Carmen at the Opera House Carmen at the Opera House Date: May 7, 2009 Rock ‘N Roll “Amplified” Wine Tasting at Scores → Michigan Opera Theatre concludes its 2008-09 “Casualties of Love” season with a tale of opera’s most infamous femme fatale, Carmen, in Georges Bizet’s Carmen. The opera will be presented in six performances at the Detroit Opera House May 9-17, 2009. An opera in three acts, Carmen will be sung in French with English supertitle translations projected above the stage. A tragic tale passion and jealousy, Carmen is set in the fiery streets of Seville, Spain in the post-World War II era. Carmen is a beautiful gypsy with a scorching temper whose beauty makes men irresistibly attracted to her. When an inexperienced soldier, Corporal Don José comes along, he immediately falls in love with Carmen and their relationship leads to a tumultuous and disastrous turn of events. After the rejection of his former love, mutiny against his superior and a turn to a life of crime, he ultimately, out of jealousy, murders Carmen.

Originally denounced by critics as a failure at its premiere in 1875, Bizet’s Carmen is now one of the most beloved and performed operas in the repertory. The score includes some of the most famous opera music, including arias such as the Habañera and Torreador Song. To date, Carmen has been adapted in a number of film and theater versions, including Hammerstein’s 1943 musical Carmen Jones, which featured Dorothy Dandridge, and MTV’s 2001 film Carmen: A Hip Hopera starring Beyoncé Knowles. The cast of Carmen includes a returning MOT favorite, mezzo-soprano Kate Aldrich to sing the title role of Carmen, who last appeared in both Falstaff and Carmen in 2001 at the Detroit Opera House. There will also be many MOT debuts in this production, including mezzo-soprano Kendall Gladen who will make her MOT debut alternating in the lead role. Performing the role of Don José is young American tenor John Bellemer, alternating in the role with American tenor William Joyner . Both singers will make their respective MOT debuts.

The role of Spanish toreador Escamillo will be performed by Brazilian baritone Homero Velho, making his MOT debut. Returning to Michigan Opera Theatre for the first time since she made her company debut as Bess in the 2006 production of Porgy and Bess, Janinah Burnett sings the role of Micaela, the estranged fiancé of Don José, one of Carmen’s victims. Maestro Mark D. Flint , who made his MOT debut conducting Carmen in 1977, returns to conduct the Michigan Opera Theatre orchestra in his 28th production with the company. Stage director Ron Daniels, who directed the original production in 2001 in a co-production with Houston Grand Opera, will return to MOT to stage Carmen. Set in post-World War II Spain, costumes are designed by Outer Critics Circle Award winner Constance Hoffman with gorgeous and colorful sets by Riccardo Hernandez. Where: Detroit Opera House, Detroit When: See schedule for details Tix: $29.00-$121.00 Pamina's Opera House » Character Study Corner: Don José Character Study Corner: Don José Hello! Just in case anyone was wondering, I’m still alive!

The reason I haven’t posted here in a while is that I’ve been sucked into the gloriously addictive world of Tumblr. And while I was there I found a new love – amateur literary analysis. I’ve explored various different Tumblr blogs managed by English majors and other literature-lovers, who write long essays defending their favorite fictional characters from popular misconceptions about them. I’ve enjoyed reading those analyses so much that I’ve decided, why not do it myself? Why not write similar pieces about opera characters? I’ve already done it a little bit with my “Opera Canon vs. Opera Fanon” posts, but I didn’t go into the depth of the essays I’ve been reading lately. So here I am, starting with a famous character whom I think is a bit of a magnet for mischaracterization: Don José in Carmen.

Again and again I’ve read the same description of Don José, worded in various ways but always with a the same gist: “A naïve young soldier who falls madly in love with Carmen, sacrifices everything for her, and then kills her out of jealousy.” But as far as I’m concerned, only one part of that description is really true: “young soldier who falls madly in love with Carmen.” The rest is slightly skewed. People seem to view him as just a knife-happier Latin version of Des Grieux or Alfredo Germont – and as with those two, they’re quick to harp on his “stupidity” and “weakness.” I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve heard the word “wimp” used to describe him, and it’s a pet peeve of mine, as are productions that cast boring park-and-bark tenors because the director and/or the conductor thinks the character is just a lovesick puppy who only exists as a fall guy for Carmen. What a disservice to one of the few genuinely complex tenor characters in the standard repertoire! Granted, this character-reduction isn’t fully the fault of the audiences who do it.

For almost a hundred years, Carmen was almost always performed in a distorted, neutered edition of the score, and it often still is today. The Don José of Ernest Guiraud’s “grand opera” edition leans much closer to the above-mentioned capsule description than the José of the original 1875 opéra-comique libretto does – and even in performances of the latter, the spoken dialogue tends to be cut to ribbons, with some telling lines lost. But even then, and even in Guiraud’s recitatives, I think he’s more complex than some people give him credit for. I’ll admit, this is just my interpretation of him. I could be overanalyzing him, misunderstanding the male brain, misunderstanding the nature of love, etc. But as far as I’m concerned, he’s far more than just “naïve” or “wimpy,” and his reasons for killing the woman he loves are far deeper than just “jealousy.” Let’s start by discussing his past.

Repeatedly I’ve read books that state “In Prosper Mérimée’s original book, Don José had to leave his homeland because he killed a man; this is left out of the opera.” Um… pardon me… no, it isn’t. It’s only left out of the Guiraud recitatives. In the original spoken dialogue, it’s right there, along with other details of his backstory, which he tells to Zuniga in Act I. He was originally going to become a priest, but made little progress with his studies because he was just a little bit wayward, spending too much time playing jeu de paume (a medieval sport similar to tennis). One day a man picked a fight with him for beating him at that game… and the result was that he had to flee to Seville. And even in the Guiraud edition, which cuts all this information, there are still vague references in his duet with Micaela to him “repenting” and his mother “forgiving him.” Even when it’s downplayed, we’re dealing with a man who has a checkered past from the start. With that in mind, let’s discuss the first adjective that’s often applied to him: naïve.

