Opera Look-InCuesheet P

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eCarmenfeaturing scenes from Georges Bizet’s

With members of the Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program and the WNO Orchestra

Conducted by Christopher Ocasek

Production directed by E. Loren Meeker

Presented in the Kennedy Center Opera House

Opera in the Bullring! welcome to an Opera

look-in, where singing

can happen anywhere—a

city, a mountaintop, even a

bullfighter’s arena. But watch

your back: in Carmen, danger

lurks around every corner.

Major support for WNO is provided by Jacqueline Badger Mars.

David and Alice Rubenstein are the Presenting Underwriters of WNO.

What Is an Opera Anyway? An “opera” is a story told through music.

Instead of speaking, the characters sing

through their thoughts and emotions (though,

in Carmen, you may hear a few spoken words

on occasion). Sometimes the characters sing by

themselves (this is called an “aria,” AR-ee-yah),

and sometimes they sing in groups of two or

more. There’s also an orchestra that plays with

the singers and uses different combinations of

instruments at different times.

thinGs tO listen fOr:

R how the musicians help set a mood by

playing or singing extra fast, extra slow, extra

loud, or extra soft

R how the solo songs feature instruments that

support the singer but that sometimes play

their own special melodies underneath

R how some tunes or “themes” can be heard

more than once in connection with a specific

character, feeling, or place

What’s the Story?Carmen follows the tale of a rocky relationship

between a feisty gypsy woman and a naive

soldier named Don José who falls hopelessly

under her spell. Though he’s all but engaged to

be married to a sweet village girl named Micaëla,

José abandons the army and his old life to

follow Carmen from the city into the mountains.

When Carmen starts to spend too much

time with a dashing young bullfighter named

Escamillo, however, José’s jealousy starts to get

the better of him—and Carmen realizes that her

freedom and her life may be at stake.

meet the CastOperatic music calls for many different kinds

of singing, from the very high to the very low,

and singers tend to fall into separate categories,

based roughly on how high or low they can sing.

Carmen has several characters that showcase

some of the many different types of voices.

Creating a ClassicYou may not know it yet, but you

can probably hum a lot of the tunes from Carmen already without any help. The songs are that famous. What goes into creating a musical masterpiece that leaves people singing after more than 100 years? Read on to find out.

Carmen, a gypsy (mezzo-soprano— a middle-range female voice)

Don José, a brigadier soldier (tenor—the highest male voice)

Micaëla, a village girl (soprano— the highest female voice)

Escamillo, a toreador or bullfighter (baritone or bass—middle-to-low range male voices)

Zuniga, a captain (bass—the lowest male voice)

Frasquita (soprano) and Mercedes (mezzo soprano), gypsy girls

Main Characters

The Story Behind CArmenWhen two directors of a famous 19th-century

Paris opera house asked composer Georges

Bizet (pronounced zhawrzh bee-ZEY) to

write a new opera, Bizet turned to a well-

known author’s story about a band of gypsies

for inspiration. Though the tale was set in

Spain (while this performance moves the

action to Latin America), Bizet used a few

ideas from French opera—including a large

chorus and a small ballet—to create a French-

language masterpiece. But listen carefully;

some of the most famous melodies in Carmen

have Spanish roots that spring from popular

dances like the “habanera” (hah-bah-NEH-ra).

Gypsies, Soldiers, and Musical MagicEnter a world filled with

Spanish rhythms and high-stakes adventure as you meet Carmen, a dazzling gypsy woman who wants nothing more than to be free to do as she pleases. But what happens when this untamed spirit meets a man who wants to keep her all to himself? It’s a fiery tale set to some of the world’s most recognizable tunes.

A Bohemian Scandal At the time of Carmen’s premiere in 1875, not

many opera composers were brave enough to

tackle a complicated plot with a sassy female

character. In fact, the story, which centered

around gypsies or “bohemians” (meaning

so-called carefree people who traveled from

place to place) and featured scenes of violence

and crime, so scandalized the opera world

that Carmen went through many trials before

finally taking the stage. Despite many revisions,

however, the tragic story of a gypsy woman and

a young soldier who falls dangerously in love with

her eventually became one of the most beloved

and frequently performed operas of all time.

It takes a lot of work and a lot of people

to create an opera—both on stage and

off. As you watch today’s performance,

keep some of these key players and

important aspects of the show in mind:

In the Spotlight:sinGers

The ladies and gentlemen that are the

stars of the production. Their voices

are the most responsible for telling the

story and expressing the emotions of

the characters.

sets and PrOPs

Things that give the opera a sense of

place, including the tables and chairs of

the tavern in the mountains and the red

flower Carmen uses to attract Don José.

cOstumes

Anything the characters wear, including

coats, hats, boots, and even Escamillo’s

bullfighting cape.

liGhts

Special lights that are set up all around

the theater. These help you see the

action onstage and give you hints about

the story, such as the time of day. Plastic

“gels” are used to change the color of

the lights and metal “gobos” are used to

create different shadows or textures.

