Those who remember Carousel will realize how perfect Rob is for Carmen, thanks to his very keen choreographic focus and his gifts as a master storyteller. We’re delighted to present Carmen in a new production, created by a team headed by Rob Ashford, who has directed both The Barber of Seville (his operatic debut) and Carousel so successfully at Lyric. This season at Lyric we’re also presenting the work with spoken dialogue, which will greatly enhance the immediacy and dramatic punch of this wonderful opera. There is, too, the magic of Bizet’s orchestration, which conjures up a dazzling image of sun-drenched Seville. We want to capture its theatricality, as well as the vividness of the characters and their relationships, while also delivering the “thrill factor” in each and every memorable melody.Īnd what melodies they are! Carmen’s Habanera and Seguidilla, Don José’s Flower Song, Escamillo’s Toreador Song, Micaëla’s exquisite Act Three aria – we discover all of this music anew and with joy. And that is indeed a formidable challenge for any company! If what we present to our audiences doesn’t try to recapture the impact that caused such a scandal – but then such a success – at the first Carmen performances, then we’ll be failing in our responsibility to this masterpiece. At the same time, however, we have the challenge of ensuring that our production offers more than a nostalgic journey through our favorite tunes. Obviously, we need to present it in a way that captures its dramatic excitement and energy. The way Lyric – and all other companies producing Georges Bizet’s Carmen – can deal with the appeal of this thrilling piece is first to acknowledge that at this point it is perhaps the world’s most popular and best-known opera, boasting a larger number of hit tunes than in any other opera.
But it’s in opera that she’s made her biggest impact, as the center of a work that, for musical freshness, dramatic power, and sheer atmosphere, remains unsurpassed. Carmen! What a magically alluring character she is in literature, film, theater, and dance.
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