[Herald Review] ‘Carmen’ redefines iconic femme fatale as stalking victim

Breaking away from the traditional portrayal of the iconic femme fatale, Carmen, Seoul Metropolitan Theatre's theatrical rendition of the classic character meets audiences with the haunting specter of dating violence.

Seoul Metropolitan Theatre Artistic Director Koh Sun-woong undertook the adaptation of “Carmen” to reevaluate the character in a new light and to deliver a powerful message: Obsession is not love.

Based on Prosper Merimee's 1845 novella and Bizet's opera libretto, the original narrative unfolds in 19th-century Seville, Spain, where a young corporal named Don Jose is to marry his demure fiancee, Micaela. Then he encounters the free-spirited, untamed gypsy woman Carmen, and falls deeply in love with her. Carmen, however, becomes entangled with the bullfighter Escamillo, leading Don Jose to make tragic choices driven by jealousy.