Carmen, a Gypsy Geography

by Ninotchka Devorah Bennahum

Encounters with the Gypsy female flamenco dancer throughout historyThe figure of Carmen has emerged as a cipher for the unfettered female artist. Dance historian and performance theorist Ninotchka Bennahum shows us Carmen as embodied historical archive, a figure through which we come to understand the promises and dangers of nomadic, transnational identity, and the immanence of performance as an expanded historical methodology. Bennahum traces the genealogy of the female Gypsy presence in her iconic operatic role from her genesis in the ancient Mediterranean world, her emergence as flamenco artist in the architectural spaces of Islamic Spain, her persistent manifestation in Picasso, and her contemporary relevance on stage. This many-layered geography of the Gypsy dancer provides the book with its unique nonlinear form that opens new pathways to reading performance and writing history. Includes rare archival photographs of Gypsy artists.

Genres: Nonfiction

300 pages, ebook

First published May 30, 2013

Reviews

[Shomeret · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I started Carmen: A Gypsy Geography by Ninotchka Devorah Bennahum in June, I didn't really have time to read it but I made time for it because I was going to see the opera Carmen live the very next day. I decided that I would read as much of Bennahum's book as I could that weekend. I believed that knowing something of the history and cultural origins of the opera would cause me to appreciate what I was seeing on stage so much more. I was absolutely right about that.

First, let me say that I understand that Romani is the preferred name for the people often called "Gypsies". It's what this people prefer to call themselves. I will refer to them as Romani after this paragraph, but the word "Gypsy" is part of the title of this book, and Bennahum consistently uses that non-preferred term.

I resumed reading this book after I had finished with posting reviews in response to requests from authors, publishers and publicists. So I could then read more of Bennahum's perspective on Carmen.

Since I had recently seen a wonderfully effective Black Carmen on stage, I was very interested in this book's discussion of the commonalities between freed African slaves and Romani in Spain. Bennahum points out that African freedwomen engaged in the same professions as Romani women, and thinks that they also both lived in mountain caves. I know from my reading about Romani that they have historically been tremendously concerned with ethnic purity, but I am also aware that there have been Romani who were expelled from their communities because they intermarried with outsiders. So it seems to me possible that there have been people who are both Romani and African descended. It was nice to imagine that the marvelous Black Carmen that I had just seen, is at least feasible.

Although there were questionable statements in this book, I also thought there were remarkable insights, and some really great footnotes. For me, this was a worthwhile read.

For my complete review see https://shomeretmasked.blogspot.com/2...

[Emily Auger]

Fascinating study. Lots of historical research (gypsies, visual art, dance, etc.) that the author connects to the character. Maybe a little over-generalized in connecting Carmen to the goddess archetype and maybe the theory is a little too poetic in places--but if you read this book you won't be able to read or see Carmen as you did before.