It’s been a while since I saw a black woman play the role of Carmen, the Spanish opera from the 1870’s.
The story parallels so much a black woman’s life, it could have been written by Gordon Parks instead of Georges Bizet, the Frenchman.
Just a sweeping glance of the black woman’s history, where she has faced abuse from her slave owner, right down to today, where black men take their frustration out on black women, piling up the physical atrocities.
Even though Dorothy Dandridge played Carmen Jones, with Harry Belafonte in the 1954 movie, the gist of the story is about the same. A case where she is too much for one man; a woman who makes a man’s blood boil! He may even say to himself, “I have to have her!” Like that BMW, AUDI or RANGE ROVER, but maintenance becomes a killer!
In both editions, Carmen dies, killed by the lover, who could not handle rejection, he had to have her, he became delirious.
February is Black History Month here in the USA, this month includes Valentine’s Day, a day for lovers celebrating their passion for togetherness.
This is quite a thought provoking dilemma, the passion for physical unity, and the earnestness to promote the rising black consciousness in black history month.
One person who can possibly embody that, from the halls of the Peabody conservatory in Baltimore Md. is DENYCE GRAVES, an African American mezzo-soprano who toured world stages including Washington D.C., France, Zurich, New York and San Francisco. We spoke shortly after her performance. (See video)
Theculturepagedotcom 