in the break after act one rolando villazon is interviewed about the production, his josé, barenboim and also a bit about his education.here's the translation:(moderation:)the mexican rolando villazon isn't just an outstanding tenor, he's as well a passionate performer. while the stage is rebuilt for act two, you have the opportunity to get to know the 34year-old a better. for 6 years he has now been one of the tenors most in demand around the world. among the many awards he has already received is also a grammy this year. for me personally it was a great honor to meet him in his - rather hot - dressing room.(interview:)(rollando villazon, in this production you're performing don josé for the first time in your opera career. how do you approach to such a popular character of opera history?)i try to find everything that i personally can contribute to this role. first, i look at all that bizet has written - i hav great respect for the genius who wrote this music! - and then it's my task to find in there, what i can do different or completely new way. our production isn't traditional, which perhaps makes it easier to find new colours in this character, in this music.(you are mexican and very popular for your passionateness and temperament - how much of your personality do you let flow into your josé?)a lot and nothing. what i want is to let rolando villazon here in this dressing room, and when i go on stage it's don josé. of course, it's my soul, my life, my blood, my flesh and i also add my inside to this character. but i try to do it completely different to the other characters i sing. it has to be unique and special, and it must have a unique personality. with what i have i must construct something new. for me it's very important that this is not rolando villazon in costume, not like my alfredo in act3 etc. ... no, it has to be completely different. it has to be very clear that this is the personality and soul of don josé, not rolando's.(also for maestro barenboim it's the first carmen in his long career as a conductor - how did the collaboration work?)i'm glad to work with him. every minute there's something new to learn, and there is also a lot of fun, everything is done with great fun. and he asks us, the performers, what we can contribute to this work. he's not a dictator, he never says "you have to sing it like THAT". there's an unbelievable liberty and it's a great pleasure to collaborate with him. we laugh a lot and everytime i return from the rehearsals thinking "today was a wonderful day!"(and this is what we can feel in the hall - this enthusiasm that incites you on stage.just one last question: do we owe your marvellous german to your grandmother?)it's not a marvellous german!i studied in a german school. my grandfather and my great-grandmother came from austria. my great-grandmother wanted me to take along something from her culture and then we found this german school. today i'm very glad to have been there, these years were wonderful - germany is important in my life.(thank you!)

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