Would you take a 9 year old to see Carmen? (Royal Opera House)

[annekeegan]

My DM and I are booking tickets to to see (the opera) Carmen -- I was thinking of taking my 9 year old DD too as I saw the age guidance is 8 plus. She has been to the ballet a few times and lots of plays but never an opera.

I'd obviously have to get her a book about the opera so she wouldn't be confused. But is it too much (too long, too sexy?) for a 9 year old? Obviously would take her out if she was in any way bothering other patrons. Hmmmm ...

I think she's a bit too young for Carmen. I'd wait until she was about 12 for an opera as you don't want to put her off it.

I've taken both of mine to Glyndebourne since they were 8 but in those days they had special children's nights so it was a bit easier. Both were fine but it is perhaps a slightly more relaxed setting? We did take them to see an opera at the cinema first to see how they lasted as it was a lower cost blown if we did have to remove them. Maybe pass on Carmen this time and try them at a screening from the Met or sitting through an opera at home first just to check?

I am biased, because I love carmen. I don’t think she is too young. It is so fast paced and the knife seen is in context.

I think a comedy is best for your first opera, like the marriage of figaro or similar.

I hear what pp is saying about it being fast paced but it's all relative...I think any primary age child would get bored during the long arias

It's very long - 3hrs from beginning to end (including the interval), so it'll depend on how well she sits for that length of time!

Plus it's in French with English surtitles above the stage, which is a big ask of a kid of that age.

Does she want to see it?

I'd say yes on the basis that most of the plot will go over her head, the violence is pretty brief, at ROH they will have gone to town on the costumes so it will be pretty.

Carmen is generally played sexy but it's mild compared to a pop video.

My main memories of theatre at that age are if there was an animal on stage and Carmen often has a horse or donkey in big productions.

Why would she ‘bother’ other audience members? She must know how to behave if you’ve taken her to things before?

(I’ve been taking the small of the family to opera, and all sorts of plays, since before they were five years old. Sometimes they’ve fallen asleep after the interval - but it’s all been good.)

Obviously you need to interrogate the preview material, but if the age guidance is eight years old I don’t see a problem.

(For adults / children who are unusually sensitive, timid, restless, socially unaware, etc, there are likely to be relaxed performances at some stage during a run of performances.)

I love opera but cannot stand Carmen - but we’re all different.

THIS I think is the question -- does she really does want to see it? She says yes as she always likes an outing, but I think I will try to show her some clips to see if she's really up for it.

If no extreme enthusiasm, I might give it a couple of years though I do think Carmen is a good start to opera!

Thanks all!

i’d take her to English national opera at the London Coliseum just down the road from the ROH instead. in english and more friendly and cheaper - under 21s go free. i wouldn’t take her to the ROH carmen or any carmen. it’s not a story for that age in content or length and she will find bits of it v boring. lots more choice for her age at ENO.

Depends, some versions of Carmen can be a bit "spicy"
There is sex, prostitution, murder, racism in the book and most operas reflect that BUT at 9 it might all go over her head, especially if its all in French
Its my favourite Opera though, I could watch it over and over again.
Visiting the old tobacco factory in Seville was on my bucket list and I have done that

I wouldn't take her to ENO's Carmen!

I love their production but it's Spanish Civil War/truckstop prostitute themed. Definitely no pretty flamenco costumes.

I haven't seen the current ROH Carmen but they know their audience expects a pretty costume.

Hmm, I don't think it'll be too sexy (it's sexy for an opera but that's a low bar and the guidance on the website is 8+) but I do think that the plot might seem strange to a 9yo. Depends whether you and she mind about that or whether she'll be happy to enjoy the music and the spectacle. Musically it's a great choice as obv v approachable. So on balance I say go for it.

Carmen is a wonderful first opera! I have seen it at the Royal Albert Hall which was superb as there is more floor space and more of a spectacle. I would say that 8 is a tad too young though and I wouldn't want to be worried that she would get bored and spending all that money not be able to follow the story... and not having to explain it as you go along (disturbing others). What a lovely mum to be taking her to all these wonderful productions. My mum is the only person who enjoys opera as much as I do and we have been to many over the years which I cherish.

I highly doubt most nine year olds will focus on the plot! It’s the spectacle, the musical world, the communal experience, the event that are the reasons for taking a child to opera. Operas aimed at children - like Pinocchio - are perfectly fine, but I’m not sure the children I’ve taken have enjoyed them more than non-child focused productions. (Peter Grimes goes down well, but that’s as much for the music as the existence of children in the story.)

I think I am biassed as I loved Carmen as a child to the extent I still know all the words.

Things I liked:
Music is good
Lots of children
Gypsies and smugglers are cool
Telling the future with cards is cool
Toreadors are also cool
Lots of party scenes
Lots of great costumes

Things I completely didn't notice:
Most of the plot
All the adult themes about abusive relationships
Most of Don Jose who I found boring
Carmen dying at the end

Came as a surprise as an adult to find I didn't really know the opera at all.

Completely off topic, but l have loved the film Carmen Jones for years. Anyone else?

They used to do special family performances at the Royal Opera House, I took my dd to a ballet (because she loved her ballet lessons) but you could also go to an opera too. You had to sign up to be invited and could go to one ballet, one opera, they had activities and costumes on display as well as the performance. She was probably around 10 when we saw La Traviata and she loved it, although she did love the ballet more. I’m not sure if they still do it, she’s 22 now, but it’s worth a look, I seem to remember it was quite hidden on the website.

Go for it, my dd was 6 the first time I took her to rob, she loved it (it was marriage of cigars)

I love Carmen but it is very long! Took DD to see it at the Arena in Verona when she was 12 (dream come true for me!) and she fell asleep halfway through. It was hotter than Hades though.

Does it matter if you zone in and out at that age?

I remember seeing The Tempest as a child which was definitely long. I liked the storm and was concerned for Ariel who only had a jewelled G-string for a costume. Other than that I slept through the boring bits and had a great time.

Obviously would take her out if she was in any way bothering other patrons.

By that time it's too late and she's already created a disturbance. Also, unless you're on the end of the aisle, you won't be able to get out without making everybody else in the row, stand up and you will be very unpopular. It's not an acceptable thing to do to leave mid performance.

Have you decided?

Carmen was my first opera, and my grandparents took me to when I was 9!

Spoiler alert: I'm now an opera nut but at the time I was cross I was missing Eurovision!!!

Rather than a book, probably better to just explain the synopsis & main characters (the Toreador is a great character for a kid!), then find some youtube videos of the biggest arias. Then, find a video of the whole thing - there are several there. If she gets through even half the full opera via youtube without getting ants in her pants, I'd say she definitely good to see the real thing. (Real is much more exciting and easier to watch. I'm not sure which production is on at ROH anymore, but about 10 years ago they had lots of animals on stage etc so definitely fun for a kid!)

Also, if it's Aigul Akmetshina, go go go whatever - I saw her last year do Carmen, INCREDIBLE!!!!

No I wouldn’t.

Oh, good grief, YES! It's got spectacle and great tunes!

Thanks for the spoiler!

Anyone want a ticket for 16th June? 😄😠