Carmen: Arena di Verona — 100th Opera Festival
About the Event
Bizet's 'Carmen' comes to the Arena of Verona in a production directed by Franco Zeffirelli.
'Carmen' is one of the most popular and frequently performed operas in the repertoire. Zeffirelli offers a spectacular staging, fitting to the grand stage at Arena di Verona.
'Carmen' is an opera in four acts by the French composer Georges Bizet, based on Prosper Merimee’s novella of the same name. Written in the opera comique tradition, musical movements are interrupted by spoken dialogue. When it premiered at the Opera‐Comique in 1875, this groundbreaking opera shocked a public unready for its realism, and unused to seeing the lives of the lower classes being shown on stage. However, within ten years the tragic and passionate 'Carmen' had taken its place at the centre of the operatic canon, forming a bridge between opera comique and the fast‐emerging verismo style.
Act 1
Seville, Spain. The provocative gypsy, Carmen, works in the cigarette factory. When the women take their break, Carmen sings a ‘Habanera’ attracting the attention of all the men in the square. Only a soldier, Don José, isn’t interested in her. Piqued, Carmen deliberately throws a flower to him. A quarrel breaks out between the women. Carmen is arrested, but seduces Jose into releasing her, and escapes. José is imprisoned for allowing her to escape.
Act 2
A month later, José has just been released, and goes to meet Carmen at a tavern. With her flower in his hand, José tells her his feelings. Carmen convinces José not to report for roll call, but to stay with her and join the smugglers.
Act 3
José regrets joining the smugglers. Carmen is already in love with another man — Escamillo, a bullfighter. Carmen reads the cards and forsees a dark future.
José's childhood friend, Micaela, comes to look for him to tell him that his mother is seriously ill. José decides to go home.
The following month, Escamillo, now Carmen’s lover, is welcomed by the spectators and enters the arena. Carmen remains in the square, and José appears. He demands Carmen leaves with him, but she refuses, throwing away the ring that José once gave her. In a jealous rage, José stabs Carmen to death with a dagger, and as the crowds exit the arena, confesses to his actions.
'
Practical Information
Included are:
- Ticket to the opera performance in the chosen category
- One month's free access to a premium classical music streaming service
- self‐guided audio tour of Verona in English
Cast / Production
Conductor
Daniel Oren: 23 June 06 July 11, 24 August 06 September
Direction and Set Design
Franco Zeffirelli: 23 June 06 July 11, 24 August 06 September
Costumes
Anna Anni: 23 June 06 July 11, 24 August 06 September
Lighting Design
Paolo Mazzon: 23 June 06 July 11, 24 August 06 September
Choreography
El Camborio: 23 June 06 July 11, 24 August 06 September
Carmen
Clémentine Margaine: 23 June 11, 24 August 06 September
Micaela
Mariangela Sicilia: 23 June 06 July
Olga Kulchynska: 11 August
Daniela Schillaci: 24 August
Gilda Fiume: 06 September
Frasquita
Cristin Arsenova: 23 June 06 July 11, 24 August 06 September
Mercédès
Sofia Koberidze: 23 June 06 July 11, 24 August 06 September
Don Josè
Freddie De Tommaso: 23 June 06 July
Piotr Beczała: 11 August
Vittorio Grigòlo: 24 August 06 September
Escamillo
Erwin Schrott: 23 June
Dalibor Jenis: 06 July 11 August
Gëzim Myshketa: 24 August
Luca Micheletti: 06 September
Dancairo
Jan Antem: 23 June 06 July 11, 24 August 06 September
Remendado
Didier Pieri: 23 June 06 July 11, 24 August 06 September
Zuniga
Giorgi Manoshvili: 23 June 06 July 06 September
Gabriele Sagona: 11, 24 August
Morales
Christian Federici: 23 June 06 July
Nicolò Ceriani: 11, 24 August 06 September
Customer Reviews
4.4 of 5
-
Beatrice K, Deutschland
Sep 2023
Leider musste man sehr lange warten bis der Einlass begann, mit 1 Std Verspätung
-
Aug 2022
la moitié vue etait tres bien car avec la pluie le spectacle a cessé
-
Michael M, United Kingdom
Aug 2022
Wonderful performance of Carmen.
-
Aug 2022
Hochwertige Künstler‐Besetzung, umwerfendes Bühnenbild, flexibles Orchester, dynamischer Dirigent (mit einem Blick für die Wetterlage?), gute Einlassorganisation mit Sicherheitsvorkehrungen‐ ein Genuss
