In the splendid setting of the Macerata Sferisterio, the tale of seduction and jealousy par excellence, with a commanding Nino Surguladze in the title role and the direction of twice Oscar-winner Dante Ferretti (The Aviator - Sweeney Todd), here at his debut in the world of opera. Directed by Tiziano Mancini. Starring Alexandra Zabala, Irina Lungu, Paola Gardina. Language: French Subtitles: English, French, German, Italian

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CARMEN: DI STEFANO-SIMIONATO-C

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Bizet / Carmen / Jennifer Larmore /Thomas Moser / Angela Gheorghiu / Samuel Ramey / Giuseppe Sinopoli / Georges Bizet (1838 - 1875) Date Written 1873-1874 Venue Stadthalle Germering France. Performers on Bizet: Carmen CD : Nathalie Boissy, Fintaras Vysniauskas, Angela Gheorghiu, Jennifer Larmore, Dieter Miserre, Maurizio Muraro, Natascha Petrinsky, Samuel Ramey [Bass-Baritone Vocal], Ulrich Ress, Thomas Moser [Tenor Vocals], Jan Zinkler

Bizet: Carmen

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Beatrice Uria-Monzon, Roberto Alagna, Erwin Schrott, Marina Poplavskaya, Eliana Bayon, and Itxaro Mentxaka star in this Gran Teatre de Licieu production of the Bizet opera conducted by Marc Piollet and staged by Calixto Bieito.

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The one-act opera Djamileh by Georges Bizet set to the libretto by Louis Gallet tells an oriental love story between the slave named Djamileh and Cairo sultan Haroun. The plot, bringing to mind the atmosphere of One Thousand and One Nights, is a quite typical example of Romantic fascinations with the Far East. Bizet's had his doubts about the work- many considered it to be too difficult for a stage adaptation. However, the artistic craft of the creator of the balanced libretto surrounding the story of oriental lovers with a suggestive sound, and the craftsmanship of Jennifer Feinstein, performing the title, allows the listener to enjoy all the values ​​of this little known opera. Mezzo-soprano Jennifer Feinstein has been likened by the Los Angeles Times to "a young Horne, so rich is her mezzo and so full of spark was she on stage." She is becoming increasingly coveted for her portrayals of the dramatic mezzo repertoire.

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Opera Explained: BIZET - Carmen (Smillie)

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Bizet's opera Carmen was first produced at the Opera-Comique in Paris in 1875. The French genre of opera-comique had arisen in the eighteenth century as a Gallic counterpart of the Italian opera buff, injecting an air of contemporary realism into operatic form. The success of operetta in the nineteenth century offered a challenge to the form, which retained the characteristic of the German Singspiel, spoken dialogue taking the place of the recitative of opera serial or French grand opera, but increasingly lacked power or conviction. Carmen, in it's original version with spoken dialogue, derived largely from Prosper M�rim�e's novel on which the opera was based. Created something of a scandal, and opened the way to a new form of opera. While nineteenth century French audiences at the Opera-Comique might find in Micaela a recognizable character, Carmen, a vicious outcast from decent society, was not the ideal heroine for popular family entertainment.