Behind the Scenes of CArmen:Orchestra Players

Located in the dark pit at the foot

of the stage. Their instruments

keep the opera on its musical feet

and provide the singers with much-

needed support.

the cOnductOr

In charge of all things musical. He or

she keeps the instruments and singers

in time by maintaining a beat and also

by giving clues as to how the music

should sound (i.e., loud, soft, or furious).

the technical directOr

Oversees technical (electrical or

mechanical) elements of the production,

from lighting and sound systems, to

moving set pieces, and beyond.

the cOstume directOr

Takes care of how the singers look

and feel in their costumes, shoes, and

accessories. The costume director also

decides who wears what and when.

the chOreOGraPher

Responsible for the opera’s coordinated

movements, such as dances or fights.

On Stage and Behind the Curtain

For Teachers Dear Teachers: Here are some thoughts and activities to share with students before the curtain rises and a little bit of homework fun for when it comes down.

Before the Look-InPre-OPera PreP

Ask students what they think the experience of opera might be like. What

sights and sounds do they expect? Be sure to point out that operas are

similar to movies; they have something for everyone (comedy, action, thrills).

Playlist shuffle

Have students consider what type of music they enjoy. Do any of their

favorite songs tell a story? Are the songs about love or broken hearts? Ask

them to think about how these ideas can apply to an opera.

fun with instruments

Today, students will hear a full-sized orchestra. Can students list the four

orchestra families? (Hint: strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion.) Ask

students what instruments they can identify by ear. Listen for these unique

sounds during the show.

After the Look-InBack tO the Beat

Though Carmen arias like the “Habanera” are among the most famous

melodies ever written, many of them can be boiled down to very simple

and distinct rhythms. Have students choose a favorite song (from the

opera or from elsewhere) and see if they can clap in rhythm to the

underlying beat of the music. Can they find other songs that use the same

pattern? Why do they think Bizet focused so heavily on creating catchy

beats for his opera?

sPOiler alert

Carmen includes some of the liveliest and most upbeat music in all of opera,

but with Carmen’s wandering ways and José’s petty jealousy, it’s a safe bet

things may not end on a happy note. How do students think the story will

end? What clues, if any, do they see on stage or hear in the music? (Hint:

The spooky music at the end of the overture that replays when Carmen first

enters, or the way characters talk about staying on their guard.)

About the composer… The only child in a family of gifted

musicians, Georges Bizet (1838–1875)

was born in Paris and entered a

prestigious music school at the age

of nine. Though he composed several

operas over the course of his short life,

he has gone down in history as the man

responsible for creating Carmen. Bizet’s

ability to conjure up images of faraway

places like Spain and India with special

rhythms and colorful orchestrations

has made his uniquely realistic style

a favorite in opera houses across the

globe. His Carmen and Les pêcheurs de

perles are often seen on stage in the

U.S. and in Europe.

About our guest storyteller…Does the Look-In host look familiar?

That’s because she’s Andrea Roane,

anchor for Washington D.C.’s WUSA

TV, Channel 9 and host of the morning

news. A broadcaster for more than 30

years, Ms. Roane has received many

awards and honors.

Georges Bizet

Explore More! Go to KC Connections on ARTSEDGE

artsedge.kennedy-center.org/students/kc-connections

David M. Rubenstein Chairman

Deborah F. RutterPresident

Mario R. RosseroVice President, Education

Michael L. MaelExecutive Director

Francesca ZambelloArtistic Director

WNO acknowledges the longstanding generosity of Life Chairman Mrs. Eugene B. Casey.

General Dynamics is the Presenting Sponsor of WNO’s 2015-2016 Season.

WNO’s season is presented with the support of Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello.

Support for Carmen is provided by the Dallas Morse Coors Foundation for the Performing Arts.

Support for Opera Look-Ins is provided by the Paul M. Angell Family Foundation.

The Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program is made possible through the generous support of The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, with additional funding provided by Judy and Billy Cox.

Events for Students is made possible by Mr. James V. Kimsey; The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation; and the U.S. Department of Education.

Major support for educational programs at the Kennedy Center is provided by David and Alice Rubenstein through the Rubenstein Arts Access Program.

Kennedy Center education and related artistic programming is made possible through the generosity of the National Committee for the Performing Arts and the President’s Advisory Committee on the Arts.

www.kennedy-center.org/artsedge

Cuesheets are produced by ARTSEDGE, an education program of the Kennedy Center.

Learn more about Education at the Kennedy Center at www.kennedy-center.org/education

The contents of this Cuesheet have been developed under a grant from the U.S. Department of Education and do not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Education. You should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.

© 2015 The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

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