Chicago Tribune - Highly Recommended
"...This “Carmen” largely lived up to those expectations on Wednesday, and in many respects exceeded them. Much like last year’s “Tosca,” this “Carmen” uses a no-frills production — a 20-year-old Lyric production in its first outing since 2010 — to frame the house’s freshest perspective on the opera in years."
Chicago Sun Times - Recommended
"...This story of a libertine Roma woman who puts her sense of freedom above all else shocked audiences during its 1875 debut at Paris’ Opéra-Comique, but it has gone on to be one of the most beloved and frequently performed of all operas."
Chicago On the Aisle - Somewhat Recommended
"...The problems are multifarious, and most of them lie at the production’s core. Director Marie Lambert-Le Bihan’s big scenes look more calculated and contrived than spontaneous; and when the story moves in on moments of great passion and urgency, the direction often feels tentative. Conductor Henrik Nánási appears to have ceded control of the music-drama to the director. At critical points where the musical line should articulate the drama, tempos that feel either hurried or slack confuse the picture. Nor is mezzo-soprano J’Nai Bridges the Carmen to salvage this scattered enterprise. Her gypsy is a lovely coquette with a bright voice to match – where ferocity, raw sensuality and a more voluptuous sound are needed."
Stage and Cinema - Recommended
"...Like many organizations coming to grips with structural racism in American society, Lyric Opera has been making tremendous efforts to promote diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). Lyric has done this above all by casting more performers of color, especially African-Americans, and by incubating a world-premiere opera by and about African-Americans — The Factotum (review here). In Carmen, DEI has affected the littlest details in a not insignificant way. Gone is the term “gypsy” from the supertitles; now Carmen is one of the “Roma people.” This reviewer has long thought many of Lyric’s supertitle translations were stale, so it is reassuring to see some new life breathed into them."
Let's Play Theatrical Reviews - Recommended
"...The four-act 3 hours and 25 minutes, with two intermission performance, has periods of thrilling songs and lively dialogue but drags in some scenes. Carmen, sung in French, isn't uncommon to audiences; however, one of Lyric Opera of Chicago's faults is making the audience continuously stretch their necks upward to read the subtitles—taking us away from the brilliance on stage."
Around The Town Chicago - Highly Recommended
"...The production now at the Lyric, directed by Marie Lambert-Le Bihan and conducted by Henrik Nanasi, takes the version with spoken dialogue back to basics, focusing heavily on the character development of Carmen and Don Jose, played by the multitalented singing actors mezzo J'Nai Bridges and tenor Charles Castronovo, in a realistically designed set by Robin Don. The design is a choice that allows the power of the social drama to shine through at its most emotionally intimate, without any sacrifice of musical grandness."
Third Coast Review - Recommended
"...Bridges performs the role of Carmen with panache, excelling at the familiar aria “L’amour est un oiseau rebelle” (Love is a rebellious bird) in Act I and the scene at the start of Act II in which she and other women perform a table-top flamenco at Lillas Pastas’ tavern. But her vocals did not register as strongly as those of Schultz—whose small but crucial role drew a rousing ovation at the end—Castronovo, and Kymach."
Picture This Post - Highly Recommended
"...Lush as the music, lighting design, and set are in this Lyric Opera production opening to Act III of Bizet’s Carmen, they are always secondary to Carmen’s live-free-or-die character. She is the wild bird of love, un oiseau rebelle, that J’nai Bridges sings of when she makes her grand entrance in Act I. From a workplace brawl to one or another love of short duration, and her enduring choice to live on the wild side, Carmen is both mistress of and mastered by her passions. Without opera glasses, most of us in the audience can’t see Bridges’ eyes flare, but we know they often do. It takes only one hip pivot to suggest to this reviewer that Bridges was born to play this role."
BroadwayWorld - Highly Recommended
"...George Bizet's restless, fiery, free-spirited heroine Carmen is the current production at the Lyric Opera. Mezzo-soprano J'Nai Bridges in the title role grabs you from the moment of her first entrance in a white dress to the finale in her gorgeous glittering Spanish attire. Her Habanera fills the theatre with her powerful interpretation. She catches the eye of Don Jose (tenor Charles Castronovo) and thus begins the story. Don Jose's sweetheart Micaela (sensitively portrayed by soprano Golda Schultz making her Lyric debut) brings him news that his mother wishes to see him but he is so enamored of Carmen he does not leave. Carmen attacks a woman she works with. To prevent more trouble, Carmen's hands are tied. She tempts Don Jose to cut the ties. He does and she escapes. He is imprisoned for negligence."
NewCity Chicago - Highly Recommended
"...“Carmen” is a spectacle, of course, and the Lyric Opera Chorus sounded the part, and director Marie Lambert-Le Bihan also called upon the chorus to act the part as well. Conductor Henrik Nánási brought out the color and nuance of Bizet’s score."