I must have been a matador at some stage in my life. Aside from that, I thought he looked the part and I just took the pony tail to be part of the costume. I was talking to him before the show and after the show and there was no sign of it then.

Not a review for Darius but he does get a mention

 

Carmen

O2 Arena, London

 

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Guy Dammann

guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 25 May 2010 23.00 BST

Article history

With three successful Albert Hall runs, this production of Carmen by David Freeman and Raymond Gubbay has already more than proved its worth in making fully staged opera available to the audiences other companies cannot reach. At around four times the Albert Hall's capacity, the O2 presents challenges of a quite different scale. Freeman has risen to the occasion by stretching his swirling catwalk stage into a full "s" shape and beefing up the crowd scenes. Gubbay's own occasion-rising took the form of booking recently metamorphosed opera star Darius Campbell to appear as Escamillo, albeit only for the Sunday matinee. I couldn't attend the matinee, sadly.

 

Even so, there is much to recommend here. The crowd scenes – particularly the act IV fiesta, with acrobats and dancers, fire jugglers and even a fire eater – offer genuine theatrical magic, while touches such as the use of real (herbal) cigarettes and some excellent chair-hurling between the quarrelsome lovers show Freeman exploiting the venue's positive attributes. The sound is sensitively done, too, and some cool-headed conducting from Gareth Hancock meant the synching worked as well as could be hoped. The soloists, though, are mixed. Cristina Nassif's Carmen looks the part more than sounds it, and John Hudson (Don José) strains as if no one had told him about the microphone. But Kevin Greenlaw turns in a fine Escamillo, and Elizabeth Atherton's Micaëla is exemplary in communicating delicacy of tone and sweetness of character to 12,000 people of varied attentiveness.

 

It's not everyone's cup of tea, but since you can eat and drink what you like in your seat, that doesn't matter. As Escamillo plunged his sword into the bull, and José his knife into Carmen, I dipped a final chip into my neighbour's ketchup. It wasn't particularly moving, but it was great fun.

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2010/may/25/carmen-review

gud 2 c sum critics no wot there talkin bout :) just read again. He didnt actually c darius in carmen.

Edited May 26, 201015 yr by polly

It's good to read an honest write up for once, can't disagree with her comments and love the way she admits to having a crush on Darius. Her comment about Don Jose looking like 'the fat Boswell brother from Bread' is exactly what husband whispered to me when he first came on stage! I think on reflexion we were quite lucky with the view from our seats because we could see most of the 'action'.

We must have been lucky with our bags as well because no one searched them and that was after I'd binned some fruit and water because I thought you weren't allowed to take food items in with you.

Just wish there were more appearances in the pipeline to look forward to. Sue

So do I. still those who can get to Ayr will let us know how it went. We're lucky having people spread over the country.

 

Over on Facebook a lady named Vivienne Vincent has posted many photos of Darius during his performance of Escamillo - there are some real 'close-ups' She has altered her privacy settings so that anyone can see them. I don't know how she got away with taking so many!!lol!

 

Julie

thanks, just had a look - there are some lovely ones! how nice of her to share them

They are lovely. It's the first time I've seen what went on in the pit.

Just tried to take a look i think its locked again grrr

The pictures are great. Very good of her to share them. Sue

Chrism....scroll well down the Wall page. Click on each photo to enlarge.

 

Great photos. Thank you Vivienne for letting us see them.

Edited May 27, 201015 yr by Bramley

Thanks to Vivienne Vincent for letting us have these photos here

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v614/megham/2010/Carmen%20O2/Vivianne/Untitled-33.jpg

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Thanks again to Vivienne

 

Can anyone who reposts these pics also say they originated from Vivienne, please?

Edited May 27, 201015 yr by megham

Thanks for bringing them across Megham they are great i have found them on fb too now ty

Great pics, thanks Vivienne and Meg Very pleased to see you didn't bring the pic with me in it over from Facebook :naughty:

 

Is it just me or do other people think D looks a little like Stuart Granger in this getup?(not the matador outfit)

Do you know I have always thought he looked like Stewart Granger, loved him in Scaramouche, could see D in that part. Thanks for the pictures Meg, they are wonderful and he looks wonderful. It looks also very spectacular.

BP - is that REALLY you with the bulls head on?