Even I’ve described him as naïve in the past. But I don’t think that word should be overemphasized regarding him. While it’s true that the gypsies and smugglers’ world is foreign to him, and you could argue that he’s a fool to ever dream that Carmen could love him faithfully, he doesn’t fall for her because he’s naïve. Notice the beginning of his love for her. It’s not love at first sight – or if it is, it’s not a blissful sensation, but a disturbing one that he tries to suppress. I remember once reading a children’s book retelling of Carmen that said, “From the moment she appeared, he couldn’t take his eyes off her. ” The author must have felt the need to simplify for kids, because nothing could be further from the truth. She targets him because he’s the only man to ignore her. Whether it’s out of loyalty to Micaela (which the Guiraud recitatives would have us believe; the spoken dialogue is more ambiguous about whether he loves her or not), or just because of the values he was raised with (“These Andalusia women scare me. I don’t understand them.

They’re always teasing.”), he resists her charms until she throws the fateful flower, and even then his first instinct is to be offended. Plus, in the uncut dialogue, he has a snarky line that sounds far from naïve: “Women are like cats; they don’t come when you call, but when you don’t call, they come.” Then, in the duet with Micaela, he sings of the “demon” to which he was “almost prey,” and during the Seguedilla he tries to resist Carmen with all his might. Of course he eventually caves, but still, he’s not a male version of Cio-Cio-San seduced by Pinkerton or Gilda by the Duke – trusting innocents who fall ecstatically in love, not realizing they’re being played. He knows from the start that Carmen is trouble, and he tries to stay away, but fails. Now let’s deconstruct the next often-heard statement: that he “sacrifices everything for Carmen.” The word “sacrifice” implies a willing action, like Butterfly giving up her culture for Pinkerton.

But only one of José’s “sacrifices” is fully his own choice: letting Carmen escape after her arrest and going to prison for it. And even then, his feelings are complex. Even in the Flower Song, the sweetest, purest outpouring of his love for Carmen, he sings that in jail he cursed her and “detested” her, even as he pined for her – and this is before he has any inkling that she’ll be unfaithful. His first response to falling in love with her is to try to resist her (see above), and when that fails, the next thing he does is try to incorporate her into his existing life. He refuses to escape from prison even when she sends him the tools to do so (a detail cut from Guiraud’s recitatives), and despite having spent a month yearning for her, he insists on cutting their reunion short when the bugles call him back to the barracks. Then, when she demands he chose between her and the army, when he faces the classic dilemma of love vs. duty, what does he choose? Duty.

He sadly bids Carmen “Farewell forever!” But then, of course, Zuniga bursts in, mocks him and tries to replace him as Carmen’s lover, and José attacks him, which leaves him with no choice but to run away. Everything he loses at the end of Act II – his honor, his place in the army, contact with his mother, and his whole life as he knew it – he loses because of his impulsive jealous rage. He doesn’t give them up willingly. This brings me to my next point. Jealousy obviously looms large in José’s character, but still, I think it’s reductive to say that jealousy is what drives him to kill Carmen. It’s partly jealousy, but not only that; he’s not like Othello, who idolizes Desdemona but then vows to kill her as soon as Iago convinces him she’s cheating. As I’ve outlined above, José is torn between love and hate for Carmen almost from the start.

He loses everything he values because of her (loses because of, not sacrifices for; he fights tooth and nail every step of the way), and in return he obviously thinks he deserves her utmost love, loyalty, obedience, and everything else a man of his upbringing expects from his woman. But instead she demands more than she gives, never obeys him, loves him only on her own terms, and eventually stops loving him altogether and, in his own words, “falls into [Escamillo’s] arms, laughing at [José].” His murderous rage isn’t just about her leaving him for another man. That’s only the last straw. Yet another detail worth remembering is José’s devout Catholic upbringing. Some recent productions have emphasized it more than others (e.g. the religious imagery in Francesca Zambello’s Covent Garden staging, the crucifix he wears in the final scene of Richard Eyre’s Met staging), but it still tends to get overlooked. He studied to be a priest, for goodness’ sake! But even in productions that cut that information (i.e. most), the scenes with Micaela, representative of his old life, are full of references to God and praying.

And if you read the libretto closely, you notice that his lines in the final scene are full of references to salvation and damnation. I wonder… should we take those references symbolically or literally? “Let me save you,” he begs Carmen, “and save myself with you!”: does he mean “from an empty life devoid of true love” or “from a life of sin”? He cries that he’s lost his “soul’s salvation”: does he mean it figuratively, or actually believe that his love for Carmen has damned his soul to Hell? And what should we make of his cry at the moment he stabs her: “Damnée!”? I’ve seen that word translated both as “Damn you!” and as “You are damned!” Is he just swearing, or does he see himself as sending her to Hell? Is he “taking her with him”? Last but not least, let’s discuss that label I’ve heard used again, again and again to describe him: “wimp.” Now, I won’t deny, he’s a hopelessly weak-willed man.

I won’t try to claim that his rages equal strength – I know that a man who can’t control his anger is just as weak as a man who never stands up for himself. But I don’t think most people call him a wimp because he can’t control his anger. I think when they say “wimp,” they’re remembering his pathetic begging for Carmen to have pity on him in Act II and in the final scene. They’re remembering the Flower Song, the end of the Seguidilla, and every other moment where he lets Carmen rule over him. They don’t seem to remember that the Flower Song starts with him viciously grabbing Carmen by the arm (and in many productions, hurling her to the floor), declaring, “You will listen to me!” They seem to forget that he loses his status as a soldier not because he gives it up for love, but because he nearly murders his lieutenant out of jealousy, and that he repeats that scenario even more viciously with Escamillo in Act III. Not to mention his tendency to threaten Carmen that appears long before he kills her.

