Have a HOT time at ‘Carmen’ By Marcus Kalipolites For the Times Herald-Record July 25, 2007 Middletown — With an exotic setting of Gypsies, smugglers, soldiers and bullfighters in Spain during the middle of the 19th century, the tragic opera that Bizet created in 1875 lends itself to flamboyance. And fully realizing all the possibilities in local color, a lively populace and scintillating music, the Hudson Opera Theatre under the direction of Ron De Fesi staged a magnificent production of “Carmen” at Orange Hall on Sunday afternoon.     In addition to the large number of performers, 41 on stage and 20 in the orchestra, the production stands out for its exhilarating singing and compelling drama. Tragedy is central to the plot and it stems from the entanglements Carmen, the Gypsy girl, has with Corp. Don Jose and the toreador Escamillio.     Clearly one of the most gripping of all crises in opera finds Don Jose in the closing moments of Act 4 imploring Carmen to renew their broken relationship. And it’s here, with desperation in his character’s soul, that John Tsotsoros combines gut-wrenching emotions with eloquence of voice to reach the pinnacle of operatic acting.     But this is only one of many memorable episodes and songs. Among them is the competition in song of Escamillio (Kevin Grace) challenging Don Jose to a fight at the smugglers’ camp in the third act. Also in the previous act, Grace with clear and bold voice describes the thrill of bullfighting in the bravura song “Toreador.”     Another of the classic standouts of the opera is “Habanera: L’amour est un oiseau,” in which Mariella Nocetti’s charismatic soprano voice imbues Carmen with the gall of warning men in the village to beware of love. Playing Micaela, the other woman in Don Jose’s life, is Kristin Sampson. Her velvet-toned and expressive voice serves well the home-town girl who prevails upon the deserted soldier to hurry to his dying mother. An especially engaging and frothy song finds Frasquita (Kristi Kelly) and Mercedes (Kathryn Alicia Tate) at the smugglers’ camp flipping cards and playfully guessing their fortunes while friend Carmen, seeing death in her own flipping of cards, accepts the prophecy with a somber delivery of the “Card Song.”     A welcome addition to the cast (as future opera devotees) is the inclusion of 15 prepubescent youngsters who mimic soldiers in changing of the guard and later in celebrating toreadors outside the arena. Their lyric voices not only blend smoothly, but the overall quality of singing brings a fresh exuberance to the production as well.     Beyond singing, the efficient set design of Renato Cesarino, colorful period costumes by C. Clara George and in-depth orchestral support all add up to a production that sets a new and higher standard for opera in our region. Click here to return to the “Carmen” page.