For just the third time in Metropolitan Opera history, Bizet’s “Les Pêcheurs de Perles” will receive a revival. The opera had its Met premiere on Jan. 11, 1896, but only two of its acts were performed. The first full performance of the opera would have to wait 20 years when it appeared on opening night, Nov. 13, 1916. The cast {…}
It was 2014 at the Deutsche Oper Berlin. Clémentine Margaine, a graduate of the Paris Conservatory and winner of the Special Jury Prize at the Concours International de Marmande, was an ensemble member of the company who had just been handpicked by the casting director of the company to sing the title role of “Carmen.” “I was very lucky that {…}
On Tuesday, Oct. 30, the Met Opera opens “Carmen,” which will be the sixth opera of its season. The revival will feature a total of 13 performances across two runs, with two decidedly different casts, with one exception. Clémentine Margaine will return to the Met with her signature role, which she has performed around the globe. Per Operabase, Margaine has {…}
Georges Bizet, born on Oct. 25, 1838, created perhaps the most popular opera of all-time. Unfortunately died without knowing that. Bizet had a solid start to his career, winning the prestigious Prix de Rome during his student years at the Conservatoire de Paris. But that never translated into a sturdy opera career, with Bizet finding his works largely ignored. He {…}
Sir Anthony Hopkins is a world-famous actor who also happens to be a gifted composer. Despite his considerable musical skills, he has made it quite clear that he is unqualified to direct an opera. In Poland, Andrzej Chyra enjoys A-list celebrity status as a one of the country’s foremost film and television actors. He is also probably partial to the {…}
The Mill City Summer Opera will kick off a summer production of Bizet’s “Carmen” at the Milly City Ruin Courtyard starting on July 13, 2018. The production, which will be directed by Fenlon Lamb, will star Audrey Babcock as the title character with Adam Diegel as Don José and Karen Slack as Micaëla. Luis Orozco stars as Escamillo. The production {…}
Is Bizet’s “Carmen” the most famous opera in the entire universe? That is certainly a valid question given the fact that almost no opera company in the world can live without the perennial favorite in a single season of programming. While it’s rich and evocative melodies are certainly one of the major reasons for its enduring popularity, there is no {…}
On March 6, 2018, the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden will showcase its new production of Bizet’s “Carmen.” The production, directed by Barrie Kosky, stars mezzo Anna Goryachova, Francesco Meli, Kostas Smoriginas, Kristina Mkhitaryan, David Soar, Jacquelyn Stucker, Aigul Akhmesthina, Pierre Doyen, Jean-Paul Fouchécourt, and Gyula Nagy under the musical direction of Jakub Hrůša. The production has been getting mixed {…}
This Jan. 29, 2018, audiences the world over will get a chance to experience opera’s most famous gypsy from their computers as the Vienna State Opera presents Bizet’s “Carmen” on its live streaming service. This run of performances is notable because it features Piotr Beczala’s debut run of Don José. He will be joined by Margarita Griskova, Carlos Álvarez, and {…}
Many opera directors today fall onto a particular idée fixe and refuse to let it go, no matter what dramaturgical or textual incongruities ensue. Vera Nemirova’s fazzoletto-laden “Otello” in Bucharest, Hans Neuenfels’ laboratory rats “Lohengrin” in Bayreuth or Krzysztof Warlikowski’s “Brokeback Mountain” “Eugene Onegin” in Munich immediately spring to mind. Joining the ignominious list is Norwegian theatre director, Ole Anders Tandberg’s {…}
There have been a good number of performances of “The Pearl Fishers,” or “Les Pêcheurs de Perles,” around the country in recent years. Peggy Woolcock’s English National Opera production was seen at the Metropolitan Opera and LA Opera while the late Lee Blakely’s version was in Santa Fe’s 2012 season. The production viewed in probably the most locales is one {…}