Please tell me I’m not the only person whose inner feminist cringes in Act III when he grabs her and sings “I’ve caught you, damned whore, and I’ll force you to submit to the destiny that binds you to me!” I’ll admit that in some moments, he acts like a wimp, but in other moments he shows all the worst traits of a controlling alpha-male bully. The fact that people seem to forget about the latter disturbs me a little bit from a female standpoint. Some people say that Carmen leaves José for Escamillo because José is a sissy and she wants an alpha male… I don’t think so! She does what she does because she craves freedom, which Escamillo is man enough to let her have, but José never will. If José were just another lovesick tenor with a jealous streak, I don’t think I’d like Carmen half as much as I do. But he isn’t. He’s multifaceted. He makes horrible mistakes despite knowing better. He lacks a spine whenever he needs one most, but stands up for himself much too forcefully when he’d be better off yielding.

He shows us the danger not just of loving a fickle woman, but of loving someone whose values and way of life are completely incompatible with yours. Yet it isn’t just love for Carmen that causes his downward spiral: the seeds are there before they even meet. He’s too wild to live a conservative life and too conservative to live a wild life. He tries to control both Carmen and himself, but always fails. He loves and hates Carmen with equal burning passion and it’s easy for an audience to both love and hate him. I’d never want to be in the same room with him, but I like him as a character, no question. He’s good old Don José, and Carmen wouldn’t be Carmen if he were any different. Full text of "Bizet's Carmen" See other formats 33 30 o 3D J> 30 > _ - -^=^'.

VII NIGHTS AT THE OPERA BIZET'S CARMEN By Fraftcis Burgess Digitized by the Internet Arcliive in 2007 witli funding from IVIicrosof-t Corporation littp:// NIGHTS AT THE OPERA NIGHTS AT THE OPERA NIGHTS AT THE OPERA L-BIZET'S CARMEN By Francis Burgess (F.S.J. Scot.) MCMXIII ALEXANDER MORING LTD. THE DE LA MORE PRESS 32 GEORGE STREET HANOVER SQUARE W, ^ ' ' UNIVERSITY OF CAT TFORNfA /Od SANTA BARBARA CONTENTS I. The Composer Page 7 II. The Story 1 1 III. The Production of the Opera 2 1 IV. The Characters represented 25 V. Music and Story side-by-side 27 I. The Composer. GEORGES (ALEXANDRE CESAR LEOPOLD) BIZET was born in Paris on October 25th, 1838.

Entering the Conservatoire at an early age, he studied composition under Halevy, a pupil of the great Cherubini, and the master under whom Charles Gounod had studied a few years before. Bizet's first composition, pro- duced when he was nineteen years old, was an operetta, entitled "Docteur Miracle," but it proved to be an insig- nificant work, and was soon forgotten. Bizet also became a pupil of Zimmerman (the distinguished Professor of the Piano at the Conservatoire, whose daughter had 7 Bizet's married Gounod), and under his instruc- tion became a very brilliant pianist. Like his friend Gounod, Bizet also won the Grand Prix de Rome, and on returning to Paris produced " Vasco and Gama," in 1863, which, although showing considerable development, did not gain any lasting favour. His next opera was "Les P^cheurs de Perles," produced at the Theatre Lyrique in 1863, and eventually given at Covent Garden as *' Leila" in 1887.

" La Jolie Fille de Perth," an opera in four acts, the ballet-music of which was afterwards incorporated into " Carmen," saw the light in 1867, and in the same year an operetta entitled " Malbrough s'en-va-t-en guerre," the joint work of Jonas, Legouix, Delibes, and Bizet, was produced at the Ath6n6e. In 1869 Bizet married the daughter 8 Carmen of his old master, Hal6vy (whose biblical opera " Noe " he completed), and that year sawthe production of his best-known Sym- phony, entitled " Souvenirs de Rome," which was afterwards performed at the Crystal Palace in 1880.

'^Djamileh," produced in 1872 (performed at Covent Garden in June, 1 903), was unsuccessful, but a certain amount of praise was gained by his interludes to Daudet's "I'Arlesi- enne" (produced, with the English ver- sion of the play, at the Prince of Wales's Theatre in June, 1887), and his overture ** Patrie " attained some popularity. Bizet's last effort was " Carmen," which, although not enthusiastically re- ceived in Paris, is now generally con- sidered to be his masterpiece. Three months after its first performance the composer died suddenly, on June 3rd, 1875, ^^ t^^ early age of 37. 9 Bizet's Carmen In addition to the works enumerated above, Bizet was the author of many pianoforte works and arrangements, and of several volumes of charming songs. While it cannot be pretended that he was a great genius, it is certain that Bizet was a man of exceptional musical talent.

His untimely death disappointed the high hopes that had been entertained of him, and it is unfair to judge him on the works which he had accomplished. Had he lived longer there can be little doubt that the success which he achieved with his " Carmen " would have led to further works showing greater develop- ment and strength. As it is we must be grateful to his memory for the fascinating music which still gives such pleasure to the devotees of the lighter sort of opera. 10 II. The Story. THE libretto of ** Carmen" was prepared by Meilhac and Hal^vy, and is founded upon the well-known story (with the same title) by Prosper Merimee. The scene of the story is laid in Seville, the period being the early part of the nineteenth century. A band of soldiers, waiting for the guard to be changed, are watching the passers-by, when Micaela appears, bearing a mes- sage to the brigadier, Don Jos6, from his mother. As he is not with the company she departs, resisting the im- portunities of the officer on guard that she should remain to await Don Jos6's II Bizet's arrival.

