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The Enduring Power of a Traditional Carmen Belgrade
National Theatre
06/17/2026 -
Georges Bizet: Carmen
Zeljka Zdjelar (Carmen), Janko Sinadinovic (Don José), Aleksandra Stamenkovic (Micaëla), Vladimir Andric (Escamillo), Nevena Djokovic (Frasquita), Anastasija Pavlovic (Mercédès), Pavle Zarkov (Dancaïre), Darko Djordjevic (Remendado), Mihailo Sljivic (Zuniga), Miroslav Markosvki (Moralès)
Chorus of the National Theatre, Jelena Miljevic (chorus master), Orchestra of the National Theatre, Ana Zorana Brajovic (Conductor)
Nebojsa Bradic (stage director), Ivana Dragutinovic Maricic (revival stage direction), Geroslav Zaric (sets), Katarina Grcic Nikolic (costumes), Miodrag Milivojevic (Lighting), Emilia Jovanovic (choreography)
(© Aleksandar Zivkovic)
Carmen is one of the most perfect operas in the repertoire, thanks to its inspired setting, its marvelous orchestration and its beautifully-conceived vocal parts. But most of all, Bizet’s masterwork still holds power thanks to its intense drama. It was greatly admired by no less than Gustav Mahler, who championed the work while Director of the Vienna Court Opera. It’s thought of as indestructible, a glorious stage success no matter whose vision we are witnessing. Carmen herself could be interpreted by a mezzo or a soprano; dialogue can be spoken or sung, as could be the recitatives; the opera could be set in Seville, as originally conceived, or during the Spanish Civil War, the Mexican Revolution or even a circus. A case in point is Otto Preminger’s powerful film version, the musical-comedy adaptation Carmen Jones, set in the segregation‑era U.S. South.
More than a decade after its premiere, Nebojsa Bradic’s production of Carmen remains a cornerstone of the repertoire at the National Theatre in Belgrade. Revived by Ivana Dragutinovic Maricic, this production still draws substantial audiences, as demonstrated by the present sold out performance. The production attempts no radical reinterpretation and offers a traditional staging, conventional yet faithful to Bizet and his librettist’s intentions. The opera still takes place in Seville and the characters are as envisaged by Bizet: the free, strong‑willed Carmen; naïve Don José from Navarra who falls in love with an ill‑matched marginal woman; and ingénue Micaëla, who tries to hold on to the man she hopes to marry. After Ole Anders Tandberg’s Carmen, with smugglers who traffic in body parts in a Berlin production, and Calixto Bieito’s nightmarish Carmen in Paris, it’s a relief for operagoers to enjoy a “traditional” production, with no lesbian Carmen, sadistic Don José or a sexually abused Micaëla.
Geroslav Zaric’s sets were not the most attractive, but they were functional. In Act I, the stage was an empty square with a metallic stairwell and a catwalk representing military installations rather than a cigarette factory. The same sets are used throughout, with ambiance provided by the costumes which were vividly colourful. The ambiance in Lillas Pastia’s tavern was authentic enough and the dance accompaniment of Carmen’s aria “Les tringles des sistres tintaient” was well choreographed. No dancing was attempted in the Act II quintet which started with all five seated around a table, as if at a card game.
In Act III, a modification in the metallic structure provided a link between the mountain smugglers’ refuge and the tavern’s bridge making it into a passageway going down the mountain. The crowd was well choreographed to show a crowded yet non‑cluttered scene. In Act IV, a huge metallic bull’s head was centre stage, representing the upcoming bull fight.
In Belgrade, as in most previously Socialist Europe (and also in Germany but with marked variations), opera companies are public institutions dependent on the country’s Ministry of Culture. The singers form an ensemble attached to the theatre. Together with the stage directors, set designers, corps de ballet, stage hands and technicians, they are government employees. Often young American and Canadian singers join small opera companies in Germany for a few seasons, where they learn the repertoire and interpret roles that suit their Fach. This is the positive side of ensemble theatre. The other aspect is that the singers, as state employees, have to work long enough to earn their pensions which leads to singers that keep singing past their prime. An expat friend based in another East European capital complained about that city’s productions, inevitably marred by a few singers that should have retired, but stay on for their pensions. This is the negative side of socialised opera.
