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CHANDOSCHAN 3091(2)

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Georges Bizet (1838–1875)

CarmenOpéra-Comique in four acts

Libretto by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy based on the novella by Prosper Mérimée

New Urtext Edition by Richard Langham Smith with English translation by David Parry,published by Peters Edition Ltd

Carmen, a gipsy girl .......................................................................Patricia Bardon mezzo-sopranoMicaëla, a country girl ..................................................................................Mary Plazas sopranoFrasquita, a gipsy girl ...................................................................................Mary Hegarty sopranoMercédès, a gipsy girl ..................................................................................Sally Harrison sopranoDon José, a corporal ..........................................................................................Julian Gavin tenorEscamillo, a bullfighter.................................................................................Garry Magee baritoneDancaïre, a smuggler ...........................................................................................Peter Wedd tenorRemendado, a smuggler ................................................................................Mark Le Brocq tenorZuniga, a lieutenant.........................................................................Nicholas Garrett bass-baritoneMoralès, a sergeant.............................................................................Toby Stafford-Allen baritoneAn Orange Vendor ........................................................................Clare McCaldin mezzo-sopranoA Gipsy ...................................................................................................Paul Parfitt bass-baritoneOfficers, Soldiers, Children, Cigarette Girls, Gipsies, Smugglers etc.

Geoffrey Mitchell ChoirNew London Children’s ChoirRonald Corp musical directorPhilharmonia OrchestraStuart Stratford assistant conductor

David Parry

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Time Page

‘The cheek of it!’ 0:22 [p. 107]Don José, Micaëla‘Give me news of my mother!’ 1:31 [p. 107]Don José, Micaëla‘Your dear mother and I were leaving church this morning’ 2:15 [p. 108]Micaëla, Don José‘I see my mother’s face!’ 5:50 [p. 108]Don José, Micaëla‘Wait a moment – I’m going to read the letter’ 0:32 [p. 109]Don José, Micaëla‘Come and help!’ 2:58 [p. 110]Cigarette Girls, Zuniga, Soldiers‘So, corporal: tell me what happened’ 0:11 [p. 111]Zuniga, Don José‘Well, Carmencita: what do you have to say for yourself?’ 2:28 [p. 112]Zuniga, Carmen‘Where are you taking me?’ 0:53 [p. 113]Carmen, Don José‘There’s an old bar in the city’ (Seguedilla) 4:37 [p. 113]Carmen, Don José‘Careful – it’s the lieutenant!’ 2:08 [p. 115]Don José, Zuniga, Carmen

Entr’acte 1:42 [p. 115]24

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COMPACT DISC ONE Time Page

Prelude 3:22 [p. 100]

Act I‘In the plaza’ 2:05 [p. 100]Soldiers, Moralès‘Just look at that delicious morsel’ 4:09 [p. 100]Moralès, Soldiers, Micaëla‘Here come our new soldier boys’ 2:27 [p. 102]Children‘José! There was a girl here looking for you just now’ 0:17 [p. 103]Moralès, Don José‘Off with you old soldier boys’ 1:16 [p. 103]Children‘Corporal!’ ‘Sir!’ 0:53 [p. 103]Zuniga, Don José‘We have heard the bell summon us to meet here’ 1:34 [p. 104]Young Men‘Ah, just look!’ 4:01 [p. 104]Soldiers, Cigarette Girls, Young Men‘But why hasn't she come, our Carmencita?’ 1:15 [p. 105]Soldiers, Young Men, Cigarette Girls, Carmen‘Love’s a bird wild as any rebel’ (Habanera) 4:31 [p. 106]Carmen, Cigarette Girls, Young Men, Soldiers‘Carmen! We will follow you high and low!’ 1:34 [p. 106]Young Men, Carmen, Don José, Cigarette Girls

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Act II‘From far away mysterious sounds’ (Gipsy Song) 5:29 [p. 115]Carmen, Frasquita, Mercédès‘Bravo, bravo! More! Keep dancing!’ 0:57 [p. 116]Zuniga, Frasquita, Mercédès, Carmen‘Hurrah! Hurrah! The Torero!’ 0:16 [p. 117]Friends of Escamillo‘Who’s that?’ ‘It’s Escamillo, the bullfighter from Granada’ 0:12 [p. 117]Zuniga, Frasquita, Friends of Escamillo‘Hurrah! Hurrah! The Torero!’ 0:35 [p. 117]Zuniga, Officers, Friends of Escamillo, Mercédès, Frasquita,Carmen, Moralès, Escamillo‘You’re most kind’ (Toreador’s aria) 5:10 [p. 118]Escamillo, Frasquita, Mercédès, Carmen, Moralès, Zuniga,Officers, Friends of Escamillo‘We’ll come with you, Señor Torero’ 1:03 [p. 119]Zuniga, Escamillo, Friends of Escamillo, Carmen, Frasquita,Mercédès‘Toreador, be ready!’ 1:10 [p. 120]Friends of Escamillo‘At last!’ ‘We got rid of them as quickly as we could’ 0:14 [p. 120]Remendado, Frasquita, Dancaïre, Mercédès‘There’s a little job that we’re starting!’ 4:50 [p. 120]Dancaïre, Mercédès, Frasquita, Remendado, Carmen‘Being in love is not a reason’ 2:25 [p. 122]Dancaïre, Carmen, Frasquita, Mercédès, Don José

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COMPACT DISC TWO Time Page

‘To bid you welcome to our bar’ 0:38 [p. 125]Carmen‘La la la la la la la la…’ 2:18 [p. 125]Carmen, Don José‘Back to camp!… Go at once!’ 2:35 [p. 125]Carmen, Don José‘That flow’r you threw to me I treasured’ (Flower Song) 3:55 [p. 126]Don José‘No, it’s not love at all!’ 4:14 [p. 127]Carmen, Don José‘Hello! Carmen!’ 1:31 [p. 129]Zuniga, Don José, Carmen‘Lieutenant fair, it’s true’ 2:50 [p. 129]Carmen, Remendado, Dancaïre, Gipsies, Zuniga, Don José,Frasquita, Mercédès‘The sky above the open road’ 1:02 [p. 131]Gipsies, Frasquita, Mercédès, Carmen, Don José, Remendado,Dancaïre

Entr’acte 2:38 [p. 131]9

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‘Holà! holà! José!’ 2:51 [p. 139]Carmen, Escamillo, Dancaïre‘You should take care, Carmen’ 4:00 [p. 140]Don José, Dancaïre, Gipsies, Remendado, Carmen, Micaëla,Frasquita, Mercédès‘Alas! José, your mother is ill’ 2:04 [p. 142]Micaëla, Don José, Escamillo

Entr’acte 2:12 [p. 142]

Act IV‘A few cuartos! A few cuartos!’ 2:12 [p. 142]Merchants, Vendors, Zuniga, An Orange Vendor, A Gipsy‘Here they come! Here they come!’ 3:46 [p. 143]Children, Merchants, Vendors, Crowd‘If you love me, Carmen’ 3:24 [p. 145]Escamillo, Carmen, Cordeliers, Frasquita, Mercédès‘It’s you!’ ‘It’s me!’ 6:06 [p. 146]Carmen, Don José‘Viva! Viva! What a corrida!’ 3:53 [p. 147]Crowd, Don José, Carmen

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Act III‘Keep going, dear old friend, keep going!’ 4:25 [p. 131]Gipsies, Frasquita, Mercédès, Carmen, Don José, Remendado,Dancaïre‘Right! Let’s stop for a while’ 1:03 [p. 131]Dancaïre, Don José, Carmen‘Shuffle! Cut them!’ 4:05 [p. 132]Frasquita, Mercédès, Carmen‘In vain you would avoid the bitter things they’re saying’ 3:12 [p. 133]Carmen, Frasquita, Mercédès‘You’re back!’ 0:35 [p. 134]Frasquita, Dancaïre, Mercédès, Carmen, Remendado, Don José‘As for that man, it should be easy!’ 3:07 [p. 135]Frasquita, Mercédès, Carmen, Gipsies, Remendado, Dancaïre‘Is this the place?’ 0:16 [p. 136]Micaëla, Guide‘I say that there’s nothing to fear’ 5:15 [p. 136]Micaëla‘It’s him! I’m sure it’s him over there!’ 0:16 [p. 136]Micaëla, Escamillo, Don José‘Escamillo is my name, and I come from Granada’ 1:01 [p. 137]Escamillo, Don José‘She had a lover here’ 4:24 [p. 137]Escamillo, Don José

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Patricia Bardon Mary Plazas


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know something of the mixed bag of ingredientsthat went into it and the two principal ways inwhich it has been produced. The originalversion was premiered at the Opéra-Comique inParis in March 1875, and complied with thestipulation that all Opéra-Comique spectacles atthis time must combine speech and song. Inrehearsal, with the composer in attendance, cutswere made, both in the music and in the spokendialogue, a procedure continued in productionsof the Opéra-Comique version ever since,even though only minimally in the presentrecording.

Although Bizet died in June 1875, onlymonths after the premiere, there can be littledoubt that he would later have adapted thepiece himself for the Paris Opéra (andelsewhere) where, contrary to practice at theOpéra-Comique, spoken dialogue was notallowed, and the music of all operas had torun continuously. After Bizet’s death, hiscolleague Ernest Guiraud adapted the piece inthe customary way: compressing the spokendialogue into recitatives. It was in this versionthat the opera was usually given during thetwentieth century.

Probably the most popular opera of all time,Bizet’s Carmen has been filmed over eightytimes and adapted in at least as many ways: itis one of those works which reveal a few moreof their secrets every time they are redone. Theoverriding fascination of the opera is of coursethe character of its gipsy heroine. And whileCarmen has as many personalities as she hasinterpreters, she has had no difficulty inchanging with the times. Certainly, fornineteenth-, and for many twentieth-centuryaudiences she was the evil woman who ledJosé to destruction. There was no doubt aboutit: José should have married the innocentMicaëla. Nowadays different views have beenput forward. Some might even see Micaëla as apious prude. And could not Carmen be seenas the liberated woman who has taken chargeof her own destiny, free to choose her ownsexual partners and to discard them as shewants? Furthermore, she sticks unswervinglyto the gipsy morality of her clan, where debtsare always repaid, where love must come first,and where it is fine for the rich to be robbedby the poor.

To get to the heart of the opera, it is useful to

The trend more recently has been to revertto the format of the ‘opéra comique’, a termwhich benefits from a little elucidation, notleast because it has four distinct meanings.‘Opéra comique’ can mean a ‘comic opera’ butCarmen is certainly not that. In a second sense,an ‘opéra comique’, as has been mentioned, is astage work in which the performers combinespeech, often dialogue, with singing – the word‘comique’ being allied to the French word‘comédien’, actor. The Opéra-Comique was acompany which, apart from requiring acombination of speech and song, had otherstipulations built into its statutes. It had, forexample, a duty both to encourage new worksby French composers, and to bring youngFrench singers into the limelight.

Last but not least there is the Opéra-Comique: the name of the building – notforgetting that different opera houses attractdifferent sorts of operagoers. In a nutshell,while the Opéra was for the very posh – thearistocracy and the international set – theOpéra-Comique was for the bourgeoisie. Inthe case of Carmen, the audience for whom itwas written was a major shaping force.

There were several Opéra-Comiques in thisfourth sense; the latest, the third Salle Favart,is still there in Paris for all to visit. Carmen

was written for the second Salle Favart, whichwas gutted by fire in May 1887. In differentways, the opera was shaped by the last threemeanings of the word: it is an opéra comique,it adhered to the conditions demanded by theOpéra-Comique, and it was first done in theOpéra-Comique.

Carmen’s success is in some considerablemeasure due to its excellent libretto, writtenby a pair of librettists who had collaboratedalready. Henri Meilhac was largely responsiblefor shaping the plot, and for writing thespoken dialogue. Ludovic Halévy producedthe rhymed poetry of the songs and arias. Butthe idea for Carmen had come from Bizethimself, who also contributed to the libretto,sometimes replacing the librettists’ work withverses of his own. The first part of theHabanera (‘Havanaise’) is his: a survivingmanuscript shows that he replaced Halévy’srather conventional opening with his own firstverse, asking Halévy to do the rest and to fithis verse to the popular song on which thisnumber was modelled. Bizet also had a handin the card scene. But most notable in theshaping of the opera was the intervention ofthe directorate of the Opéra-Comique itself.

The two directors, de Leuven and du Locle,had two main concerns. First, recent criticism

Bizet: Carmen


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As for complying with the statutes of thecompany, the opera introduced two display-roles for the sopranos in the characters ofFrasquita and Mercédès. In variousperformances the parts for these two (whousually vie with each other musically, one parthowever lying higher than the other) werechanged around. Sometimes the show-offnotes would be shared, no doubt dependingnot only on the tessituras of the voices, butalso on whether the Opéra-Comique wantedto display new talent in the company to itsbest advantage. The roles of the several soldiers(there was originally one more, called Andrès)gave a chance for young tenors and basses; andthere were several opportunities for dancers,poorly paid by the company but oftensupported by rich, elderly male patrons whowaited for them after the show.

The root source of the opera is a short storyby the French writer Prosper Mérimée, writtenafter a visit to Spain in 1830, published in1842 and subsequently expanded to include afourth chapter entirely about gipsies. TheCarmen of the opera absorbs many detailsfrom Mérimée’s story, although Carmen’shusband, a one-eyed murderer, is ignored. Onone occasion, the libretto tells us thatCarmen’s ‘costume and entrance [should be]

exactly as described by Mérimée’, and passagesof the spoken dialogue are closely modelled onones in the short story. Many other features ofthe libretto are freely adapted – Lillas Pastia’stavern, for example – though the idea offrequent dancing is found also in Mérimée.

Don José is considerably toned down, tothe point, perhaps, where his strength in theopera is his weakness. In the short story he wasa bandit, not a soldier, and much more readyto use his gun. In the opera he is a torn man,characterised by indecision.

Much of the rest is the librettists’ invention,although a considerable amount of detail istaken from reality – Meilhac and Halévy werewell known for their ‘slice of life’ approach.Not only is the character of Escamillo added,but so are all the details of the corrida, theprocession to the bullfight being modelled onwhat actually used to happen. Similarly, thewhole idea of pitting the tobacco factoryagainst the guard room – juxtaposing centresof disorder and of order respectively – is agambit which neatly pits two essential themesof the opera against each other. Seville didindeed have a celebrated tobacco factory (nowpart of the university) and it did employ onlywomen, often reformed prostitutes and youngmothers with illegitimate children. Is the

of another opera had chastised the companyfor not adhering to the rule that spectaclesshould include substantial spoken material.Second, the directors wanted works whichwould please their bourgeois clientele and fillthe several boxes which were habitually takenby families eager to introduce theirmarriageable offspring. De Leuven washorrified at the idea of an opera based on thestory of Carmen. ‘Isn’t she killed by her lover?’he exclaimed to Halévy:

And isn’t it set among thieves, gipsies and cigar-girls!… That, at the Opéra-Comique!… thefamily theatre!… the theatre where marriages arearranged!… Every night we have five or six boxesreserved for that… The public will desert us…It’s impossible!

The outcome was that composer andlibrettists agreed to soften the plot byintroducing Micaëla: a nice catholic family girlwith whom the audience could identify. Thelibrettists also invented an extra bass role, that ofEscamillo the toreador. Nowadays we can hardlyimagine the opera without these two figures.

Both the spoken dialogue and the texts forthe sung numbers are full of riches. Who elsebut Bizet and his collaborators would haveexploited the mix of speech and song sobrilliantly as in Zuniga’s interrogation of

Carmen, where the questions are spoken, andthe answers merely sung ‘tra la las’? Then thereis the dance with which Carmen rewards Joséfor setting her free, her castanets contrastingwith the rising strains of the bugles off-stage.These are just two examples of Bizet’sincredible imaginative fertility, and we stillmarvel at it.

The way Bizet controls the flow betweenspeech and song is also particularly subtle. Theopposite of a mere ‘number opera’ withdialogue interspersed, Carmen has a real senseof progression, an inexorable drive towards itsterrible end. This is achieved in several ways.

Things start relatively lightly, with quite afew nudges and winks in the spoken dialogueand some double-entendre (José’s polishing ofhis priming-pin, for example, and the obsceneinsults exchanged between Carmen andManuela about donkeys and broomsticksbeing needed to satisfy each other). There isalso some decorative and delightful localcolour, especially in the three dance-songsthrough which Carmen introduces herself tothe audience. Also contributing to the forwardthrust is the gradual adoption of continuousmusic in the last act where we move dizzilybetween snatches of the sounds of thebullfight and José and Carmen’s wrangling.


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presence of the children in the opera perhaps asign that the librettists knew of the factory andits ways – if not directly, then perhaps throughthe illustrations by Gustave Doré who hadbrought back to Paris an extensive portfolio ofwork he had done inside the factory?

Apart from Mérimée, many other writers ofthe nineteenth century were fascinated bygipsy life and the gipsy character. One studyremarked on several features explored in theopera: the refusal of gipsies to budge underthreat or torture; their disrespect for Westernauthority; their love of tobacco and strongdrink; their love of sweets and snacks ratherthan ‘proper meals’; and, of course, thewantonness of their women.

Gipsies were also reputed to have greatmusical skills, even if these were of an‘extempore’ nature. But here lay Bizet’s genius.In Carmen’s Habanera, Seguedilla and GipsySong (‘Chanson Bohème’) the composer forthe first time introduced pastiche of real gipsymusic into the opera house, trance-inducingpieces based on rhythm and repetition ratherthan on sophisticated harmony. These songsintroduce Carmen not only by means of wordsand music but through the visual display ofraunchy dance and seductive gestures, themusic acutely contrasting with that of Micaëla.

How touchingly, on the other hand, Bizetcaptures Micaëla’s seventeen-year-oldinnocence, tingeing her music with thereligiosity of harps. And again, how brilliantlyhe gives us the carefree, machismo swagger ofEscamillo the toreador! However much of amelting-pot the opera is, it was launched intoexistence by three geniuses of stagecraft, andcontinues to exert an unparalleled power overperformers, producers and audiences alike.

A note on the editionMy primary job in preparing an edition forthe current recording was to produce a clean,clear text for the musicians to use, based onthe Opéra-Comique version. David Parrytranslated the libretto and retained the essenceof the spoken sections: essential for a fullunderstanding of what Carmen is about. Itsoon became apparent that the main problemwas to decide which Opéra-Comique versionto use, for there were many. Recent criteria forediting have leaned heavily on what is oftenreferred to as ‘composer-intentions’. There isone surviving score mostly in Bizet’s hand. Butto have followed this slavishly would have ledme down a false trail, and quite possibly nothave represented Bizet’s intentions anyway.After all, he surely had one main intention: to

make the opera a success. Consequently, hetampered with the work in rehearsal, andothers tampered with it afterwards, sometimesnot to its detriment. For example, Carmen’sinterrogation number – her ‘tra la las’ – issomewhat overworked in the first edition, andit was, in my opinion, compressed to itsbenefit during subsequent performances.

I decided that I would base the edition largelyon what was done in the early run of Opéra-Comique performances, and in this respect haveleaned heavily on the orchestral parts (becausethey are the best source for what was actuallyplayed in the pit) and the first published vocalscore (because that is what the singers sangfrom). There is also an invaluable manuscriptscore which was used in performances at theOpéra-Comique for many years until a printedorchestral score was published.

The edition, available on hire from PetersEdition Ltd, was made with the help of themusicologist Clair Rowden, whose assistancewas kindly supported by the Peter MooresFoundation. I am currently preparing a vocalscore for the same publishers, in English andFrench, which will detail many variants andinclude substantial descriptive and illustrativematerial on the early performances. This willbe not only a performing edition but also a

study score for interested students andoperagoers. An orchestral score will follow.

© 2003 Richard Langham Smith

Synopsis

COMPACT DISC ONE

The Prelude is characterised by busy strings,whistling piccolos and vamping brass. It soundslike outdoor music, a military band perhaps. Asecond main theme, accompanied by brass‘oompahs’, turns out to be that of the toreadorEscamillo. After a dramatic pause comes musicwhich is much darker. Tremolando stringsaccompany a twisting motive which will recurseveral times. Is this Carmen’s theme, imitatinga gipsy scale? Or is it fate?

Act IA street scene in Seville. On one side of the

plaza is the tobacco factory, on the other theguardroom. Dragoons sit smoking, watchingthe crowd. A young woman catches the eyeof the soldiers. It is Micaëla, looking for DonJosé. The sergeant Moralès tells her that Joséwill come on duty later, and invites her intothe guardroom, an offer she politely declines.

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– A fanfare announces the changingof the guard, followed by the fifes and buglesof a military march. Preceding the soldiers area group of street urchins, imitating their step.Another fanfare is heard as the guard changes.

José and the lieutenant Zuniga discuss thetobacco factory and the girls who work there.

The bell rings in the factory and thesquare fills with young men. The girlscome pouring out, smoking cigarettes, andsinging of the forgetfulness which tobaccoinduces, and of how lovers’ vows are nothingbut a puff of smoke. The young men entreatthem not to be so cold.

The soldiers notice that Carmen has notcome out. The sinister motive of the Prelude isheard again, in a high register, and Carmenappears; ‘Tell us when you might fall in love’,ask the young men. Carmen teases them:certainly not today. Then comes her firstdance-song: the celebrated Habanera. ‘Love’s abird’, she sings, which ‘no man on earth haslearned to tame’. The chorus echoes her words.

Suddenly the mood darkens as theominous motive recurs, building up to themoment when Carmen addresses José for thefirst time, asking him what he is doing. Hesimply replies that he is busy, but continuespolishing his priming-pin; she takes from her

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64 bodice a sprig of cassia flowers, tosses it tohim, and runs off as the cigarette girls returnto work. José inhales the heady perfume ofthe flower.

Micaëla returns, and José recognises andwelcomes her; she is from his village. As shetells José that it is his mother who has senther, he breaks into song: ‘Give me news ofmy mother!’ Micaëla has brought him money,a letter and something else, much moreprecious…; ‘This something… please explain’,asks José. The music turns quasi-religious,with harps and strings accompanying Micaëlaas she tells José that she has brought him a kissfrom his mother. José is ecstatic. Heimagines his mother’s face, and he and Micaëlajoin in a duet as memories flood back. Joséwonders whether the kiss was meant to driveaway imminent danger, meaning Carmen.Micaëla is puzzled, but José changes thesubject. José reads his mother’s letter whichadvises him to marry Micaëla.

– A commotion is heard and thecigarette girls call for help. Carmen has beeninsulted and someone has been attacked.Zuniga orders José to go and investigate. Thegirls are divided as to who started the fracas.Carmen says she has been provoked and

Zuniga interrogates her. To every question20

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she has only one answer: ‘Tra la la la la la lala.’ Zuniga orders José to tie her hands andtake her to prison.

José and Carmen strike up a dialoguebefore he leads her off. After unsuccessfulattempts to get José on her side, she challengeshim to acknowledge that he loves her and willdo everything she says. He denies this, but isobviously smitten. She launches into hersecond dance-song, the Seguedilla. The wordstell of a bar on the ramparts, run by a certainLillas Pastia. Carmen says she is in love with acorporal. José understands that she is referringto him and asks whether she will love him ifhe releases her. They’ll drink Manzanilla anddance Seguedillas, she promises. Tra la la la la.José loosens the rope round her wrists.

The act ends with Carmen singing asnatch of her Habanera straight into Zuniga’sface, and pretending to push José off thebridge as she escapes.

Entr’acte

Act IILillas Pastia’s tavern. Gipsies mingle withofficers, and Carmen dances her third dance-song together with Frasquita and Mercédès,her gipsy friends. The dance rises to a frenzy.

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Zuniga asks the girls to go to the theatrewith him and the other soldiers, but they refuse.

A chorus signals the imminent arrival ofEscamillo. – The officers order drinksto welcome him. He sings his celebratedaria, mingling descriptions of the conquest ofwomen with ones of the bullfight.

– Escamillo shows an interest inCarmen, but she rebuffs him. The gipsiesplan a smuggling operation, led by Dancaïreand Remendado. – In a Quintet themen entreat Carmen and her friends to help.Carmen, to everyone’s surprise, confesses tobeing in love. The men remind her that hergipsy duty must come first. Carmen proteststhat, for her, love must take the lead. DonJosé is heard singing in the distance. Carmenis pleased to see him and repays her debt tohim by ordering food and Manzanilla.

COMPACT DISC TWO

She declares that she will dance for him.During her dance the sound of bugles is

heard far away: José’s company is on the move.Carmen finds it a fitting accompaniment toher song but José feels the need to return tohis company. They argue. Carmen can onlyregard José’s wish to return as a denial of his

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love. His last plea is the aria in which hesings of the flower she threw to him.

Carmen tells him that if the two of themare to continue, they must flee to distantlands. A knock at the door is heard, Zunigaenters and sees José who is now, in the army’seyes, a deserter. – The gipsies overpowerZuniga and offer José a way out: he must jointheir band.

Entr’acte

Act IIIA wild place in the mountains. The gipsiesare there with a band of smugglers, singing asthey march. In a tense dialogue José tellsCarmen that he is near his mother’s house. Shetaunts him by suggesting that he really belongsthere, with his mother. ‘Are you the devil,Carmen?’ he asks. ‘Yes,’ she replies, ‘I’ve toldyou already.’