At length the relief guard, with Don Jos6, arrives on the scene, and a company of young men also appears to await the arrival of the cigarette girls, whose factory faces the guard- house. When the girls enter, the young men eagerly ask for Carmen, the greatest beauty of them all. She arrives, and at once becomes the centre of attraction, but disdaining the attentions which are thrust upon her, she coquettishly singles out Don Jos6, who up to now has remained indifferent, and, as a mark of her favour, gives him the flowers she has been wearing in her dress. He is gradually succumbing to her fascina- tions when the factory bell rings, and the girls have hastily to return to their work. Micaela now arrives in search of 12 Carmen Don Jos6, and, finding him, gives him a purse, with an affectionate message from his mother. The thoughts of his old home and of his mother's love, banish the tumultuous passion which the fascinating Carmen has excited, and he resolves to fulfil his mother's wishes by devoting himself to the gentle and good Micaela.

He is on the point of throwing away the flowers which Carmen has given him, when a great noise is heard inside the factory, and the girls rush out excitedly. There has been a quarrel, and Carmen has stabbed another girl in a fit of pas- sion. Carmen is apprehended, and the oflficer in command bids Don Jos6 keep her in custody. Instead of ex- pressing contrition she is saucy towards the officer, who, to avoid further mis- chief, decides to send her to prison, and Bizet's departs to procure an order for her detention, leaving her alone with Don Jose. She now brings all her fascinations to bear upon the unfortunate brigadier, until at last he consents to connive at her escape, and arranges to meet her at an inn near the ramparts. The officer in command reappears with the order for her imprisonment, and commands Don Jos6, with two soldiers, to conduct her to the gaol.

At the foot of the bridge Carmen gives Don Jos6 a sudden push, according to the preconcerted scheme, and in the confusion which follows she manages to escape, aided by some of the girl friends who are accompanying her, Don Jos6 being taken to prison for his share in the matter. The second act opens at the inn near the ramparts, and shows Carmen with her friends, some of whom are gipsies 14 Carmen and smugglers, while some officers and soldiers are also present. Their captain is paying attention to Carmen, but she treats him coquettishly. Escamillo, the famous toreador of Granada, appears, and is warmly welcomed by those present. He at once devotes himself to Carmen, who alternately receives and rejects his advances. The inn closes, and Escamillo and the soldiers depart. II Dancairo and II Remendado, two smugglers, seek Carmen's assistance, but she refuses to go with them, saying that she will remain there until her lover, Don Jose, is released from prison. The smugglers prevail on her to induce the brigadier to join their band, and she agrees to do this.

At last Don Jose arrives, and is over- joyed to see her, while she, exercising her fascination over him, tempts him to IS Bizet's desert from his regiment. He refuses to dishonour his name, and is about to leave her when his superior ofRcer enters and, jealous of the preference which Carmen has shown for Don Jose, summarily orders the brigadier to de- part. Don Jose madly draws his sword and challenges the officer, while Carmen calls for aid. The smugglers answer her summons, and, disarming the officer, make him a prisoner. Don Jose being now for ever debarred from rejoining his regiment, flies to the mountains in company with Carmen and the gipsies. The third act introduces us to the wild haunt of the smugglers in the rocks. It is night, and the men are busily engaged in securing some booty. Carmen is there, and her love for Don Jose is waning, but he is still i6 Carmen passionately attached to her, although the thoughts of his mother and the dishonour he has brought upon his name, oftentimes fill him with remorse and despair.

Just as Josd is leaving the haunt to take up his appointed post of observation on the rocks, the toreador, Escamillo, arrives. Madly in love with Carmen he has sought out her place of retreat, and not recognising Don Jos6 reveals to him his passion for the object of his search. Maddened with jealousy Don Jos6 draws his sword and challenges him to fight, but Carmen and the smugglers rush in and separate them. Escmillo thereupon bids them farewell, and prepares to depart. A scene then ensues between the faithless Carmen and Jos6, who upbraids her with her dis- loyalty. She disregards his threats of vengeance, and treats his love slightingly. 17 Bizet's At this point Micaela appears in search of Don Jos6, and summons him to go with her to the bedside of his mother, who is dying. A great conflict then takes place in Jose's mind, but at last his sense of filial duty prevails and he prepares to follow Micaela, at the same time repeating his threats of vengeance should Carmen prove un- faithful. The scene of the fourth act is laid at Seville.

Escamillo is present, about to take part in a great bull-fight, and Carmen, who has now cast in her lot with him, is there too, with her friends Frasquita and Mercedes. Don Jos6, having attended upon his mother in her last moments, has arrived at Seville in search of Carmen, and is furtively watching her from among the crowd. Frasquita and Mercedes warn her that i8 Carmen Jos6 is in Seville, but in spite of their entreaties she refuses to conceal herself, and determines to meet him boldly. When she is left alone Jos6 appears and confronts her. He pleads with her, and vainly endeavours to revive her old love for him. Carmen turns a deaf ear to his passionate appeals, and at last spurns him by flinging at his feet the ring which he had given her as a token of his love. At this moment the shouts of the multitude are heard proclaiming the victory of Escamillo, and Carmen utters an exclamation of joy at the triumph of her new lover. Maddened by her rejection of him, Don Jos6 draws a dagger to slay her.

She appeals for mercy, and endeavours to escape, but Jos6, who is now bereft of his senses, rushing upon her, stabs her to the heart, and as the crowd enters, 19 Bizet's Carmen escorting the victorious Escamillo, who has come to share his triumph with her, Carmen falls dead upon the ground. 20 III. The Production of the Opera. "/BARMEN" was first performed at V_>< the Paris Op6ra Comique on March 3rd, 1875, when Mme. Galli- Mari6 took the title-role. It did not meet with much success on that occasion, the story being somewhat over-bold for the polite tastes of the French public of that period. Its first performance in England took place on June 22nd, 1878, when it was produced in Italian by Mr. Mapleson at Her Majesty's Theatre, with Mme. Minnie Hauck as Carmen, and it was then that its enormous popularity may be said to have begun. It was produced at Her Majesty's Theatre in French on 21 Bizet's November 8th, 1886, with Mme.

