Opera's Tragic Heroines: A Discussion on Death, Femicide, and Representation

The National Opera & Ballet recently hosted a thought-provoking evening examining the pervasive trope of tragic heroines in opera and how contemporary audiences and creators grapple with their frequent demise. These characters, from Madame Butterfly to Violetta in La Traviata, often meet violent or sorrowful ends, whether by suicide, illness, or murder.

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How to deal with an abundance of dying, suffering female bodies on our retina?

The discussion highlighted the stark contrast between the historical portrayal of these women, often depicted with allure and sexual power, and their ultimate suffering. Their bodies, described as "pained" and ending in "motionless stillness," become a "political landscape" where societal conflicts and desires are played out. Operas like Bizet's 'Carmen' and Verdi's 'Otello,' featuring Desdemona, were specifically cited, where female characters are murdered by jealous male partners.

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It is nothing but pulp: a relishable serving of the most absurd cruelties, which makes female viewers feel even less free than they already are.

Two female directors participating in the panel raised critical questions about staging such works today, particularly in the context of growing awareness around femicide. They pondered the challenges of creating a 'Carmen' in the current climate and how to address the "abundance of dying, suffering female bodies" that saturate our visual culture. One director expressed her personal decision to avoid documentaries depicting violence against women, labeling such content as "pulp" that diminishes rather than empowers female viewers.

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I hold Carmen on my personal blacklist.

The conversation also touched upon the audience's connection to these characters. A male audience member questioned his enjoyment of 'Carmen,' asking if his appreciation made him "wrong." The speaker shared personal experiences with different interpretations of Carmen, reflecting on the character's significance as a "heroine for girls without blonde hair" but cautioning that this representation often came at the cost of the character's life, suggesting she was "too much for the world."

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I like Carmen, am I wrong now?