Vancouver Opera

When Georges Bizet died on June 3rd, 1875, at the age of 36, he went to his grave believing that Carmen, which had opened exactly three months before at the Opéra-Comique, was the greatest failure in the history of opera. While this might seem unimaginable today (as Carmen is consistently one of the top five operas produced annually in the world, and its music is instantly recognizable through its consistent usage in advertising), the real reasons have nothing to do with the ingenuity and brilliance of the vocal and orchestral writing, but rather the prevailing societal norms and attitudes of the era in which it first appeared. First of all, the Opéra-Comique was known for presenting lighter musical and theatrical comedic fare with a moralistic undertone in which virtue is ultimately rewarded. With a libretto by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halèvy, based on Prosper Mérimée's 1845 novella, Carmen was anything but. Featuring common folk and outcasts of society whose values are outside of the norms of a “moral” society, the work shocked and upset the audiences of the time. Piotr Tchaikovsky, who had studied the piece and attended a January 1876 performance in Paris, considered Carmen “perhaps the most outstanding operatic work of our age” and predicted that “within ten years or so, it would become the most popular opera in the world.” So, what makes Carmen such a great score? It is hard to think of another piece that has so many instantly recognizable numbers: the Habanera, the Toreador Song, the Séguedille, the rousing exuberant opening Prelude and each of the Entr'actes. This is a score that feels so spontaneous, so authentic, rather than composed. Bizet took pains to study the folk music of the region but all of the music is his own invention. Richard Strauss wrote “if you want to learn how to orchestrate, don’t study Wagner’s scores, study the score of Carmen ...every note and every rest is in its proper place.” In the opening scene where the soldiers stand around in the town square, you can literally feel the stifling breeze with the alternating woodwinds and string undulations. The sultriness and erotic tension of Carmen’s "Habanera" is created with a simple ostinato pattern in the cello section with sprinklings of string pizzicatos, tambourine and triangle supporting the alluring chromatically descending vocal line which is dripping with invitation and danger. We have chosen to perform the original version of Carmen which includes spoken dialogue (significantly reduced) rather than the version with sung recitatives composed by Ernst Guiraud after Bizet’s death. This work is clearly a forerunner to the verismo style of Puccini, Mascagni and others, but it is very much a work of its own time and place. For me, the combination of the spoken and sung voice adds to the power of conveying all of the raw contrasting emotions contained in this enduring masterpiece.

The fascination with the character of Carmen transcends geography and generations. Does she act out of spite? Revenge? Love? Boredom? Need? Ambition? I think most of us are both drawn to and somewhat repulsed by her. My curiosity lands at the intersection of these ideas. The complexity of the character is what I fixate on. Would I invite her to dinner? Maybe. Would I like her? Maybe not. But do I understand her? I think so. I know the challenges of being a woman in Canada in 2024. I can only guess what the challenges of being a woman in the middle of the 20th century in Southern Europe. There is also the genetic lottery: why is one person born to a life of privilege and another has to live by their wits? The women in this piece do what they can with what they have, Carmen more so than any other. She chooses to use her sexuality, her playfulness, her looks, her cunning, to get by in life. This is where her power comes from. Without it, where does a poor, Romani, outcast young woman derive power? I can’t blame her for wanting to use the means she has at her disposal, even if I am not sure if I like her for that. I see her. And she knows, as all women know, that exerting her power is dangerous. A friend of mine who has worked on Carmen many times told me she wishes the piece ended at Act III. I disagree. Much as I despise what happens to Carmen, this is the story. This evolution of love becoming obsession becoming serious danger is very real to many women. To many women even here, today. The man you love can become a monster. The question of male identity is also at the centre of this play. We see many different versions of men: some who perform their masculinity, some trying it on, some slipping with ease into different versions of themself. Again, how does power, how does identity, sit inside these manifestations of masculinity? And what happens when that is threatened? There is magic in this piece. There are songs that we know in our bones. There is energy, freedom, sexuality, and joy. There is also threat, danger, and violence. These extremes of humanity is what we come to the opera to experience, and here Bizet delivers. Thank you for joining us on this journey of identity, of power, of love.