Galli- Mari6 in her original part. The Carl Rosa Company produced it in English atthe same theatre on February 5th, 1879, with Madame Marie Roze as the heroine, and it is now one of the favourite operas in the repertoire of that company. Madame Marie Roze gave a modi- fied and softened rendering of the name- part, by which the brutal animalism of the gipsy girl was less prominently brought out, and this artist's interpreta- tion of the character has been followed by Madame Trebelli, and later by Madame Patti, Mile. Zelie de Lussan and many others. The coarser and more boisterous conception of the leading character which the original exponent of the part portrayed has been adhered to by Madame Pauline Lucca, Mile. Belincioni, and, above all, by Madame Calv6. 22 Carmen The vocal score is published in several editions by Messrs. Metzler & Co., of Great Marlborough Street, to whom the writer of this sketch is indebted for their kind permission to reproduce excerpts from the score in Chapter V. 23 IV. THE CHARACTERS REPRE- SENTED.

DON JOSE, a Brigadier {tenor). ESCAMILLO, a Toreador {baritone). IL DANCAIRO, a Smuggler {tenor). IL REMENDADO, a Smuggler {tenor). ZUNIGER, a Captain {bass), MORALES, a Brigadier {baritone). CARMEN, a Cigarette Girl, after- wards a Gipsy {mezzo-soprano). MICAELA, a Peasant Girl {soprano). FRASQUITA, a friend of Carmen {soprano). MERCEDES, a friend of Carmen {soprano). LILLAS PASTIA, an Innkeeper. 25 V. Music and Story side-by-side. THE Prelude, though quite short, carries us straight away into the " atmosphere " of the opera. Commenc- ing with a bright and spirited allegro movement of fifty bars, it next introduces the "toreador" theme, played softly, and repeated fortissimo. The first theme then re-appears, and is followed by a short andante phrase in three-four time, expressive of the tragic death of Carmen in the last act. First Act.

The curtain rises, and with a few bars of introduction in the orchestra, 27 Bizet's the first chorus (of tenors and basses) is heard : — S«,Uie square U \iki t (aa Aju) tug&andlow Qigieaadp>; etc., with a short solo part for Morales. Then Micaela enters, introduced by a few pianissimo bars in the orchestra, and enquires for Don Jos6. On finding that he is not there she wishes to retire, but is pressed by Morales and the soldiers to rest awhile in their guard- house. The entreaties of the chorus and the expostulations of Micaela are admirably welded together, until she, reiterating her refusal, manages to escape. The soldiers then repeat their first chorus, and trumpets are heard behind the scenes heralding the approach of the relief guard.

The trumpet call is re- repeated in the orchestra, followed by 28 Carmen the theme of the " Chorus of Boys " : TroD pettlrinj; oat oorre ward, Han n-tafbo,)^ ra Morales tells Don Jos6 (who has entered with the relief guard) that a maiden has been seeking him, the orchestra mean- while murmuring a phrase which has previously been heard during Micaela's duet. Don Jos6 replies that it must have been his cousin Micaela. The trumpet call is then repeated, followed again by the chorus of boys, and the first company of soldiers retires. A recitative passage then follows between Don Jos6 and his captain, Zuniger, in the course of which the Micaela theme is again heard in the orchestra. This is followed by short passages for tenors and basses, expressive of the impatience of 29 Bizet's the young men who are awaiting the arrival of the girls from the factory, when the girls appear holding lighted cigarettes and singing a chorus : — See, vhite cknl-leU rii . in;. F^.

fiigje Uending, The young men ask for Carmen, who has not yet been seen, and when she appears she is greeted with acclamations and compliments, to which she returns a coquettish answer. Carmen then sings a bewitching air, commencing : fly Ca-reering wtu iter be aiqr cbooee which is repeated, with a slight varia- tion, by the chorus, singing pianissimo. The air continues : — etc., with some beautiful interpolations by 30 Carmen the chorus. This song is quite one of the finest features of the opera. Although quite simple in its construc- tion, its fascinations do not pall through frequent hearing. It is the embodiment of coquetry and abandonment, and possesses a haunting charm which is not easily forgotten. The first meeting between Carmen and Don Jos6 is announced in the orchestra by the "death theme," which has already been heard at the end of the Prelude. The chorus then repeats the air *'When love unfurls his wings," and retires, leaving Don Jos6 to meditate on the fascinations of Carmen, the orchestra repeating meanwhile the theme of Car- men's air.

The entrance of Micaela, bearing a message for Don Jos6 from his mother, leads up to a charming duet, followed by a recitative passage, which 31 Bizet's is soon succeeded by the hurried en- trance of the cigarette girls, who rush from their factory in an excited manner, announcing that Carmen has quarrelled with Manuelita and has stabbed her. The chorus (in which the second sopranos accuse Manuelita, while the firsts blame her assailant) is worked up to a very fine climax. Carmen is brought in and interrogated by the captain, who orders her imprisonment, she answering him defiantly. Zuniger departs to obtain an order for her committal, and leaves her in charge of Don Jose, after binding her hands to prevent escape. The scene which follows is a triumph for the heroine. Allowing her thoughts to escape her she confesses that she loves Don Jos6. Under the spell of her fascinations he consents to allow her to escape, and promises to meet her at 3^ Carmen the inn, near the ramparts, kept by her friend Lillas Pastia.