Despite that caveat, the singers were generally good, with some reservations concerning tenor Janko Sinadinovic’s Don José, who’s past his prime. His middle register is marked by considerable vibrato, but he manages his high notes effectively. His French was also the least idiomatic among the major roles. Nonetheless, his Act II Flower aria, “La fleur que tu m’avais jetée,” was movingly interpreted. In the finale, he managed to be affecting by portraying Don José as an utterly broken man, a beggar beseeching Carmen not to abandon him (which of course had the opposite effect).
Mezzo Zeljka Zdjelar had the right temperament for the role. Whereas many overplay the coy, sexy side of Carmen’s character, failing to give the independent woman sufficient depth, Zdjelar opted for a clear conception of her role: her Carmen is a free spirit, in search of stimulation and curious about others. What drew her to Don José was his sincerity, earnestness and ingenuity, strikingly different from the men she’d known so far. When she faces him in Act IV, it’s apparent she has made up her mind; either he will understand and leave her in peace, or she will choose death. The final confrontation started gloriously, with Carmen seeing José’s reflection in the mirror of her compact. During the first minute, she continued to apply makeup and addressed José in the mirror with her back turned to him, indicating both contempt and an absence of fear. When he stabs her, it’s not a deliberate act but an outburst of pathetic threatening.
Lyric soprano Aleksandra Stamenkovic was an ideal Micaëla, a determined yet ingénue country girl. This Micaëla was no shrinking daisy; she is terrified in Act III, yet up for the challenge. Bizet’s assignment of overly serene music to Micaëla makes her so angelic that she has no chance against the sultry Carmen. In many productions, a tepid Micaëla seems most appropriately destined to become a nun. Not so in the case of this spirited Micaëla. Stamenkovic’s interpretation was superb: beautiful phrasing, ease in the upper register and, most importantly, a facility in conveying a strong personality. Her “Je dis que rien ne m’épouvante” was luminous and moving, displaying both strength of character and vulnerability. Moreover, of all four leading roles, hers was the most idiomatic and with the clearest diction.
Escamillo, despite the brevity of the role, is not an easy one, as it requires both high and low notes. It is truly a bass‑baritone role, and few baritones pull it off with ease in the lower register. Unfortunately, light baritone Vladimir Andric was seriously miscast in the role both vocally and dramatically. He was not able to appear dominant nor convey a strong, nonchalant self‑assured character, which made Carmen’s attraction a mystery. Despite his tepid rendition of the toreador song, “Votre toast, je peux vous le rendre,” it elicited as much enthusiasm as Carmen’s habanera or seguidilla, thanks to the public familiarity with this memorable tune.
Almost all secondary roles were also first‑rate, both vocally and dramatically. This is understandable in this ensemble company where young singers with fresh voices fill most of the secondary roles. Soprano Nevena Djokovic and mezzo Anastasija Pavlovic stood out in the card trio “Mêlons ! Coupons !”. Both were naturally light‑hearted, providing contrast to a somber Carmen, aware of her imminent doom. Given the beautiful timbres of their voices, one wishes they had more to sing. Likewise, baritone Miroslav Markosvki was an outstanding Moralès, endowed with more stage presence than all male characters combined. Moreover, his diction was the best of the entire cast.
Conductor Ana Zorana Brajovic was outstanding, with an obvious affinity for this work. The orchestral passages, especially the Entr’acte starting Act III, were a pure delight.
Worldwide, the 2024/25 and 2025/26 seasons were rich in Carmen productions, as 2025 marked the 150th anniversary of the opera’s premiere. During these seasons, I saw eight productions of Bizet’s masterpiece. While I am somewhat saturated, I know I’ll soon be eager to see another production, albeit after a short hiatus. My favourite stage director, Italy’s Damiano Michieletto, has just launched his version at La Scala, so I won’t be waiting long!
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