On a blistering day, soldiers hang out and watch people go by. The shy, pretty Micaëla comes looking for Corporal Don José, but he’s not there. The soldiers try to get Micaëla to stay by flirting with her, but she leaves. Soon after, Don José arrives as the guards change shifts. The cigarette factory bell chimes, and women come out for their smoke break. The men flirt with the factory girls, too. Carmen comes out last, and everyone fixates on her, except Don José. Rising to the challenge, she sets eyes on him, sings "love is a rebellious bird that no one can tame” and throws him a flower. Laughing, she and the other women return to the factory. Don José hides the flower in his uniform. Micaëla returns with a letter from Don José’s mother, who begs him to marry Micaëla. As he reads the letter to himself, Micaëla leaves. Suddenly, screams come from the factory. Carmen has gotten into a fight with another girl and slashed her face with a knife. Lieutenant Zuniga questions Carmen, who replies with a mocking “tra-la-la.” Don José is ordered to guard Carmen while Zuniga gets an order for her imprisonment. Alone with Don José, Carmen seduces him into making a plan that will let her escape. Zuniga returns with Carmen’s formal arrest orders. As she’s being led away to prison, Carmen pushes Don José and escapes through the confused crowd.

Months later, Carmen and her friends Frasquita and Mercédès have fun singing and dancing for the soldiers late at night in Lillas Pastia’s tavern. Carmen hears that Don José, who was sent to prison because he let her escape, was released the day before. The famous bullfighter Escamillo arrives, and everyone is star-struck. He sings about his adventures in the bullring and flirts with Carmen, but she’s not interested. The soldiers and Escamillo leave as the smugglers Dancaïre and Remendado join Carmen, Frasquita, and Mercédès. They need to deliver their smuggled goods and want the three women to join them. Carmen says she can’t go because she’s in love, but nobody believes her. Don José arrives and the others leave Carmen and Don José alone. He tells her how much he loves her. A trumpet signals that the soldiers must report back to the barracks. Don José says he must leave, but Carmen mocks his loyalty to the military. Don José proves his love by pulling out the flower she threw at him when they met. That’s not enough for Carmen; she wants him to leave the army and join her free-spirited life. Don José tells her he could never leave the military. Zuniga shows up to see Carmen and orders Don José to leave. José refuses. The smugglers burst in, interrupt the fight, and tie up Zuniga. Don José has no choice but to flee with the smugglers.

Late at night, the smugglers are carrying off their goods. Carmen’s love for Don José is fading and the two bicker. She tells him to go home to his mother. Frasquita and Mercédès read their fortunes in cards, but when Carmen tries, she only sees her and Don José’s deaths. Planning to distract any guards, the women join the smugglers on their trip. Don José stays behind to watch the camp. Micaëla has found her way to the smugglers’ site, looking to take Don José away from Carmen. Micaëla hides after seeing Don José shoot at and barely miss Escamillo, who is there to see Carmen. The Toreador claims the two of them are in love. Don José challenges him to a fight, but it is cut short when the smugglers return. After Escamillo leaves, Remendado finds Micaëla hiding. She tells Don José that his mother is dying. As Don José rushes off with Micaëla, Escamillo’s voice is heard in the distance.

Outside the bullfighting arena, merchants hawk their wares. Zuniga tells Frasquita that an order has been issued for Don José’s arrest. The crowd cheers Escamillo as he enters, and he and Carmen express their love for each other. As the throng enters the arena, Frasquita warns Carmen that Don José is somewhere in the crowd. Carmen says that she is not afraid and stays behind to confront him. Disheveled and crazed, he emerges from the shadows and begs Carmen to start a new life with him. Carmen says everything is over between them. Carmen tries to go into the arena and Don José blocks her. Carmen says that she loves Escamillo. Enraged, Don José fatally stabs her. The crowd exits the arena with a victorious Escamillo to find Don José standing over Carmen’s lifeless body. - Courtesy of Opera Philadelphia, slightly edited for length.

