Love, obsession and control. All in a day’s ballet

It’s a story of love, passion and seduction. Bizet’s Carmen has always been seen as a celebration of this. Yet, scratch the surface and the tale turns somewhat grim, with themes of obsession and possession that wedge in between the lightness of falling in love.

Joburg Ballet brings choreographer Veronica Paeper’s interpretation of Carmen back to the stage as part of its 25th anniversary season, with Darragh Hourrides and Bruno Miranda taking on the roles of Carmen and Don José. It runs at Joburg Theatre from 25 September to 4 October, then moves to Pretoria in October.

Is Carmen really a love story, or a story about possession?

Darragh: I think it starts as a love story, but very quickly becomes a story about possession and the difference between loving someone and wanting to own them. Carmen values her freedom above everything, and Don José struggles to accept that. She can love him, but she will never allow herself to belong to him. The more he tries to possess her, the further away she becomes.

Is Carmen liberated, reckless, misunderstood or all three?

Bruno: Carmen is free. I feel like Carmen had many issues in life that shaped her into who she is. She doesn’t pretend to be something else because of society. She is what she is, and she doesn’t care about people’s opinions.

How would Carmen be contemplated today?

Darragh: Yes, I think they would. Carmen is very independent and knows what she wants, and today we are more accepting of a woman being like that. She doesn’t apologise for who she is. She makes her own choices and refuses to give up her freedom for someone else. Audiences today might understand her a little more, rather than simply seeing her as dangerous or provocative.

How do you portray Don José’s obsession without romanticising it?

Bruno: Carmen is very secure in herself, and Don José sees in her what he doesn’t have: self-confidence. When you have so many doubts about yourself, you carry a feeling of not being good enough, and Don José is like that. He wants to show Carmen that he is good, but even he doesn’t see it in himself. He sounds psycho sometimes, but I think he just doesn’t have self-confidence. Carmen played with that and with his feelings.

Who actually holds the power in Carmen?

Darragh: I think Carmen holds the power for most of the story because she is so sure of herself and refuses to be controlled. Don José becomes more desperate to hold onto her, and that is when his love turns into obsession.

He takes her life, so you could say that in that moment he has the power. But does he really? The way she fights for her life and faces him makes me feel she never gives up her power. He may take her life, but I don’t think he ever takes her power.

Because we know she will die, does it change what precedes it?

Bruno: Carmen is a real story. This still happens nowadays. There are a lot of men out there who don’t accept that women are free to be whatever they want. There are men who try to control women and become psychos, so we should see this story and put ourselves in it. What if it was me there, what would I do?

What is the most emotionally uncomfortable moment to perform?

Darragh: The final moments are definitely the most difficult. At the end of the story, a man kills a woman because he cannot accept that she will not be controlled by him. As Carmen, you know where the story is heading, and you still have to stand your ground even when you know the consequences could be fatal.

Carmen refuses to give in. She chooses to remain true to herself, even when she knows what that choice could cost her. That is what makes those final moments so powerful, but also so difficult to perform.

Carmen runs at Joburg Theatre from 25 September to 4 October, followed by performances at the South African State Theatre in Pretoria on 24 and 25 October. Tickets at Webtickets