The finale consists of a repetition of the air "When love unfurls his wings," afterwhich Carmen escapes from custody, aided by her lover and some of her gipsy friends, Don Jose being taken to prison for aiding her in escape. Second Act. The scene is now laid at the inn of Lillas Pastia, and the curtain rises upon Carmen, who is making merry with her gipsy friends. They are all dancing and singing. Don Josh's captain, Zuniger, is also present, and is taking part in the carousal. The hour has come for closing the tavern, and Zuniger tells Carmen that Don Jos6, who has been imprisoned for two months, is 33 Bizet's now free. The arrival of Escamillo is heralded by a chorus of men, in which Frasquita, Mercedes, and Carmen after- wards join. Then follows the famous Toreador's Song, beginning : Sinijfour toast aoaun«aui«lifweraltia-iDg,IUnaiy{la** iPMldieng^vwdbokl: the refrain, to re a-dor, cam guard . etc., being repeated by all present.

This is followed by a recitative passage between Escamillo and Carmen, who treats his compliments with her usual coquetry. Escamillo takes his depar- ture as the orchestra plays the theme of the Toreador's Song, which gradually becomes softer and softer until it dies away altogether, giving place to a recita- tive and quintette between II Dancairo, 34 Carmen II Remendado, Carmen, Frasquita, and Mercedes, in which the two smugglers invite the aid of the three gipsies for an illicit project which they are about to undertake. Carmen will not, go with them at once, however, but, confessing that she has fallen in love, insists on waiting for Don Jos6. The brigadier's voice is then heard in a charming banzonet, commencing : Who gtetlben} WIta coMlbenl Or»-p]oo4Al<M and Carmen and Don Jos6 at last meet.

Carmen having promised to beguile Don Jos6 into deserting from his com- pany in order that he may join the smugglers' band, bids him sit beside her while she sings a song of her own com- posing. The song (usually sung with a charming castanet accompaniment) is interrupted by a trumpet summons which 35 Bizet's bids Don Jos6 rejoin his company. Carmen mocks him for wishing to leave her, and reproaches him for having allowed his love for her to grow cold. Don Jos^ piteously protests that he adores her, but she still tempts him, and as he will not do her bidding, bids him leave her for she now hates him. Don Jose, whose honour and sense of duty have triumphed over his passion for her, in a scene of great power bids her an agonised farewell for ever, when his captain, the jealous Zuniger, forcing his way through the closed door, insolently bids the brigadier rejoin his regiment.

Don Jose, maddened with passion and despair, draws his sword and challenges the captain, thereby cutting himself off for ever from his soldierly career, while the smugglers, summoned by the frightened Carmen, make Zuniger a 36 Carmen prisoner. The second act then comes to an end with the chorus, "Away to the mountains, away ; There is our life careless and gay," etc. and Don Jose departs with Carmen and the others to take up his abode with the smugglers. Third Act. The scene of the opera now opens at the haunt of the smugglers. Carmen and Don Josd have become members of the fraternity, and her love for him has already begun to grow cold, although he still adores her as passionately as ever. The third act opens with a short chorus by the tenors and basses, followed by a charming sextet from Frasquita, Mercedes and Carmen, with Don Jose, 11 Remendado and II Dancairo, in which 37 Bizet's the chorus ultimately join.

The smug- glers then lie down to take a short rest, the orchestra repeating pianissimo a theme which has been heard frequently during the introduction and first chorus in this act. A recitative passage follows be- tween Carmen and her lover. He is thinking remorsefully of his mother, who still believes him to be an honest soldier. Carmen betrays the waning of her love by telling him to hasten to his mother, for a smuggler's life would never suit him. This passage is succeeded by a terzetto, sung by Frasquita and Mercedes as they endeavour to discover their fortunes by a pack of cards. Carmen takes up the cards to read her fate, and sees that a speedy death is foretold for her. Again 38 Carmen she deals the cards, only to find again that her fate is near, and that her death will be followed by that of her lover. Frasquita and Mercedes then repeat their song, in which Carmen now joins, bewailing her coming fate. The time has now come for the smugglers to depart.

They decide to take Carmen and her two gipsy friends with them so as to appeal to the gallantry of the guards, should they be disposed to molest the smugglers. Before they go a very pleasing number is sung, com- mencing as a trio, with Frasquita, Mercedes, and Carmen, the chorus and then the two smugglers afterwards join- ing in. The haunt is now deserted, Don Jos6 being left on guard in the neighbourhood. After a few slow bars in the orchestra, the frightened Micaela enters in search 39 Bizet's of her cousin. She has bravely sought the haunt of the smugglers, but on reaching it her courage fails, and she utters a fervent prayer to heaven for protection. At last she sees the form of Don Jose on guard on a rock near by, but a stranger is approaching, and just as she is calling to her cousin, he raises his rifle and fires, narrowly missing the stranger, who proves to be Escamillo.

The toreador proceeds to explain to Don Jose that he has come in search of Carmen, with whom he has fallen in love, and an expressive duet takes place between them, ending in the infuriated Jos^ challenging Escamillo to a hand-to- hand fight with knives. The climax of the duet is a splendid piece of writing, throbbing as it does with fury and passion. Carmen and the smugglers return, and Escamillo, after paying court 40 Carmen to Carmen and bidding defiance to Don Jos6, turns to depart. He invites all present to attend the forthcoming bull- fight at Seville, and as he bids them adieu the toreador theme is again heard in the orchestra. II Remendado then discovers that a stranger is in hiding, who proves to be Micaela. She now confronts Jose, and tells him that his mother wishes to see him before she dies. The beautiful air through which the village girl conveys her message is a repetition of the one which she has already sung in the first act, when giving Jose his mother's letter. Carmen urges Don Jos6 to go, but he refuses to leave her, and vows that she shall remain his alone until death.

41 Bizet's Micaela again appeals to her cousin, who at last consents to tear himself away from Carmen for a time to attend his mother's dying bed. As he goes the voice of Escamillo is heard singing the retrain of the toreador's song. Fourth Act. We now approach the climax of the opera. The scene is laid in the square at Seville, and all is gay with life and anticipation of the impending bull-fight. After a short chorus of Spanish girls, who have fans and oranges and cigar- ettes to sell, those who are to take part in the coming spectacle begin to march in groups. As they come they are received with a chorus of approval or dislike according to their popularity with the crowd. Escamillo is the greatest 42 Carmen favourite of all, and as he enters the chorus take up the theme of the torea- dor's song : — The faithless Carmen is there, and Escamillo vows that if she loves him she shall presently be proud of him. She replies that she is ready to die for love of him.

