Carmen: Up Close and Personal
Georges Bizet

Overview
Inspired by French arthouse film, stage director Brenna Corner adds a nontraditional lens to Bizet’s beloved masterpiece. Playing with the conflicting ideas of fate and choice, Carmen: Up Close and Personal is an alluring, intimate and stripped down cinematic adaptation, focused on the four principal characters, with a few twists and turns along the way. Starring members of the Yulanda M. Faris Young Artists Program with members of the Vancouver Opera Orchestra.
Digital Premiere:
Saturday, May 1, 2021 at 7:30PM
Runtime:
75 minutes
Sung in:
French with English Subtitles
DIGITAL SEASON SPONSOR

SEASON SPONSOR

DIGITAL SEASON PRODUCTION PATRONS
Ms. Martha Lou Henley, C.M.
Alan and Gwendoline Pyatt Foundation
Yoshiko Karasawa
Synopsis
After reveling in memories of her Bohemian lifestyle and music, Carmen sits down and prepares a tarot reading. As she deals the cards and turns the first card over, a young soldier José enters and is captivated by her beauty. She is taken with him, despite the warning she gets from the cards.
They are quickly interrupted by the entrance of the soldier’s childhood sweetheart, Micaëla. She has been looking all over for him. After his sordid and violent past she brings him a message of love and forgiveness from his mother. She also brings him a ring which his mother hopes he will give to Micaëla.
Read More
Their reminiscing is interrupted by Carmen who, having watched their naïve love, shares her beliefs in what love is and the consequences of loving. Micaëla is affronted by Carmen’s flirtation with José and lunges towards her. A conflict ensues resulting in the blameless Carmen being blamed and hauled off to prison. Left alone with José, Carmen tries every trick in the book to escape. Eventually through a combination of her own cunning and José’s infatuation she escapes. José is blamed for her escape and sent to prison, but he keeps with him Carmen’s promise to meet him and be his.
Time passes, and as the tarot cards say Fate continues to move the pieces. Carmen meets Escamillo, the famous bullfighter of Grenade. While she is interested in him, it is José that she longs for and he returns to her that very night. Upon his return she dances for him, reveling in the new experience of committed love. However, the trumpet call from the soldiers’ barracks is heard, and José must leave her once again. Distraught, Carmen fights with José claiming he doesn’t truly love her or he would come away with her. Eventually José gives in, deserting the army and placing his mother’s ring on Carmen’s hand.
As Fate and time continues to move on, Micaëla returns searching for José. But she is not the only one. Escamillo has also returned searching for Carmen. He has heard that Carmen’s lovers rarely last a long time and has come to sweep her off her feet. José flies into a jealous rage at the idea of Carmen leaving him. Carmen breaks up the fight, but Escamillo won’t be put off so easily and invites both of them to see his upcoming bullfight in Seville. As they prepare to leave, Micaëla is discovered. She confesses to José that his mother has sent her to fetch him home. Carmen, now understanding José’s insane jealousness and instability, tells him to go home to his mother, sending José into a passionate rage. Only Micaëla is able to stop him by telling him that his mother is dying and he must return home. José agrees to leave but warns Carmen that he will be back.
As predicted in the cards, José returns begging Carmen to forgive him so their lives can continue together. Carmen confesses to him that no matter what he does, she will not be his. She was born free and will remain free. Taking his mother’s ring off her finger, she gives it back to him. José raises his knife and moves towards her…
We return to the beginning. Carmen has finished her tarot reading. She has seen her future. The young soldier enters again….
Composer
Music by Georges Bizet
Libretto by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy
Georges Bizet (October 25, 1838 – 3 June 3, 1875), born as Alexandre César Léopold Bizet, was a French composer of the Romantic era. Best known for his operas in a career cut short by his early death, Bizet achieved few successes before his final work, Carmen, which has become one of the most popular and frequently performed works in the entire opera repertoire. During a brilliant student career at the Conservatoire de Paris, Bizet won many prizes, including the prestigious Prix de Rome in 1857. He was recognised as an outstanding pianist, though he chose not to capitalise on this skill and rarely performed in public. Later commentators have acclaimed him as a composer of brilliance and originality whose premature death was a significant loss to French musical theatre.
Music
Cast & Creative
Featuring the 2020-2021 Yulanda M. Faris Young Artists and members of the Vancouver Opera Orchestra
SUPPORTED BY

SPONSORED BY
Dr. George Luciuk
Alan and Gwendoline Pyatt Foundation
Patricia Charles
The Edwina and Paul Heller Memorial Fund
Held at the Vancouver Foundation
Moh Faris & Family

Leslie Dala
Conductor

Brenna Corner
Stage Director

Amanda Weatherall
“Carmen”
Yulanda M. Faris Young
Artists Program Participant

Ian Cleary
“Don José”
Yulanda M. Faris Young
Artists Program Participant

Jonelle Sills
“Micaëla”
Yulanda M. Faris Young
Artists Program Participant

Luka Kawabata
“Escamillo”
Yulanda M. Faris Young
Artists Program Participant
Dana Fradkin
Assistant Director
Yulanda M. Faris Young
Artists Program Participant
Chengyan Boon
Projection Designer
Gerald King
Lighting Designer
Alaia Hamer
Costume Designer
Kinza Tyrrell
Head Coach,
Yulanda M. Faris Young Artists Program
Tina Chang
Coach,
Yulanda M. Faris Young Artists Program
Amy Seulky Lee
Répétiteur
Yulanda M. Faris Young
Artists Program Participant
Theresa Tsang
Stage Manager
Marijka Asbeek Brusse
Assistant Stage Manager
Leah Giselle Field
COVID Safety Officer
Interviews
Meet Director Brenna Corner
Director Brenna Corner discusses the cinematic experience of Carmen: Up Close and Personal.
Carmen's Enduring Relevance
Director Brenna Corner discusses the important themes that will make Carmen: Up Close and Personal resonate for today’s audiences.
Fate and Choice in Carmen
Director Brenna Corner discusses how the themes of fate and choice are reflected in this exciting new adaption of Bizet’s opera.

Listen to the Preview Podcast
Vancouver Opera Offstage host Les Dala talks with stage director Brenna Corner about her career as an alumnus of the Yulanda M. Faris Young Artist Program and her vision in developing Carmen: Up Close and Personal.
Get A Full Digital Season Of Opera
A subscription includes our full digital season for you and your household to enjoy from the comfort of your home.