WBO
Carmen
music by George Bizet
libretto by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy
after the novella by Prosper Mérimée
 

Conductor: Michel Singher, Director: David Cox
Set Design: Jean-François Revon, Costume Design: Beth Gilroy, Lighting Design: Robert Anderson


Act I: A public square in Seville
Michaela Arrives Moralès (Daniel Epstein) tells Micaëla (Rebecca Sjöwall) that Don José will arrive soon.
Cigarette Girls When the factory bell rings, the cigarette girls come out on their break to the delight of the men of Seville.
Carmen Arrives Carmen (Sarah Barber), the Gypsy, is the center of attention of everyone except Don José (Benjamin Bongers).
Song Carmen (Sarah Barber) sings of love to Zuniga (Carlos Aguilar), the Captain of the Dragoons, and the crowd.
Ignored Carmen (Sarah Barber) entrances the rest of the men, but Don José (Benjamin Bongers) continues to ignore her.
Michaela Don José (Benjamin Bongers) is surprised and pleased that Micaëla (Rebecca Sjöwall) has come with news of home and a letter from his mother.
Zuniga Zuniga (Carlos Aguilar) tries to calm the crowd after a fight breaks out in the factory between Carmen and another woman.
Don Jose Don José (Benjamin Bongers) takes Carmen (Sarah Barber) aside to hear her side of the story.
Defiance Carmen (Sarah Barber) defies Zuniga (Carlos Aguilar) and refuses to answer any questions about the fight.
Tie Hands Zuniga (Carlos Aguilar) orders Don José (Benjamin Bongers) to arrest Carmen (Sarah Barber) and to bind her hands.
Persuade Carmen (Sarah Barber) persuades Don José (Benjamin Bongers) to help her escape, promising to wait for him at Lillas Pastia’s bar.
Escape When Zuniga (Carlos Aguilar) returns to take her to jail, Carmen (Sarah Barber) taunts him one last time before revealing that her hands are no longer restrained. As she escapes, Don José (Benjamin Bongers) is arrested in her place.


Act II: Lillas Pastia’s bar
Bar Carmen (Sarah Barber) and the other Gypsies sing and dance at Lillas Pastia’s bar.
Toreador The famous bullfighter Escamillo (Jason Detwiler) sings of the love that comes as a result of success in the bullring. Mercédès (Kindra Scharich) and Frasquita (Shauna Fallihee) are intrigued, but Carmen (Sarah Barber) is uninterested.
Quintet Dancaïre (Joaquin Quilez-Marin) and Remendado (Samuel Read Levine) convince Mercédès (Kondra Scharish) and Frasquita (Shauna Fallihee) to join in a smuggling operation, but Carmen (Sarah Barber) insists she must wait for Don José.
Carmen Dances Carmen (Sarah Barber) dances for Don José (Benjamin Bongers) in the empty bar.
Faded Flower Don José (Benjamin Bongers) tells Carmen (Sarah Barber) that the flower she threw at him, now dried and faded, sustained him through the long nights in prison.
Zuniga When Zuniga (Carlos Aguilar) returns and is captured by the smugglers, Don José (Benjamin Bongers) realizes he has no choice but to desert and join them.


Act III: In the mountains
Fortune Mercédès (Kindra Scharich), Frasquita (Shauna Fallihee), and Carmen (Sarah Barber) tell their fortunes with a deck of cards, while Don José (Benjamin Bongers) stands guard.
Invitation Don José (Benjamin Bongers) is not pleased when Carmen (Sarah Barber) is intrigued by Escamillo’s (Jason Detwiler) invitation to the next bullfight in Seville.
Dying Mother Before leaving to be with his dying mother, Don José (Benjamin Bongers) promises Carmen (Sarah Barber) that they will meet again.


Act IV: Outside the bullring
Crowd The crowd outside the bullring cheers the arrival of the bullfighter.
Escamillo Escamillo (Jason Detwiler) and Carmen (Sarah Barber) declare their love before he enters the bullring.
Warning Frasquita (Shauna Fallihee) and Mercédès (Kindra Scharich) warn Carmen (Sarah Barber) that Don José is in the crowd, but Carmen refuses to leave.
Don Jose Don José (Benjamin Bongers) appears as Carmen (Sarah Barber) is about to enter the gates to the bullring.
Pleading Don José (Benjamin Bongers) pleads with Carmen (Sarah Barber) to forget the past and start a new life with him, but Carmen insists that their affair is over; she will live or die free.
Death As Escamillo and the spectators watch helplessly, Carmen (Sarah Barber) dies in the arms of Don José (Benjamin Bongers), her murderer.

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