NCPA Opera Festival 2011
Venue
Dates
Duration
Approximate 170 mins (Intermission Included)About
Synopsis
Conductor
Artist
Composer: Georges Bizet
Script: Henri Meilhac, Ludovic Halévy
Author: Prosper Mérimée
Conductor: Chen Zuohuang
Director: Francesca Zambello
Piano Coach: Stefano Conticello
Stage Designer: Peter J. Davison
Lighting Designer: Benjamin Pearcy
Costume Designer: Susan Wilmington
Revival Director/Choreography: Duncan Macfarland
Orchestra: China NCPA Orchestra
Chorus: NCPA Chorus
Originated from the novel by Prosper Mérimée, the opera Carmen was completed in the autumn of 1874. It was the last work of Georges Bizet, and also is the most popular opera on the stage in the world until now. Bizet, through his music, told us a tragic story behind brightness, and depicted the optimistic, straightforward but wild personality of a Gipsy girl, Carmen. The opera discloses the bald-faced passions, describes the eternal confrontation between men and women, shows the ruthless but beautiful life, and proves the perpetual co-existence between love and death.
In this opera, Bizet managed to create vivid dramatic melodies with Spanish elements. Some excerpts such as Habanera, Les Toreadors and the Prelude have been highly cherished by many artists and performed again and again in the past century.
Act I
The story begins at a plaza of Seville. Don José's fiancée Micaela goes to the posse to visit Don José, but fails to find him. At the noon break, a Gypsy girl Carmen, together with her fellow women workers of a tobacco factory, gather in the plaza. The adorable Carmen refuses all her admirers, except Don José, a young man working with the weapons at the corner. Carmen throws a flower at his face, and then slips away by the help of other girls. After the noon break, Don José picks up the flower secretly. Afterwards, Micaela and Don José meet and say sweet words, and Micaela hands a home letter to Don José. Suddenly, a riot happens at the tobacco factory - Carmen and another factory girl have a quarrel, and Carmen injures the girl with a dagger. Carmen is thrown into prison accordingly, yet she refuses to repent. Trying her best, Carmen succeeds in teasing Don José who takes charge of her. Under Don Jose's help, Carmen escapes, but Don José is demoted and detained as a consequence.
Act II
In a small pub near the old ramparts in Seville, Carmen, her girlfriends, military officers and gypsies are drinking in high spirits. Afterwards, a matador Escamillo drops at the pub and courts Carmen, but she doesn't nod. Two smugglers try to rope in Carmen into a smuggling trade after Escamillo leaves, yet Carmen rejects as she is waiting for Don José. At this moment, Carmen hears the singing of Don José, and she accompanies with the castanet dance. Finally, Don José expresses his deep love for her. Because Don José is deprived of his position as a dragoon, he has to do smuggling with Carmen in mountains.
Act III
Don Jose, Carmen and other smugglers have lived in mountains for many days, and Don José becomes regretful when he thinks of his mother and Micaela. The young man bursts out quarreling with Carmen, and the furious eyes of Don José make Carmen realize that she may be killed by this man someday. Then, Micaela, who still loves Don José, risks her life to find Don José, telling his mother is very sick. At the same time, the matador Escamillo also comes to look for Carmen, but happens to come across Don Jose standing sentry. Knowing his intention, Don José is overwhelmed by jealousy and decides to kill him. However, his attempt is stopped by Carmen. Disappointed by Carmen and concerned about his mother, Don José returned home with Micaela.
Act IV
At the plaza in front of the bullfighting arena of Seville, spectators and peddlers go back and forth. Escamillo enters the arena, leaving Carmen outside. Then, Don José in ragged clothes begs for the forgiveness from Carmen, but she stays apathetic. Afterwards, the arena is exploded with cheers and applauses, and Carmen believes they are for the victory of Escamillo. She takes off the ring given by Don Jose, wanting to rush into the arena. Don José is thoroughly ablaze with anger, and he draws out the stagger and stabs at Carmen. When people step out from the arena with excitements, they see Carmen lie in blood and hear Don José cry 'I killed her! Carmen, my dear Carmen!'