Frasquita and Mercédès, who are readingtheir fortunes in a game of cards, are havingsome luck: one finds a good lover and theother a rich one. But Carmen’s cards spelldeath: ‘first for me, and then for him.’ Thesinister motive is heard again. She singsher first real aria, musing on the truth toldby the cards. – The gipsies plan their1514

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4 ambush and instruct Carmen and the othertwo to seduce the customs men. José isjealous.

Micaëla appears with a guide. In heraria, ‘I say that there’s nothing to fear’, sheconfesses her love for José. Retreating outof sight, she watches José as Escamillo arrives.

– Escamillo confesses his love forCarmen unaware that José still considershimself to be her lover. José forces a fightbetween them (which he quickly loses) butEscamillo refuses to take his life. José insiststhat they fight on, and when Escamillo slips,José is prevented from killing him by Carmen

who rushes in. Escamillo thanks her andchallenges José to a ‘decider’. Remendadodiscovers the hiding Micaëla. She takes up thestrains of her beautiful first aria, with harps,once more reminding José of his mother, nowsad and lonely. The gipsies join Micaëla inpressing José to return home: ‘You will soonbe lost forever… unless you leave now’, theyassure him. After José protests that he cannotleave Carmen, Micaëla tells him that hismother is dying. This convinces him that hemust leave. But his parting words remindCarmen that they’ll meet again. Escamilloprepares for the bullfight by singing snatchesof his aria.

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Entr’acte

Act IVThe entr’acte, in a Spanish style, leads us tothe streets around the bull-ring. Merchantssell fans, ice cream, oranges and cigarettes.Zuniga appears with Frasquita and Mercédès.

The opening music of the Prelude is heardonce more, now with a chorus announcingthe arrival of the procession. At last Escamilloappears, with Carmen at his side. A duetdevelops in which he woos her. She declaresher love for him amidst the hurly-burly of theparade. Carmen’s friends advise her of danger:José has been seen nearby.

José finally emerges, begging Carmento revert to her former life with him. He asks ifshe still loves him. ‘No,’ she replies, ‘I don’t loveyou now.’ The bullfight chorus is heardagain: Escamillo has triumphed and Carmennow confesses her love for him. She throws awaythe ring José once gave her. This is too much forhim. The music veers between the bullfightmusic and the toreador’s aria. José strikes herfatally. As she dies Escamillo emerges at the gatesto the arena. ‘I’m the one who killed her!’ criesJosé, ‘Ah, Carmen, my beloved!’

© 2003 Richard Langham Smith

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24 The Dublin-bornmezzo-soprano PatriciaBardon studied withDr Veronica Dunne atthe College of Music inDublin, and came toprominence as theyoungest ever prizewinner in the CardiffSinger of the WorldCompetition. A leading

international operatic performer, she has sungthe title roles in Tancredi at Teatro la Fenice inVenice, Carmen at the Hamburg Staatsoper,La Cenerentola at Théâtre de la Monnaie,Brussels, Tamerlano in Beaune and Orlando inNew York, Paris, Lyon and Antwerp. She hasalso appeared as Penelope (Il ritorno d’Ulisse inpatria) and Anna (Les Troyens) at the MaggioMusicale in Florence, Arsace (Semiramide) atTeatro la Fenice, Cornelia (Giulio Cesare) andAmastris (Serse) at the Munich Staatsoper andin Dresden, Ursule (Béatrice et Bénédict) inAmsterdam, and Smeton (Anna Bolena) in SanFrancisco. She has sung frequently at OperaNorth, Welsh National Opera, Scottish Operaand Glyndebourne Festival Opera, and at TheRoyal Opera, Covent Garden has performedroles in Mosè in Egitto, Guillaume Tell,


Julian Gavin wasborn and educated inMelbourne, Australia.After completing apostgraduateconducting course,he moved to Englandand studied at theNational OperaStudio. He made hisBritish operatic debut

as Alvaro in English National Opera’sproduction of The Force of Destiny followed byLaca in Opera North’s Jenuofa.

Julian Gavin’s engagements with the ENOinclude Pinkerton (Madam Butterfly),Cavaradossi (Tosca), the Duke (Rigoletto), andthe title roles in new productions of Ernaniand The Tales of Hoffmann. In 1996 JulianGavin made his debut at The Royal Opera,Covent Garden in the title role of Don Carlos,conducted by Bernard Haitink. He repeatedthe role at the 1998 Edinburgh Festival. Otherpast engagements include Alfredo (La traviata)for Den Norske Opera, Oslo, Opera Australiaand ENO; Rodolfo (La bohème), Laca, Carlo(Giovanna d’Arco) and the title role in DonCarlos, all for Opera North; Des Grieux(Manon Lescaut) with the Israel Philharmonic

Orchestra; Pollione (Norma) in Lucerne;Pinkerton for Deutsche Oper, Berlin; Roméo(Roméo et Juliette); Don José for OperaAustralia; concert performances of Rodolfo inLuisa Miller; Arrigo in La battaglia di Legnano;and Ishmaele in Nabucco conducted bySir Edward Downes.

Recordings include Godvino (Aroldo),The Tales of Hoffmann, Verdi’s Requiem andRigoletto, Kodály’s Psalmus Hungaricus, andGounod’s Roméo et Juliette, besides Ernani forChandos/Peter Moores Foundation. He hasalso appeared in a six-part series for BBCTelevision, Top Score, about the making of anopera based on La bohème.

The baritone GarryMagee, a graduate ofthe Guildhall Schoolof Music and Dramaand the NationalOpera Studio, wonFirst Prize in theKathleen FerrierAward in 1995 andthe following yearwas a Prize winner inthe International Belvedere Competition inVienna; he is currently studying with Robert

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Rigoletto, Mefistofele and La fanciulla delWest.

She has sung in concert and recitalthroughout Europe, in the United States andJapan, and appeared with conductors such asZubin Mehta, Bernard Haitink, ClaudioAbbado, Antonio Pappano and Sir CharlesMackerras. She was also invited to sing atBuckingham Palace during a concert celebratingthe fiftieth birthday of HRH Prince Charles.She appears on the Chandos/Peter MooresFoundation recording of Eugene Onegin.

Mary Plazas,soprano, studied atthe Royal NorthernCollege of Music inManchester withAva June. Winnerof several awards,including the 1991Kathleen FerrierMemorialScholarship, she also

received major scholarships from the PeterMoores Foundation and the Countess ofMunster Musical Trust. She made her operaticdebut in 1992 with English National Opera asthe Heavenly Voice in Don Carlos. She has

sung with all the major British operacompanies, as well as with New Israeli Operaand The Metropolitan Opera, New York andat the Bregenz Festival. Her comprehensiverepertoire includes Susanna (Le nozze diFigaro), Donna Elvira (Don Giovanni ),Marzelline (Fidelio), Adina (The Elixir ofLove), Oscar (A Masked Ball ), Mimì(La bohème), Anne Trulove (The Rake’sProgress) and the title role in The CunningLittle Vixen. She has sung Donna Elvira forGlyndebourne Touring Opera, for which shealso created the role of Tina in JonathanDove’s Flight, repeating it with GlyndebourneFestival Opera.

Mary Plazas has given recitals and concerts,including solo recitals at the Wigmore Hall,Purcell Room and the Karajan Centre inVienna, and performed at many festivals. Herconcert repertoire includes Haydn’sDie Schöpfung, Tippett’s A Child of Our Time,Schumann’s Das Paradies und die Peri andCanteloube’s Songs of the Auvergne. Sheappears in Mercadante’s Emma d’Antiochia andPacini’s Maria, regina d’Inghilterra on OperaRara and for Chandos/Peter MooresFoundation has recorded the roles of Zerlina(Don Giovanni ), Adina, Marguerite (Faust)and Liù (Turandot).

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The soprano SallyHarrison studied atthe Royal NorthernCollege of Music,supported by aPeter MooresFoundationScholarship, andsubsequently at theNational OperaStudio. With

English National Opera she has sung Despina(Così fan tutte), Papagena and Pamina(The Magic Flute), Giannetta (The Elixir ofLove), Lidka (Smetana’s The Two Widows),Frasquita, Chloë (The Queen of Spades) andYum Yum (The Mikado), and she appeared asMusetta (La bohème) and Polly Peachum(The Threepenny Opera) at Scottish Opera andas the Countess (The Marriage of Figaro) at theOpera Theatre Company, Dublin. Othernotable British performances have includedPoppea (Handel’s Agrippina) at the BuxtonFestival, Galatea (Acis and Galatea) at theEnglish Bach Festival and Gilda (Rigoletto) atthe Bath and Wessex Opera. On the concertplatform she has sung Handel’s Esther andMessiah, Mozart’s Mass in C minor andExsultate, jubilate and Orff ’s Carmina burana.

The tenor PeterWedd studied at theGuildhall School ofMusic and Dramawith WilliamMcAlpine, and at theNational OperaStudio where hereceived support fromthe Peter MooresFoundation. He has

sung Cascada (Die lustige Witwe) at The RoyalOpera, Covent Garden, Federico (L’Arlesiana)and Pluto (Orphée aux enfers) for OperaHolland Park, Don José and Tamino(Die Zauberflöte) at Welsh National Opera, hisoperatic repertoire also including Edgardo(Lucia di Lammermoor), Rodolfo (La bohème),Eisenstein (Die Fledermaus) and Lysander(A Midsummer Night’s Dream) besides the titlerole in Les Contes d’Hoffmann. From 1999 to2001 he was a Company Principal with TheRoyal Opera.

In concert he has performed a widerepertoire ranging from Bach’s St John Passionand Handel’s Messiah, through the Requiemsof Mozart and Verdi, the Petite Messe solennelleby Rossini and Mendelssohn’s Elijah, toJanácek’s Glagolitic Mass and Britten’s

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Dean. Among the many roles he hasperformed are Guglielmo (Così fan tutte),Papageno (Die Zauberflöte), Dr Malatesta(Don Pasquale), Figaro (The Barber of Seville),Marcello and Schaunard (La bohème),Sharpless (Madama Butterfly) and HarryHeegan (The Silver Tassie) besides the titleroles in Don Giovanni and Eugene Onegin. Hehas performed with English National Opera,Opera North, The Royal Opera, CoventGarden, Welsh National Opera, FlandersOpera, Opéra de Monte-Carlo, Théâtre de laMonnaie in Brussels, The Netherlands Opera,Deutsche Oper, Berlin and Florida GrandOpera. He has appeared in concert and recitalat venues and festivals both in Britain andabroad in a repertoire that includes Bach’sMagnificat and St John Passion, Brahms’sEin deutsches Requiem, Rachmaninov’s Springcantata, Kurt Weill’s Das Berliner Requiem,Bernstein’s West Side Story and Britten’s WarRequiem. His discography includes, forChandos/Peter Moores Foundation, thetitle role in Don Giovanni and Valentin inFaust.

Born in Cork, the soprano Mary Hegartystudied at the Cork School of Music and atthe National Opera Studio in London.

Winner of theGolden Voiceof Ireland, shehas representedher country inthe CardiffSinger of theWorld

Competition. In Britain she has performedwith The Royal Opera, Covent Garden,English National Opera, Opera North, OperaNorthern Ireland, Glyndebourne TouringOpera and Garsington Opera. Among hermany roles are Blonde (Die Entführung ausdem Serail ), Cherubino and Susanna(The Marriage of Figaro), Papagena (The MagicFlute), Norina (Don Pasquale), Adina (L’elisird’amore), Ninetta (The Thieving Magpie),Elvira (The Italian Girl in Algiers), Fiorilla(Il turco in Italia), Marzelline (Fidelio),Micaëla, Pousette (Manon), Nanetta (Falstaff ),Lisette (La rondine) and Anne Trulove(The Rake’s Progress). She has performedat the Royal Albert Hall, the BarbicanCentre and the Royal Festival Hall, at theBatignano, Aix-en-Provence and Buxtonfestivals, at the Flanders Opera, and sungMessiah with the Orchestre nationale deBelgique.

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Schaunard (La bohème). His festivalperformances have included Guglielmo (Cosìfan tutte) at the Aix-en-Provence Festival, Marsand Euro in Cesti’s Il pomo d’oro at theBatignano Festival, Schaunard at the BregenzFestival and Grimbald and Aeolos in Purcell’sKing Arthur at the Kings Lynn Festival inNorfolk. His oratorio repertoire includes theRequiems by Mozart and Fauré, Haydn’sDie Schöpfung and Bach’s Mass in B minor.

Nicholas Garrett,bass-baritone, studiedat Trinity College ofMusic and is therecipient of a WolfsonFoundation Award.He has sung Sourin(The Queen of Spades)for Scottish Opera,Sparafucile and CountMonterone (Rigoletto),

Figaro (Le nozze di Figaro) and Nourabad(Les Pêcheurs de perles) with English TouringOpera, and Escamillo, Don Basilio (Il barbieredi Siviglia) and the title role of Don Giovanni atOpera Holland Park. Recently he sang Escamilloand Dancaïre in Opera North’s new productionof Carmen. He made his debut with The Royal

Opera, Covent Garden in performances ofPfitzner’s Palestrina, and with English NationalOpera as Baron Douphol in La traviata. Abroadhe has performed at the Opéra national de Paris-Bastille and Opéra de Nantes. His concertrepertoire covers all the major oratorio roles, aswell as twentieth-century works such as Berio’sSinfonia, performed at the Boulez Festival inTokyo in 1995.

Geoffrey Mitchell’s singing career hasencompassed a remarkably wide repertoirefrom early to contemporary music and hastaken him to Scandinavia, Germany, theformer Czechoslovakia, Canada andAustralasia. Early conducting experience withthe BBC led to a wider involvement with hisown singers and in turn to the establishmentof the Geoffrey Mitchell Choir. Earlyrecordings resulted in the Choir’s long-terminvolvement with Opera Rara for which it hasmade over thirty recordings. The Choir isenjoying a growing reputation with furtherwork from the BBC and international recordcompanies. For Chandos the GeoffreyMitchell Choir has participated in numerousrecordings in the acclaimed Opera in Englishseries sponsored by the Peter MooresFoundation.

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Les Illuminations and Serenade for Tenor, Hornand Strings. He appears on the Chandos/PeterMoores Foundation recordings of Lucia ofLammermoor, Ernani and Turandot.

Mark Le Brocq held achoral scholarship toSt Catharine’s College,Cambridge wherehe read English. Hewon an EntranceScholarship to theRoyal Academy ofMusic to study withKenneth Bowen andlater continued his

studies at the National Opera Studio.He was a Company Principal with English

National Opera, where his many rolesincluded Tamino (The Magic Flute), Paris(King Priam), Count Almaviva (The Barber ofSeville), Narraboth (Salome), Don Ottavio,Monostatos, Rodriguez (Massenet’s DonQuixote), Odoardo (Ariodante), Doctor Maxwell(The Silver Tassie) and Siward (A Better Place).Guest appearances have included roles for OperaNorthern Ireland, Garsington Opera and theAix-en-Provence Festival.

Mark Le Brocq has performed as a recital

and oratorio soloist in the USA, France,Germany, Spain and the Middle East, as wellas at all the major London venues. He hasappeared with the Gabrieli Consort and PaulMcCreesh at festivals throughout Europe. Hisrecordings include Il trovatore and Turandot forChandos/Peter Moores Foundation, Samson,Judas Maccabaeus, Purcell’s Hail Bright Cecilia,Handel’s Utrecht Te Deum and Boyce’s I WasGlad.

The baritone TobyStafford-Allenstudied under RobertAlderson at the RoyalNorthern College ofMusic, where he sangFigaro (Le nozzedi Figaro), the titlerole in the baritoneversion of Werther,and the Foreman

of the Mill ( Jenufa) among others. On leavingthe College he joined English National Operaand with this and other British companieshas sung Valletto (L’incoronazione di Poppea),Henry (The Fairy Queen), Papageno(Die Zauberflöte), Fiorello (The Barber ofSeville), Baron Douphol (La traviata) and

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L’assedio di Calais, Rosmonda d’Inghilterra andMaria de Rudenz, Meyerbeer’s Dinorah, Mayr’sMedea in Corinto, Mercadante’s Orazi eCuriazi, Pacini’s Maria, regina d’Inghilterraand Rossini’s Otello). The Orchestra hasrecorded numerous discs for Chandosincluding, in the Opera in English seriessponsored by the Peter Moores Foundation,Don Giovanni, The Elixir of Love, Lucia ofLammermoor, Faust, Aida, La bohème, MadamButterfly, Turandot, the award-winning Toscaand solo recital albums of operatic arias withBruce Ford, Diana Montague, Dennis O’Neill,Alastair Miles, Yvonne Kenny and JohnTomlinson.

David Parry studied with Sergiu Celibidacheand began his career as Sir John Pritchard’sassistant. He made his debut with EnglishMusic Theatre, then became a staff conductorat Städtische Bühnen, Dortmund and atOpera North. He was Music Director ofOpera 80 from 1983 to 1987 and since 1992has been the founding Music Director ofAlmeida Opera.

He works extensively in both opera andconcert, nationally and internationally. He hasconducted several productions at EnglishNational Opera and Opera North and appears

regularly with the Philharmonia and LondonPhilharmonic Orchestras. In 1996 he made hisdebut at the Glyndebourne Festivalconducting Così fan tutte, following it in 1998with the world premiere of Jonathan Dove’sFlight.

He is a frequent visitor to Spain where hehas given concerts with most of the majorSpanish orchestras. He conducted the Spanishpremiere of Peter Grimes in Madrid and in1996 the first Spanish production ofThe Rake’s Progress. He has appeared inGermany, Switzerland, and The Netherlands,at the Pesaro Festival in Italy, the Hong KongInternational Festival, in Japan with a tour ofCarmen, and in Mexico with the UNAMSymphony Orchestra. Recent new productionshe has conducted include Fidelio at the NewZealand Festival, Lucia di Lammermoor at NewIsraeli Opera and Don Giovanni at StaatsoperHannover.

His work in the recording studio includesthe BBC Television production of Marschner’sDer Vampyr and twenty-eight complete operarecordings under the sponsorship of the PeterMoores Foundation. Among these arenumerous discs for the Opera Rara labelwhich have won several awards, including theBelgian Prix Cecilia for Donizetti’s Rosmonda

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The New London Children’s Choir waslaunched by its Musical Director Ronald Corpin 1991 with the aim of introducing childrento the challenges and fun of singing andperforming all types of music. Since then theChoir has appeared in all the major Londonconcert halls, worked with the UK’s finestsymphony orchestras and conductors,collaborated with opera companies in the UKand abroad, made dozens of recordings andbroadcasts, and been invited to appear atmany major festivals.

The extensive discography of the NewLondon Children’s Choir encompassesrecordings of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker,Shostakovich’s Song of the Forests, Prokofiev’sIvan the Terrible, Rutland Boughton’sBethlehem, Vaughan Williams’s Hugh theDrover, Mahler’s Symphony No. 3, Holst’sThe Planets, and Britten’s St Nicolas andA Midsummer Night’s Dream. It has also maderecordings for film and premiered over thirtynew works.

From auspicious beginnings in 1945, when itwas established by Walter Legge primarily as arecording orchestra, the PhilharmoniaOrchestra went on to attract some of thetwentieth century’s greatest conductors.

Associated most closely with the Orchestrahave been Otto Klemperer (first PrincipalConductor), Lorin Maazel, Riccardo Muti,Giuseppe Sinopoli, Carlo Maria Giulini,Sir Andrew Davis, Vladimir Ashkenazy andEsa-Pekka Salonen. Under current PrincipalConductor Christoph von Dohnányi and withLeonard Slatkin as Principal Guest Conductorthe Orchestra has consolidated its centralposition in British musical life, not only inLondon where it is Resident Orchestra at theRoyal Festival Hall, but also in the widercommunity through regional residencies.

The Orchestra has received several majorawards and won critical acclaim for its vitalityand unique warmth of sound. It has beenpraised as well for its innovative programming,at the heart of which is a commitment toperforming and commissioning new music bythe world’s leading living composers, amongthem its current Visiting Composer, JamesMacMillan.

The Orchestra tours frequently abroad andis the world’s most recorded symphonyorchestra with well over 1000 releases to itscredit. Among these are, for Opera Rara,several discs of operatic arias as well as elevencomplete operas (Donizetti’s Ugo, conte diParigi, Ne m’oubliez pas, Emilia di Liverpool,

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d’Inghilterra. For Chandos he has conducted aseries of recitals of operatic arias – with BruceFord, Diana Montague, Dennis O’Neill,Alastair Miles, Yvonne Kenny, JohnTomlinson, Della Jones and Andrew Shore –as well as Don Giovanni, Don Pasquale,The Elixir of Love, Lucia of Lammermoor,Ernani, Il trovatore, Aida, Faust, Cavalleriarusticana, Pagliacci, La bohème, Turandot, theaward-winning Tosca and highlights fromDer Rosenkavalier, all in association with thePeter Moores Foundation.

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Célestine Galli-Marié as Carmen inAct II of the original production,

1875; coloured lithograph byAntonin-Marie Chantinière

AK

G L

ondo

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Patricia Bardonin the title rolein Scottish Opera’sproductionof Carmen

Bill

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Julian Gavin Garry Magee


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PETER MOORES, CBE, DL

Peter Moores was born in Lancashire, the son of Sir John Moores, founder of the giantLittlewoods mail order, chain store and football pools group. He was educated at Eton andChrist Church, Oxford, where he read modern languages – he was already fluent in Germanand Italian. It was opera, however, which was his great love. He had worked at GlyndebourneFestival Opera before going up to university, and after Oxford he became a productionstudent at the Vienna State Opera, combining this with a three-year course at the ViennaAcademy of Music and Dramatic Art.

By the end of his third year at the Academy, Moores had produced the Vienna premiere ofBritten’s The Rape of Lucretia, had worked as Assistant Producerat the San Carlo Opera House, Naples, the Geneva Festival andRome Opera, and seemed set for a successful operatic career. Atthis point he received a letter from his father asking him tocome home as he was needed in the firm. Family loyalty beingparamount, he returned to Liverpool.

From 1981 to 1983 he was a Governor of the BBC, anda Trustee of the Tate Gallery from 1978 until 1985; from1988 to 1992 he was a director of Scottish Opera. He receivedthe Gold Medal of the Italian Republic in 1974, an HonoraryMA from Christ Church, Oxford in 1975, and was madean Honorary Member of the Royal Northern College ofMusic in 1985. In May 1992 he became Deputy Lieutenantof Lancashire, and in the New Year’s Honours List for 1991,he was made a CBE for his charitable services to the Arts.

Bill

Coo

per/

PMF

Peter Moores, CBE, DL

Whilst still in his early twenties, Peter Moores had started giving financial support to variousyoung artists, several of whom – Joan Sutherland, Colin Davis and the late Geraint Evansamongst them – were to become world-famous. In 1964 he set aside a substantial part of hisinheritance to establish the Peter Moores Foundation, a charity designed to support thosecauses dear to his heart: to make music and the arts more accessible to more people, to giveencouragement to the young, and to improve race relations.

PETER MOORES FOUNDATIONIn the field of music, the main areas supported by the Peter Moores Foundation are:

the recording of operas from the core repertoire sung in English translation; the recordingor staging of rare Italian opera from the bel canto era of the early nineteenth century(repertoire which would otherwise only be accessible to scholars); the nurturing ofpromising young opera singers; new operatic work.

The Foundation awards scholarships annually to students and post-graduates for furtheringtheir vocal studies at the Royal Northern College of Music. In addition, project awards may begiven to facilitate language tuition in the appropriate country, attendance at master-classes orsummer courses, specialised repertoire study with an acknowledged expert in the field, orpost-graduate performance training.

The Foundation encourages new operatic work by contributing to recordings, thepublication of scores, and stage productions.

Since 1964 the Foundation has supported the recording of more than forty operas, many ofthese sung in English, in translation. It has always been Peter Moores’s belief that to enjoy operato the full, there must be no language barrier, for newcomers especially, and particularly in thepopular repertoire – hence the Opera in English series launched with Chandos in 1995. Thisincludes many of the English language recordings funded by the Foundation in the 1970s and1980s, and is now the largest recorded collection of operas sung in English.


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gesprochenen Dialog in Rezitativenkomprimierte. In dieser Fassung wurde dieOper während des zwanzigsten Jahrhundertsnormalerweise gegeben.

Seit einiger Zeit wendet man sich jedochwieder verstärkt dem Format der “opéracomique” zu. Diesen Begriff sollte manvielleicht etwas näher erläutern, da er vierunterschiedliche Bedeutungen hat. Die “opéracomique” kann eine “komische Oper” sein,doch auf Carmen trifft dies gewiss nicht zu.Die zweite Bedeutung ist, wie erwähnt, dieeines Singspiels, also eigentlich einesSprechstücks mit Musikeinlagen, wobei“comique” auf das französische Wort fürSchauspieler (“comédien”) zurückzuführen ist.Die Opéra-Comique war aber auch einEnsemble, das den verschiedensten Zwängenunterworfen war – neben der bereitserwähnten Inszenierungsform bestandenweitere Auflagen darin, neue Werkefranzösischer Komponisten zu fördern undfranzösische Nachwuchssänger hervortreten zulassen.

