Exclusive Interview with Paula Robison

I had the great honor of interviewing the legendary Paula Robison for the Hawaii Flute Society’s blog. Paula’s live playing and recordings have always been an immense inspiration to me and I have especially been captivated by her recording of Borne’s Carmen Fantasy.

LS: Aloha, Paula! As the Hawaii Opera Theatre presents Bizet’s Carmen this month, it has me thinking about Borne’s "Carmen Fantasy" and, specifically, your compelling recording of it. Why do you think that Carmen, the opera, has endured for more than a century in the hearts of singers and audiences alike?

PAULA: I think Carmen has an unbeatable combination of marvelous music, a passionate story, characters who can seduce the audience with their voices, opportunities for great dancing and staging, lots of color....for me it gets 10 stars for everything!

LS: Is there a particular character or aria from Carmen that you especially connect with?

PAULA: Well, when I was quite young I played in the orchestra of the New York City Opera (this was before they moved to Lincoln Center). I sat by the edge of the pit and could see and hear everything! So I experienced many different kinds of singing and acting! I was still thinking of going into theatre then so I imagined myself in all the roles. It was fun! I loved Micaela and her innocence, I laughed at the silliness and pride of Escamillo, I felt sorry for Don Jose, I longed to join the dancing in the hideout in the mountains, but I guess most of all I loved Carmen and her escapades, and identified with her passion and her desire for freedom. Arias? let's see: The flower aria of course (we studied it with [Marcel] Moyse), Micaela's aria, the Habanera I adore and still love to listen to how great singers interpret it: Callas, Shirley Verrett, many others.

I have to say that there was a moment I always waited for and still treasure: when Carmen sees the card which foretells her death and says, "Let me know my fate."