Maestro Chen Zuohuang started his early piano study at the Middle School Attached to Central Conservatory in Beijing, and later graduated from the Conservatory's Conducting Department. At the recommendation of Maestro Seiji Ozawa, Chen went to the United States to study at the Tanglewood Music Center and at the School of Music, University of Michigan. He has the honor the first person ever to have received the degree of Doctor of Musical Arts in Orchestral Conducting from the University of Michigan in 1985, as well as becoming the first Doctor of Musical Arts of P. R. China.
1987, Maestro Chen assumed the position of conductor of the Central Philharmonic Orchestra of China and let it on a historic tour covering 24 cities in the United States, including New York, Washington D.C., Chicago, Detroit, San Francisco, Los Angles. He also led more than a dozen of orchestral tour in Europe, America and Asia with the Central Philharmonic Orchestra of China, the China National Symphony Orchestra, the China Youth Symphony Orchestra, the Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra, the Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra, the Incheon Philharmonic Orchestra of S. korea, and the Hamburg Youth Orchestra.
Since 1980s, Maestro Chen has been the conductor of the Central Philharmonic Orchestra of China; Music Director of the Wichita Symphony Orchestra, Music Director of the Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra. Maestro Chen was also the founding Artistic Director of the China National Symphony Orchestra. He was also the Music Director of UNAM Philharmonic Orchestra in Mexico City, Artistic Director of Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra, and Music Director of Incheon Philharmonic Orchestra, Artistic Director of Guiyang Symphony Orchestra, and chief conductor of National Centre of the Performing Arts Orchestra in Beijing.
Maestro Chen is a much sought-after musician and has been invited to be guest conductor several dozens orchestras around the world. He also has been invited as the jury member of international musical competitions. Maestro Chen's art of conducting has won praises form audience and musicians wherever he works. Aiming at development and enhancement of symphony in China, Maestro Chen is also Artistic Director of Guiyang Symphony Orchestra. The persistent enthusiasm to introducing and promoting Chinese symphonic music and young musical talents to the world made him a respected and welcome musical figure worldwide.
Maestro Chen is also the Artistic Director ( Music) of China's National Centre of the Performing Arts. Since 2010 Maestro Chen has been Principal Conductor of China NCPA Orchestra.
Ms. Pérez was a winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, the 2001 OPERALIA competition in Washington, D.C, and a Sara Tucker Study Grant from the Richard Tucker Music Foundation.
Ms. Pérez has been seen at the Metropolitan Opera in such roles as Cherubino in Le nozze di Figaro, the Second Lady in the premiere of Julie Taymor's production of Die Zauberfl?te, as well as roles in Ariadne auf Naxos, La Traviata, Carmen, H?nsel und Gretel, and Parsifal. She had debuted Carmen with the Boston Lyric Opera where she performed in Boston Common for an audience of over 150,000 people. Her interpretation of the title role in Carmen was recently seen with Seiji Ozawa at the Saito Kinen Festival in Japan.
For the 2009/2010 season, Ms. Pérez was seen as Cloe in L'arbore di Diana at the Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona and Teatro Real de Madrid, as well as Carmen with Connecticut Grand Opera. In the 2010/2011 season, she will sing the title role of Carmen at the Gran Teatre del Liceu, Arizona Opera, and Cherubino in Le nozze di Figaro at San Antonio Opera.
This season, baritone Michael Todd Simpson returns to the Metropolitan Opera as Morales in Carmen and to the Cleveland Opera as Zurga in The Pearl Fishers, and next summer goes on tour with the Metropolitan Opera in Japan. He also sings Handel's Messiah at the National Arts Center in Ottawa, Canada.
His many roles include the title role in Don Giovanni, the Count in Le Nozze di Figaro, Marcello in La Boheme, Escamillo in both Carmen and La Tragedie de Carmen, Guglielmo in Cosi fan Tutte, Enrico in Lucia di Lammermoor, Silvio in Pagliacci, and the Pirate King in The Pirates of Penzance. He also sang the role of Tooley in the American premiere of Sir Richard Rodney Bennette's The Mines of Sulphur, which was recorded and released by Chandos Records in 2005. He has appeared all over the U.S. in opera houses such as the Metropolitan Opera, New York City Opera, Dallas Opera, Seattle Opera, Pittsburgh Opera, Florida Grand Opera, Portland Opera, Ft. Worth Opera, and Glimmerglass Opera. He also recently made his Opera Australia debut as Escamillo in Carmen.
