Bizet’s
Carmen takes the stage Nov. 14 at ASU Teatro Lirico D’Europa performs
classic opera
One of the best known and most popular of all operas,
Georges Bizet’s Carmen, will be performed by Teatro Lirico
D’Europa at 8 p.m. on Nov. 14 in Farthing Auditorium at Appalachian
State University.
Teatro Lirico D’Europa
will perform Georges Bizet’s opera, “Carmen,”
Nov. 14 at ASU. Photo
submitted
Known for its skillful combination of a love story with passionate,
lyrical music and above all, a heroine who is a true, free spirit,
Carmen is considered Bizet’s greatest work. Performed
in French with English supertitles, Teatro Lirico D’Europa‘s
lavish performance features a live orchestra and flamenco dancers.Carmen
is based on the novella by Prosper Merimée, first published
in 1845. Thirty years later, Bizet’s opera premièred
in Paris. Denounced by critics at its opening, the opera
soon after became one of the most widely performed, popular operas,
and has remained so for well over 150 years, capturing the hearts
of audiences around the world.
Carmen is the story of a gypsy woman, who while working in a cigar
factory in 1820s Seville, has a fight with another worker and
is arrested. While escorting her to jail, soldier Don José
falls in love with Carmen and allows her to escape, which lands
him in prison instead. Upon his release—and at the cost
of his military career—Don José seeks out Carmen and
decides to cast his lot with her and her smuggler friends. Meanwhile,
Carmen has fallen in love with handsome toreador Escamillo, but
she agrees to take Don José on a smuggling trip with her
gypsy gang.
Don José begins to unravel as he struggles to keep up with
the smugglers, as well as preserve his claim on Carmen. Upon
his return from home— where he had just bid farewell to his
dying mother— Don José discovers that Carmen and Escamillo
have begun a rapturous affair. After Carmen dismisses his
advances to win her back, a bitter and angry Don José kills
her, throwing himself upon her dead body at the same moment the
toreador makes the kill in the bullring.
Created in 1988 by Bulgarian opera singer Giorgio Lalov and French
ballet divo and arts promoter Yves Josse, Teatro Lirico D’Europa
was an instantaneous success. From its beginning, the company
was very popular with European audiences, establishing itself
as highly competent in delivering traditional, full-scale productions
featuring a large orchestra, chorus and mature opera singers. By
1995, the company had completed more than 2,000 performances to
adoring audiences worldwide. With the death of Yves Josse,
the company shifted its touring focus from Europe to the United
States, performing eight national tours to great critical acclaim.
The Nov. 14 performance of Carmen is Teatro Lirico D’Europa’s
first performance with Appalachian’s Performing Arts Series.
About the company, Opera News lauds, “the solo and ensemble
singing… [is] lusty, whole hearted, full throated and honest. Something
personal and passionate that is often missing from evenings of
opera.”
The 2008-09 Performing Arts Series is a presentation of Appalachian
State University’s Office of Arts and Cultural Programs. The
mission of the series is to support the teaching mission of Appalachian
State University by presenting a diverse array of music, dance
and theatre events designed to enrich the cultural landscape of
the campus and surrounding region. By creating memorable
performance experiences and related educational and outreach activities,
the series promotes the power and excitement of the live performance
experience; provides a “window on the world” through
the artistry of nationally and internationally renowned artists;
and showcases some of the finest artists of Appalachian State
University’s campus community and the surrounding region.
Appalachian’s Performing Arts Series presents events through
April 2009, including the Blind Boys of Alabama (Saturday, Dec.
6); African Children’s Choir (Tuesday, Jan. 27); LA Theatre
Works: The Great Tennessee Monkey Trials (Wednesday, Feb. 11);
Blue Note Records’ 70th Anniversary Tour (Tuesday, Feb. 17);
and North Carolina Dance Theatre’s American Masterpieces
(Thursday, April 2).
A new “Flex 4” pass offers a 10 percent discount and
allows its holder to use four tickets in any combination at any
time throughout the series. Tickets may be purchased by
calling the Box Office at 800-841-ARTS or 828-262-4046 or online
at www.pas.appstate.edu.
The Performing Arts Series would be unable to present and publicize
its wide range of programming without critical support from a
group of sponsors that are dedicated to promoting the arts in
the region, including McDonald’s of Boone, Charter Media,
The Mountain Times, All About Women magazine, the Winston-Salem
Journal, the High Country Press, 100.7 MacFM, Mix 102.3, Mountain
Television Network, WDAV 89.9, WFDD 88.5, WETS 89.5, WNCW 88.7
and WASURocks 90.5FM.
Tickets to the Nov. 14 performance of Carmen are $18 for the general
public, $16 for seniors, ASU faculty and staff and $10 for students
and children. Ticket prices increase at the door on show
nights. For tickets or information, call the Farthing Auditorium
Box Office at 800-841-ARTS(2787) or (828) 262-4046, or visit www.pas.appstate.edu.
Farthing Auditorium is located at 733 Rivers St., and box office
hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Friday.
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