Nicht zu vergessen ist auch die Opéra-Comique: die Bühne selbst. Als Bauwerkexistierte die Opéra-Comique über die Jahrehinweg in verschiedener Form. Das letzteGebäude, der dritte Salle Favart, ist heute

noch in Paris zu sehen; Carmen entstand fürden zweiten Salle Favart, der im Mai 1887einem Großbrand zum Opfer fiel. Der Punktist wichtig, weil bestimmte Opernhäuser sehrunterschiedliche Opernbesucher anziehen.Während die Opéra mit ihremaristokratischen und international orientiertenPublikum einen gesellschaftlichenExklusivitätsanspruch erhob, wandte sich dieOpéra-Comique an die Bourgeoisie. Bei derKonzipierung von Carmen war dasZielpublikum ein entscheidender, prägenderFaktor.

Das Werk entsprach also derBegriffsbestimmung in dreifacher Weise: Esentstand als Singspiel, es erfüllte dieInszenierungsansprüche des Hauses, und eswurde in der Opéra-Comique uraufgeführt.

Der Triumphzug von Carmen ist in hohemMaße dem ausgezeichneten Libretto einereingespielten Partnerschaft zu verdanken:Henri Meilhac war weitgehend für dieHandlung und den gesprochenen Dialogverantwortlich, während Ludovic Halévy dieLyrik der Lieder und Arien schuf. Die Idee fürCarmen stammte allerdings von Bizet selbst,der auch das Libretto mitverfasste und häufigdie Arbeit der Librettisten durch eigene Verseersetzte. Der erste Teil der Habanera

Mit über achtzig Verfilmungen und unzähligenAdaptionen ist Bizets Carmen wohl diepopulärste Oper aller Zeiten. Sie gehört zujenen Werken, die mit jeder Neubearbeitungimmer mehr von sich preisgeben. Die stärksteFaszination geht natürlich von der Gestalt derZigeunerheldin aus. Carmen scheint mit jederInterpretin eine neue Persönlichkeit zugewinnen und problemlos mit der Zeit zugehen. Bis weit in das zwanzigste Jahrhunderthinein betrachtete man sie als üble Verführerin,die José in ein verhängnisvolles Schicksal treibt.Für alle stand fest: José hätte die unschuldigeMicaëla heiraten sollen. Inzwischen haben sichandere Perspektiven aufgetan. Macht Micaëlanicht einen scheinheilig prüden Eindruck? IstCarmen nicht vielleicht eine emanzipierte Frau,die über ihr eigenes Schicksal bestimmt, dieihre sexuellen Beziehungen selbst wählen undnach Belieben beenden kann? Auch zeigt sieein stark ausgeprägtes Moralbewusstsein imRahmens ihres Clans, wo Schulden immerabgerechnet werden, wo die Liebe immerVorrang haben muss und wo esselbstverständlich ist, dass die Reichen von denArmen bestohlen werden.

Um zum Kern der Oper zu kommen, sollteman etwas mehr über seine buntzusammengewürfelten Elemente und diebeiden Hauptansätze zur Inszenierung desWerkes wissen. Die Uraufführung fand imMärz 1875 an der Opéra-Comique in Parisstatt und folgte der stilistischen Konventiondes Hauses, die seinerzeit eine Verbindung vonMusiknummern durch gesprochene Dialogeverlangte. Im Laufe der Proben, denen derKomponist beiwohnte, wurden sowohl derDialog als auch die Musik gekürzt – eineTradition, der man bei der Opéra-Comique-Version seitdem stets gefolgt ist, wenn auch inder vorliegenden Aufnahme nur inbescheidenem Maße.

Bizet starb überraschend im Juni 1875, dreiMonate nach der Premiere, sonst hätte ersicherlich eigenhändig das Werk für die PariserOpéra (und andere Häuser), wo im Gegensatzzur Opéra-Comique kein gesprochener Dialoggeduldet wurde und alle Operndurchkomponiert sein mussten, einerNeubearbeitung unterzogen. Nach dem TodeBizets nahm sein Kollege Ernest Guiraud dieüblichen Anpassungen vor, indem er den

Bizet: Carmen


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(“Havanaise”) stammt von ihm; ein unserhaltenes Manuskript zeigt, dass er Halévyseher konventionelle Einleitung strich, eineneigenen ersten Vers vorlegte und dann Halévydarum bat, den Rest umzuschreiben und andas populäre Lied anzupassen, auf dem dieseNummer basierte. Auch in die Kartenleseszeneließ Bizet eigene Vorstellungen einfließen.Noch bedeutender waren jedoch die Eingriffeder Direktion.

Die beiden Direktoren der Opéra-Comique,de Leuven und du Locle, hatten zwei wichtigeAnliegen. Erstens war gerade an einer anderenInszenierung heftig bemängelt worden, diefestgeschriebene Forderung nach vielgesprochenem Dialog wäre nicht erfülltworden. Zweitens war den Direktoren anWerken gelegen, die dem bürgerlichenPublikum gefallen sollten – denn so ließensich die Logen füllen, in denen statusbewussteFamilien traditionell ihren heiratsfähigenNachwuchs zur Schau stellten. Der Gedankean eine Oper über Carmen brachte de Leuvenin arge Verlegenheit. “Wird sie nicht vonihrem Liebhaber umgebracht?” fragte erHalévy entsetzt:

Und spielt die Geschichte nicht in einem Milieuvon Strauchdieben, Zigeunern undZigarrenmädchen! … So etwas an der Opéra-

Comique! … dem Familientheater! … demTheater, wo Ehen arrangiert werden! … Dafürhaben wir jeden Abend fünf oder sechs Logenreserviert … Unser Publikum wird die Fluchtergreifen … Ganz unmöglich!

Der Komponist und die Librettistenwilligten infolgedessen ein, die gewagteHandlung durch Erfindung einer weiterenPerson zu entschärfen: Mit Micaëla, einemguten katholischen Bauernmädchen, sollte sichdas Publikum identifizieren können.Außerdem brachten die Librettisten mit demStierkämpfer Escamillo einen zusätzlichen Bassins Spiel. Ohne diese beiden Charaktere wäredie Oper heute kaum vorstellbar.

Sowohl der gesprochene Dialog als auch dieGesangsnummern sind voller Kleinode.Beispielsweise Zunigas Verhör von Carmen, beidem die Fragen gesprochen und die Antwortennur als “Tralalas” gesungen werden – wer sonsthätte diese Elemente so blendend miteinanderverschmelzen können wie Bizet und seineTexter? Oder der Tanz, mit dem Carmen sichbei José für die Befreiung bedankt, währendihre Kastagnetten mit den Signalhörnern ausden Kulissen kontrastieren. Das sind nur zweiBeispiele für die unglaublich fruchtbarePhantasie Bizets, die uns selbst heute nochBewunderung abverlangt.

Auch die Art und Weise, wie Bizet dasWechselspiel von Sprache und Gesang steuert,ist ausgesprochen subtil. In deutlichemGegensatz zu einer Nummernoper mit ihreneingestreuten Dialogen vermittelt Carmen sehrlebhaft das Gefühl einer dramatischenEntwicklung, die unausweichlich ihremschrecklichen Ende zutreibt. Dazu bedient sichBizet verschiedener Mittel.

Die Geschichte beginnt recht munter, mitZweideutigkeiten und sexuellen Anspielungenim gesprochenen Dialog (José putzt seinGewehr, die Zigarettenarbeiterinnen erzählenvon dem obszönen Streit zwischen Carmenund Manuela über den Nutzen von Eseln undBesenstielen u.ä.). Reizvolle Lokalcouleur wirderzeugt, besonders durch die drei Tanzlieder,mit denen Carmen sich dem Publikumvorstellt. Ein dynamisches Element ist auchder allmähliche Übergang zurdurchkomponierten Musik im Schlussakt, beidem wir durch Klangfetzen schwindelerregendzwischen dem Stierkampf und Josés Streit mitCarmen hin und hergerissen werden.

Im Hinblick auf die verlangteNachwuchsförderung wartete die Oper mitzwei Debütrollen für Sopran auf: Frasquitaund Mercédès. In verschiedenen Darbietungenwurden diese beiden Rollen, die normalerweise

musikalisch miteinander wetteifern undstimmlich differenziert sind, immer wiederabwechselnd. Manchmal teilten sich dieSängerinnen die Bravournoten, was sicherlichnicht nur von der Tessitura der betreffendenStimmen abhängig war, sondern auch vondem Wunsch der Direktion, neue Talente imEnsemble von ihrer besten Seite zu zeigen. DieSoldatenrollen (zunächst war auch noch einAndrès vorgesehen) gaben jungen Tenören undBässen die Gelegenheit, auf sich aufmerksamzu machen; ähnliche Chancen boten sich auchTänzerinnen, die zwar dafür schlecht bezahltwurden, oft aber Unterstützung durchwohlhabende, ältere Gönner fanden, die nachder Vorstellung auf sie warteten.

Als literarische Vorlage diente der Oper eineNovelle, die der französische SchriftstellerProsper Mérimée 1830 nach einemSpanienbesuch geschrieben hatte; der Text war1842 veröffentlicht und später durch einviertes, ganz den Zigeunern gewidmetesKapitel erweitert worden. Als Opernfigurübernimmt Carmen zahlreiche Attribute ausder Geschichte Mérimées, nicht jedoch ihrenEhemann, einen einäugigen Mörder. An einerStelle schreibt das Libretto für das Kostümund den Auftritt Carmens “genauso wie vonMérimée beschrieben” vor, und der


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gesprochene Dialog hält sich oft eng an dieVorlage. In vielerlei anderer Hinsicht – mandenke an die Schenke des Lillas Pastia –entfaltet sich das Libretto freier, obwohl dastänzerische Element auch bei Mérimée immerwieder eine prononcierte Rolle spielt.

Don José verblasst geradezu bis auf denPunkt, wo seine Stärke als Operngestaltvielleicht gerade in seiner Schwäche liegt. Inder Novelle ist er kein Soldat, sondern einBandit, der von der Waffe durchaus Gebrauchzu machen bereit ist. Die Oper präsentiert ihnals einen innerlich zerrissenen, ratlosen Mann.

Im übrigen erfanden die Librettisten vielhinzu, allerdings durchaus in realistischemRahmen – Meilhac und Halévy waren für ihre“Lebensnähe” bekannt. So ist uns nicht nurEscamillo gegeben, sondern auch die Corrida,der traditionsreiche Aufmarsch zumStierkampf. Auch die Idee, die Wachstubeeiner Kaserne und das Tor einerZigarettenfabrik gegenüberzustellen und somitPole der Ordnung und der Unordnung zuschaffen, ist dramaturgisch genial. In Sevilla,dem Schauplatz der Handlung, gab estatsächlich eine berühmte Zigarettenfabrik(heute Teil der Universität), die nur Frauenbeschäftigte – viele von ihnen resozialisierteDirnen und junge, uneheliche Mütter.

Bedeutet die Präsenz der Kinder in der Opervielleicht, dass die Librettisten von der Fabrikund ihrer Personalpolitik wussten? Wennnicht aus eigener Erfahrung, so vielleichtdurch die vielen Zeichnungen, mit denen derIllustrator Gustave Doré nach Pariszurückgekehrt war?

Neben Mérimée waren im neunzehntenJahrhundert auch viele andere Schriftstellervom Leben und Wesen der Zigeuner fasziniert.In einer solchen Studie wurden mehrere vonder Oper aufgegriffene Aspekte angesprochen:der Widerstand von Zigeunern gegenDrohungen und Folter, ihre Respektlosigkeitgegenüber abendländischer Autorität, ihreLiebe zum Tabak und zum Alkohol, zumNaschen von Leckereien und Kleinigkeitenanstelle von “richtigen Mahlzeiten” undnatürlich die Liederlichkeit ihrer Frauen.

Zigeuner galten außerdem als ungewöhnlichbegabte, wenn auch improvisierende Musiker,und hier stellte Bizet wieder sein Genie unterBeweis. Mit der Habanera, der Seguidilla unddem Zigeunerlied (“Chanson Bohème”)Carmens brachte der Komponist demOpernpublikum zum erstenmal das Wesen derZigeunermusik nahe – imitative aberhypnotische Stücke, eher rhythmisch undrepetitiv als harmonisch anspruchsvoll. Diese

Lieder charakterisieren Carmen nicht nur inWort und Ton, sondern auch optisch durchvulgären Tanz und betörende Körpersprache.Der musikalische Kontrast zu Micaëla könntenicht schärfer sein.

Wie rührend Bizet hingegen die Unschulddes siebzehnjährigen Bauernmädchens darstellt,die Musik mit dem religiösen Beiklang vonHarfen koloriert. Und wie glänzend er unswiederum den Stierkämpfer Escamillo in allseinem Machismo gibt! So widersprüchlich dieOper auch schillern mag, wurde sie doch vondrei Meistern des Musiktheaters geschaffen,und weder die Interpreten noch dieIntendanten oder die Zuschauer haben sich jeihrem Bann entziehen können.

Anmerkungen zur AusgabeMeine Hauptaufgabe bei der Vorbereitungeiner Edition für diese Aufnahme bestanddarin, von der Version für die Opéra-Comiqueausgehend den Musikern einen sauberen,klaren Text vorzulegen. David Parry übertrugdas Libretto ins Englische und bewahrte dieEssenz der gesprochenen Dialoge, die für eingründliches Verständnis dessen, worum esCarmen geht, unerlässlich sind. Daseigentliche Problem ergab sich schon bald:Welche Version für die Opéra-Comique sollte

benutzt werden? Denn es gab so viele.Editoren richten sich seit einiger Zeit stark anden “Absichten des Komponisten” aus. Eineüberwiegend in der Handschrift Bizetsverfasste Partitur ist uns erhalten, doch hättemich deren blindgläubige Beachtung auf diefalsche Spur geführt und ohnehinwahrscheinlich den Absichten desKomponisten selbst nicht entsprochen.Schließlich hatte dieser nur ein Hauptziel: DieOper sollte ein Erfolg werden. Infolgedessennahm Bizet während der Proben immer wiederÄnderungen vor; später folgten andere seinemBeispiel, und dies nicht unbedingt zumNachteil des Werkes. Für meine Begriffe warbeispielsweise das Verhör Carmens mit ihren“Tralalas” in der ersten Ausgabe zu breitausgewalzt, so dass es von späteren Straffungenprofitierte.

Mir schien, dass die frühen Aufführungenan der Opéra-Comique den bestenOrientierungsrahmen bilden würden, undstützte mich stark auf die Orchesterstimmen(die zuverlässigste Quelle für das, wastatsächlich im Orchestergraben gespielt wurde)und die erste veröffentlichte Vokalpartitur(denn von diesen Seiten sangen die Sänger).Außerdem gibt es eine unverzichtbare Partiturin Manuskriptform, die viele Jahre lang für die


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Aufführungen an der Opéra-Comique benutztwurde, bevor eine Orchesterpartitur im Druckerschien.

Das Resultat steht nun im Verleih der PetersEdition Ltd. zur Verfügung. Die Ausgabeentstand mit Unterstützung derMusikwissenschaftlerin Clair Rowden, derenTätigkeit freundlicherweise von der PeterMoores Foundation gefördert wurde. Derzeitarbeite ich für den gleichen Verlag an einerenglisch-französischen Vokalpartitur, diezahlreiche Varianten aufzeigen und vieldeskriptives und illustratives Material überdie frühen Aufführungen enthalten wird.Hierbei ist nicht nur an eine Aufführungseditiongedacht, sondern auch an eine Studienausgabefür interessierte Opernbesucher und Studenten.Eine Orchesterpartitur soll folgen.

© 2003 Richard Langham SmithÜbersetzung: Andreas Klatt

Die Handlung

CD 1

Lebhafte Streicher, kecke Pikkolos undherzhafte Blechbläser setzen das Vorspielstimmungsvoll in Szene. Es klingt wie ein

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Platzkonzert, vielleicht von einer Militärkapelle.Ein zweites Hauptthema, begleitet vom“Wumtata” der Blechbläser, erweist sich alsMotiv des Stierkämpfers Escamillo. Auf einedramatische Pause folgen düstere Töne.Tremolierende Streicher begleiten einverwundenes, wiederholt auftretendes Thema.Ist dies das Motiv Carmens, eine ArtZigeneuerweise? Oder spricht hier dasSchicksal?

Erster AktEine Straßenszene in Sevilla. Auf einer

Seite des Platzes steht die Zigarettenfabrik, aufder anderen die Wachstube der Kaserne.Rauchend beobachten einige Dragoner diePassanten. Eine junge Frau zieht dieAufmerksamkeit der Soldaten auf sich: Es istMicaëla, die Don José sucht. Sergeant Moralèslässt sie wissen, José werde mit derWachablösung kommen, und lädt sie in dieWachstube ein, doch Micaëla lehnt dankendab.

– Eine Trompetenfanfare, gefolgt vonden Querpfeifen und Trompeten einesMilitärmarsches, kündigt die aufziehendeWache an. Den Soldaten laufen wetteiferndGassenjungen voraus. Eine weitere Fanfareertönt zur Wachablösung. José und7

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Leutnant Zuniga unterhalten sich über dieZigarettenfabrik und deren Arbeiterinnen.

In der Fabrik läutet die Glocke, und derPlatz füllt sich mit jungen Männern. DieArbeiterinnen strömen zu einerZigarettenpause heraus und singen davon, wieeinem der Rauch zu Kopf steigt undLiebesschwüre sich in Rauch auflösen. Diejungen Männer flehen sie an, nicht so grausamzu sein.

Den Soldaten fällt auf, dass Carmennoch nicht erschienen ist. Das düstere Motivaus dem Vorspiel klingt wieder an, diesmalhöher, und Carmen tritt auf. “Sag uns, anwelchem Tage du uns lieben wirst”, bitten diejungen Männer. Carmen neckt sie: gewiss nichtheute. Dann kommt ihr erstes Tanzlied: dieberühmte Habanera. “Die Liebe ist einwiderspenstiger Vogel,” singt sie, “den nochkeiner zähmen kann.” Der Chor stimmt ein.

Plötzlich verdüstert sich die Stimmung:Das Schicksalsmotiv kehrt zurück undgewinnt an Kraft, bis Carmen zum erstenmalJosé anspricht und ihn fragt, was er da macht.Er erwidert nur, er sei beschäftigt, und putztweiter sein Gewehr; Carmen zieht eineKassienblüte aus ihrem Mieder und wirft sieihm zu, bevor sie mit den anderenZigarettenarbeiterinnen wieder in die Fabrik

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geht. José atmet den schweren Duft derBlüte ein.

Micaëla kehrt zurück. José erkennt undbegrüßt sie; sie stammt aus seinem Dorf. Alssie José erklärt, seine Mutter habe siegeschickt, beginnt er zu singen: “Erzähl mirvon meiner Mutter!” Micaëla hat ihm Geld,einen Brief und noch etwas anderes, vielwertvolleres gebracht…; “Dieses andere …sprich doch”, bittet José. Die Musik nimmtreligiöse Züge an: Harfen und Streicherbegleiten Micaëla bei ihrer Erklärung, seineMutter schicke ihm einen Kuss. José istzutiefst bewegt. Er sieht das Gesicht seinerMutter vor sich und stimmt in ein Duett mitMicaëla ein, in dem Erinnerungen wachwerden. An Carmen denkend überlegt José, obdieser Kuss vielleicht eine Gefahr abwendensoll. Micaëla versteht nicht, was er meint,doch José wechselt das Thema. José liestden Brief seiner Mutter, die ihn bittet, Micaëlazu heiraten.

– In der Fabrik wird es plötzlich laut,und die Zigarettenarbeiterinnen rufen dieSoldaten um Hilfe. Carmen hat sich beleidigtgefühlt, und jemand ist verwundet worden.Zuniga weist José an, die Sache zuuntersuchen. Die Arbeiterinnen sind uneinsdarüber, wer den Streit begonnen hat.

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CD 2

Dann wiederholt sie ihr Versprechen, fürihn zu tanzen. Während des Tanzes hörtman, wie in der Ferne der Zapfenstreichgeblasen wird. Carmen amüsiert diemusikalische Begleitung zu ihrem Lied, dochJosé weiß, dass er ins Quartier zurück muss.

Sie streiten sich. Carmen kann imPflichtbewusstsein Josés nur eine Verweigerungseiner Liebe sehen. Mit einer Arie über dieKassienblüte, die sie ihm zugeworfen hat,bemüht er sich ein letztesmal um ihrVerständnis. Wenn er sie wirklich liebe,erwidert Carmen, würde er mit ihr in dieBerge fliehen. Es klopft an der Tür, Zunigatritt ein und erblickt José, der nun alsDeserteur gelten muss. – Die Zigeunerüberwältigen Zuniga und bieten José einenAusweg: Er muss sich ihnen anschließen.

Zwischenaktmusik

Dritter AktEine wilde Berglandschaft. Die Zigeunermarschieren singend mit den Schmugglernheran. In einem gespannten Dialog hörtCarmen von José, seine Mutter lebe in einemDorf nicht weit von hier. Dann sollte er seiner

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Mutter Schutz suchen, verhöhnt sie ihn. “Bistdu der Teufel, Carmen?” fragt er. “Aber ja. Ichhabe es dir schon gesagt”, kommt dieAntwort.

Frasquita und Mercédès lesen sich dieKarten und sind guter Dinge: Die eine findeteinen guten Verliebten und die andere einenreichen Alten. Doch für Carmen sprechen dieKarten vom Tod: “Zuerst ich und dann er.”Erneut erklingt das Schicksalsmotiv. Siesingt ihre erste echte Arie, eine Besinnungüber das vorhergesagte Schicksal. – DieSchmuggler planen ihren Überfall und weisenCarmen, Frasquita und Mercédès an, dieZöllner zu verführen. José ist eifersüchtig.

Micaëla erscheint mit einem Bergführer.In ihrer Arie “Ich sagte, mich kann nichts

erschrecken” gesteht sie ihre Liebe zu José ein.Sie zieht sich in ein Versteck zurück und

beobachtet José, während Escamillo eintrifft.– Escamillo offenbart seine Liebe zu

Carmen, ohne zu ahnen, dass José sich nochmit ihr verbunden fühlt. José erzwingt einenMesserkampf, in dem er schnell unterlegen ist,doch Escamillo erspart ihm den Tod. Josébesteht darauf, den Kampf fortzusetzen, undals Escamillo das Gleichgewicht verliert,verhindert die herbei eilende Carmen, dassJosé ihm den Todesstoß versetzt. Escamillo

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Carmen erklärt, man habe sie provoziert, undZuniga verhört sie. Auf jede seiner Fragen

erwidert sie nur: “Tralalalalalalala.” Zunigabefiehlt José, ihr die Hände zu fesseln und sieabzuführen.

José und Carmen kommen auf dem Wegzur Zelle ins Gespräch. Nachdem es ihr aufverschiedene Weise nicht gelungen ist, ihn aufihre Seite zu bringen, behauptet sie, er werdealles für sie tun, weil er sie liebe. José willdavon nichts hören, aber es mangelt ihm anÜberzeugungskraft. Sie singt ihr zweitesTanzlied, die Seguidilla. Darin geht es um eineSchenke an den Stadtmauern, die einemgewissen Lillas Pastia gehört. Dort willCarmen sich mit ihrem neuen Liebhabertreffen, einem Grenadier. José bezieht dieAnspielung auf sich und fragt, ob sie ihnlieben werde, falls er sie freilasse. Manzanillawerden sie trinken, verspricht sie, und dieSeguidilla tanzen. Tralalalala. José löst ihr dieFesseln.

Im Finale des Ersten Aktes singt Carmendem Leutnant Zuniga etwas von ihrerHabanera ins Gesicht und ergreift nacheinem mit José vorgetäuschten Gerangel dieFlucht.

Zwischenaktmusik24

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Zweiter AktIn der Schenke von Lillas Pastia sitzenZigeuner und Offiziere, und Carmen tanztzusammen mit Frasquita und Mercédès, zweibefreundeten Zigeunerinnen, ihr drittesTanzlied. Das Stück steigert sich zu atemloserHektik. Zuniga lädt die drei Frauen ein,ihn und die anderen Soldaten ins Theater zubegleiten, doch sie lehnen ab.

Ein Chor kündigt den Auftritt vonEscamillo an. – Die Offiziere bestellen zuseinen Ehren etwas zu trinken. Er singt seinberühmtes Trinklied über den Stierkampf undden Lohn der Liebe, der jeden Torero erwartet.

– Escamillo bekundet Interesse anCarmen, doch sie gibt sich abweisend. DieSchmuggler Dancaïre und Remendado planenmit den Zigeunern ein neues Unternehmen.

– In einem Quintett bitten die beidenMänner Carmen und ihre Freundinnen umHilfe. Zur allgemeinen Überraschung bekenntCarmen, verliebt zu sein. Die Männer erinnernsie an ihre Pflicht als Zigeunerin, doch Carmenerklärt, diesmal müsse die Liebe vor der Pflichtrangieren. Von Ferne singend trifft Don Joséein. Carmen begrüßt ihn erfreut und machtsich sogleich daran, ihre Schuld bei ihmabzutragen. Zunächst bestellt sie reichlich zuessen und zu trinken.

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bedankt sich bei ihr und fordert José zu einer“Entscheidung” heraus. Remendadoentdeckt Micaëla in ihrem Versteck. Siestimmt erneut ihre schöne erste Arie mitHarfenbegleitung an und erinnert José einmalmehr an seine Mutter, die nun ihrerEinsamkeit weint. Selbst die Zigeunerstimmen ein und drängen José heimzukehren:“Es wird dich das Leben kosten, wenn dunicht gehst.” Als José erklärt, er könneCarmen nicht verlassen, eröffnet Micaëlaihm, dass seine Mutter im Sterben liegt. Dasüberzeugt auch ihn, doch zu Carmen sagt er:“Wir sehen uns wieder.” Escamillo denkt anseinen nächsten Stierkampf und denwinkenden Lohn, indem er ein Stück ausseiner Arie singt.