A native of Gastonia, NC, Mr. Simpson holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in vocal performance from Erskine College in Due West, SC, and earned his Master of Music degree at the College Conservatory of Music of the University of Cincinnati. His many awards include regional winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, the Spanish Prize in the 2007 Jose Iturbi International Music Competition, first prize in the first annual Marguerite McCammon Voice Competition, and first place winner of the 1996 and 1999 South Carolina National Association of Teachers of Singing vocal competition.
A native of Billings, Montana, Brandon Jovanovich received his training at Northern Arizona University and at Manhattan School of Music. He was twice a New York City district winner in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. He was a founding member of the Seattle Young Artists program in 1998. He won the Crawley Award from the Young Patronesses of the Opera/Florida Grand Opera Voice Competition and in 2004 he was given the prestigious ARIA Award.
An accomplished musician and actor, Mr. Jovanovich has had successes in repertoire both standard and contemporary, including Pollione in Norma, Boconnion in Richard Rodney Bennett's The Mines of Sulphur (Grammy-nominated recording available on Chandos), Macduff in Macbeth, Alfredo in La Traviata, Narraboth in Salome, etc.
Highlights of previous seasons include Levin in the world premiere of Anna Karenina with Florida Grand Opera and Opera Theatre of St. Louis; Pinkerton with New York City Opera; and the title role in Candide with Teatro San Carlo di Napoli; Don José in David McVicar's production of Carmen; Bacchus in Ariadne auf Naxos; Luigi in San Francisco Opera's Tabarro, etc.
Mr. Jovanovich's performances in the 2010/2011 season include Pinkerton in Santa Fe Opera's production of Madama Butterfly, Don José in Carmen at Gran Teatre del Liceu, Barcelona, the Lyric Opera of Chicago, and role debuts in Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen as Froh (Rheingold) and Siegmund (Siegfried).
"The young American tenor Brandon Jovanovich possesses amazing vocal qualities that should assure him a beautiful future on all the stages of the world... an extraordinary Don José."
Eric Dauvilliers, Nice Matin
Yuan Chenye's masterful Rigoletto has opened the doors for him to some of the best venues in the US and Europe. In addition to his performance with the Welsh National Opera, which was broadcast live on the BBC, he has performed the role with Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Michigan Opera Theatre, and Palm Beach Opera. Recent engagements include a reprise as Chou En-Lai in Adams' Nixon in China with Cincinnati Opera, Renato in Un Ballo in Maschera with Boston Lyric Opera and a return to Houston for Amonasro in Aida and the Speaker in Die Zauberfl?te.
Mr.Yuan's other recent operatic roles include Schaunard in La Bohème with Pittsburgh Opera; the Dragon King in the world premiere of Legend of YaoJi and Valentin in Gounod's Faust with Opera Hong Kong; Marcello in La Bohème and Bhaer in Little Women with Central City Opera in Colorado; Bhaer with Opera Omaha; Germont in La Traviata with San Francisco Opera's Merola Program; Michele in Il Tabarro and Amida in L'Ormindo with Opera International in Washington D.C.
Viktoria Vizin, a Kecskemet (Hungary) native, studied at the Franz Liszt Conservatory in Szeged. She won the International Singing Competition "Nicolae Bretan" in Cluj-Napoca, Romania in 1996, where she also made her debut as Rosina in Il Barbiere di Siviglia. In the same year Ms. Vizin received a scholarship to further her vocal studies and in 2001 she completed her Master's and Ph.D in Romania. She went on to win the second prize at the International Singing Competition of Budapest, in 1997 with a special prize as best Hungarian participant. She was a winner of the "Giuseppe Di Stefano" International Competition in Trapani singing Angelina's aria "Non piu mesta" from La Cenerentola, after which she went on to win the "Hariclea Darclée" Competition in Romania (1997). Ms. Vizin gained the second prize in the prestigious International Belvedere Competition in Vienna in 2000.
Ms. Vizin made her Royal Opera House, Covent Garden debut in the role of Flora (La Traviata) in 2000 and was immediately invited back to perform the role of Pauline in the new Francesca Zambello production of Pique Dame the following season (2001). She also appeared as Adalgisa in Greece (2000), Cherubino Karlsruhe (2001), Maddalena in Miskolc Hungary (2001) and Dorabella at the Hungarian State Opera Budapest (2001). Other engagements included the title role in a new production of Carmen in Essen, Germany (2000-01).
