A Carmen For All Audiences

A Carmen For All Audiences

Georges Bizet’s operatic masterpiece, Carmen, will be performed at California Center for the Arts, Escondido, on November 21, 27, and 29. Fully staged with orchestra, the production will feature professional opera singers and the San Diego Master Chorale Opera Chorus in its first collaboration with Pacific Lyric Association. To engage upcoming generations of talent and new audiences, Carmen will be presented in an abridged, 90-minute version, to make the opera art form accessible, real, and entertaining. This format enhances the operatic performance by telling the colorful Carmen story in English before each act, without distracting supertitles, and then experiencing the story through music. “Our Carmen packs all the sizzle of Spanish culture into an irresistible theatrical event,” says Carlos Oliva, PLA founder and artistic director. Teresa Hughes-Oliva will perform the leading role of Carmen with San Diego Opera singers Chad Frisque as Don Jose and Bernardo Bermudez as the Toreador, with a special feature performance by flamenco dance artist Reyes Barrios. (800.988.4253, www.artcenter.org)