Zwischenaktmusik

Vierter AktDie Zwischenaktmusik im spanischen Stilführt uns in die Straßen um dieStierkampfarena. Straßenhändler bietenFächer, Eiskrem, Orangen, Zigaretten usw.feil. Zuniga erscheint mit Frasquita undMercédès. Es erklingt wieder dieAnfangsmusik aus dem Vorspiel, diesmal miteinem Chor, der den Aufzug zum Stierkampf

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ankündigt. Zuletzt kommt Escamillo, begleitetvon Carmen. In einem Duett erklären sieinmitten des Trubels ihre Liebe zueinander.Frasquita und Mercédès warnen Carmen: Joséist offenbar in der Nähe.

José tritt aus der Menge hervor und flehtCarmen an, mit ihm ein neues Leben zubeginnen. Liebt sie ihn nicht mehr? “Nein, ichliebe dich nicht mehr”, erwidert sie. In derArena jubiliert wieder der Chor: Escamillo istdem Stier überlegen, und Carmen gesteht,dass sie den Torero liebt. Den Ring, den Joséihr einst gegeben hat, wirft sie ihm nun vordie Füße. Er verliert die Selbstbeherrschung.Während die Musik dramatisch zwischen demChor und der Arie des Toreros wechselt,schlägt José die Geliebte tötlich nieder. IhrLeben zerrinnt, als der siegreiche Escamillo ausder Arena tritt. “Ich habe sie getötet!” bekenntJosé, “Ach, Carmen! Meine geliebte Carmen!”

© 2003 Richard Langham SmithÜbersetzung: Andreas Klatt

Die in Dublin geborene MezzosopranistinPatricia Bardon studierte bei Veronica Dunneam College of Music in Dublin und machteauf sich aufmerksam, als sie aus deminternationalen Sängerwettbewerb “Singer of

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the World” in Cardiff als jüngste Siegerinhervorging. Inzwischen gilt sie internationalals führende Operninterpretin. Sie hat dieTitelrollen in Tancredi am Teatro la Fenice inVenedig, Carmen an der HamburgerStaatsoper, La Cenerentola am Théâtre de laMonnaie in Brüssel, Tamerlano in Beaune undOrlando in New York, Paris, Lyon undAntwerpen gesungen. Außerdem hat siePenelope (Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria) undAnna (Les Troyens) beim Maggio Musicale inFlorenz, Arsace (Semiramide) am Teatro laFenice, Cornelia (Giulio Cesare) und Amastris(Serse) an der Münchner Staatsoper und inDresden, Ursule (Béatrice et Bénédict) inAmsterdam, und Smeton (Anna Bolena) in SanFrancisco verkörpert. Man hat sie auch an derOpera North, Welsh National Opera, ScottishOpera und Glyndebourne Festival Operaerlebt und an der Royal Opera Covent Gardenhat sie u.a. in Mosè in Egitto, Guillaume Tell,Rigoletto, Mefistofele und La fanciulla del Westgesungen.

Sie hat Konzerte und Solokonzerte in ganzEuropa, in den Vereinigten Staaten und inJapan gegeben und ist mit Dirigenten wieZubin Mehta, Bernard Haitink, ClaudioAbbado, Antonio Pappano und Sir CharlesMackerras aufgetreten. Bei einem Festkonzert

aus Anlass des fünfzigsten Geburtstags vonPrinz Charles sang sie im Buckingham Palace.Für Chandos/Peter Moores Foundation hatsie Eugen Onegin aufgenommen.

Die Sopranistin Mary Plazas studierte amRoyal Northern College of Music inManchester bei Ava June. Sie wurde mitmehreren Preisen ausgezeichnet, wie demKathleen Ferrier Memorial Scholarship 1991,und erhielt Stipendien auch von der PeterMoores Foundation und dem Countess ofMunster Musical Trust. 1992 gab sie ihrOperndebüt an der English National Opera alsStimme vom Himmel in Don Carlos. Sie hatmit allen großen britischen Opernensembles,an der New Israeli Opera und derMetropolitan Opera New York sowie bei denBregenzer Festspielen gesungen. Zu ihremumfangreichen Repertoire gehören Susanna(Le nozze di Figaro), Donna Elvira (DonGiovanni), Marzelline (Fidelio), Adina (L’elisird’amore), Oscar (Un ballo in maschera), Mimì(La bohème), Anne Trulove (The Rake’sProgress) und die Titelrolle in Das schlaueFüchslein. Sie hat Donna Elvira mit derGlyndebourne Touring Opera gesungen undfür dieses Ensemble auch die Rolle der Tina inJonathan Doves Flight geschaffen, die sie dann


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auch an der Glyndebourne Festival Operaverkörperte.

Mary Plazas hat Konzerte und Solokonzerteu.a. in der Wigmore Hall, im Purcell Roomund im Karajan-Zentrum in Wien gegebenund ist bei vielen Festspielen aufgetreten. Imkonzertanten Rahmen hat sie HaydnsSchöpfung, Tippetts A Child of Our Time,Schumanns Das Paradies und die Peri undCanteloubes Lieder aus der Auvergne gesungen.Ihre Schallplattenaufnahmen umfassenMercadantes Emma d’Antiochia und PacinisMaria, regina d’Inghilterra auf Opera Rara,und für Chandos/Peter Moores Foundationhat sie Zerlina (Don Giovanni), Adina,Marguerite (Faust ) und Liù (Turandot )aufgenommen.

Julian Gavin kam in Melbourne, Australien,zur Welt und wurde dort ausgebildet.Nachdem er einen postgraduellenDirigentenkurs absolviert hatte, zog er nachEngland, um sich am National Opera Studiozu perfektionieren. Er machte sein britischesOperndebüt an der English National Opera inder Rolle des Alvaro (La forza del destino);dann trat er als Laca in der Opera North-Inszenierung von Jenuofa auf.

Zu Julian Gavins Partien an der English

National Opera zählen Pinkerton (MadamaButterfly), Cavaradossi (Tosca), der Herzog(Rigoletto) und die Titelrollen inNeuinszenierungen von Ernani und Les Contesd’Hoffmann. 1996 debütierte Gavin an derRoyal Opera Covent Garden mit der Titelrolleder Oper Don Carlos unter der Stabführungvon Bernard Haitink. Diese Partie sang erauch bei dem Edinburgh Festival 1998.Andere Rollen, die er bereits interpretiert hat,sind Alfredo (La traviata) für Den NorskeOpera Oslo, Opera Australia und die ENO;Rodolfo (La bohème), Laca, Carlo (Giovannad’Arco) und die Titelrolle in Don Carlos an derOpera North; Des Grieux (Manon Lescaut)mit den Israel Philharmonikern; Pollione(Norma) in Luzern; Pinkerton an derDeutschen Oper Berlin; Roméo (Roméo etJuliette); Don José für Opera Australia;Rodolfo in konzertanten Aufführungen vonLuisa Miller ; Arrigo in La battaglia di Legnano;und Ishmaele in Nabucco unter Sir EdwardDownes.

Julian Gavin hat u.a. die folgenden Partienauf CD aufgenommen: Godvino (Aroldo), LesContes d’Hoffmann, das Verdi-Requiem undRigoletto, den Psalmus Hungaricus von Kodály,und Gounods Roméo et Juliette, sowie Ernanifür Chandos/Peter Moores Foundation.

Ferner wirkte er bei einer sechsteiligenDokumentation für das Fernsehprogramm TopScore der BBC über die Gestaltung einer Oper,die auf La bohème basiert.

Der Bariton Garry Magee, ein Absolvent derGuildhall School of Music and Drama und desNational Opera Studio, wurde 1995 mit dem1. Preis der Kathleen Ferrier Awardsausgezeichnet und gehörte im Jahr darauf zuden Preisträgern beim InternationalenBelvedere-Wettbewerb in Wien; zur Zeit setzter seine Studien bei Robert Dean fort. Zuseinen vielen Rollen gehören Guglielmo(Così fan tutte), Papageno (Die Zauberflöte),Dr. Malatesta (Don Pasquale), Figaro(Il barbiere di Siviglia), Marcello undSchaunard (La bohème), Sharpless (MadamaButterfly) und Harry Heegan (The Silver Tassie)sowie die Titelrollen in Don Giovanni undEugen Onegin. Er hat an der English NationalOpera, Opera North, Royal Opera CoventGarden, Welsh National Opera, VlaamseOpera, Opéra de Monte-Carlo, am Théâtre dela Monnaie in Brüssel, an der NederlandseOpera, der Deutschen Oper Berlin und derFlorida Grand Opera gastiert. Er ist beiKonzerten, Festspielen und Solokonzerten imIn- und Ausland aufgetreten, wobei sein

Repertoire vom Magnificat und der Johannes-Passion Bachs über das Deutsche Requiem vonBrahms, Rachmaninows Der Frühling, KurtWeills Berliner Requiem, Bernsteins West SideStory und Brittens War Requiem reicht. FürChandos/Peter Moores Foundation hat er dieTitelrolle in Don Giovanni und Valentin inFaust aufgenommen.

Die in Cork geborene Sopranistin MaryHegarty studierte an der Cork School ofMusic und am National Opera Studio inLondon. Sie errang den Titel “Golden Voice ofIreland” und vertrat ihr Land bei deminternationalen Sängerwettbewerb “Singer ofthe World” in Cardiff. In Großbritannien istsie an der Royal Opera Covent Garden,English National Opera, Opera North, OperaNorthern Ireland, Glyndebourne TouringOpera und Garsington Opera aufgetreten. Zuihren vielen Rollen gehören Blondchen(Die Entführung aus dem Serail ), Cherubinound Susanna (Le nozze di Figaro), Papagena(Die Zauberflöte), Norina (Don Pasquale),Adina (L’elisir d’amore), Ninetta (La gazzaladra), Elvira (L’italiana in Algeri), Fiorilla(Il turco in Italia), Marzelline (Fidelio),Micaëla, Pousette (Manon), Nanetta (Falstaff ),Lisette (La rondine) und Anne Trulove


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Mark Le Brocq war Chorstipendiat amSt. Catharines College in Cambridge, wo erAnglistik studierte. Mit einem Entrance-Stipendium ging er an die Royal Academy ofMusic, um bei Kenneth Bowen zu studieren,bevor er seine Ausbildung am National OperaStudio fortsetzte.

Als Hauptsänger an der English NationalOpera sang er u.a. Tamino (Die Zauberflöte),Paris (King Priam), Almaviva (Il barbiere diSiviglia), Narraboth (Salome), Don Ottavio,Monostatos, Rodriguez (Massenets DonQuixote), Odoardo (Ariodante), DoctorMaxwell (The Silver Tassie) und Siward(A Better Place). Außerdem gastierte er an derOpera Northern Ireland, Garsington Operaund bei den Festspielen von Aix-en-Provence.

Mark Le Brocq ist mit Recitals und alsOratoriumssolist in den USA, Frankreich,Deutschland, Spanien und Nahost sowie inallen namhaften Konzertsälen Londonsaufgetreten. Mit dem Gabrieli Consort unterder Leitung von Paul McCreesh hat man ihnbei Festspielen in ganz Europa erlebt. SeineDiskografie umfasst Il trovatore und Turandotfür Chandos/Peter Moores Foundation,Samson, Judas Maccabaeus, Purcells Hail BrightCecilia, Händels Utrecht Te Deum und BoycesI Was Glad.

Der Bariton Toby Stafford-Allen studierte beiRobert Alderson am Royal Northern Collegeof Music, wo er u.a. Figaro (Le nozze diFigaro), die Titelrolle in der Baritonfassungvon Werther und den Altgesellen ( Jenufa)sang. Anschließend trat er der EnglishNational Opera bei und sang mit diesem undanderen britischen Ensembles Valletto(L’incoronazione di Poppea), Henry (The FairyQueen), Papageno (Die Zauberflöte), Fiorello(Il barbiere di Siviglia), Barone Douphol(La traviata) und Schaunard (La bohème). Zuseinen Festspielrollen gehören Guglielmo (Cosìfan tutte) in Aix-en-Provence, Mars und Euroin Cestis Il pomo d’oro in Batignano,Schaunard in Bregenz und Grimbald undAeolos in Purcells King Arthur in Kings LynnNorfolk. Sein Oratorienrepertoire umfasst dieRequiems von Mozart und Fauré, HaydnsSchöpfung und Bachs Messe h-Moll.

Der Bassbariton Nicholas Garrett studierte amTrinity College of Music und wurde mit demWolfson Foundation Award ausgezeichnet. Erhat Sourin (Pique Dame) an der ScottishOpera, Sparafucile und Conte di Monterone(Rigoletto), Figaro (Le nozze di Figaro) undNourabad (Les Pêcheurs de perles) mit derEnglish Touring Opera und Escamillo, Don

(The Rake’s Progress). Sie hat in der RoyalAlbert Hall, im Barbican Centre und in derRoyal Festival Hall, bei den Festspielen vonBatignano, Aix-en-Provence und Buxton undan der Vlaamse Opera gastiert und denMessiah mit dem Orchestre nationale deBelgique gesungen.

Die Sopranistin Sally Harrison studierte amRoyal Northern College of Music mitUnterstützung eines Stipendiums der PeterMoores Foundation und später am NationalOpera Studio. An der English National Operahat sie Despina (Così fan tutte), Papagena undPamina (Die Zauberflöte), Giannetta (L’elisird’amore), Lidka (Smetanas Zwei Witwen),Frasquita, Chloë (Pique Dame) und YumYum (The Mikado) gesungen; außerdem hatman sie als Musetta (La bohème) und PollyPeachum (Die Dreigroschenoper) an derScottish Opera und als Gräfin Almaviva(Le nozze di Figaro) mit der Opera TheatreCompany in Dublin erlebt. Weiterevielbeachtete britische Auftritte kamen alsPoppea (Händels Agrippina) beim BuxtonFestival, Galatea (Acis and Galatea) beimEnglish Bach Festival und Gilda (Rigoletto) ander Bath and Wessex Opera. Auf derKonzertbühne hat sie Händels Esther und

Messiah, Mozarts Messe c-Moll und Exsultate,jubilate sowie Orffs Carmina burana gesungen.

Der Tenor Peter Wedd studierte an derGuildhall School of Music and Drama beiWilliam McAlpine und am National OperaStudio mit Unterstützung der Peter MooresFoundation. Er hat Cascada (Die lustigeWitwe) an der Royal Opera Covent Garden,Federico (L’Arlesiana) und Pluto (Orphée auxenfers) an der Opera Holland Park, Don Joséund Tamino (Die Zauberflöte) an der WelshNational Opera gesungen; außerdem umfasstsein Opernrepertoire die Rollen von Edgardo(Lucia di Lammermoor), Rodolfo (La bohème),Eisenstein (Die Fledermaus) und Lysander(A Midsummer Night’s Dream) sowie dieTitelrolle in Les Contes d’Hoffmann. Von 1999bis 2001 war er erster Tenor der Royal Opera.

Sein breit gefächertes Konzertrepertoirereicht von Bachs Johannes-Passion und HändelsMessiah, über die Requiems von Mozart undVerdi, die Petite Messe solennelle von Rossiniund Mendelssohns Elijah bis zu JanáceksGlagolitischer Messe und BrittensLes Illuminations und Serenade for Tenor, Hornand Strings. Für Chandos/Peter MooresFoundation hat er Lucia di Lammermoor,Ernani und Turandot aufgenommen.


Außerdem hat der Chor Filmmusikaufgenommen und über dreißig neue Werkezur Aufführung gebracht.

Seit seinen vielversprechenden Anfängen 1945,als es von Walter Legge hauptsächlich fürSchallplattenaufnahmen gegründet wurde, hatdas Philharmonia Orchestra einige derbedeutendsten Dirigenten des zwanzigstenJahrhunderts für sich gewonnen. Besondersenge Beziehungen zu dem Orchester habenOtto Klemperer (der erste Chefdirigent),Lorin Maazel, Riccardo Muti, GiuseppeSinopoli, Carlo Maria Giulini, Sir AndrewDavis, Vladimir Ashkenazy und Esa-PekkaSalonen unterhalten. Unter seinem derzeitigenChefdirigenten Christoph von Dohnányi undmit Leonard Slatkin als Erstem Gastdirigentenhat das Orchester seine zentrale Position imbritischen Musikleben gefestigt, und zwarnicht nur in London, wo es als Hausorchesterder Royal Festival Hall fungiert, sondern mitHilfe regionaler Gastspiele auch für einbreiteres Publikum.

Das Orchester hat mehrere bedeutendePreise gewonnen und mit seiner Vitalität undseinem einzigartig warmen Klang den Beifallder Kritik gefunden. Außerdem wurde es fürseine innovative Programmgestaltung

gepriesen, in deren Kern die Zielsetzung steht,neue Stücke der weltweit führenden lebendenKomponisten, zum Beispiel seines derzeitigenGastkomponisten James MacMillan, zu spielenund in Auftrag zu geben.

Das Orchester unternimmt oftAuslandstourneen und kann als das amhäufigsten aufgenommene Sinfonieorchesterder Welt über tausend Einspielungen für sichverbuchen. Darunter befinden sich (für dieReihe Opera Rara) mehrere Aufnahmen mitOpernarien und elf vollständigeOpernaufzeichnungen (Donizettis Ugo, contedi Parigi, Ne m’oubliez pas, Emilia di Liverpool,L’assedio di Calais, Rosmonda d’Inghilterra undMaria de Rudenz, Meyerbeers Dinorah, MayrsMedea in Corinto, Mercadantes Orazi eCuriazi, Pacinis Maria, regina d’Inghilterra undRossinis Otello). Das Orchester hat fürChandos zahlreiche Aufnahmen auf Tonträgervorgenommen, beispielsweise für die ReiheOpera in English unter der Schirmherrschaftder Peter Moores Foundation Don Giovanni,L’elisir d’amore, Lucia di Lammermoor, Faust,Aida, La bohème, Madama Butterfly, Turandot,die preisgekrönte Tosca und Soloalben mitOpernarien mit Bruce Ford, Diana Montague,Dennis O’Neill, Alastair Miles, Yvonne Kennyund John Tomlinson.

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Basilio (Il barbiere di Siviglia) und die Titelrollevon Don Giovanni an der Opera Holland Parkgesungen. In der Neuinszenierung von Carmenan der Opera North sang er vor kurzemEscamillo und Dancaïre. Er debütierte an derRoyal Opera Covent Garden in PfitznersPalestrina und an der English National Operaals Barone Douphol in La traviata.Auslandsverpflichtungen haben ihn an dieOpéra national de Paris-Bastille und die Opérade Nantes geführt. Sein Konzertrepertoireumfasst alle großen Oratorienrollen sowiemoderne Werke wie Berios Sinfonia, an derenAufführung bei den Boulez-Festspielen inTokio er 1995 mitwirkte.

Geoffrey Mitchells Gesangskarriere hat ihmein bemerkenswert breitgefächertes Repertoirevon der alten bis zur neuen Musik beschertund ihn nach Skandinavien, Deutschland, indie ehemalige Tschechoslowakei, nach Kanadaund Australasien geführt. Nachdem er bei derBBC erste Dirigiererfahrungen gesammelthatte, begann er mit eigenen Sängern zuarbeiten und gründete den Geoffrey MitchellChoir. Aus ersten Aufnahmen entwickelte sicheine langfristige Zusammenarbeit des Chorsmit Opera Rara, für die er über dreißigTonträger aufgenommen hat. Der Chor

genießt wachsendes Ansehen und ist bei derBBC und internationalen Plattenfirmengefragt. Für Chandos hat der GeoffreyMitchell Choir an zahlreichen Aufnahmen derhervorragend kritisierten Reihe Opera inEnglish unter der Schirmherrschaft der PeterMoores Foundation teilgenommen.

Der New London Children’s Choir wurde1991 von seinem musikalischen Leiter RonaldCorp gegründet, um Kindern dieHerausforderungen und die Freuden desSingens und der Darbietung von Musik injeder Form zu vermitteln. Dies führte zuAuftritten in allen wichtigen KonzertsälenLondons, der Zusammenarbeit mit den bestenSinfonieorchestern und DirigentenGroßbritanniens sowie Opernensembles imIn- und Ausland, zahlreichen Schallplatten-aufnahmen und Rundfunkkonzerten sowieEinladungen zu vielen wichtigen Festivals.

Die umfangreiche Diskografie des Chorsumfasst Tchaikowskis Nussknacker,Schostakowitschs Lied von den Wäldern,Prokofjews Iwan der Schreckliche, RutlandBoughtons Bethlehem und Hugh the Drovervon Vaughan Williams, Mahlers SinfonieNr. 3, The Planets von Holst und BrittensSt. Nicolas und A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

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David Parry hat bei Sergiu Celibidache studiertund seine berufliche Laufbahn als Assistent vonSir John Pritchard begonnen. Er hat am EnglishMusic Theatre debütiert und wurde dannDirigent mit Festvertrag an den StädtischenBühnen Dortmund und an der Opera North.Von 1983 bis 1987 war er Musikdirektor derOpera 80 und seit 1992 Gründungsmitgliedund Direktor der Almeida Opera.

Er übt in Großbritannien und internationaleine weitgespannte Tätigkeit in den BereichenOper und Konzert aus, hat mehrereProduktionen der English National Opera undder Opera North dirigiert und tritt regelmäßigmit dem Philharmonia Orchestra und demLondon Philharmonic Orchestra auf. 1996 gaber sein Debüt beim Glyndebourne Festival mitCosì fan tutte und hat dort 1998 dieUraufführung von Jonathan Doves Flightgeleitet.

Er ist häufig in Spanien zu Gast und hat mitden meisten bedeutenden spanischenOrchestern Konzerte gegeben. In Madrid hat erdie spanische Uraufführung von Peter Grimesdirigiert, und 1996 die erste spanischeInszenierung von The Rake’s Progress. Er ist inDeutschland, der Schweiz und denNiederlanden aufgetreten, bei den Festspielen inPesaro, beim Hong Kong International Festival,

in Japan anläßlich einer Carmen-Tournee undin Mexiko mit dem UNAM SymphonyOrchestra. Zu den Neuproduktionen, die er inletzter Zeit dirigiert hat, zählen Fidelio beimNew Zealand Festival, Lucia di Lammermoor ander New Israeli Opera und Don Giovanni ander Staatsoper Hannover.

Seine Tätigkeit im Aufnahmestudio umfaßtdie Produktion von Marschners Der Vampyrfürs BBC-Fernsehen und achtundzwanzigvollständige Opernaufzeichnungen unter derSchirmherrschaft der Peter MooresFoundation. Darunter befinden sich zahlreicheAufnahmen der Reihe Opera Rara, diemehrere Preise gewonnen haben, beispielsweiseden belgischen Prix Cecilia für DonizettisRosmonda d’Inghilterra. Für Chandos hat er dieAufzeichnung einer Serie von Programmenmit Opernarien geleitet (mit Bruce Ford,Diana Montague, Dennis O’Neill, AlastairMiles, Yvonne Kenny, John Tomlinson, DellaJones und Andrew Shore), außerdem DonGiovanni, Don Pasquale, L’elisir d’amore,Lucia di Lammermoor, Ernani, Il trovatore,Aida, Faust, Cavalleria rusticana, Pagliacci,La bohème, Turandot, die preisgekrönte Toscaund Highlights aus dem Rosenkavalier, jeweilsin Zusammenarbeit mit der Peter MooresFoundation.

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Gipsy dancing near Seville; woodcutafter Gustave Doré

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Mary Hegarty Sally Harrison


condensant les dialogues parlés en récitatifs. Etc’est cette version-là de l’opéra qui fut le plussouvent donnée au vingtième siècle.

La tendance plus récemment a été derevenir au format de l’“opéra comique”, uneexpression qui nécessite quelques explications,entre autres à cause des quatre sens différentsqu’on peut lui attribuer. “Opéra comique”peut être une référence au côté comique del’opéra, mais ce ne saurait être le cas deCarmen. Le deuxième sens est celui auquel ona déjà fait allusion: un “opéra comique” estune œuvre pour la scène dans laquelle lesinterprètes associent le parlé, souvent sousforme de dialogue, et le chanté – le mot“comique” étant de la même famille que lemot “comédien”. La compagnie de l’Opéra-Comique avait inscrit plusieurs conditionsexpresses à son code de loi. Ainsi, outrel’obligation d’associer le parlé et le chanté,elle se devait de promouvoir les œuvresnouvelles de compositeurs français et dedonner la vedette aux jeunes chanteursfrançais.

Enfin, il y a le bâtiment lui-même, l’Opéra-Comique – et n’oublions pas que différentsthéâtres lyriques attirent différents publics. Enun mot, si l’Opéra était pour les gens de lahaute – la noblesse et les milieux étrangers –

l’Opéra-Comique était pour la bourgeoisie.Dans le cas de Carmen, le public auquel cetteœuvre était destinée en influença fortement laconception.