Flutes Brenda Fedoruk Principal Anne-Elise Keefer Piccolo Anne-Elise Keefer Oboes Emma Ringrose Principal Erin Marks English Horn Erin Marks Clarinets Mary Backun Principal Christopher Lee Bassoons Ingrid Chiang Principal Allan Thorpe Horns Laurel Spencer Principal Nick Anderson Heather Walker Dawn Haylett Trumpets Katherine Evans Principal Jim Littleford Trombones Jeremy Berkman Principal Ellen Marple Bass Trombone Jackson Howard Timpani Phillip Crewe Principal Percussion Brian Nesselroad Acting Principal Lauri Lyster Harp Janelle Radeau Principal Violin I Mark Ferris Concertmaster Angela Cavadas Associate Concertmaster Ken Lin Shang Ko Chan Evelyn Creaser-Rumley Ellen Farrugia Lawrie Hill Hyunjung Julia Lim Domagoj Ivanovic Ji In Kim Violin II Rebecca Ruthven Principal Andrea Siradze Assistant Principal Heilwig von Koenigsloew Adrianne Stride Petro Krysa Richard Dorfer Toni Stanick Sandra Fiddes Violas Tawnya Popoff Principal Roxi Dykstra Assistant Principal Mila Tymoshenko Marie-Claude Brunet Barbara Irschick Colin Miles Cellos Ashton Lim Acting Principal Heather Hay Assistant Principal Susan Round Harold Birston Jake Klinkenborg Basses Maggie Hasspacher Principal Michael Vaughan Assistant Principal Meaghan Williams Remi Yueming Xia Orchestra Manager Jim Littleford Orchestra Stage Manager Nick Anderson Music Librarian Mia Gazley Orchestra Librarian Meaghan Williams

Soprano D'Arcy Blunston Sarah Caulfield Rebecca Collett Eve-Lyn de la Haye Allyson Hop Aviva Lacterman Heather Pawsey Julia Rooney Szu-Wen Wang Karen Ydenberg Mezzo-Soprano Francesca Corrado Katie Fraser Brenda Glass Martina Govednik Katherine Landry Yacht Lisa-Dawn Markle Heather Molloy Megan Morrison Elena Razlog Dionne Sellinger Tenor Callum Alden Kevin G. Armstrong William Grossman Brent MacKenzie Harout Markarian Ian McCloy Wade Nott Mark Pepe Don Wright Bass/Baritone Angus Bell DJ Calhoun Henry Chen Jason Cook Glenn deVerteuil Jonathon Dick Dean Giustini Willy Miles-Grenzberg Ed Moran Zainen Suzuki Philip Wing

Jake Apricity Hetherington Olivia Begg Emerald Chen Maggie Dang Clara Griesdale Eloise Grieve Fanya Gross Sofia Jones Ema Lake Marlowe MacLennan Sarika Menon Fontaine Molyneaux Behgooy Mana Nakamura Claire O'Donnell Christine Pielak Sofia Scaglione Manuela Shklanka Rachel Shakya Sissi Wang Jeen Yoon

Gabriel Eum Oscar Gil Mauricio Lopez Bianca Salazar Alejandra Zorrilla

Director of Artistic & Production Nicole Lamb Company Manager Kewen Huang Technical Director Jon Mottram Head of Wardrobe Roberta Doylend Head of Properties Stephen Elgar Assistant Properties Jesse Orr Production Assistant Jimena Pacheco Production Make-Up Michael Croteau Production Hair & Wigs Lillooet Fox Wigs Designer Christine Hackman Wardrobe Assistant Lily Yuen Stitchers/Cutters Florence Barrett Sarah Butler Jayme Cline Tracey Gauvin Jaime Lievers Darryl Milot Jennifer Reid Kate Rittenhouse Production Carpenter Dale Baratelli Production Electrician Dave Marx Child Supervisors Julia Abreu Colleen Alfredson Lorry Badajos, Lead Rachel Dreger Noah Epting Dayna Horn THANK YOUS IATSE 118 Vancouver Civic Theatres Show Crew Martin Argus Carlos Avila Bob Bancroft Florence May Barrett Saghar Bazargan Mark Carter Jayme Cline Cordelia Cohen Andie Mei Fong Ho Julianna Franchini Chantele Fry Peter Gordon Tammy Greggain Therese Hartwig Krystal Hauser Brenda Hodge Joel Johnson Eric Lescarbeau Sarah Marchant Patrick O'Doherty Mike Phelan Gabriel Raminhos Carolyn Reemeyer Kate Rittenhouse Robin Richardson Paul Siczek Madeline Vanegas-Goldfeldt Grant Windsor Lily Yuen

