shouldn’t matter. Ms. Barton’s sumptuous mezzo made for a rich, expressive Carmen; she played the role with a direct, I-take-what-I-want attitude rather than as a seductress.”
–Heidi Waleson, Wall Street Journal
“Blythe was paired with another great American mezzo — Jamie Barton singing her first Carmen. Barton was a joy. Her full, rich voice was deployed beautifully, whether she was playing the seductress or the rejecter. She reveled in Bizet’s exotic melodies, and added just the right amount of sass and sizzle. She’s ready for a fully staged Carmen any time.”
–M.L. Rantala, Hyde Park Herald
“In her long-coveted role debut, Barton fielded a terrific Carmen. Her ample mezzo-soprano voice was warm and voluptuous, with chest resonance to burn. The final ‘toujours la Mort’ in the card scene was thrilling. She also delivered an interesting dramatic performance within the confines of concert presentation, by turn seductively playful or dripping with cynicism.”
–Mark Thomas Ketterson, Opera News
”A production that proved that if you’re creative enough, you don’t need any sets at all to knock the socks off an opera audience. Just drop two great mezzo-sopranos into roles each dreamed of playing but thought they’d never get a chance at…and watch the fireworks. Jamie Barton—she of the withering sneer and creamy tone—ruled as an iconoclastic Carmen. If you were lucky enough to be in the audience at the Harris Theater for this, you won’t forget it.”
–Deanna Isaacs, Chicago Reader