Il y avait plusieurs Opéra-Comique dans cequatrième sens du terme; le dernier en date, latroisième Salle Favart, se dresse aujourd’huiencore à Paris. Carmen fut écrit pour laseconde Salle Favart qu’un feu détruisitentièrement en mai 1887. L’opéra fut doncfaçonné par les trois derniers sens del’expression: il s’agit bel et bien d’un “opéracomique”, il adhère aux conditions requisespar l’Opéra-Comique et il fut créé à l’Opéra-Comique même.

Le succès de Carmen est dû en très grandepartie à son excellent livret, l’œuvre de deuxlibrettistes qui n’en étaient pas à leur premièrecollaboration. Henri Meilhac se chargea deformuler l’intrigue et d’écrire le dialogue parlé,Ludovic Halévy fournit la poésie rimée deschansons et arias. Mais c’est Bizet lui-mêmequi avait eu l’idée de Carmen et il contribuaégalement au livret, remplaçant parfois letravail des librettistes par ses propres vers. Onlui doit ainsi la première partie de laHavanaise: un manuscrit révèle qu’il remplaçal’ouverture, trop conventionnelle, de Halévypar une première strophe de son cru,

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Carmen de Bizet est sans doute l’opéra le pluspopulaire de tous les temps. Il a été filmé plus dequatre-vingt fois et a donné lieu à au moinsautant d’adaptations différentes: il fait partie deces œuvres qui révèlent de nouveaux secretschaque fois qu’elles sont abordées. Ce qui fascineavant tout dans l’opéra, c’est bien naturellementl’héroïne bohémienne. Et si Carmen a eu autantde personnalités que d’interprètes, elle n’a euaucun mal à rester à la page. Il est certain quepour le public du dix-neuvième siècle – etsouvent pour celui du vingtième siècle – ellen’était qu’une femme malfaisante poussant José àse détruire. José aurait dû épouser l’innocenteMicaëla, cela allait sans dire. Depuis, d’autresopinions ont émergé. Certains estiment mêmeque Micaëla n’est qu’une sainte nitouche. Et nepeut-on voir en Carmen le symbole de la femmelibérée qui prend en charge sa propre destinée,qui est libre de choisir ses partenaires sexuels etde les rejeter à son gré? Qui plus est, Carmenreste totalement fidèle à la morale bohémiennedes siens, selon laquelle les dettes doivent êtreremboursées, l’amour passe avant tout et volerles riches pour donner aux pauvres est tout à faitacceptable.

Pour toucher au fond de l’opéra, il est utiled’avoir une idée des ingrédients très variés quientrèrent dans sa confection et des deuxgrands types de mises en scène qu’il a suscités.Créée à l’Opéra-Comique à Paris en mars1875, la version originale respectait lerèglement de l’époque selon lequel tous lesspectacles à l’Opéra-Comique se devaientd’associer le parlé et le chanté. Durant lesrépétitions, en présence du compositeur,certaines coupures furent faites, aussi biendans la musique que dans le dialogue parlé, etcela reste à ce jour la norme des mises en scènede cette version Opéra-Comique, même dansl’enregistrement que voici, bien que leschangements soient ici minimaux.

Bizet mourut en juin 1875, quelques moisseulement après la première, mais il ne faitguère de doute qu’il aurait plus tard adaptélui-même cette œuvre pour l’Opéra de Paris(entre autres) où, contrairement aux traditionsde l’Opéra-Comique, les dialogues parlésn’étaient pas autorisés et où la musique de tousles opéras devait se dérouler sans interruption.Après la mort de Bizet, son collègue ErnestGuiraud adapta l’œuvre selon la coutume: en

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Bizet: Carmen


L’atmosphère dans un premier temps estrelativement légère, avec de nombreux clinsd’œil dans les dialogues parlés et des phrasesambiguës (comme lorsque José fait briller sonépinglette ou encore les insultes obscènesqu’échangent Carmen et Manuela à proposd’ânes ou de manches à balais dont ellesauraient besoin pour leur plaisir.) Il y aégalement certaines touches de couleur localetout à fait charmantes et fort décoratives, enparticulier dans les trois airs de danses quiprésentent Carmen au public. Un autre facteurcontribuant à la poussée vers l’avant estl’adoption progressive de musiqueininterrompue au dernier acte dans le va-et-vient étourdissant entre les fragments sonoresde la corrida et la dispute de José et Carmen.

Pour satisfaire au règlement de lacompagnie, l’opéra offre deux rôles de paradepour les sopranos sous les traits de Frasquita etMercédès. Dans différentes interprétations, lesrôles de ces deux chanteuses (deux rivalesmusicales, bien qu’un des rôles exige unetessiture plus élevée que l’autre) étaientinversés. Parfois, elles partageaient les passagesvirtuoses, certainement en fonction de latessiture de chacune, mais aussi suivant quel’Opéra-Comique voulait faire briller de tousses feux un nouveau talent dans la compagnie.

Grâce aux rôles assez nombreux de soldats (il yen avait un de plus à l’origine, un certainAndrès) les jeunes ténors et basses pouvaientsaisir leur chance; et les occasions de briller nemanquaient pas non plus pour les danseursqui étaient mal payés par la compagnie, maisqui gagnaient souvent le soutien financier deriches mécènes, des hommes assez âgés qui lesattendaient après le spectacle.

La source originale de l’opéra est unenouvelle de Prosper Mérimée, écrite après unséjour de l’écrivain en Espagne en 1830 etpubliée en 1842; un quatrième chapitreentièrement consacré aux bohémiens fut ajoutépar la suite. La Carmen de l’opéra conserve denombreux détails de l’histoire de Mérimée,mais son époux, un meurtrier borgne, est passésous silence. À un certain moment, le livretprécise qu’il faut pour Carmen “Absolument lecostume et l’entrée indiqués par Mérimée” etles passages de dialogue parlé imitent de prèsceux de la nouvelle. Bien d’autres aspects dulivret sont des adaptations totalement libres –comme la taverne de Lillas Pastia –, mais lerôle important des danses est déjà évident chezMérimée.

Le personnage de Don José est extrêmementadouci, peut-être même au point que, dansl’opéra, sa faiblesse devient sa force. Dans la

demandant alors à Halévy de reprendre leflambeau en intégrant sa strophe à la chansonpopulaire sur laquelle ce numéro est modelé.Bizet intervint aussi dans la scène des cartes.Mais l’influence la plus déterminante pourl’opéra fut l’intervention du conseild’administration de l’Opéra-Comique lui-même.

Les deux directeurs, de Leuven et du Locle,avaient deux préoccupations principales. Toutd’abord, dans une récente critique d’un autreopéra, la compagnie avait été accusée d’avoirmanqué à la règle selon laquelle les spectaclesse devaient d’incorporer une proportionsubstantielle d’éléments parlés. Ensuite, lesdirecteurs voulaient des œuvres qui plairaient àleur clientèle bourgeoise et rempliraient lesquelques loges que se disputaient les famillessoucieuses de présenter leurs enfants en âge dese marier. De Leuven fut horrifié à l’idée d’unopéra basé sur l’histoire de Carmen. “Est-cequ’elle n’est pas assassinée par son amant?”lança-t-il, indigné, à Halévy:

Et ce milieu de voleurs, de bohémiennes, decigarières!… À l’Opéra-Comique!… le Théâtredes familles!… le Théâtre des entrevues demariages!… Nous avons, tous les soirs, cinq ousix loges louées pour ces entrevues… Vous allezmettre notre public en fuite… C’est impossible!

Finalement, compositeur et librettistesacceptèrent d’adoucir l’intrigue en yintroduisant Micaëla: une gentille jeune fille,de bonne famille catholique, à laquelle lepublic pouvait s’identifier. Les librettistesinventèrent également un nouveau rôle debasse, celui d’Escamillo le toréador. On a biendu mal de nos jours à imaginer l’opéra sans cesdeux personnages!

Le dialogue parlé comme les textes despassages chantés abondent en richesses. Quid’autre que Bizet et ses collaborateurs aurait suexploiter avec un tel brio le mélange de discourset de chant dans l’interrogation de Carmen parZuniga, lorsque les questions sont parlées et lesréponses de simples “tra la la” chantés? Et puis ily a la danse avec laquelle Carmen remercie Joséde l’avoir libérée et où ses castagnettess’opposent aux accents des clairons qui montentdes coulisses. Ce ne sont là que deux exemplesde l’imagination incroyablement fertile de Bizetqui continue aujourd’hui à nous émerveiller.

Bizet fait également preuve d’une grandesubtilité dans l’alternance du parlé et duchanté. Contrairement aux simples “opéras àchansons” émaillés de dialogue, Carmen donnevéritablement l’impression d’une progression,d’une poussée inexorable vers une fin tragique.Plusieurs facteurs y contribuent.

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touchant dans son portrait de l’innocenteMicaëla de dix-sept ans, teintant sa musiquedu son religieux des harpes. Et quel éclat dansson portrait du toréador Escamillo, fanfarondésinvolte et machiste! Si cet opéra est unvéritable melting-pot, il fut néanmoins créépar trois génies de la scène et continue àexercer une fascination sans égale sur lesinterprètes et les metteurs en scène comme surle public.

Note sur l’éditionMa première tâche dans la préparation d’uneédition pour l’enregistrement que voici était deproduire un texte propre et clair pour lesmusiciens, basé sur la version de l’Opéra-Comique. David Parry se chargea de traduire lelivret et conserva l’essence des sections parlées:elles sont essentielles pour comprendrepleinement Carmen. Une question cruciale netarda pas à surgir: parmi les nombreusesversions de l’Opéra-Comique, laquelle fallait-ilutiliser? Les éditions les plus récentes s’appuientsurtout sur ce qu’on appelle souvent les“intentions de l’auteur”. Il existe à ce jour unepartition pour l’essentiel de la main de Bizet.Mais si nous l’avions suivie aveuglément, nousaurions fini sur une mauvaise piste,probablement sans rendre justice aux

intentions de Bizet. Après tout, il avaitcertainement un seul but principal: d’assurer lesuccès de son opéra. À ces fins, il retouchal’œuvre en répétition, puis d’autres en firent demême, parfois au bénéfice de l’opéra. Ainsi, lascène de l’interrogation de Carmen – ses “tra lala” – est un peu trop travaillée dans la premièreédition et la version plus condensée qui suivitest, à mon avis, nettement meilleure.

J’ai décidé de baser l’édition sur lespremières représentations qui eurent lieu àl’Opéra-Comique, et à cet égard je me suisappuyé essentiellement sur les partiesorchestrales (car ce sont les meilleures sourcespour savoir ce qui se passait véritablement dansla fosse d’orchestre) ainsi que sur la premièrepartition vocale à avoir été publiée (car c’estcelle dont se servait les chanteurs). Il existeégalement une précieuse partition manuscritequi servit de nombreuses années durant àl’Opéra-Comique avant la publication d’unepartition orchestrale imprimée.

Cette édition, qu’il est possible de louerauprès de Peters Edition Ltd, fut réalisée avecl’aide de la musicologue Clair Rowden, dont laparticipation fut aimablement financée par laPeter Moores Foundation. Une partitionvocale est en cours de préparation pour cettemême maison d’édition, partition en anglais et

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nouvelle, ce n’est pas un soldat mais unbandit, toujours prêt à appuyer sur la gachette.Dans l’opéra, c’est un homme déchiré, unsymbole même d’indécision.

Le reste est en grosse partie l’invention deslibrettistes, mais de très nombreux détails sontfidèles à la réalité – Meilhac et Halévy étaientcélèbres pour leur amour du réalisme. Nonseulement ajoutent-ils le personnaged’Escamillo, mais aussi tous les détails de lacorrida, et le défilé vers l’arène est modelé surce qui se passait dans la réalité. De même,l’idée d’opposer la fabrique de cigares au postede garde – et donc de juxtaposerrespectivement un centre de désordre et uncentre d’ordre – est un stratagème qui opposeadroitement deux thèmes essentiels del’opéra. Séville était en effet célèbre pour safabrique de cigares (aujourd’hui occupée parl’université) qui n’employait que des femmes,souvent des prostituées assagies et de jeunesmères d’enfants illégitimes. La présenced’enfants dans l’opéra prouve-t-elle que leslibrettistes connaissaient la réputation decette fabrique – sinon directement, du moinspeut-être à travers les illustrations deGustave Doré qui avait ramené à Paris unlarge dossier de dessins faits à l’intérieur de lafabrique?

Mérimée ne fut pas le seul auteur du dix-neuvième siècle à être fasciné par la viebohémienne et le tempérament bohémien.Dans son étude, l’un de ces auteurs fit allusionà plusieurs caractéristiques explorées dansl’opéra: le refus des gitans de broncher sous lamenace ou la torture, leur manque de respectenvers les autorités occidentales, leur amour dutabac et des boissons fortes, leur amour desbonbons et des casse-croûte plutôt que des“vrais” repas et, bien entendu, les caprices deleurs femmes.

Les bohémiens étaient également réputéspour leur talent musical, même s’il s’agissaitavant tout de talent d’improvisation. Mais c’estbien là que réside le génie de Bizet. Dans laHavanaise, la Séguedille et la “ChansonBohème” de Carmen, le compositeur introduitpour la première fois à l’opéra un pastiche del’authentique musique bohémienne, créant despièces à vous mettre en transe, basées sur lerythme et la répétition plutôt que sur desaccords raffinés. Ces chansons nous présententCarmen non seulement à l’aide de paroles etde musique, une musique diamétralementopposée à celle de Micaëla, mais aussi grâce àun déploiement visuel de danses sensuelles etde mouvements aguichants.

Par contre, Bizet ne saurait être plus

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Prélude retentit à nouveau, dans un registreaigu, Carmen apparaît. “Et dis-nous quel jourtu nous aimeras!” demandent les jeunes gens.Carmen les taquine: pas aujourd’hui, c’estcertain. C’est alors qu’elle entonne sapremière mélodie sur un air de danse, lacélèbre Havanaise: “L’amour est un oiseaurebelle que nul ne peut apprivoiser.” Le chœurse fait l’écho de ses paroles.

Soudain l’atmosphère s’assombrit avec leretour du motif menaçant, et la tension montejusqu’au moment où Carmen parle pour lapremière fois à José pour lui demander ce qu’ilfait. Il lui répond simplement qu’il est occupé,mais continue à briller son épinglette; elleprend de son corsage une fleur de cassie, la luilance et s’enfuit tandis que les cigarièresretournent au travail. José respire le parfumentêtant de la fleur.

Micaëla revient et José l’accueille avec joie;elle est de son village. Lorsqu’elle lui apprendqu’elle vient de la part de sa mère, José semet à chanter: “Parle-moi de ma mère!”Micaëla lui a apporté de l’argent, une lettre etpuis une autre chose qui a bien plus de prix…;“Cette autre chose, quelle est-elle? Parledonc…” demande José. La musique prendune teinte quasiment religieuse, harpes etcordes accompagnant Micaëla tandis qu’elle

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apprend à José qu’elle lui a apporté un baiserde sa mère. José est au comble de la joie. Ilvoit le visage de sa mère et se lance dans unduo avec Micaëla tandis que les souvenirsresurgissent. José se demande si ce baiser apour but d’écarter un péril imminent, à savoirCarmen. Micaëla est perplexe, mais Joséchange de sujet. José lit la lettre de sa mèrequi lui conseille d’épouser Micaëla.

– On entend une grande rumeur etles cigarières appellent au secours. Carmen aété insultée et une fille a été attaquée. Zunigadonne l’ordre à José d’aller enquêter. Les fillessont divisées quand on leur demande qui acommencé la querelle. Carmen dit qu’elle a étéprovoquée et Zuniga l’interroge. À chacunede ses questions, elle lui répond “Tra la la la lala la la”. Zuniga ordonne à José de lui lier lesmains et de l’emmener en prison.

José et Carmen se mettent à parler avantde partir pour la prison. Après avoir essayéplus d’une fois, mais en vain, de gagner José àsa cause, elle le défie de reconnaître qu’il l’aimeet qu’il est prêt à faire tout ce qu’elle voudra. Ilnie bien sûr, mais, de toute évidence, il estamoureux. Elle entonne sa deuxièmemélodie sur un air de danse, la Séguedille. Elley parle d’une auberge sur les remparts tenuepar un certain Lillas Pastia. Carmen dit qu’elle

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en français dans laquelle je propose plusieursvariantes ainsi qu’une documentation copieusesur les premières représentations, sous formede descriptions et d’illustrations. Il s’agira nonseulement d’une édition pour la scène, maisaussi d’une partition de travail pour lesétudiants et les amateurs d’opéra. Unepartition orchestrale est également prévue.

© 2003 Richard Langham SmithTraduction: Nicole Valencia

Synopsis

DISQUE COMPACT UN

Le Prélude se caractérise par une grandeanimation aux cordes, les sifflements despiccolos et des cuivres improvisateurs. Ondirait une musique de plein air, une fanfaremilitaire peut-être. Un second thèmeprincipal, rythmé par les cuivres, s’avère êtrecelui du toréador Escamillo. Après une pausefort dramatique, la musique se fait nettementplus sombre. Des cordes tremolandoaccompagnent un motif sinueux qui reviendraà plusieurs reprises. S’agit-il du thème deCarmen, imitant une gamme bohémienne? Oubien s’agit-il du destin?

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Acte IUne scène de rue à Séville. D’un côté de la

place se dresse la manufacture de tabac, del’autre côté le corps de garde. Assis, desdragons fument en regardant la foule. Unejeune femme attire le regard des soldats. C’estMicaëla, à la recherche de Don José. Moralès,un officier, lui dit que José ne sera de gardeque plus tard et il lui suggère d’entrer au corpsde garde, une invitation qu’elle refusepoliment.

– Une fanfare annonce lechangement de la garde, puis l’on entend lesfifres et les clairons d’une marche militaire. Lagarde montante arrive, précédée d’un groupede gamins qui imitent le pas des dragons. Uneautre fanfare retentit durant le changement dela garde. José et le capitaine Zunigadiscutent de la manufacture de tabac et desfilles qui y travaillent.

La cloche sonne dans la manufacture etla place s’emplit de jeunes gens. Les fillessortent en masse de la manufacture, cigaretteaux lèvres, et déclarent en chantant que letabac fait oublier et que les serments desamants ne sont que fumée. Les jeunes gens lessupplient d’être moins froides.

Les soldats s’aperçoivent que Carmenn’est pas sortie. Alors que le motif sinistre du

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maintenant un déserteur aux yeux de l’armée.– Les bohémiens maîtrisent Zuniga et

proposent à José un moyen de s’en sortir: ildevra se joindre à leur bande.

Entr’acte

Acte IIIUn coin sauvage dans la montagne. Desbohémiens et une troupe de contrebandiersmarchent tout en chantant. Dans undialogue particulièrement tendu, José révèle àCarmen que la maison de sa mère n’est pasloin. Elle le raille en suggérant que sa placevéritable est auprès de sa mère. “Tu es lediable, Carmen?” lui demande-t-il. “Mais oui,je te l’ai déjà dit”, rétorque-t-elle.

Frasquita et Mercédès lisent leur avenirdans des cartes et la chance semble leur sourire:la première trouve un bon amoureux, la secondeun riche amant. Mais les cartes de Carmenannoncent la mort: “moi d’abord, ensuite lui”.Le motif funeste retentit à nouveau. Carmenchante sa première aria véritable, une méditationsur la sincérité des cartes qui ne mentent jamais.

– Les bohémiens préparent leurembuscade et demandent à Carmen et aux deuxautres bohémiennes de séduire les douaniers.José est jaloux.

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Micaëla apparaît, accompagnée d’unguide. Dans son aria, “Je dis que rien nem’épouvante”, elle avoue aimer José. Secachant derrière un rocher, elle observeJosé tandis qu’Escamillo fait son entrée.

– Escamillo avoue son amour pourCarmen, ignorant que José se considère encorecomme son amant. José le force à se battre,une bagarre qu’il a tôt fait de perdre, maisEscamillo refuse de le tuer. José insiste pourqu’ils continuent à se battre etlorsqu’Escamillo glisse, José s’apprête à le tuerlorsque Carmen, entrée précipitamment,l’en empêche. Escamillo la remercie et proposeà José une “belle”. Remendado découvreMicaëla dans sa cachette. Elle entonne ànouveau sa très belle première aria, sur fond deharpes, rappelant une fois encore à José samère, maintenant triste et solitaire. Lesbohémiens s’unissent à Micaëla pourconvaincre José de rentrer chez lui: “Il t’encoûtera la vie… si tu ne pars pas”, luiaffirment-ils. Alors que José proteste qu’il nesaurait quitter Carmen, Micaëla luiapprend que sa mère est mourante. Cela ledécide à partir. Mais dans son adieu à Carmenil promet qu’ils se reverront. Escamillo seprépare pour la corrida en chantant des bribesde son aria.

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est amoureuse d’un brigadier. José comprendqu’elle parle de lui et lui demande si ellepromet de l’aimer en échange de sa liberté. Ilsboiront du Manzanilla et danseront dességuedilles, lui promet-elle. Tra la la la la. Josédélie la corde autour des poignets de Carmen.

L’acte s’achève tandis que Carmenfredonne un extrait de sa Havanaise au nez deZuniga, puis s’enfuit, ayant fait semblant depousser José qui s’est laissé renverser.

Entr’acte

Acte IIL’auberge de Lillas Pastia. Des bohémiens ycôtoient des officiers et Carmen danse sontroisième air de danse avec Frasquita etMercédès, ses amies bohémiennes. La dansedevient de plus en plus frénétique. Zunigademande aux filles d’aller au théâtre en sacompagnie et celle des autres soldats, mais ellesrefusent.

Un chœur signale l’arrivée imminented’Escamillo. – Les officiers commandentà boire pour l’accueillir. Il chante sesfameux Couplets où se mêlent les descriptionsde ses conquêtes féminines et de celles dansl’arène. – Escamillo s’intéresse àCarmen, mais cette dernière le repousse.

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Les bohémiens mettent au point une affairede contrebande, sous la direction de Dancaïreet Remendado. – Dans un Quintette,les hommes supplient Carmen et ses amies deles aider. Carmen, à la surprise générale, avoueêtre amoureuse. Les hommes lui rappellentque son devoir de bohémienne passe enpremier. Carmen n’est pas d’accord: pour elle,c’est l’amour qui passe avant tout. Onentend José chanter au loin. Carmen estcontente de le voir et paie ses dettes en luicommandant à manger et du Manzanilla.

DISQUE COMPACT DEUX

Elle annonce aussi qu’elle va danser pourlui. Durant la danse, les clairons de laretraite retentissent au loin. Carmen trouvequ’ils accompagnent parfaitement sa chanson,mais José déclare qu’il doit rentrer à la caserne.

Ils se disputent. Carmen ne voit dans lesouhait de José de retourner au camp qu’undémenti de l’amour qu’il lui porte. Enultime gage de sa passion, il chante unetendre aria sur la fleur qu’elle lui avait jetée.

Carmen lui déclare que leur amour nesurvivra que s’ils s’enfuient dans un payslointain. Quelqu’un frappe à la porte:

Zuniga entre et aperçoit José qui est6

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de Covent Garden, elle a chanté dans Mosè inEgitto, Guillaume Tell, Rigoletto, Mefistofele etLa fanciulla del West.

Elle s’est produite en concert et en récitaldans l’Europe entière, aux États-Unis et auJapon, aux côtés de chefs d’orchestre telsZubin Mehta, Bernard Haitink, ClaudioAbbado, Antonio Pappano et Sir CharlesMackerras. Elle fut aussi invitée à chanter àBuckingham Palace dans le cadre d’un concerten l’honneur des cinquante ans du princeCharles. Elle figure sur l’enregistrementd’Eugène Onéguine réalisé par Chandos encollaboration avec la Peter MooresFoundation.

La soprano Mary Plazas fit ses études au RoyalNorthern College of Music à Manchester avecAva June. Lauréate de plusieurs prix, dont leKathleen Ferrier Memorial Scholarship en1991, elle a également bénéficié d’importantesbourses de la Peter Moores Foundation et duCountess of Munster Musical Trust. Elle a faitses débuts lyriques en 1992 avec l’EnglishNational Opera, interprétant la Voix Célestedans Don Carlos. Elle a chanté avec les plusgrandes compagnies lyriques britanniques,avec le New Israeli Opera et le MetropolitanOpera de New York ainsi que dans le cadre

du Festival de Bregenz. Son vaste répertoirecomprend les rôles de Susanna (Le nozze diFigaro), Donna Elvira (Don Giovanni),Marzelline (Fidelio), Adina (L’elisir d’amore),Oscar (Un ballo in maschera), Mimì(La bohème), Anne Trulove (The Rake’sProgress) et le rôle-titre de La Petite Renarderusée. Elle a chanté Donna Elvira pour leGlyndebourne Touring Opera, créantégalement pour cette compagnie le rôle deTina dans Flight de Jonathan Dove, rôlequ’elle a repris avec le GlyndebourneFestival Opera.

Mary Plazas a donné concerts et récitals,entre autres des récitals en soliste au WigmoreHall, à la Purcell Room et au Centre Karajan àVienne; elle s’est aussi produite dans le cadrede nombreux festivals. Son répertoire deconcert comprend Die Schöpfung de Haydn,A Child of Our Time de Tippett, Das Paradiesund die Peri de Schumann et Chantsd’Auvergne de Canteloube. Elle figure sur lesenregistrements d’Emma d’Antiochia deMercadante et de Maria, regina d’Inghilterra dePacini pour Opera Rara et a enregistré les rôlesde Zerlina (Don Giovanni), Adina, Marguerite(Faust) et Liù (Turandot) pour Chandos encollaboration avec la Peter MooresFoundation.