The jealous Jose is seen mingling with the crowd, and Frasquita and Mercedes bid Carmen fly from the danger which threatens her, but she will not. The populace begins to proceed to the arena, the orchestra meanwhile playing a spirited phrase which has already been heard at the beginning of the Prelude : — 43 Bizet's Don Jos6 now confronts his faithless Carmen, and asks her to return to him. In a scene of great pathos he again and again pleads with her, but she tells him that she no longer loves him. The duet between them is interrupted by the distant chorus in the arena pro- claiming the victory of Escamillo, and as Carmen hears it she utters an exclama- tion of joy and attempts to go to her new lover. The infuriated Jose will not let her pass, and as she confesses her undying love for the toreador, the chorus is again heard proclaiming victory. Don Jos6, drawing his dagger, once more appeals to her to be his. She again refuses, and drawing his ring from her finger casts it at his feet.

The maddened Jose thrusts the dagger to her heart with a curse, and as she falls the crowd enters singing the toreador's 44 Carmen song, and escorting the victorious and elated Escamillo to his mistress, who is discovered lying dead, with her lover, Don Jose, now bereft of his senses, kneeling beside her breathless body. 45 UtERARY TTNTVERSn'Y OF CAI/IFOTINIA SANTA BARBARA NIGHTS AT THE OPERA I Nights at the Opera Each volume contains an analysis of the music, tog with a running^commcntary on the dramatic elemci the opera. Narrow 8vo, suitable size for the pc 1/- net. VOLUMES IN THE SERIES 1. LOHENGRIN. By Wakeling Dry 2. TANNH^USER. By Wakeling Dry 3. TRISTAN & ISOLDE. By Wakeling Dry 4. MEISTERSINGER. By Wakeling Dry 5. RING DES NIBELUNGEN (Rheingold, Walk Siegfried, Gotterdftmmerung). By Wakeling 7. CARMEN.

By Francis Burgess, F.S.A. Scot 8. FAUST. By Francis Burgess, F.S.A. Scot. 9. DON GIOVANNI. By Francis Burgess, F.S.A. Sco to. IL TROVATORE. By Francis Burgess, F.S.A. So 11. RIGOLETTO. By Francis Burgess, F.S.A. Scot. 12. THE FLYING DUTCHMAN. By Wakeling D! 13. MADAME BUTTERFLY. By Dr. E. Markham I 14. LA BOHEME. By Dr. E. Markham Lee t5. THE GIRL OF THE GOLDEN WEST Fanciulla del West), By Dr. E. Markham Lee 16. LOUISE. By W. H. Daly 17. PARSIFAL. By Wakeling Dry and J. B.

Croft UC SOUTHERN RFGIONAL AA 000134 University of California SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY 305 De Neve Drive - Parking Lot 17 • Box 951388 LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA 90095-1388 Return this material to the library f^om which it was borrowed. ISUAmtT^lDAH flp' a wimtm i w utn i i uu » ;» mtj un jji i6. LOUISE. By W. H. Daly 17. PARSIFAL. By Wakeling Dhv and J. B, Croft UC SOUTHERN REG III III mill A A 000 134 94^ View All Critic Reviews (2) Audience Reviews for The Loves of Carmen "the loves of carmen" is rita hayworth's excerpt of sex appeal in the end of 40s.

the marvellous novelty is that the music score doesn't include the cliched opera tune of carmen but a bunch of swifty catchy flamenco which rita hayworth dances feverishly along, especially in the scene of gypsy squad. hayworth sways her long skirt and you glimpse her fair lengthy legs during the vivacious choreographic sequence as if she's caught on fire, sizzling with millions watts of charisma despite she's full-clothed under the gypsy constumes without baring her crevice but the tender neckline of hers is enough to intoxicate you. hayworth incarnates into the love godess carmen who embraces the epicureanism of ephemeral fun for life, love as you want, do whatever you want for the sake of ultimate gayety in spite of morality and commitment. supposedly, the role of carmen is a nymphamaniac tramp, but she is queen bitch who dominates men under her skirt. but hayworth's interpretation transcends her into something tinted with a oblvious naivety to a degree, a charming ingenue who disregards the consequence of her deeds but live with all her passion of life.

besides hayworth's sensuality is never too blatantly exposed, considering the routines of bombshell liks monroe or bardot, the feminine accesories of hers remain concealed for most of the time except several crucial scenes her legs become the catalysis of don jose's doom. mostly she allures you with her brillaint smile and the shiny marble grin of hers. (her teeth look so incredibly beautiful indeed when she grins)...even in some scenes, rita curses, glares and spits but she would never leave you an impression of being vulgarly chessy. don jose is played by glenn ford who is dashingly handsome to match hayworth whether ford is polished enough to be the well-bred don jose. ford does perform well as the don jose with boyish admiration for carmen, a man of pure vigor that could burn for love. the technicolor hues are cheerfully spirit-reviving that is appropriate to embellish the background of carmen's tumultuous affairs (or simply just romances. she only appears as a sporty heart-stealer, not really specifically a horny phallis-stimulater. oh.

pardon.) above all, some further notes would be the wardrobe designer jean louis and the hairstylist helen hunt who help to accomplish rita's refinded devilish allure on her gorgeous constumes and flamy wavy hair. of course, mostly the music score is worthy of applaud for composer mario castelnuovo-tedesco. and the choreographer is robert sidney who might be the hispanic male who dances with hayworth in the gypsy squad. at the last scene, the camera angle is also well-shot with hayworth laying upon glenn ford over the stairs in distance then a black cat passes the flatform as fatalistic closure of the story. Veronique Kwak Events — Nicole Car 7:00pm 19:00 Laugh at love, old man, for you and I both know that women are all the same. But don't say your heart isn't moved when I sing of love... Mozart's opera about testing fidelity is an intriguing story set to music of impossible beauty. Two men disguise themselves as Albanians and attempt to seduce each other's lover in an elaborate ruse to win a bet. Absurd?

