Bizet Opera Carmen at Farthing Friday
Teatro Lirico D’Europa presents tale of love and loss in Boone

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 November 14 in Farthing Auditorium. 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 over 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 November 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, including:  the Blind Boys of Alabama (Saturday, December 6); African Children’s Choir (Tuesday, January 27); LA Theatre Works: The Great Tennessee Monkey Trials (Wednesday, February 11); Blue Note Records’ 70th Anniversary Tour (Tuesday, February 17); and North Carolina Dance Theatre’s American Masterpieces (Thursday, April 2).

Performance tickets make great gifts that last throughout the year. A new “Flex 4” pass offers a 10% 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.

Tickets to the November 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 Street, and box office hours are 10am-5pm, Monday-Friday.