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Entr’acte

Acte IVL’entr’acte, de style espagnol, nous amènesur une place de Séville, non loin de l’arène.

Des marchands y vendent des éventails,des glaces, des oranges et des cigarettes.Zuniga entre, accompagné de Frasquita etMercédès. La musique qui ouvre lePrélude retentit une fois encore, cettefois-ci avec un chœur annonçant l’arrivée dela procession. Escamillo apparaît enfin,Carmen à ses côtés. Ils chantent unduo dans lequel il la courtise. Elle lui déclareson amour dans le tumulte du défilé.Les amies de Carmen la préviennent qu’undanger la menace: José se cache dans lesparages.

Don José émerge de la foule, suppliantCarmen de reprendre la vie à ses côtés. Il luidemande si elle l’aime encore. “Non! je net’aime plus”, répond-elle. On entend ànouveau le chœur de la corrida: Escamillo atriomphé et Carmen avoue alors l’aimer. Ellejette la bague que José lui avait jadis donnée.C’en est trop pour José. La musique passe decelle de la corrida à l’air du toréador. Joséfrappe Carmen. Comme elle meurt, Escamilloémerge aux portes de l’arène. “C’est moi qui

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24 l’ai tuée!” s’écrie José. “Ah! Carmen! maCarmen adorée!”

© 2003 Richard Langham SmithTraduction: Nicole Valencia

Originaire de Dublin, la mezzo-sopranoPatricia Bardon fit ses études avec leDr Veronica Dunne au College of Music deDublin et attira l’attention lorsqu’elle devint laplus jeune lauréate du Concours du CardiffSinger of the World. Chanteuse lyrique destature internationale, elle a tenu le rôle-titrede Tancredi au Teatro la Fenice à Venise,de Carmen à l’Opéra de Hambourg, deLa Cenerentola au Théâtre de la Monnaie àBruxelles, de Tamerlano à Beaune et d’Orlandoà New York, Paris, Lyon et Anvers. Elle aégalement été Penelope (Il ritorno d’Ulisse inpatria) et Anna (Les Troyens) au Mai Musicalde Florence, Arsace (Semiramide) au Teatro laFenice, Cornelia (Giulio Cesare) et Amastris(Serse) à l’Opéra de Munich et à Dresde,Ursule (Béatrice et Bénédict) à Amsterdam etSmeton (Anna Bolena) à San Francisco. Elle afréquemment chanté avec Opera North, leWelsh National Opera, Scottish Opera et leGlyndebourne Festival Opera; au Royal Opera

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Il a chanté avec l’English National Opera,l’Opera North, le Royal Opera de CoventGarden, le Welsh National Opera, l’Opéra desFlandres, l’Opéra de Monte-Carlo, le Théâtrede la Monnaie à Bruxelles, l’OpéraNéerlandais, le Deutsche Oper Berlin ainsique le Florida Grand Opera. Il s’est produit enconcert et en récital ainsi que dans le cadre defestivals aussi bien en Grande-Bretagne qu’àl’étranger dans un répertoire où figurent entreautres le Magnificat et la Passion selon saintJean de Bach, Ein deutsches Requiem deBrahms, la cantate Printemps de Rachmaninov,Das Berliner Requiem de Kurt Weill, West SideStory de Bernstein et le War Requiem deBritten. Sa discographie comprend le rôle-titrede Don Giovanni ainsi que Valentin dansFaust, deux enregistrements réalisés parChandos en collaboration avec la Peter MooresFoundation.

Née à Cork, la soprano Mary Hegarty fit sesétudes à la Cork School of Music, puis auNational Opera Studio à Londres. Lauréate duGolden Voice of Ireland, elle représenta sonpays natal au Concours du Cardiff Singer ofthe World. En Grande-Bretagne, elle a chantéavec le Royal Opera de Covent Garden,l’English National Opera, Opera North,

Opera Northern Ireland, le GlyndebourneTouring Opera et Garsington Opera. Elle a étéentre autres Blonde (Die Entführung aus demSerail ), Cherubino et Susanna (Le nozze diFigaro), Papagena (Die Zauberflöte), Norina(Don Pasquale), Adina (L’elisir d’amore),Ninetta (La gazza ladra), Elvira (L’italiana inAlgeri), Fiorilla (Il turco in Italia), Marzelline(Fidelio), Micaëla, Poussette (Manon), Nanetta(Falstaff ), Lisette (La rondine) et Anne Trulove(The Rake’s Progress). Elle s’est produite auRoyal Albert Hall, au Barbican Centre et auRoyal Festival Hall, dans le cadre des Festivalsde Batignano, Aix-en-Provence et Buxton, àl’Opéra des Flandres; elle a également chantéle Messiah avec l’Orchestre national deBelgique.

La soprano Sally Harrison fit ses études auRoyal Northern College of Music avec l’aided’une bourse de la Peter Moores Foundation,puis au National Opera Studio. Avec l’EnglishNational Opera, elle a été Despina (Così fantutte), Papagena et Pamina (Die Zauberflöte),Giannetta (L’elisir d’amore), Lidka (Les DeuxVeuves de Smetana), Frasquita, Chloë(La Dame de Pique) et Yum Yum (TheMikado); elle a chanté Musetta (La bohème) etPolly Peachum (Die Dreigroschenoper) à

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Julian Gavin naquit à Melbourne en Australieet fit ses études dans sa ville natale. Après avoirobtenu un diplôme supérieur de direction, ilpartit s’installer en Angleterre et poursuivit saformation au National Opera Studio. Il fit sesdébuts sur la scène lyrique britannique dans lerôle d’Alvaro dans la mise en scène del’English National Opera de La forza deldestino, enchaînant avec le rôle de Laca dansJenuofa avec Opera North.

Pour l’English National Opera, Julian Gavina été entre autres Pinkerton (MadamaButterfly), Cavaradossi (Tosca), le duc(Rigoletto), tenant également le rôle-titre dansde nouvelles mises en scène de Ernani et desContes d’Hoffmann. En 1996, Julian Gavin fitses débuts au Royal Opera de Covent Gardendans le rôle-titre de Don Carlos sous ladirection de Bernard Haitink, reprenant cerôle dans le cadre du Festival d’Edimbourg de1998. Il a aussi interprété Alfredo (La traviata)pour Den Norske Opera à Oslo, OperaAustralia et l’English National Opera ainsi queRodolfo (La bohème), Laca, Carlo (Giovannad’Arco) et le rôle-titre de Don Carlos pourOpera North; Des Grieux (Manon Lescaut)avec l’Orchestre philharmonique d’Israël;Pollione (Norma) à Lucerne; Pinkerton pourDeutsche Oper à Berlin; Roméo (Roméo et

Juliette); et Don José pour Opera Australia.Il a chanté en concert Rodolfo (Luisa Miller),Arrigo (La battaglia di Legnano) ainsiqu’Ismaël (Nabucco) sous la direction deSir Edward Downes.

Parmi ses enregistrements, notons Godvino(Aroldo), Les Contes d’Hoffmann, le Requiem etRigoletto de Verdi, Psalmus Hungaricus deKodály et Roméo et Juliette de Gounod, ainsique Ernani pour Chandos en collaborationavec la Peter Moores Foundation. Il aégalement participé à une série télévisée de laBBC en six épisodes, Top Score, sur la créationd’un opéra inspiré de La bohème.

Le baryton Garry Magee, diplômé de laGuildhall School of Music and Drama et duNational Opera Studio, remporta le PremierPrix du Concours Kathleen Ferrier en 1995 etfut l’année suivante l’un des lauréats duConcours international Belvedere à Vienne; ilétudie à l’heure actuelle avec Robert Dean. Il aété entre autres Guglielmo (Così fan tutte),Papageno (Die Zauberflöte), le DocteurMalatesta (Don Pasquale), Figaro (Il barbiere diSiviglia), Marcello et Schaunard (La bohème),Sharpless (Madama Butterfly) et Harry Heegan(The Silver Tassie), tenant par ailleurs le rôle-titre de Don Giovanni et de Eugène Onéguine.

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également produit à l’Opera Northern Ireland,au Garsington Opera et au Festival d’Aix-en-Provence.

Mark Le Brocq s’est produit en récital etdans des oratorios aux États-Unis, en France,en Allemagne, en Espagne, au Proche-Orient,et dans toutes les grandes salles de Londres.Il a chanté avec le Gabrieli Consort sous ladirection de Paul McCreesh dans des festivals àtravers l’Europe. Parmi ses enregistrements, oncitera Il trovatore et Turandot pour Chandos etla Peter Moores Foundation, Samson, JudasMaccabaeus, Hail Bright Cecilia de Purcell,Utrecht Te Deum de Haendel et I Was Glad deBoyce.

Le baryton Toby Stafford-Allen fit ses étudesavec Robert Alderson au Royal NorthernCollege of Music où il chanta entre autres lerôle de Figaro (Le nozze di Figaro), le rôle-titredans la version pour baryton de Werther ainsique le Contremaître du moulin ( Jenufa).À sa sortie du College, il devint membrede l’English National Opera; avec cettecompagnie et d’autres troupes britanniques,il a été Valletto (L’incoronazione di Poppea),Henry (The Fairy Queen), Papageno(Die Zauberflöte), Fiorello (Il barbiere diSiviglia), le baron Douphol (La traviata) et

Schaunard (La bohème). Il a chanté Guglielmo(Così fan tutte) au Festival d’Aix-en-Provence,Mars et Euro dans Il pomo d’oro de Cesti auFestival de Batignano, Schaunard au Festivalde Bregenz ainsi que Grimbald et Aeolos dansKing Arthur de Purcell au Festival de KingsLynn dans le Norfolk. Son répertoired’oratorio comprend les Requiem de Mozart etFauré, Die Schöpfung de Haydn et la Messe ensi mineur de Bach.

Le baryton-basse Nicholas Garrett fit sesétudes au Trinity College of Music et bénéficied’une bourse de la Wolfson Foundation.Il a été Sourin (La Dame de Pique) pourScottish Opera, Sparafucile et le comteMonterone (Rigoletto), Figaro (Le nozze diFigaro) et Nourabad (Les Pêcheurs de perles)avec l’English Touring Opera, Escamillo,Don Basilio (Il barbiere di Siviglia) et le rôle-titre de Don Giovanni avec Opera HollandPark. Il a récemment chanté Escamillo etDancaïre dans la nouvelle mise en scène deCarmen par Opera North. Il a fait ses débutsau Royal Opera de Covent Garden dans desreprésentations de Palestrina de Pfitzner et àl’English National Opera dans le rôle dubaron Douphol dans La traviata. Il s’estproduit en dehors de la Grande-Bretagne,

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Scottish Opera et la Comtesse (Le nozze diFigaro) avec l’Opera Theatre Company àDublin. Parmi ses autres interprétations sur lesol britannique, notons Poppea (Agrippina deHaendel) au Festival de Buxton, Galatea (Acisand Galatea) à l’English Bach Festival et Gilda(Rigoletto) au Bath and Wessex Opera. Enconcert, elle a chanté Esther et le Messiah deHaendel, la Messe en ut mineur et Exsultate,jubilate de Mozart ainsi que Carmina buranade Carl Orff.

Le ténor Peter Wedd fit ses études à laGuildhall School of Music and Drama avecWilliam McAlpine ainsi qu’au NationalOpera Studio grâce au soutien financier de laPeter Moores Foundation. Il a été Cascada(Die lustige Witwe) au Royal Opera de CoventGarden, Federico (L’Arlesiana) et Pluton(Orphée aux enfers) pour Opera Holland Park,Don José et Tamino (Die Zauberflöte) auWelsh National Opera. Son répertoirecomprend aussi les rôles d’Edgard (Lucia diLammermoor), de Rodolphe (La bohème),d’Eisenstein (Die Fledermaus) et de Lysander(A Midsummer Night’s Dream) ainsi que lerôle-titre des Contes d’Hoffmann. De 1999 à2001 il fut l’un des chanteurs vedettes duRoyal Opera.

Il a également interprété un vaste répertoirede concert allant de la Passion selon saint Jeande Bach et le Messiah de Haendel, en passantpar les Requiem de Mozart et Verdi, la PetiteMesse solennelle de Rossini et Elijah deMendelssohn, juqu’à la Messe glagolithique deJanácek ainsi que Les Illuminations et laSérénade pour ténor, cor et cordes de Britten. Ilfigure sur les enregistrements de Lucia diLammermoor, Ernani et Turandot réalisés parChandos en collaboration avec la Peter MooresFoundation.

Mark Le Brocq a été boursier en chant choralau St Catharine’s College de Cambridge où il aétudié la littérature anglaise. Il a obtenu unebourse d’entrée à la Royal Academy of Musicde Londres pour y étudier avec KennethBowen, puis a poursuivi sa formation auNational Opera Studio de Londres.

Il a été “Company Principal” à l’EnglishNational Opera où il a incarné de nombreuxrôles, notamment Tamino (Die Zauberflöte),Paris (King Priam), le comte Almaviva(Il barbiere di Siviglia), Narraboth (Salome),Don Ottavio, Monostatos, Rodriguez (dansDon Quixote de Massenet), Odoardo(Ariodante), le Docteur Maxwell (The SilverTassie), et Siward (A Better Place). Il s’est

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Philharmonia Orchestra n’a cessé d’attirercertains des plus grands chefs d’orchestre duvingtième siècle. Certains furent associés deprès à l’Orchestre: Otto Klemperer (son toutpremier chef principal), Lorin Maazel,Riccardo Muti, Giuseppe Sinopoli, CarloMaria Giulini, Sir Andrew Davis, VladimirAshkenazy et Esa-Pekka Salonen. Sous ladirection de leur chef principal actuel,Christoph von Dohnányi, et celle de LeonardSlatkin, leur chef principal invité, l’Orchestres’est fermement installé au cœur de la viemusicale britannique, non seulement àLondres puisqu’il est orchestre en résidence auRoyal Festival Hall, mais aussi en province oùil se produit régulièrement.

Le Philharmonia Orchestra a remportéplusieurs prix importants et soulevél’enthousiasme des critiques pour la vitalité etla chaleur exceptionnelle de son jeu. On aaussi fait l’éloge de ses programmes novateursdans lesquels l’ensemble s’engage à interpréteret commander des œuvres nouvelles par lesplus grands compositeurs contemporains,comme James MacMillan, son actuelcompositeur en résidence.

L’Orchestre fait souvent des tournéesinternationales; aucun autre orchestresymphonique dans le monde ne possède une

discographie aussi importante, avec plus demille disques à son actif. Notons entre autresplusieurs disques d’airs d’opéra pour OperaRara ainsi que onze intégrales d’opéras(Ugo, conte di Parigi, Ne m’oubliez pas, Emiliadi Liverpool, L’assedio di Calais, Rosmondad’Inghilterra et Maria de Rudenz de Donizetti,Dinorah de Meyerbeer, Medea in Corintode Mayr, Orazi e Curiazi de Mercadante,Maria, regina d’Inghilterra de Pacini etOtello de Rossini). L’Orchestre a fait denombreux disques pour Chandos, enparticulier, dans la série Opera in Englishfinancée par la Peter Moores Foundation, telsDon Giovanni, L’elisir d’amore, Lucia diLammermoor, Faust, Aida, La bohème,Madama Butterfly, Turandot, la version priméede Tosca et des récitals solistes d’airs d’opéraavec Bruce Ford, Diana Montague, DennisO’Neill, Alastair Miles, Yvonne Kenny et JohnTomlinson.

Après avoir étudié avec Sergiu Celibidache,David Parry commença sa carrière commeassistant de Sir John Pritchard. Il fit ses débutsavec l’English Music Theatre avant de devenirl’un des chefs d’orchestre au StädtischeBühnen à Dortmund et à Opera North.Directeur musical d’Opera 80 de 1983 à 1987,

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à l’Opéra national de Paris-Bastille et àl’Opéra de Nantes. Son répertoire deconcert comprend tous les grands oratoriosainsi que des œuvres du vingtième sièclecomme Sinfonia de Berio qu’il interprétadans le cadre du Festival Boulez à Tokyoen 1995.

Durant sa carrière de chanteur, GeoffreyMitchell aborda un répertoireremarquablement varié, depuis la musiqueancienne jusqu’à la musique contemporaine, seproduisant en Scandinavie, en Allemagne,dans l’ancienne Tchécoslovaquie, au Canada eten Australasie. Après avoir fait ses premièresarmes de chef d’orchestre avec la BBC, ildécida de prendre une part active dans cedomaine avec ses propres chanteurs et fonda leGeoffrey Mitchell Choir. Par suite de sespremiers enregistrements l’ensemble travailledepuis longtemps avec Opera Rara pour qui ila réalisé plus de trente enregistrements. CeChœur ne cesse d’élargir sa réputation,travaillant avec la BBC et plusieurs maisons dedisques internationales. Pour Chandos, leGeoffrey Mitchell Choir a participé à plusieursenregistrements pour Opera in English, unesérie de disques très prisés financée par la PeterMoores Foundation.

Le New London Children’s Choir a été fondéen 1991 par son directeur musical RonaldCorp dans le but de permettre à des enfants dechanter tous les genres de musique, et ainsileur faire écouvrir les exigences et les joies duchant. Depuis, le Chœur s’est produit danstoutes les grandes salles de concert de Londres,il a travaillé avec les plus importants chefs etorchestres symphoniques de Grande-Bretagne,et a collaboré avec des théâtres lyriques enGrande-Bretagne et à l’étranger. Il a réalisé detrès nombreux enregistrements et s’est produitfréquemment à la radio et dans de nombreuxfestivals importants.

La vaste discographie du New LondonChildren’s Choir compte entre autres Casse-Noisette de Tchaïkovski, les Chants de les forêtsde Chostakovitch, Ivan le Terrible de Prokofiev,Bethlehem de Rutland Boughton, Hugh theDrover de Vaughan Williams, la TroisièmeSymphonie de Mahler, The Planets de Holst,St Nicolas et A Midsummer Night’s Dream deBritten. Il a également enregistré pour lecinéma et assuré la création de plus de trentepartitions contemporaines.

Depuis ses excellents débuts en 1945, lorsqu’ilfut fondé par Walter Legge essentiellementpour jouer dans des enregistrements, le

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il est directeur musical d’Almeida Operadepuis sa fondation en 1992.

Sa carrière, nationale et internationale, estextrêmement remplie, aussi bien sur la scènelyrique qu’en concert. Il a dirigé plusieursproductions de l’English National Opera et del’Opera North et collabore régulièrement avecle Philharmonia Orchestra et le LondonPhilharmonic Orchestra. C’est avec Così fantutte qu’il fit ses débuts au Festival deGlyndebourne en 1996, une scène qu’ilretrouva en 1998 pour diriger la créationmondiale de Flight de Jonathan Dove.

Il séjourne fréquemment en Espagne où il adirigé en concert la plupart des grandsorchestres espagnols. C’est lui qui dirigea lapremière espagnole de Peter Grimes à Madridet en 1996 la première production espagnolede The Rake’s Progress. Il a dirigé en Allemagne,en Suisse, aux Pays-Bas, au Festival de Pesaroen Italie, au Festival international de Hong-Kong, au Japon pour une tournée de Carmenet au Mexique avec l’Orchestre symphoniqued’UNAM. Il a récemment dirigé plusieurs

nouvelles productions dont Fidelio au Festivalde Nouvelle-Zélande, Lucia di Lammermooravec le New Israeli Opera et Don Giovanni al’Opéra d’état de Hannover.

En studio, il a participé entre autresà la production de la BBC Television deDer Vampyr de Marschner, dirigeant aussivingt-huit intégrales d’opéras financées par laPeter Moores Foundation. Plusieurs de cesintégrales furent enregistrées pour Opera Raraet primées, Rosmonda d’Inghilterra de Donizettirecevant en Belgique le Prix Cecilia. PourChandos, David Parry a dirigé une séried’enregistrements d’airs d’opéra (avec BruceFord, Diana Montague, Dennis O’Neill,Alastair Miles, Yvonne Kenny, John Tomlinson,Della Jones et Andrew Shore) de même queDon Giovanni, Don Pasquale, L’elisir d’amore,Lucia di Lammermoor, Ernani, Il trovatore,Aida, Faust, Cavalleria rusticana, Pagliacci,La bohème, Turandot, l’enregistrement primé deTosca et des extraits de Der Rosenkavalier, tousces enregistrements étant réalisés encollaboration avec la Peter Moores Foundation.

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Julian Gavin as Don José in ZürichOpera’s 2002 production of Carmen

Suza

nne

Schw

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Peter Wedd Mark Le Brocq


normalmente in questa versione durante ilVentesimo secolo.

Di recente, la tendenza prevalente è stata ilritorno al formato dell’ “opéra comique”, untermine che merita di essere illustrato,soprattutto perché ha quattro significatidiversi. “Opéra comique” può essere intesoletteralmente, ma Carmen chiaramente non hanulla di comico. Nel secondo senso, si tratta diun lavoro teatrale in cui gli attori abbinano ildiscorso, spesso il dialogo, con il canto. Iltermine “comique” deriva da “comédien”(attore). Oltre a richiedere un abbinamento didiscorso e canto, lo statuto dell’Opéra-Comique includeva anche altre disposizioni.Per esempio, doveva incoraggiare nuove operedi compositori francesi e portare alla ribalta igiovani cantanti francesi.

E infine c’è l’Opéra-Comique come edificio,senza dimenticare che diversi teatri liricirichiamano tipi diversi di pubblico. L’Opéra sirivolgeva a un pubblico più raffinato –l’aristocrazia e il pubblico internazionale –mentre l’Opéra-Comique si rivolgeva allaborghesia. Nel caso della Carmen, il pubblicoper cui venne composta fu una forzaimportante che le diede forma.

In questo quarto senso esistevano diverseOpéra-Comique; l’ultima, la terza Salle Favart,

esiste ancora a Parigi ed è possibile visitarla.Carmen fu composta per la seconda SalleFavart, che sarebbe stata distrutta da unincendio nel maggio del 1887. Per molti versi,l’opera rispecchia gli ultimi tre significati dellaparola: è un’“opéra comique”, rispetta lecondizioni richieste dall’Opéra-Comique e furappresentata per la prima volta all’Opéra-Comique.

Il successo di Carmen è legato in gran parteal suo eccellente libretto, creato da due autoriche avevano già alle spalle alcunecollaborazioni. Henri Meilhac fu in gran parteresponsabile della struttura della vicenda e deldialogo scritto. Ludovic Halévy produsse lecanzoni e le arie in versi. Ma l’idea dellaCarmen era venuta dallo stesso Bizet che avevacontribuito anche al libretto, talvoltasostituendo versi propri a quelli dei librettisti.La prima parte della Havanaise è sua: unmanoscritto rimasto dimostra che sostituìl’esordio alquanto convenzionale di Halévycon una strofa composta da lui, quindi chiesea Halévy di fare il resto e adattare i suoi versial motivo popolare su cui questo brano eramodellato. Bizet intervenne anche nella scenadelle carte. Ma la creazione dell’opera risentìanche dell’influenza della direzione dell’Opéra-Comique.

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Carmen di Bizet è forse l’opera più famosa ditutti i tempi. Ne esistono più di ottantaversioni per lo schermo e almeno altrettantiadattamenti diversi: è uno di quei capolavoriche svelano nuovi segreti ogni volta chevengono riproposti. Il fascino principaledell’opera sta naturalmente nel personaggiodella zingara protagonista. E nonostanteCarmen abbia avuto tante personalità quanteinterpreti, è riuscita a cambiare senza difficoltàcon i tempi. Per il pubblico dell’Ottocento eper molti spettatori del Ventesimo secolo era lamaliarda che travolge e distrugge don José, ilquale indubbiamente avrebbe dovuto invecesposare l’innocente Micaëla. Oggi esistonoopinioni diverse. Per alcuni Micaëla èaddirittura una bigotta puritana, mentreCarmen potrebbe essere una donna moderna,in grado di controllare il proprio destino,libera di scegliere i propri partner sessuali e diabbandonarli a proprio piacimento. Inoltremanifesta una fedeltà inflessibile alla moralezigana del suo clan, dove i debiti devonosempre essere ripagati, dove l’amore deve averesempre il primo posto e dove è accettabile chei poveri rubino ai ricchi.

Per una lettura approfondita dell’opera, èutile sapere qualcosa del miscuglio diingredienti disparati che la costituiscono edelle due modalità diverse adottate per il suoallestimento. La prima della versione originalesi svolse presso l’Opéra-Comique di Parigi nelmarzo del 1875, e rispettava la condizione chetutti gli spettacoli di questo teatro abbinasserodialoghi e canto. Durante le prove, a cui fupresente il compositore, vennero apportatialcuni tagli sia nella musica sia nel dialogo e ilprocedimento si è poi sempre ripetuto per gliallestimenti di questa versione dell’Opéra-Comique e anche in questa registrazione, perquanto in maniera minima.

Bizet moriva nel giugno del 1875, a pochimesi dalla prima, ma quasi certamente avrebbeadattato personalmente l’opera in seguito perl’Opéra di Parigi (e per altri teatri) dove,contrariamente alla pratica dell’Opéra-Comique, il dialogo parlato non era ammessoe la musica di tutte le opere doveva proseguireininterrotta. Dopo la morte di Bizet, il suocollega Ernest Guiraud adattò il brano nellamodalità consueta, comprimendo il parlato inalcuni recitativi. L’opera fu rappresentata

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Bizet: Carmen


ci spostiamo vertiginosamente tra brani disuoni della corrida e la lite tra José e Carmen.