She also performed several recitals in Chicago and in Los Angeles where she also had her debut (as Carmen) at the Los Angeles Opera in late 2008. In early 2009 Viktoria Vizin had an acclaimed debut at the Metropolitan Opera where she returned subsequently and had a huge success with the title role in Carmen in spring 2010.
An internationally recognized director of opera and theater, Francesca Zambello's American debut took place at the Houston Grand Opera with a production of Fidelio in 1984. She debuted in Europe at Teatro la Fenice in Venice with Beatrice di Tenda in 1987 and has since staged new productions at major theaters and opera houses in Europe and the USA. Collaborating with outstanding artists and designers and promoting emerging talent, she takes a special interest in new music theater works, innovative productions, and in producing theater and opera for wider audiences.
Francesca Zambello has recently been awarded the Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres by the French government for her contribution to French culture and the Russian Federation's medal for Service to Culture. Other honors for her work include three Olivier Awards from the London Society of Theaters and two Evening Standard Awards for Best Musical and Best Opera. She has also received the award for Best Company Achievement. The French Grand Prix des Critiques was awarded to her twice for her work at the Paris Opera. Other awards include Best Production in Japan, the Palme d'Or in Germany, the Golden Mask in Russia and the Helpmann Award in Australia.
Opera works in recent seasons have included the world premiere of An American Tragedy, Cyrano and Les Troyens for the Metropolitan Opera, Porgy and Bess and Die Walküre for the Washington Opera, La Bohème at the Royal Albert Hall; Fiery Angel for the Bolshoi, Salome for Chicago Lyric Opera, Carmen and Don Giovanni at the Royal Opera House and Boris Godunov, War and Peace, Billy Budd and William Tell at the Paris Opera.
Soprano Zhou Xiaolin graduated from China Central Conservatory in 2006 on a full scholarship under the tutelage of Professor Yang Xiaoping. Since her graduation with top honors she has positioned herself as one of the rising young singers in China with her lyrical voice and captivating stage presence. In 2007 she was selected through rigorous nationwide auditions to participate in the workshop of Guo Wenjing's opera Poet Li Bai in Beijing. This led to a full fellowship in the Young Artists Program of the Central City Opera in Colorado, where she would receive intensive training as part of the regular apprentice curriculum and perform in the world premiere of Poet Li Bai, covering the role of "Moon" and singing minor ones. Following her success in Central City, she was invited to sing "Moon" for the China premiere of Poet Li Bai at the Beijing Music Festival, and subsequently reprised the role in Shanghai, Rome, and Hong Kong.
As a young concert singer, Zhou has given solo recitals in Tokyo, Osaka, Beijing and Shanghai to much critical acclaim. She was the soprano soloist in Mahler's Symphony No. 2 with the Philharmonica of the Nations during their China tour in 2005, which was televised nationwide by China's major network, CCTV.
Her expanding operatic repertoire includes the staple of lyric soprano roles, as well as leading roles in several modern operas sung in Chinese, such as Peony Pavilion and Sea. The most recent and notable debut was the leading role in the newly commission opera, The Village Teacher, premiered last December at the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing.
A prodigious prize winner in major competitions, Zhou won the first prize in the most prestigious competition in China, the "Music Golden Bell" Vocal Competition in 2007.
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Dedicated to the staging of epic operas, ballets and dance dramas, the golden Opera House is considered the centerpiece of the NCPA. Its main tone is golden color, which looks glamorous and splendid. In the auditorium are the stalls and three higher levels of balconies, which can seat an audience of 2,207, including the venue of SRO. It is equipped with a modern stage that can be moved up/down/backward/forward or rotated, a ballet stage that can slant, and a rising orchestra pit for the triple winds orchestra. All the cutting-edge staging mechanism provides artists with enormous possibilities of creative performance.
Dedicated to the staging of epic operas, ballets and dance dramas, the golden Opera House is considered the centerpiece of the NCPA. Its main tone is golden color, which looks glamorous and splendid. In the auditorium are the stalls and three higher levels of balconies, which can seat an audience of 2,207, including the venue of SRO. It is equipped with a modern stage that can be moved up/down/backward/forward or rotated, a ballet stage that can slant, and a rising orchestra pit for the triple winds orchestra. All the cutting-edge staging mechanism provides artists with enormous possibilities of creative performance.