Congrats to Richard Ouzounian! Sounds like an interesting project, especially with Vegas director Franco Dragone who has built his reputation on spectacles like Cirque de Soleil.

I've always wondered if it is hard to switch hats from critic to creator. I know that when I was leading NSAI workshops in Toronto and critiquing songs that I found it hard to take off my editor hat. I was always pre-editing my stuff and found it a bit stifling. Or course this isn't the first time Ouzounian has written lyrics for a show, so I'm sure he has it figured out. Although it will be hard to top those classic Carmen lyrics:

"Toreador, don't spit on the floor
Use the cuspador that's what it's for!"

According to this article in The Toronto Star:

The Star's theatre critic Richard Ouzounian is getting ready for love, betrayal, death, bullfights and lots of cigars. He will be writing the lyrics for the upcoming Broadway musical, Carmen.

Based on Prosper Merimee's original 1845 novella, which also inspired Bizet's famed opera, the show will be directed by Franco Dragone of Cirque de Soleil/Celine Dion/Las Vegas fame.

Dutch composer John Ewbank has written the flamenco-heavy music and Sarah Miles the book for the show, which is to be workshopped this June.

The team behind the show is looking at 2006/07 season opening.

Ouzounian, who has written several works for the stage, Larry's Party and a Dracula musical among them, says, "Am I nervous about bringing a show in front of the Broadway reviewers? Absolutely. I know them well enough to be well aware that they're not going to cut me any slack because I'm one of the critical fraternity.

"In fact, it'll probably be just the opposite."

But he's excited, nonetheless.

"I've been such a tremendous admirer of Franco Dragone's work on shows like O, Le Reve and Mystere, that the opportunity to work with him was too good to pass up.

"I feel honoured and delighted to have been chosen to join this project."

Dragone, for his part, recently told the Las Vegas Sun, "They wanted that I bring them something from Las Vegas, some kind of spectacular thing. I think because, in New York, all the shows look alike.

"They all take the same approach -- there is a kind of envy in New York for Vegas."

Carmen isn't the only musical Ouzounian is working on. Dracula: Entre l'Amour et la mort, his second kick at the Dracula can, will premiere in Montreal in the new year, starring Bruno Pelletier.

This time around, the blood-sucking takes place in a war-torn future, where Jonathan Harker is a journalist and Renfield is a photographer.

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