Carmen
Libretto by Henri Meilhac, Ludovic Halevy based on the novella of Prosper Mérimée
Love is like any woodbird wild, That none can ever hope to tame. And in vain is all wooing mild If he refuse your heart to claim.
A dramatic and exciting story about love and jealousy, “Carmen” by Georges Bizet is one of the most popular operas ever.
G. Bizet’s musical score is full of loving melodies and Spanish rhythms, and arias from the opera, such as “Habanera” or “Toreador Song”, are well-known to almost every opera music lover.
The character of Carmen is a striking example of a passionate and independent woman who is not afraid to take risks and live life on the edge. Her seductive beauty and fierce nature have the power to captivate and entice men who become spellbound by her charm. However, one cannot help but wonder if indulging in such dangerous temptations is truly worth the price.
Experience the unforgettable rhythm of the Spanish heart and immerse yourself in the fiery passion of “Carmen”, presented by Lviv National Opera. It is truly a production that deserves admiration and reverence.
Sung in French with Ukrainian subtitles
Directors
Сhief conductor
Stage director
Сhief chorus master
Chorus masters
Choreographer
Set designer
Costume designer
Officials and performers
Carmen
Liliya Nikitchuk
winner of the international competitionOlena Skitsko
winner of the international competitionAnastasiia Polishchuk
winner of the international competitionsDon José
Maksym Vorochek
Roman Trochymuk
Honored artist of UkraineOleksandr Cherevyk
Escamillo
Orest Sydir
People’s Artist of UkraineRoman Strakhov
winner of the international competitionYurii Shevchuk
winner of the international competitionMicaëla
Lyubov Kachala
People’s Artist of UkraineOlesia Bubela
winner of the international competitionLuydmyla Korsun
Honored Artist of UkraineDaryna Lytovchenko
winner of the international competitionMariana Mazur
winner of the international competitionsLe Dancaïre
Mykola Kornutyak
winner of the international competitionVitalij Zagorbenskyj
winner of the international competitionLe Remendado
Yuriy Hetsko
Maksym Salnikov
Vitaliy Rozdaihora
winner of the international competitionZuniga
Dmytro Kokotko
Ihor Mikhnevych
Nazar Pavlenko
Yurii Trytsetskyi
заслужений артист УкраїниMoralès
Andrii Beniuk
winner of the international competitionMykola Kornutyak
winner of the international competitionOleksii Kuvitanov
Frasquita
Alina Didenko
winner of the Ukrainian competitionNataliya Kuryltsiv
Hanna Nosova
winner of the international competitionsMarianna Tsvietinska
winner of the international competitionsMercédès
Mariana Mazur
winner of the international competitionsEvent Libretto
Act 1
In the city square of Seville near a cigarette factory a guard-house is situated. Dragoons, street boys, girls from the cigarette factory with their admirers stroll in an agile crowd. Carmen appears. Spirited and courageous she is used to run the show. Meeting with dragoon José awakes her passion. Her habanera, a song of free love, is a challenge to José, and a flower, thrown to his feet, promises love. José’s fiancée Micaëla comes and forces him to forget an insolent Gypsy for a moment. He recalls his native village, house, mother and evokes sweet memories. Carmen disturbs the crowd once again. This time she’s begun a quarrel at the factory and Josè has to escort her to a prison. But Gypsy’s charm is omnipotent. Being subdued to it, Josè violates the order and helps Carmen to escape.
Act 2
In Lillas Pastia’s inn merriment is in full swing. It’s the place of smugglers’ secret meetings, whom Carmen helps. Together with her friends Frasquita and Mercédès she spends her free time singing and dancing. Toreador Escamillo is a welcome visitor of the inn. He is always cheerful, confident and brave. His life is full of worries.
He struggles dangerously in the arena but the hero has sweat reward: love of pretty girls and fame. The darkness falls. Visitors leave the inn. In darkness of the night smugglers gather for a dangerous business. This time Carmen refuses to go with them. She waits for a friend. José enters the inn. But the joy of their meeting is momentary. Military bugle calls the dragoon back into barracks. Passion fights with obligation in his soul. Carmen is angry. A quarrel between the beloved is about to happen.
Suddenly José’s commander Zuniga appears. He hopes for Carmen’s love. Military oath is broken, and return to barracks is impossible. José stays with Carmen to begin a new life, filled with worries and dangers.
Act 3
In the dead of night in mountains smugglers halt. Carmen and José are with them. A quarrel in the inn isn’t forgotten. There is a very big difference between the lovers. Dreaming of a quiet peasant life José suffers from the broken oath and homesickness. Only passionate love to Carmen keeps him in the smugglers’ camp. But Carmen doesn’t love José any more. They will imminently break off their relations. And what do her cards say? They foretell happiness to her friends, only for Carmen fate doesn’t foretell happiness: she reads her death in cards. With deep sorrow she thinks about the future.
Escamillo suddenly comes: he hurries to meet Carmen. José bars the way to Carmen. Jealousy and rage burst in the dragoon’s soul. Carmen stops the rivals’ duel. At this moment José notices Micaëla. She has overcome her fear and appears in the smugglers’ camp to take José back home. José ignores her words. Only news about the fatal illness of his mother makes José leave Carmen. But their meeting is in the future.
Act 4
Bright sunny day. A square in Seville is filled with crowd which waits impatiently for the start of a bull-fight. They greet loudly and gaily passing corrida heroes and their favourite toreador Escamillo. Frasquita and Mercédès warn Carmen about the danger: José follows her persistently. Carmen doesn’t listen to them. She intends to go to circus. José stops her. Tenderly and with love he speaks to Carmen. José cannot believe that she does not love him any more. But Carmen’s answer is implacable: it’s all over between them. “Free I was born and free I will die”, – she says proudly to José. In a fit of anger he stabs her with a dagger. She confirms her freedom with death.
Short Description
Opera “Carmen” composed by G. Bizet is made up of numerous popular melodies, among which “Habanera” and the “Toreador Song” which are so widely known that spectators hum them with great pleasure. However, Bizet was unaware that the work would achieve international acclaim.
Corporal Jose falls in love with beautiful gypsy Carmen and avoids meetings with his bride, Mikaela. Carmen teases Jose and toreador Escamillo, causing jealousy, hatred and desire for revenge. Jose tries to win the love of Carmen, freedom-loving and capricious beauty. Finally, Jose decides that Carmen will belong only to him.
Beautiful melodies, fierce rhythms of Spanish dances, rapid development of plot, and excellent acting emotional play of actors – that is a production of Lviv National Opera staged by Galyna Volovetska, Honored Art Worker of Ukraine.