CarmenMagic Flute

 

"You may call me Carmen - or Carmencita, if you prefer..."

Carmen presented by the Eastside's own opera company

The story is set in Seville, Spain, circa 1830, and concerns Carmen, a beautiful gypsy with a fiery temper. Free with her love, she woos the corporal Don José, an inexperienced soldier. Their relationship leads to his rejection of his former love Michaela, mutiny against his superior, turned to a criminal life, and the ultimate jealous murder of Carmen. Although he is briefly happy with Carmen, he falls into madness when she turns from him to the bullfighter Escamillo.

Several well-known pieces from this opera have taken on a life separate to the work: the Prélude (overture), the Toréador Song, and the Habanera.

Today, it is one of the world's most popular operas and a staple of the standard operatic repertoire. Carmen appears as number four on Opera America's list of the 20 most-performed operas in North America.

Carmen will be sung in French with spoken dialog rather than the posthumously composed recitatives.  English supertitles will be shown.