Presenter: China National Opera House
Venue: National Centre for the Performing Arts-Opera House
Dates: May 28 – 30, 2009 19:30
Price: VIP 400 300 200 120 80 RMB (May 30)
Programme Introduction
Carmen, which is based on Merimée’s novel of the same title and completed in the autumn of 1874, is Bizet’s last opera in his life and also an opera performed most frequently in the world. Since its first performance in 1875, it has been most famous and has an everlasting appeal to spectators. The composer depicts Carmen’s enthusiastic and freedom-loving disposition via music. The music is strongly dramatic and has a Spanish style. Such highlights as Habanera, Toreador Song and Carmen Overture have been sung by quite a few artists and also well known among Chinese audience.
In 1980s, China National Opera House rehearsed this opera for three times, made an outstanding achievement of successively performing for over 120 times, and was well received home and abroad. This time, Carmen, once more rehearsed by China National Opera House, is a hot and romantic audio-visual gala in 2009 for all spectators, under the guidance of Yu Feng, the chief artistic director of China National Opera House.
Synopsis
The four-act Carmen depicts a beautiful but tenacious gypsy Carmen, the worker of a cigarette factory. Carmen makes the leader of the soldiers Don Jose fall in love with her and abandon his lover in the country—tender-hearted and virtuous Micaela. Later Don Jose is put into jail because he helped Carmen who had fought with other women workers escape. After getting out of the jail he joins into the rank of smugglers of which Carmen is also a member. Carmen later falls in love with the bullfighter Escamillo. When Carmen is exclaiming for Escamillo’s victory in the fight against the bull, Don Jose kills her with his sword.
(Source: ebeijing.gov.cn)