WARNING - SPOILERS BELOW. A Little History Prosper Merimee...was master of a concise and understated style, most fully realized in his nouvelles, or long stories, for which he is best known. Outstanding examples include Carmen (in Revue des Deux Mondes, 1845; as a book, 1846, trans. 1881), which was the basis of Georges Bizet's opera. The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed. (2001). Definitions hip-hop: n. The popular culture of big-city and inner-city youth, characterized by graffiti art, break dancing and rap music; and opera: n. 1. A theatrical presentation in which a dramatic performance is set to music. [American Heritage College Dictionary (3rd ed.)] A Hip Hopera Chronology Carmen: A Hip Hopera, is an adaptation of Prosper Merimee's novella, Georges Bizet's opera, and Harry Kleiner's 1954 screenplay, which was directed by Otto Preminger. Now, 156 years later, Robert Townsend updates this classic opera as a hip hopera. The narrator: Da Brat The cities: Philly and Los Angeles The seductress: Carmen Brown (Beyonce Knowles) The Fool (I mean victim): Sgt. Derrick Hill (Mekhi Phifer) The opening dialogue between Sgt. Derrick Hill (Mekhi Phifer) and his partner Porter (Troy Winbush) sets up this hip hopera. While patrolling the mean streets of Philly, Porter shares his -- club hopping, skirt chasing, I am glad I'm unattached -- theory with Hill. Hill is not interested in having that type of conversation because he was in love with "A GOOD WOMAN," his fiancee Caela (Reagan Gomez-Preston). A 911 call is dispatched and Hill and Porter respond. Lt. Miller (Mos Def) and his partner Nathaniel (Sam Sarpong) are on the scene when Hill and Porter arrive. Miller noticed that Hill saw him plant drugs on the suspect, Jalil (Lil'Bow Wow), and hinted to Hill that he didn't see anything if he knew what was good for him, career-wise that is. Obviously, there's some bad blood between Hill and Miller. After their shift, Hill and Porter stop at a local watering hole for cops, where his fiancee Caela is a waitress. Now that they're engaged, Caela tried to convince Hill to quit the force because she didn't want to worry about him being killed on the job. [Pleez chick, who's gonna pay for the wedding? Hill betta keep his JOB]. As fate would have it, and on cue of course, Carmen Brown (Beyonce Knowles) walks into the bar. All the cops, including Lt. Miller, were trying to Mack on Carmen, but she wasn't interested. Hill on the other hand, didn't give Carmen the time of day because he's engaged. [Yeah right -- like being engaged or married ever stopped a man from philandering]. Carmen was intrigued by Hill's nonchalant attitude. [She's thinking, "Dang, I'm flaunting all my stuff and he's not paying me any attention. Well, he must be blind, stupid or crazy, because I'm Carmen Brown, and every man on this planet would die just to get next to me"]. Carmen dissed Miller and set her sights on another fool. The fact that this chump was disrespecting his gurlfriend by checking her out made the seduction even sweeter for Carmen. But sista didn't play dat flirt with my man in front of me crap, and she and Carmen got into a chick fight. Miller ordered Hill to arrest Carmen and take her to jail. Carmen persuaded Hill to take her to her apartment so she could "drop off her jewelry" because she didn't want to fight the sistas in jail over her shyt. [If you ain't bored already, just hang in there]. Of course Hill took her to her apartment. Of course Carmen changed into something more comfortable -- her bed. Of course Hill got tangled into Carmen's web of seduction and they did the nasty (while he thought of his fiancee). Of course Carmen was gone the next morning and Miller found Hill in her apartment. Of course Miller brought Caela along to eyewitness Hill's betrayal. And of course, Hill was arrested. Speeding this review up -- Hill goes to jail and he and Carmen exchange love letters. Carmen and her gurls Rah Digga and Joy Bryant go clubbing where she meets another sucker (I mean potential mate), Blaze, a famous rap star. Carmen tells Blaze that she wants to be an actress and Blaze offers to move her and her gurlfriends to LaLa Land with him. Carmen declined his offer because she's waiting for huh man to get out of jail. Hill is released and he and Carmen live happily ever after. NOT! Carmen was only interested in one thing -- Carmen. She did anything she had to do to get it and paid the ultimate price. In most operas, someone is killed in the end, and the same thing happens in Carmen: A Hip Hopera. Cass' Final Thoughts What a great concept -- a hip hopera!!! That's where it stopped for me -- as a concept. Carmen: A Hip Hopera was a 90-minute music rap videOpera! The only thing Carmen: A Hip Hopera had in common with Carmen the opera, is that I couldn't always understand what was being said/RAPPED. The only good thing, however, was that some of the actual rapOpera I did understand was off-da-hook. CARMEN: A HIP HOPERA: If my review did not bore you to tears, then check out MTV's Carmen: A Hip Hopera. back to top Copyright Cassandra Henry, 2001 EMAIL: cass@3blackchicks.com