Choreographed and Directed
by Ruth Griffin 2015

Voice professor Anthony Radford, who produced “Carmen,” brought together two figures at Fresno State known for their innovative and passionate work: Thomas Loeweneheim, who conducted the orchestra with the razor-sharp determination that we’ve come to expect from him; and Ruth Griffin, a crossover from the theater department, who gave the production an innovative flair with her stage direction.
Griffin’s nimble staging and stylized choreography helped give a fluidity and grace to the production that made it seem bigger. I was intrigued by Griffin’s psychological interpretation of the material — she sees “Carmen” as Don Jose’s story, a romance written for the entertainment of the white male audience of the time — and positions the title role as more of an archetype. 

This “Carmen” was ambitious and fulfilling.

-Donald Munro Fresno Bee