Last month, our little slice of tropical paradise was alive with the sound of music as Forty Winks had the pleasure of hosting members of the cast of the local production of Carmen, a French opera by Georges Bizet.
Staged by the T&T’s acclaimed Marionettes Chorale at the island’s iconic Queen’s Hall, the production featured string players and chorus members from the United Kingdom, who all stayed at the Inn. Every day, our reception area would be filled with singing and the beautiful music of string instruments.
The Marionettes is one of the Caribbean’s leading theatrical performance groups. Their youth and adult chorales have travelled extensively throughout the Caribbean, the Americas and Europe, receiving standing ovations and great reviews.
The production of Bizet’s classic was no different. Critics hailed the Marionettes’ Carmen as “one of the best theatre productions this year [with] masterful performances”; “entertaining and well done”; and “a truly wonderful evening of music”.
T&T’s performing arts sector is thriving year round, with plays, dance recitals and operas. In addition to taking centre-stage at Carnival time our national instrument, the steelpan, is the main attraction at various jazz festivals and pan concerts.
Forty Winks is a short distance from key performance spaces in Port-of-Spain. The Inn is a 5-minute taxi ride away from Queens’ Hall in St. Ann’s, and a leisurely 20-minute walk away from the state-of-the-art National Academy for the Performing Arts.