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Patricia Charles Martha Lou Henley, C.M.* Dr. George Luciuk & Dr. Lidia Schuster The McGrane-Pearson Endowment Fund, held at the Vancouver Foundation

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Ann Claire Angus Fund, held at Vancouver Foundation The Arthur Toft Foundation Chris Spencer Foundation The David Spencer Endowment Encouragement Fund Dennis & Phyllis Washington Foundation Diamond Foundation George W. Norgan Fund, held at Vancouver Foundation The Hannah Woodnutt Smith Memorial Fund, held at Vancouver Foundation Joan C McCarter Foundation, held at Victoria Foundation Mirhady Family Fund, held at Vancouver Foundation RBC Foundation Vancouver Opera Association Endowment Fund Vancouver Opera Foundation

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Season Patrons Sarah Armstrong Martha Lou Henley, C.M.* Yoshiko Karasawa

Legacy gifts allow donors to continue their support into the future and help celebrate and sustain this special art form for future generations of opera lovers. Vancouver Opera is deeply grateful to the thoughtful people who plan ahead to make a gift, and we would like to recognize the following for their legacy gifts. Vancouver Opera Association Lois Bewley Geraldine Rita Nicolodi Vancouver Opera Foundation Bob Houston

Chair Susan Van der Flier Vice Chair Krista Johanson Treasurer Roger Flowerdew Secretary Stanis Smith Past Chair Richard Rees Human Alghabi Shaun Dolman Gagan Grewal Joshua Hutchinson Kirk LaPointe Pierre Lebel Maria Leone Jessica Macintosh Jennifer Muench Jan Sampson Carol Tsuyuki Wilson Williams Andrea Wood President, Vancouver Opera Guild Nancy Wu

Chair Paul McEwen Treasurer and Secretary Jim MacCallum Jill Bodkin Jake Boxer Neil Carnell Roger Flowerdew Yuri Fulmer Emily Mackinnon Jennifer Muench Richard Rees Susan Van der Flier

General Director Tom Wright Music Director Jacques Lacombe Music Director Emeritus Jonathan Darlington Director of Marketing Jonathan Harrison Director of Development Kayleigh Harrison Director of Artistic & Production Nicole Lamb Manager, Administration and Strategic Initiatives William Murgatroyd Director of Engagement and Civic Practice Ashley Daniel Foot ARTISTIC PLANNING Company Manager Kewen Huang Head of Music Leslie Dala Coach/Répétiteur Tina Chang Music Librarian Mia Gazley PRODUCTION Technical Director Jon Mottram Production Assistant Jimena Pacheco Head of Properties Stephen Elgar Head of Wardrobe Roberta Doylend DEVELOPMENT Senior Manager, Major Gifts & Events Bella Dingman Senior Manager, Grants & Sponsorships Kseniia Gorlevaia Manager, Development Communications Hazel Yeung FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION Accounting and Payroll Manager Sonny Sohn Office Services Manager Jennifer Pipe MARKETING Creative Director Annie Mack Senior Marketing Manager Keltie Laidlaw Database and Ticket Centre Manager Tracey Flattes Ticket Centre Associate Charlene Hibbard Social Media Specialist Lucas Bertoli Senior Communications Advisor Stephen Lyons Publicist Cynnamon Schreinert Program Ad Sales Jennifer Lee ENGAGEMENT AND CIVIC PRACTICE Senior Teaching Artist Eve-Lyn de la Haye Teaching Artists Tabitha Brasso Ernst Nicholas Burns Holly Collis Handford Kris Epps Researcher and Writer Jane Potter Audio Producer Mack McGillivray Coordination Vincent Huynh YULANDA M. FARIS YOUNG ARTISTS PROGRAM Program Director Leslie Dala Coach Tina Chang Heidi Duncan, Soprano Simran Claire, Mezzo-Soprano Jeremy Scinocca, Tenor Danlie Rae Acebuque, Baritone Indra Egan, Pianist Sawyer Craig, Director