Yes, but Mozart's luminous music takes the absurd and makes it sublime. Come along for a merry ride and you’ll see that under that veil of farce is a poignant drama about love, faith, loss and sex. Director David McVicar delivered profound and acclaimed productions of Don Giovanni and The Marriage of Figaro, so we're excited to see what he has in store for this final instalment of the Da Ponte trilogy. Jonathan Darlington returns to conduct a cast of Opera Australia's finest talents, along with American tenor Charles Castronovo, who makes his Australian debut. Introduction by David McVicar "Così fan tutte!" (All women are the same!); so believes the cynical old philosopher Don Alfonso and his reckless young friends, the officers Guglielmo and Ferrando agree to put his theory to the test, participating in an elaborate charade, attempting the seduction of each other's fiancees, the sisters Fiordiligi and Dorabella. The four young people soon discover more about each other, themselves and life itself than any of them have bargained for.

Mozart's bitter-sweet romantic comedy was his final collaboration with the greatest of his librettists, Lorenzo Da Ponte, following the triumphant successes of The Marriage of Figaro and Don Giovanni. Premiered in 1790, just one year before Mozart's death, it was also a huge hit; but the sudden death of the Austrian Emperor Joseph II curtailed performances and Mozart's own death the following winter put paid to any immediate revivals. It was not until the early 20th century, with notable productions in Vienna under the direction of Gustav Mahler and at Glyndebourne in 1934, that the public began once again to appreciate a work, dismissed in the 19th century as immoral, disgraceful or even worthless. The questions the opera poses to an audience are today even greater and possibly more disturbing. Often played in the past as an all-out farce, the subtle mix of sexual politics, heart-break, loss and pain that are inherent in the final masterpiece of Mozart and Da Ponte are more relevant today than ever before.

The new production sets this most troubling and ambiguous of operatic comedies in the dying days of a Europe about to lose itself in the carnage of the First World War. The ravishing costumes of the early 1900's are bathed in the late summer light of an age of innocence and elegance on the brink of being shattered, as the lives of the four lovers in the comedy ultimately are. Show Dates: 8:30pm 20:30 The first words uttered by Carmen mark one of the greatest entrances in the history of opera and express all that need be said: “Love is a rebellious bird that no one can tame…” With a devilish sway of the hips and a hint of Andalusian flair, the beautiful cigar-maker sets her sights on a soldier: Don José. Fate will do the rest. Though immediately regarded as a masterpiece throughout Europe, it took time for Carmen to win acceptance in Paris where it received a lukewarm reception at its premiere in 1875.

Composed to a libretto by Meilhac and Halévy based on Prosper Mérimée’s novella, the opera exploded the boundaries between tragedy and comedy with a modernity that caused a scandal at the time. Can we kill the one we love with love? The fiery beauty of Bizet’s music, where one unforgettable aria follows another, has worked year in, year out to make it the world’s most performed opera. 19:30 Upstairs, downstairs, inside, outside, dressups and dressing downs, all in a day's work. Mozart's classic comedy has been entertaining crowds for centuries, and between the witty, fast-moving libretto and the melodic, charming ensemble writing, it's not hard to understand why. "Music by Mozart and libretto by Da Ponte — this is the best you can get in an opera," says Nicole Car, who makes her Australian debut as the Countess. "Figaro is all about the interplay between the characters, so it's fun to work with singers you know really well to develop those relationships on stage." Musically, this is the ultimate ensemble opera, with brilliant trios, quartets and even a fantastic sextet.

Dramatically, it's the opera with everything: lovers and liaisons, disguises and tricks, lust and laughter. In a not-so-subtle dig to the aristocrats Mozart derided, the opera makes a hero of the underclass, especially the servant Susanna. "Susanna is the servant with more brains than everyone else put together," says Taryn Fiebig, who reprises her favourite role. "She's the puppeteer, manipulating everything to get herself out of a bind. She manages to save her job, keep her husband, fix her boss's marriage, get Marcellina off her tail and still be a lovely person!" David McVicar won acclaim for his Covent Garden production of The Marriage of Figaro, so we look forward to his new production for Australia, conducted by Jonathan Darlington. 7:30pm 19:30 Temptation. The word holds great power, even in an age where organised religion holds little sway. What would you give up your soul for? Led into temptation by the garish Méphistophélès, Faust hardly hesitates, swapping a life of dissatisfied restraint for a salacious journey through life’s earthly pleasures.

McVicar’s startling production for Covent Garden puts the opera in the composer’s own time: the decadence and debauchery of 1870s Paris. Between towering cathedral columns and the crumbling proscenium arch of the theatre, Faust’s terrible pact plays out in all of its sinister splendor. The images are at once delightful and disturbing, a reminder that given the chance, any one of us might stumble down Faust’s road. Behind all this is the resounding beauty of Gounod’s music, including the famous ‘Soldier’s Chorus’. Nicole Car sings the ‘Jewel Song’ in her role debut as Marguerite, opposite Teddy Tahu Rhodes in his debut as the devilish Méphistophélès and thrilling young American tenor Michael Fabiano in the title role. After his triumph as Rigoletto in Sydney, Giorgio Caoduro sings the role of Valentin under the baton of Guillaume Tourniaire.

Question: In the opera Carmen, what is the name of the soldier who falls in love with Carmen, and ultimately murders her in a fit of jealousy?
Answer: DON JOSE