Per quanto riguarda il rispetto degli statutidella compagnia, l’opera introduceva due ruolid’effetto per i soprani nei personaggi diFrasquita e Mercédès. In vari allestimenti leparti di questi due personaggi (che in generegareggiano a vicenda dal punto di vistamusicale, con una parte più alta dell’altra)furono scambiati. Talvolta le note d’effettovenivano condivise, non solo per adeguarle allatessitura delle voci, ma anche per dare ilmiglior rilievo possibile ai nuovi talenti dellacompagnia. I ruoli dei diversi soldati(originariamente ce n’era uno in più chiamatoAndrès) offrivano una possibilità a giovanitenori e bassi; e c’erano diverse opportunitàper le ballerine, mal pagate dalla compagnia,ma spesso appoggiate da anziani e ricchiprotettori che le attendevano dopo lospettacolo.

La fonte primaria dell’opera è una novelladel romanziere Prosper Mérimée, scritta dopouna visita in Spagna nel 1830, pubblicata nel1842 e successivamente ampliata conl’aggiunta di un quarto capitolo interamentededicato agli zingari. La Carmen dell’operacontiene numerosi particolari della storia diMérimée, sebbene il marito di Carmen, un

guercio assassino, venga ignorato. A un certopunto a proposito di Carmen il libretto ci diceche il “costume e l’ingresso [devono essere]esattamente come nella storia di Mérimée”, ealcuni brani del dialogo parlato sono moltovicini a quelli della novella. Molte altrecaratteristiche del libretto sono liberiadattamenti, come per esempio l’osteria diLillas Pastia, anche se l’idea delle frequentidanze si ritrova anche in Mérimée.

Don José è notevolmente ridimensionato,fino al punto forse in cui la sua forzanell’opera sta nella sua debolezza. Nella novellanon è un soldato, ma un bandito con ilgrilletto molto facile. Nell’opera è un uomocombattuto e caratterizzato dall’indecisione.

Per gran parte il resto è invenzione deilibrettisti, anche se molti dettagli sono ricavatidal vero: Meilhac e Halévy erano famosi per illoro approccio realistico. Vengono aggiuntinon solo il personaggio di Escamillo, maanche tutti i particolari della corrida; laprocessione verso l’arena è basata su quantoaccadeva realmente all’epoca. Analogamente,l’idea di contrapporre l’azienda di tabacco e lasala delle guardie, giustapponendo il disordinee l’ordine, è uno stratagemma che offre ilgiusto risalto a due temi essenziali dell’opera.A Siviglia esisteva davvero una famosa fabbrica

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I direttori, de Leuven e du Locle, avevanodue preoccupazioni principali. Primo, un’operaprecedente aveva causato aspre critiche allacompagnia, colpevole di non aver rispettato laregola di includere abbondante materialeparlato negli spettacoli. Secondo, i direttoridesideravano opere che piacessero alla clientelaborghese e riempissero i numerosi palchinormalmente occupati da famiglie desiderosedi presentare le proprie figlie in età da marito.De Leuven rimase sconvolto all’idea diun’opera ispirata alla vicenda di Carmen. “Manon viene uccisa dall’amante?” disse a Halévy:

Ma è una storia ambientata tra ladri, zingari esigaraie!… E questo all’Opéra-Comique!… ilteatro delle famiglie!… il teatro dove sipreparano i matrimoni!… Ogni sera abbiamocinque o sei palchi riservati per questo… Ilpubblico ci abbandonerà… È impossibile!

Alla fine il compositore e i librettistiaccettarono di rimaneggiare la tramaintroducendo Micaëla, una brava ragazzacattolica con cui il pubblico potesseidentificarsi. I librettisti inventarono anche unaltro ruolo per basso, quello del toreroEscamillo. Oggi è difficile immaginare l’operasenza queste due figure.

Sia il dialogo parlato sia i testi dei branicantati sono pieni di vere e proprie gemme.

Chi se non Bizet e i suoi collaboratoriavrebbero sfruttato l’accostamento di parlato ecantato in maniera così brillantenell’interrogatorio di Carmen, a cui Zunigarivolge domande parlate e riceve per tuttarisposta solo dei “trallallà” cantati? Poi c’è ladanza con cui Carmen premia José per averlaliberata; le nacchere fanno contrasto con lemelodie delle trombe fuori scena, conun’incredibile fertilità creativa che ci riempieancora di meraviglia.

Bizet controlla con grande precisione ediscrezione l’equilibrio tra parlato e cantato.Carmen non si limita a riunire arieinframmezzate da brani di dialogo; è un’operache progredisce, spinta inesorabilmente versola sua terribile conclusione. A questo si giungein diversi modi.

Le cose iniziano in maniera relativamenteleggera, con diversi ammiccamenti e allusioninel dialogo parlato e alcuni doppi sensi(mentre José si lucida uno spillo, per esempio,o mentre Carmen e Manuela si scambianoosceni insulti su asini e scope). Non mancanodeliziosi tocchi di colore locale, specialmentenelle tre canzoni di danza con cui Carmen sipresenta al pubblico. Un altro contributo alprogresso della vicenda è l’adozione gradualedi una musica continua nell’ultimo atto, dove

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ultimi criteri di redazione si sono basatiprevalentemente su quelle che spesso sidefiniscono “le intenzioni del compositore”.Sopravvive una partitura per lo più di pugnodi Bizet. Ma seguirla pedissequamente miavrebbe portato lungo un sentiero falso e forsenon avrebbe comunque rappresentato leintenzioni di Bizet. Dopo tutto, sicuramentel’intenzione principale era quella di creareun’opera di successo. Per questo vennemodificata dal compositore durante le prove eda altri in seguito, talvolta per migliorarla. Peresempio, il brano dell’interrogatorio diCarmen, con i suoi “trallallà”, è piuttostosovraccarico nella prima edizione e secondome fu un bene che venisse concentratodurante gli allestimenti successivi.

Ho deciso di basare l’edizione soprattuttosui primi allestimenti dell’Opéra-Comique eda questo punto di vista ho fatto levasoprattutto sulle parti orchestrali (la fontemigliore per sapere quello che venivaeffettivamente eseguito nella buca) e la primapartitura vocale pubblicata (che venneutilizzata dai cantanti). Esiste anche unapreziosissima partitura manoscritta che fuutilizzata negli spettacoli dell’Opéra-Comiqueper molti anni finché non fu pubblicata unapartitura orchestrale stampata.

L’edizione, che si può noleggiare presso laPeters Edition Ltd è stata realizzata con l’aiutodel musicologo Clair Rowden, gentilmenteappoggiato dalla Peter Moores Foundation.Attualmente sto preparando una partituravocale per la stessa casa editrice, in inglese efrancese, che conterrà molte variazioni eincluderà parecchio materiale descrittivo eillustrativo sulle prime esecuzioni. Questa nonsarà solo un’edizione per interpreti ma ancheuna partitura di studio per studenti eappassionati. Seguirà una partitura orchestrale.

© 2003 Richard Langham SmithTraduzione: Emanuela Guastella

La trama

PRIMO COMPACT DISC

Il ricco Preludio è caratterizzato dallesonorità diverse degli archi, degli ottavini edegli ottoni, come nella musica all’apertospesso eseguita dalle bande militari. In seguitoemerge un secondo motivo principale,accompagnato dagli ottoni, quello del toreroEscamillo. Dopo una drammatica pausa eccouna musica molto più tenebrosa. Il tremolodegli archi sottolinea un motivo serpeggiante

1

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di tabacco (che oggi fa parte dell’università) edè vero che dava lavoro solo alle donne, spessoex prostitute e ragazze madri. La presenza deibambini nell’opera è forse un indizio del fattoche i librettisti sapevano della fabbrica e dellesue abitudini – se non direttamente, forse dalleillustrazioni di Gustave Doré, che era tornato aParigi con una ricca collezione di lavorieseguiti nella fabbrica.

Oltre a Mérimée, molti altri scrittoridell’Ottocento furono affascinati dalla vita edai personaggi degli zingari. Uno studio su diessi sottolineava diverse caratteristicheesplorate nell’opera: il rifiuto di cedere anchein presenza di minacce o torture, la mancanzadi rispetto per l’autorità occidentale, lapredilezione per il tabacco e l’alcool, lapreferenza per dolci e spuntini rispetto ai“pasti regolari” e, naturalmente, l’impudiciziadelle donne.

Si credeva inoltre che gli zingari avesserograndi capacità musicali, anche se di natura“estemporanea”. Ma qui emerge il genio diBizet. Nella Havanaise, Seguidilla e ChansonBohème di Carmen, il compositore per laprima volta introdusse un pastiche di veramusica zingara nel teatro lirico, brani diqualità ipnotica basati sul ritmo e laripetizione piuttosto che su armonie

complesse. Questi brani presentano Carmennon solo attraverso le parole e la musica, maattraverso una danza provocante e gestiseducenti, con una musica che è in acutocontrasto rispetto a quella di Micaëla.

D’altro canto, Bizet riesce a catturare inmaniera profondamente commoventel’innocenza della diciassettenne Micaëla, con lareligiosità delle arpe. E ci regala anche inmaniera brillante il maschilismo spensierato espavaldo del torero Escamillo! Per quantol’opera rappresenti un crogiuolo di elementidiversi, è nata dal genio di tre maestri dell’arteteatrale e continua ad esercitare un poteresenza eguali su interpreti, produttori epubblico.

Nota sull’edizioneIl mio compito principale nel preparareun’edizione per la presente registrazione è statoquello di realizzare un testo pulito e chiaro peruso dei musicisti, basato sulla versionedell’Opéra-Comique. David Parry ha tradottoil libretto e ha conservato l’essenza dei braniparlati, indispensabile per comprendere fino infondo il significato della Carmen. Ben presto siè visto che il problema principale era quello didecidere quale versione dell’Opéra-Comiqueutilizzare, perché ne esistevano molte. Gli

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un bacio della madre. José è fuori di sé dallagioia. Rievoca il viso della madre e, presodai ricordi, intona un duetto con Micaëla.José si chiede se il bacio possa riuscire adallontanare un pericolo imminente, alludendoa Carmen. Micaëla non capisce, ma l’uomocambia discorso. José legge la lettera disua madre che gli consiglia di sposareMicaëla.

– All’improvviso dalla fabbricaprovengono delle invocazioni di aiuto dellesigaraie. Carmen è stata insultata e qualcuno èstato aggredito. Zuniga ordina a José di andarea investigare. Le ragazze non sono d’accordo suchi ha iniziato la lite. Carmen dice di esserestata provocata e Zuniga la interroga. Aogni domanda la donna ha solo una risposta:“Trallallallallallallallà.” Zuniga ordina a José dilegarle le mani e portarla in prigione.

Prima di viene condotta via, Carmeninizia a parlare con José. Dopo alcuni tentativifalliti per metterlo dalla sua parte, lo provocadichiarando che è innamorato di lei e che faràtutto quello che lei dice. L’uomo nega, ma èprofondamente colpito. Carmen intona lasua seconda canzone-danza, la Seguidilla, incui parla di una taverna sui bastioni, gestita daun certo Lillas Pastia e rivela di essereinnamorata di un caporale. José capisce che si

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riferisce a lui e le chiede se è disposta adamarlo. Lei promette bevute di manzanilla edanze di seguidilla. Trallallallallà. José le allentala corda intorno ai polsi.

In conclusione, Carmen canta un branodella sua Havanaise direttamente davanti aZuniga e finge di buttare José giù dal ponte,poi fugge via.

Intermezzo

Atto IILa taverna di Lillas Pastia. Gli zingari simescolano agli ufficiali e Carmen danza per laterza volta con due amiche zingare, Frasquita eMercédès. La danza culmina in un ritmofrenetico. Zuniga chiede alle ragazze diandare a teatro con lui e gli altri soldati, ma ledonne rifiutano.

Un coro annuncia l’imminente arrivo diEscamillo. – Gli ufficiali ordinano dabere per accoglierlo. Il torero canta la suafamosa aria, paragonando le sue conquiste aisuccessi della corrida. – Escamillomanifesta interesse per Carmen, che lorespinge. Gli zingari preparanoun’operazione di contrabbando, guidata daDancaïre e Remendado. – In unQuintetto, gli uomini chiedono a Carmen e

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che ritornerà diverse volte. È il tema diCarmen, a imitazione di una scala zigana? O èil richiamo del fato?

Atto IUna piazza di Siviglia. Su un lato della

piazza si trova la fabbrica di tabacco, dall’altraparte il corpo di guardia. Alcuni dragoniseduti a fumare osservano l’andirivieni dellagente. La loro attenzione viene richiamatada una giovane donna. Si tratta di Micaëla, incerca di don José. Il sergente Moralès le diceche il turno di José inizia più tardi e la invita aentrare, ma la fanciulla declina educatamente.

– Una fanfara annuncia il cambiodella guardia, seguita dai pifferi e dalle trombedi una marcia militare. Precede i soldati ungruppo di monelli di strada che imitano ilpasso militare. Al suono di un’altra fanfaracambia la guardia. José e il luogotenenteZuniga parlano della fabbrica di tabacco edelle ragazze che lavorano qui.

Suona la campana della fabbrica e lapiazza si riempie di giovanotti. Le ragazzeescono fumando, parlano dell’effettodistensivo delle sigarette e dichiarano che lepromesse degli innamorati sono fumo. Igiovani le supplicano di non essere così fredde.

I soldati notano che Carmen non è10

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uscita. Al suono ricorrente del motivo sinistrodel Preludio in un registro più alto, compareCarmen. “Dicci quando ci amerai”, chiedono igiovani. Carmen li prende in giro: certo nonoggi. Poi viene la sua prima canzone-danza,la famosa Havanaise. “L’amore è un uccelloribelle e nessuno può addomesticarlo.” Il corofa eco alle sue parole.

Improvvisamente l’atmosfera si fa piùminacciosa mentre ritorna il motivo fatale, conun crescendo fino al momento in cui Carmensi rivolge per la prima volta a José e gli chiedecosa stia facendo. L’uomo rispondesemplicemente che ha da fare e continua acaricare il suo spillo; la donna si toglie dalcorsetto un rametto di fiori di cassia, glielolancia e corre via mentre le sigaraie tornano alavorare. José annusa il profumo inebriantedel fiore.

Ritorna Micaëla e José la riconosce e lasaluta con calore; è una ragazza del suovillaggio. Mentre lei dice a José che è statainviata dalla madre di lui, l’uomo canta“Parlami di mia madre!” Micaëla gli ha portatodel denaro, una lettera e qualcosa di molto piùprezioso…; “Questo qualcosa… spiegati”,chiede José. La musica assume un tonoquasi religioso con l’accompagnamento di arpee archi mentre Micaëla rivela di aver portato

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lo incita a una lotta e ben presto ha la peggio,ma Escamillo rifiuta di ucciderlo. José insisteper continuare il combattimento ma, quandoEscamillo scivola, non riesce a ucciderloperché Carmen si precipita a salvarlo.Escamillo la ringrazia e sfida José a unoscontro decisivo. Remendado scopreMicaëla nascosta. La fanciulla riprende ilmotivo della sua bella aria iniziale con le arpe,ricordando ancora una volta a José sua madre,ormai triste e sola. Gli zingari danno manforte a Micaëla e insistono perché José torni acasa: “Ben presto sarai perduto per sempre…se non parti subito”, lo assicurano. QuandoJosé protesta che non può lasciare Carmen,

Micaëla gli dice che sua madre sta permorire. La partenza è dunque irrevocabile. Macon le sue parole d’addio, l’uomo ricorda aCarmen che si rivedranno. Escamillo siprepara per la corrida cantando brani della suaaria.

Intermezzo

Atto IVCon l’intermezzo, in stile spagnolo, siamotrasportati nei dintorni dell’arena della corrida.

Alcuni mercanti vendono ventagli, gelati,arance e sigarette. Entra Zuniga con Frasquita

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e Mercédès. Ritorna la musica del Preludioiniziale, questa volta con un coro che annuncial’arrivo del corteo. Finalmente entra Escamillo:Carmen è al suo fianco. I due iniziano unduetto e il torero corteggia la donna, che glidichiara il proprio amore tra il clamore dellafolla. Gli amici di Carmen l’avvertono che è inpericolo: nelle vicinanze è stato visto José.

Finalmente José esce allo scoperto esupplica Carmen di ritornare con lui comeprima. Le chiede se l’ama ancora. “No, non tiamo più”, è la risposta. Si sente ancora unavolta il coro della corrida: è il trionfo diEscamillo. Carmen confessa che adesso ama iltorero e scaglia via sdegnosamente l’anello cheJosé le aveva donato prima. La misura è colma.Mentre il tema della corrida e l’aria del torerosi alternano, José colpisce Carmen. Escamilloesce dall’arena e la trova morta. “Sono io chel’ho uccisa, la mia Carmen adorata!” esclamaJosé.

© 2003 Richard Langham SmithTraduzione: Emanuela Guastella

Patricia Bardon, mezzosoprano, nata aDublino, ha studiato con Veronica Dunnepresso il College of Music di Dublino e si èmessa in luce al concorso Cardiff Singer of the

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alle sue amiche di aiutarli. Tra la sorpresagenerale, Carmen dichiara di essereinnamorata. Gli uomini le ricordano che il suodovere di zingara deve avere la precedenza.Carmen protesta che, per lei, l’amore viene perprimo. Da lontano si sente don Josécantare. Carmen è contenta di vederlo e ripagail suo debito con lui ordinando cibo emanzanilla.

SECONDO COMPACT DISC

Carmen dichiara che danzerà per José.Durante la danza si sente in lontananza il

suono delle trombe provenientidall’accampamento: il reparto di José si sposta.Secondo Carmen è l’accompagnamento giustoper la sua canzone, ma José vuole fare ritornoalla sua compagnia. I due litigano. PerCarmen il suo desiderio di ritornare all’esercitonon è altro che un rifiuto del suo amore.

L’uomo protesta ricordandole il fiore che leigli aveva lanciato. Carmen lo esorta afuggire lontano con lei. Qualcuno bussa allaporta; entra Zuniga e scopre José, cheadesso è un disertore per l’esercito. – Glizingari riescono ad avere la meglio su Zuniga eoffrono a José una via di scampo: deve unirsialla loro banda.

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Intermezzo

Atto IIIUna località selvaggia sulle montagne. Glizingari con una banda di contrabbandierimarciano cantando. In un teso dialogo,José rivela a Carmen che si trova vicino allacasa di sua madre. Lei lo schernisce insinuandoche forse è proprio con lei che dovrebberestare. “Sei il demonio, Carmen?” le chiedelui. “Sì, te l’ho già detto”, è la risposta.

Frasquita e Mercédès dispongono lecarte per leggere la propria sorte. Sonofortunate: una troverà un amante sincero el’altra uno spasimante ricco. Ma le carte diCarmen parlano di morte: “prima per me e poiper lui”. Ritorna il motivo fatale. Carmencanta la sua prima vera aria, riflettendo sullaverità rivelata dalle carte. – Gli zingaripreparano l’agguato e danno istruzioni aCarmen e alle altre due di sedurre i doganieri.José è geloso.

Compare Micaëla con una guida.Nella sua aria, “Mi dico che non c’è nulla

da temere”, confessa il proprio amore per José.Si nasconde e osserva José mentre arriva

Escamillo. – Escamillo confessa di essereinnamorato di Carmen, senza sapere che Josési considera ancora l’amante della donna. José

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Mary Plazas ha svolto numerosi recital econcerti, tra cui recital solistici presso laWigmore Hall, la Purcell Room e il CentroKarajan di Vienna, e ha partecipato anumerosi festival. Il suo repertorioconcertistico comprende Die Schöpfung diHaydn, A Child of Our Time di Tippett,Das Paradies und die Peri di Schumann eChants d’Auvergne di Canteloube. Compare inEmma d’Antiochia di Mercadante e Maria,regina d’Inghilterra di Pacini per l’etichettaOpera Rara. Per Chandos/Peter MooresFoundation ha registrato i ruoli di Zerlina(Don Giovanni), Adina, Marguerite (Faust) eLiù (Turandot).

Julian Gavin è nato a Melbourne, in Australia,dove ha studiato. Dopo il diploma hafrequentato un corso di direzione d’orchestra,quindi si è trasferito in Inghilterra e hastudiato presso il National Opera Studio. Ilsuo esordio operistico britannico è stato nellevesti di Alvaro, nell’allestimento di La forza deldestino della English National Opera, seguitoda Laca in Jenuofa per Opera North.

Per English National Opera, Julian Gavinha interpretato, tra l’altro, i ruoli di Pinkerton(Madama Butterfly), Cavaradossi (Tosca), ilduca (Rigoletto) ed è stato protagonista di

alcuni nuovi allestimenti di Ernani eLes Contes d’Hoffmann. Nel 1996, il tenoreha esordito alla Royal Opera, Covent Gardennel ruolo di protagonista del Don Carlos,diretto da Bernard Haitink, che ha ripropostoal Festival di Edimburgo nel 1998. Altreinterpretazioni comprendono Alfredo(La traviata) per la Norske Opera di Oslo,Opera Australia e ENO, Rodolfo (La bohème),Laca, Carlo (Giovanna d’Arco) e il ruoloprincipale del Don Carlos per Opera North;Des Grieux (Manon Lescaut) con l’OrchestraFilarmonica di Israele; Pollione (Norma) aLucerna; Pinkerton per la Deutsche Operdi Berlino; Roméo (Roméo et Juliette); DonJosé per Opera Australia; interpretazioniin concerto del ruolo di Rodolfo in LuisaMiller; Arrigo ne La battaglia di Legnano,e Ismaele nel Nabucco diretto da Sir EdwardDownes.

La discografia comprende Godvino (Aroldo),Les Contes d’Hoffmann, il Requiem e Rigolettodi Verdi, Psalmus Hungaricus di Kodály eRoméo et Juliette di Gounod, oltre a Ernani perChandos/Peter Moores Foundation. Il tenoreè comparso in una serie televisiva in seipuntate per la BBC, Top Score,sull’allestimento di un’opera ispirata allaBohème.

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World, di cui è la più giovane vincitrice.Importante interprete lirica a livellointernazionale, ha cantato i ruoli diprotagonista in Tancredi al Teatro la Fenice diVenezia, Carmen presso la Staatsoper diAmburgo, La Cenerentola al Théâtre de laMannaie di Bruxelles, Tamerlano a Beaune eOrlando a New York, Parigi, Lione e Anversa.È comparsa inoltre nelle vesti di Penelope(Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria) e Anna(Les Troyens) al Maggio Musicale fiorentino, inquelle di Arsace (Semiramide) alla Fenice; èstata Cornelia (Giulio Cesare) e Amastris (Serse)alla Staatsoper di Monaco e a Dresda, Ursula(Béatrice et Bénédict) ad Amsterdam e Smeton(Anna Bolena) a San Francisco. Ha lavoratospesso per Opera North, Welsh NationalOpera, Scottish Opera e Glyndebourne FestivalOpera, e ha interpretato alcuni ruoli in Mosè inEgitto, Guillaume Tell, Rigoletto, Mefistofele eLa fanciulla del West alla Royal Opera, CoventGarden.

Ha svolto concerti e recital in tutta Europa,negli Stati Uniti e in Giappone, ed è apparsacon direttori del calibro di Zubin Mehta,Bernard Haitink, Claudio Abbado, AntonioPappano e Sir Charles Mackerras. È statainvitata a cantare a Buckingham Palacedurante un concerto organizzato per il

cinquantesimo compleanno del principe Carlo.Ha partecipato alla registrazioneChandos/Peter Moores Foundation di EugenioOnieghin.

Mary Plazas, soprano, ha studiato presso ilRoyal Northern College of Music diManchester con Ava June. Vincitrice dinumerosi riconoscimenti, tra cui la KathleenFerrier Memorial Scholarship nel 1991, haricevuto anche importanti borse di studio dellaPeter Moores Foundation e del Countess ofMunster Musical Trust. Ha esordito in teatronel 1992 con English National Opera nel DonCarlos (Voce dal cielo). Ha cantato con tutte leprincipali compagnie liriche britanniche, oltreche con la New Israeli Opera, la MetropolitanOpera di New York e al Festival di Bregenz.Il suo ricco repertorio comprende Susanna(Le nozze di Figaro), Donna Elvira (DonGiovanni), Marzelline (Fidelio), Adina (L’elisird’amore), Oscar (Un ballo in maschera), Mimì(La bohème), Anne Trulove (The Rake’sProgress) e il ruolo di protagonista nella Piccolavolpe astuta. Ha cantato Donna Elvira per laGlyndebourne Touring Opera e per la stessacompagnia ha creato il ruolo di Tina in Flightdi Jonathan Dove, riproponendolo con laGlyndebourne Festival Opera.

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Il soprano Sally Harrison ha studiato presso ilRoyal Northern College of Music, con ilsostegno di una borsa di studio della PeterMoores Foundation, e successivamente pressoil National Opera Studio. Con la EnglishNational Opera ha cantato Despina (Così fantutte), Papagena e Pamina (Die Zauberflöte),Giannetta (L’elisir d’amore), Lidka (Le duevedove di Smetana), Frasquita, Chloë (La damadi picche) e Yum Yum (The Mikado), ed ècomparsa nelle vesti di Musetta (La bohème) ePolly Peachum (Die Dreigroschenoper) presso laScottish Opera e in quelle della contessa(Le nozze di Figaro) presso l’Opera TheatreCompany di Dublino. Altre interpretazioni dirilievo in Gran Bretagna comprendono Poppea(Agrippina di Handel) al Buxton Festival,Galatea (Acis and Galatea) all’English BachFestival e Gilda (Rigoletto) presso la Bath andWessex Opera. In concerto ha interpretatoEsther e il Messiah di Handel, la Messa indo minore ed Exsultate, jubilate di Mozart e iCarmina burana di Orff.

Il tenore Peter Wedd ha studiato presso laGuildhall School of Music and Drama conWilliam McAlpine, e presso il National OperaStudio, con l’appoggio della Peter MooresFoundation. Ha interpretato i ruoli di Cascada

(Die lustige Witwe) alla Royal Opera, CoventGarden, Federico (L’Arlesiana) e Plutone(Orphée aux enfers) per Opera Holland Park,Don José e Tamino (Die Zauberflöte) allaWelsh National Opera. Il suo repertoriooperistico comprende inoltre Edgardo (Luciadi Lammermoor), Rodolfo (La bohème),Eisenstein (Die Fledermaus) e Lysander(A Midsummer Night’s Dream) oltre al ruolo diprotagonista en titre di Les Contes d’Hoffmann.Dal 1999 al 2001 è stato solista presso laRoyal Opera.

Il suo vasto repertorio concertisticocomprende la Passione secondo San Giovanni diBach e il Messiah di Handel, le messe daRequiem di Mozart e Verdi, la Petite Messesolennelle di Rossini e Elijah di Mendelssohn,la Messa glagolitica di Janácek,Les Illuminations e Serenade for Tenor,Horn and Strings di Britten. Ha partecipatoalle registrazioni Chandos/Peter MooresFoundation di Lucia di Lammermoor,Ernani e Turandot.

Mark Le Brocq è stato borsista nel coro delSt Catharine’s College di Cambridge, dove hastudiato Letteratura Inglese. Ha vinto unaborsa di studio per accesso alla Royal Academyof Music, dove ha studiato con Kenneth

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Il baritono Garry Magee, che ha conseguito ildiploma della Guildhall School of Music andDrama e del National Opera Studio, ha vintoil primo premio del concorso dedicato aKathleen Ferrier nel 1995 e l’anno dopo havinto un premio al concorso internazionaleBelvedere di Vienna. Attualmente studia conRobert Dean. Tra i numerosi ruoli da luiinterpretati vanno ricordati Guglielmo(Così fan tutte), Papageno (Die Zauberflöte),Dr Malatesta (Don Pasquale), Figaro(Il barbiere di Siviglia), Marcello e Schaunard(La bohème), Sharpless (Madama Butterfly) eHarry Heegan (The Silver Tassie) oltre ai ruolidi protagonista nel Don Giovanni ed EugenioOnieghin. Si è esibito con la English NationalOpera, Opera North, la Royal Opera, CoventGarden, Welsh National Opera, FlandersOpera, Opéra de Monte-Carlo, Théâtre de laMonnaie di Bruxelles, Opera dei Paesi Bassi,Deutsche Oper di Berlino e Florida GrandOpera. Ha svolto concerti e recital in GranBretagna e all’estero in un repertorio checomprende il Magnificat e la Passione secondoSan Giovanni di Bach, Ein deutsches Requiemdi Brahms, la cantata Primavera diRachmaninov, Das Berliner Requiem di KurtWeill, West Side Story di Bernstein e WarRequiem di Britten. La sua discografia

comprende, per Chandos/Peter MooresFoundation, il ruolo di protagonista inDon Giovanni e Valentin in Faust.

Il soprano Mary Hegarty, di Cork, ha studiatopresso la Cork School of Music e presso ilNational Opera Studio di Londra. Vincitricedel premio “Golden Voice of Ireland”, harappresentato il proprio paese al concorsoCardiff Singer of the World. In Gran Bretagnasi è esibita con la Royal Opera, CoventGarden, English National Opera, OperaNorth, Opera Northern Ireland,Glyndebourne Touring Opera e GarsingtonOpera. Tra i suoi numerosi ruoli vannoricordati Blonde (Die Entführung aus demSerail ), Cherubino e Susanna (Le nozze diFigaro), Papagena (Die Zauberflöte), Norina(Don Pasquale), Adina (L’elisir d’amore),Ninetta (La gazza ladra), Elvira (L’italiana inAlgeri), Fiorilla (Il turco in Italia), Marzelline(Fidelio), Micaëla, Pousette (Manon), Nanetta(Falstaff ), Lisette (La rondine) e Anne Trulove(The Rake’s Progress). Si è esibita presso laRoyal Albert Hall, il Barbican Centre e laRoyal Festival Hall, ha partecipato ai festival diBatignano, Aix-en-Provence e Buxton, halavorato con la Flanders Opera e ha cantata ilMessiah con l’Orchestre nationale de Belgique.

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English Touring Opera, ed Escamillo, DonBasilio (Il barbiere di Siviglia) e il ruolo diprotagonista nel Don Giovanni presso OperaHolland Park. Di recente ha cantato Escamilloe Dancaïre in un nuovo allestimento dellaCarmen di Opera North. Ha esordito con laRoyal Opera, Covent Garden in alcunerappresentazioni del Palestrina di Pfitzner econ la English National Opera nelle vesti delbarone Douphol nella Traviata. Si è esibitopresso l’Opéra national de Paris-Bastille epresso l’Opéra de Nantes. Il suo repertorioconcertistico comprende tutti i principali ruolida oratorio oltre a opere del Ventesimo secolocome la Sinfonia di Berio, interpretata alBoulez Festival di Tokyo nel 1995.

La carriera di cantante di Geoffrey Mitchellracchiude un repertorio notevole che spaziadalla musica antica a quella contemporanea eche l’ha portato in Scandinavia, Germania,nella ex Cecoslovacchia, in Canada eAustralasia. L’esperienza di direzione degli inizicon la BBC lo ha condotto ad un maggiorecoinvolgimento con i suoi stessi cantanti einoltre alla creazione del Geoffrey MitchellChoir. Le prime registrazioni sono sfociate nelcoinvolgimento a lungo termine del Coro conOpera Rara, per la quale ha inciso più di

trenta registrazioni. Il Coro gode di una famasempre maggiore con ulteriore lavoro dallaBBC e da case discografiche internazionali. Perla Chandos il Geoffrey Mitchell Choir hapartecipato a numerose registrazioni nelleapplaudite serie di Opera in English con ilpatrocinio della Peter Moores Foundation.

Il New London Children’s Choir è statofondato dal suo Direttore Musicale RonaldCorp nel 1991 con lo scopo di permettere aibambini di conoscere gli elementi di sfida edivertimento insiti nel canto e nell’esibizioneper quanto riguarda tutti i tipi di musica. Daallora il Coro si è esibito nei principali auditoridi Londra; ha cantato con le orchestresinfoniche e i direttori più importanti delRegno Unito; ha collaborato con variecompagnie operistiche in Gran Bretagna eall’estero; ha partecipato a numerose incisionie trasmissioni radio-televisive, ed è statoinvitato dai festival più prestigiosi.

La vasta discografia del New LondonChildren’s Choir include incisioni delloSchiaccianoci di Chaikovsky, Canzone delleforeste di Shostakovich, Ivan il terribile diProkofiev, Bethlehem di Rutland Boughton,Hugh the Drover di Vaughan Williams, laSinfonia n. 3 di Mahler, The Planets di Holst,

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Bowen, e in seguito ha continuato i suoi studipresso il National Opera Studio.

È stato tra le voci principali della EnglishNational Opera, con ruoli come Tamino(Die Zauberflöte), Paris (King Priam), conteAlmaviva (Il barbiere di Siviglia), Narraboth(Salome), Don Ottavio, Monostatos,Rodriguez (Don Quixote di Massenet),Odoardo (Ariodante), Doctor Maxwell(The Silver Tassie), e Siward (A Better Place).Altre esibizioni hanno incluso ruoli per laOpera Northern Ireland, la GarsingtonOpera e il Festival di Aix-en-Provence.

Mark Le Brocq si è esibito come solista inrecital e oratori negli Stati Uniti, in Francia,Germania, Spagna e nei paesi del MedioOriente, così come nei principali teatri diLondra. È apparso con il Gabrieli Consort ePaul McCreesh nei festival di tutta Europa.Le sue incisioni comprendono Il trovatore eTurandot per la Chandos/Peter MooresFoundation, Samson, Judas Maccabaeus, HailBright Cecilia di Purcell, Utrecht Te Deum diHandel e I Was Glad di Boyce.

Il baritono Toby Stafford-Allen ha studiatocon Robert Alderson presso il Royal NorthernCollege of Music, dove ha interpretato i ruolidi Figaro (Le nozze di Figaro), di protagonista

nella versione per baritono del Werther, e dimugnaio ( Jenufa) tra gli altri. Dopo averconseguito il diploma è entrato alla EnglishNational Opera e con questa e altre compagnieinglesi ha interpretato i ruoli di Valletto(L’incoronazione di Poppea), Henry (The FairyQueen), Papageno (Die Zauberflöte), Fiorello(Il barbiere di Siviglia), barone Douphol(La traviata) e Schaunard (La bohème). Le suepartecipazioni ai festival musicali lo hannovisto interpretare il ruolo di Guglielmo (Cosìfan tutte) al Festival di Aix-en-Provence,quelli di Marte ed Euro in Il pomo d’oro diCesti al Festival di Batignano, quello diSchaunard al Festival di Bregenz e quelli diGrimbald e Aeolos nel King Arthur di Purcellal Kings Lynn Festival nel Norfolk. Il suorepertorio di opere da oratorio comprendele messe da Requiem di Mozart e Fauré,Die Schöpfung di Haydn e la Messa insi minore di Bach.

Nicholas Garrett, basso baritono, hafrequentato il Trinity College of Music e haricevuto un premio della Wolfson Foundation.Ha interpretato Sourin (La dama di picche) perla Scottish Opera, Sparafucile e Monterone(Rigoletto), Figaro (Le nozze di Figaro) eNourabad (Les Pêcheurs de perles) con la

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David Parry ha studiato con SergiuCelibidache ed ha cominciato la sua carrieracome assistente di Sir John Pritchard.Ha debuttato all’English Music Theatre,quindi è diventato direttore d’orchestrapresso la Städtische Bühnen di Dortmund e laOpera North. È stato Direttore Musicale diOpera 80 dal 1983 al 1987 e dal 1992 è statoDirettore Musicale fondatore dell’Opera diAlmeida.

Lavora copiosamente in opere e concerti, alivello nazionale ed internazionale. Ha direttodiverse produzioni presso la English NationalOpera e la Opera North e appare regolarmentecon la Philharmonia Orchestra e la LondonPhilharmonic Orchestra. Nel 1996 hadebuttato con Così fan tutte al GlyndebourneFestival, dove nel 1998 ha diretto la primamondiale di Flight di Jonathan Dove.

È un frequente visitatore della Spagna dovesi è esibito in concerto con la maggior partedelle maggiori orchestre spagnole. Ha direttola prima spagnola di Peter Grimes a Madrid enel 1996 la prima produzione spagnola diThe Rake’s Progress. È apparso in Germania,Svizzera, Paesi Bassi, al Festival di Pesaro inItalia, al Festival Internazionale di Hong Kong,

in Giappone con una tournée della Carmen ein Messico con la UNAM SymphonyOrchestra. Recenti nuove produzioni da luidirette comprendono il Fidelio al Festival dellaNuova Zelanda, Lucia di Lammermoor allaNew Israeli Opera e Don Giovanni allaStaatsoper di Hannover.

Il suo lavoro in studio di registrazionecomprende la produzione della BBC diDer Vampyr di Marschner nonché ventottoregistrazioni operistiche complete con ilpatrocinio della Peter Moores Foundation. Traquesti vi sono numerosi dischi per l’etichettaOpera Rara che hanno vinti parecchi premi,tra cui il belga Prix Cecilia per la Rosmondad’Inghilterra di Donizetti. Per Chandos hadiretto una serie di registrazioni di arie d’opera(con Bruce Ford, Diana Montague, DennisO’Neill, Alastair Miles, Yvonne Kenny, JohnTomlinson, Della Jones e Andrew Shore),nonché Don Giovanni, Don Pasquale, L’elisird’amore, Lucia di Lammermoor, Ernani,Il trovatore, Aida, Faust, Cavalleria rusticana,Pagliacci, La bohème, Turandot, Tosca(vincitrice di un premio) e brani scelti daDer Rosenkavalier, tutte in collaborazione conla Peter Moores Foundation.

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e St Nicolas e A Midsummer Night’s Dream diBritten. Ha inciso anche per il cinema e hapresentato in anteprima oltre trenta operenuove.

Dai buoni auspici degli inizi nel 1945, quandofu creata da Walter Legge principalmentecome orchestra di registrazione, laPhilharmonia Orchestra ha continuato adattirare alcuni fra i direttori più importanti delVentesimo secolo. Hanno collaborato piùfrequentemente con l’Orchestra OttoKlemperer (primo Direttore Principale),Lorin Maazel, Riccardo Muti, GiuseppeSinopoli, Carlo Maria Giulini, Sir AndrewDavis, Vladimir Ashkenazy e Esa-PekkaSalonen. Attualmente diretta dal DirettorePrincipale Christoph von Dohnányi e conLeonard Slatkin in qualità di DirettoreOspite Principale, l’Orchestra haconsolidato la sua posizione centrale nellavita musicale britannica, non solo a Londradove è Orchestra Residente al RoyalFestival Hall, ma anche nella società insenso più ampio attraverso soggiorni sulterritorio.

L’Orchestra ha ricevuto diversi premiimportanti ed ha conquistato il plauso dellacritica grazie alla sua vitalità e al calore unico

del suono. È stata lodata sia per la suaprogrammazione innovativa, al centro dellaquale vi è un impegno ad interpretare ecommissionare una musica nuova deiprincipali compositori viventi al mondo, tra iquali l’attuale Compositore in Visita JamesMacMillan.

L’Orchestra si reca frequentemente all’esteroin tournée ed è l’orchestra sinfonica piùregistrata al mondo con ben più di 1000incisioni all’attivo. Tra queste vi sono, perOpera Rara, parecchi dischi di arie d’operanonché undici opere complete (Ugo, conte diParigi, Ne m’oubliez pas, Emilia di Liverpool,L’assedio di Calais, Rosmonda d’Inghilterra eMaria de Rudenz di Donizetti, Dinorah diMeyerbeer, Medea in Corinto di Mayr, Orazi eCuriazi di Mercadante, Maria, reginad’Inghilterra di Pacini e l’Otello di Rossini).L’Orchestra ha registrato numerosi dischi perla Chandos, tra cui, nelle serie di Opera inEnglish con il patrocinio della Peter MooresFoundation, Don Giovanni, L’elisir d’amore,Lucia di Lammermoor, Faust, Aida, La bohème,Madama Butterfly, Turandot, Tosca vincitrice diun premio e album con recital da solista di aried’opera con Bruce Ford, Diana Montague,Dennis O’Neill, Alastair Miles, Yvonne Kennye John Tomlinson.

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Toby Stafford-Allen Stuart Stratford with David Parry


Moralès (with emphasis)Here you are…I’m yours!

MicaëlaI’m looking for a certain corp’ral, Don José: do

you know his name?

MoralèsDon José?We know him and his name.

Micaëla (joyfully)You do!Is he with you now, thank you kindly?

Moralès (elegantly)You’ll find him in another company entirely.

Micaëla (desolate)You mean he isn’t there?

MoralèsNo, little charmer, he isn’t there;But very soon he will be here.

Moralès and SoldiersHe will be hereNow his patrol’s returningBecause our watchIs over for the morning.

MoralèsBut while you are waiting for him,Would you like, my sweetest child,To avoid the heat and boredomAnd rest inside for a while?

Micaëla (afraid )With you?

Moralès and SoldiersWith us!

MicaëlaWith you?

Moralès and SoldiersWith us!

Micaëla (shrewdly)Oh no, oh no, you’re too kind, brave soldiers

and true.

MoralèsCome inside and don’t be nervous:By my sword, I promise youWe shall treat your little personWith every care that is due.

MicaëlaI’m quite sure of that, nonetheless I’ll go away, I’ll go away, that would be best.I’ll go awayTill his patrol’s returningBecause your watchIs over for the morning.

Moralès and SoldiersBetter to stayNow his patrol’s returningBecause our watchIs over for the morning.

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COMPACT DISC ONE

Prelude

Act I

Scene 1A square in Seville. On the right, the door of thetobacco factory. In the centre of the square, afountain. In the background, facing the audience, apracticable bridge extending right across the stage.The bridge is reached by a spiral staircase turningto the right above the door of the tobacco factory.The lower part of the bridge is practicable. On theleft, in the foreground, the guardroom. In front ofthe guardroom, a small covered gallery, raised,reached by two or three steps; near the guardroom,in a rack, the soldiers’ lances with yellow and redpennons.

No. 1 Introduction and Chorus(The curtain rises to reveal about fifteen soldiers –dragoons of the Almanza regiment – gathered infront of the guardroom. Some are seated whilesmoking, others lean their elbows on the balustradeof the gallery. People go about their business in thesquare, exchanging greetings, jostling etc.)

SoldiersIn the plazaPeople pass us,Here and there,To and fro;Funny to watch their constant show!

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Moralès (nonchalantly)Killing time is a guard’s vocationWhen he’s standing by:We smoke and watch with concentrationPassersby pass by.In the plazaPeople pass us,Here and there,To and fro.

SoldiersIn the plaza etc.

MoralèsFunny to watch!

(Enter Micaëla.)(Hesitant and uneasy, she watches as the soldiersstep forward, back etc.)

MoralèsJust look at that delicious morselWho seems to have something to say…You see, you see!…She’s so nervous…She’s in torment…

SoldiersShe needs our help without delay!

Moralès (to Micaëla, seriously)My sweet, how can I help you?…

Micaëla (simply)Me… There’s someone I must find.

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God Almighty, just my luck!You come along! Here we are!Ta ra ta ta ra ta ta ra ta ta ta ta ta ra ta ta.

(The incoming watch forms a line on the right,facing the outgoing watch. The small childrenhave stopped on the right, in front of curiousonlookers, and when they finish singing, the officersgive a salute with their swords, and begin to talkquietly amongst one another. The guards arerelieved.)

Moralès (to Don José )José! There was a girl here looking for you just now. She said she’d come back…

Don JoséA girl?

MoralèsYes – very pretty too, blue skirt, pigtails…

Don JoséIt must have been Micaëla… Micaëla…

MoralèsShe didn’t give her name.

(The guards have been replaced. Bugle calls. Theoutgoing watch passes before the incoming watch.The children in formation resume the positionbehind the bugles and fifes of the outgoing watchwhich they occupied behind the bugles and fifesof the incoming watch. The outgoing watchdeparts.)

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ChildrenOff with you old soldier boys,Off you go ’cause here we are,Making our trumpetty noises!Ta ra ta ta ta ra ta ta.We can march like soldiers can,Heads and noses in the air,And keep in step like the man says:Left, right and call me sir!Ta ra ta ta ra ta ta.

(Soldiers, children and onlookers move into thebackground as the fifes and bugles fade away.The officer of the incoming watch meanwhileinspects his men in silence. The soldiers all placetheir lances in the rack and go inside theguardroom. Don José and Lieutenant Zuniga areleft alone on stage.)

Scene 3

ZunigaCorporal!

Don José (rising)Sir!

ZunigaI’m new here. Tell me, what’s that building?

Don JoséIt’s the tobacco factory, sir. About four or fivehundred girls work there, sir, and men aren’tallowed in. No one’s there at the moment – the

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Moralès (holding Micaëla back)You’d better stay!

Micaëla (attempting to free herself )Oh no, oh no!

Moralès and SoldiersYou’d better stay!

MicaëlaOh no, oh no! (escaping)So for now, brave soldiers, good-bye!

(She runs away.)

MoralèsOur bird has flown…We’re left alone…We should do what we always do:Just watch the passersby pass through.

SoldiersIn the plaza etc.

MoralèsFunny to watch!

Scene 2

No. 2 March and Chorus of Children(From far off comes the sound of a military march,with fifes and bugles. The new watch is arriving.An officer leaves the guardroom. The soldiers of thewatch take their lances and line up in front of theguardroom. The passers-by on the right gather to

watch the parade. The marching comes nearer andnearer… The incoming watch finally emerges fromthe left and crosses the bridge. Two bugles and twofifes come first, followed by a group of smallchildren taking huge steps to try to keep up with thesoldiers. Children as small as possible. Behind them,Lieutenant Zuniga and Corporal Don José,followed by dragoons carrying lances.)

ChildrenHere come our new soldier boys,Here they come and here we are,Making our trumpetty noises!Ta ra ta ta ta ra ta ta.We can march like soldiers can,Heads and noses in the air,And keep in step like the man says:Left, right and call me sir!What a dreadful lot you are!Stick those chests out, shoulders back!Straighten those arms and try harder!God Almighty, just my luck!Come along you soldier boys,You come here ’cause here we are,Making our trumpetty noises!Ta ra ta ta ta ra ta ta.We can march like soldiers can,Heads and noses in the air,Jumping when we hear the man:Left, right and call me sir!What a dreadful lot you are!Stick out those chests, shoulders back!Straighten out those arms: try harder!

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Snake-like and slow,Rising, rising and unfurling.That intoxicating scentMakes you dizzy,And in a whileAll the cares of life seem easy.Sweet whispers on lovers’ lips…Puff of smoke!Vows counted on fingertips…Puff of smoke!All vanish like a puff of smoke!Watch them in the air above etc.Cigarette!

Young Men (to the cigarette girls)Do not spurn us when we tell youOf our suff ’ring, we beg you,You lovely creatures we adoreAnd worship from afar!Do not spurn us when we tell you etc.

Chorus of Cigarette GirlsSweet whispers on lovers’ lipsAnd vows counted just to perish…Watch them rising up and unfurlingSo snake-like and slow!

Young MenHere what we say, we beg!

Chorus of Cigarette GirlsCigarette!

Scene 5

SoldiersBut why hasn’t she come, our Carmencita?

(Enter Carmen. The costume and entrance exactlyas described by Mérimée. She has a posy of cassiaflowers on her blouse and a cassia flower at thecorner of her mouth. Three or four young menenter with Carmen, encircling her and speakingwith her. She flirts and simpers. Don José looks up.He glances at Carmen, then returns calmly to hispriming-pin.)

Young MenHere she is!

SoldiersHere she is!

Cigarette Girls, Young Men and SoldiersHere she is!Here is our Carmencita!

Young Men (surrounding Carmen)Carmen!We will follow you high and low!Carmen!Won’t you answer us, yes or no?At least tell us when you might fall in love.Carmen, please tell us when you might fall in love.

Carmen (gaily, after having looked quickly at DonJosé )When I might fall in love?

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girls are just having their lunch break; but they’llbe back any minute. There’ll be quite a lot ofmen here watching them too…

ZunigaThere are some pretty girls, then?

Don JoséSo they say, but I don’t really notice…

ZunigaYou only have eyes for blue skirts and pigtails?…

Don JoséYou heard what Moralès was telling me, sir.

ZunigaI did!

Don JoséWell, it’s true. She’s a girl from Navarra – that’swhere I come from – but she and my mother areliving not far from Seville, to be near me…Little Micaëla…

ZunigaAnd how old is little Micaëla?

Don JoséSeventeen, sir.

ZunigaNow I understand why you don’t notice thegirls…

(The factory bell is heard.)

Don JoséThat’s the factory bell, sir – you can see foryourself…

Scene 4

No. 3 Chorus of Cigarette Girls(The square fills with young men who take upposition to watch the cigarette girls pass by. Thesoldiers come out of the guardroom. Don José isseated on a chair, quite indifferent to all thecommotion, working on his priming-pin.)

Young MenWe have heard the bell summon us to meet

here;Now we lie in wait till the girls come out.We can only gaze at such lovely creatures,Murmuring sweet words from a lover’s heart.

(At this moment the cigarette girls appear,each with a cigarette in her lips. They cross thebridge and move down slowly onto the stage.)

Soldiers Ah, just look!So eager and bold!Young and coquettish!In her lovely mouth each one holdsA cigarette.

Chorus of Cigarette GirlsWatch them in the air above:Smoke rings curling,

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CarmenBut if I love you, then just watch out!

Cigarette Girls, Young Men and SoldiersWatch out!

CarmenWhen you thought you had caught him sleepingYour bird took wing and flew away;Love is never there when you need him,But when you don’t he comes to stay!All around you he’s swirling, swirling,He’s here, he’s there, he’s never gone;You think you’ve caught him, off he’s whirling;You think you’re free, he’s holding on!Ah love! Ah love!

Cigarette Girls, Young Men and SoldiersAll around you he’s swirling, swirling etc.

CarmenLove is a child of gipsy blood etc.

Cigarette Girls, Young Men and SoldiersThen just watch out!Love is a child of gipsy blood etc.

No. 5 Scene

Young MenCarmen!We will follow you high and low!Carmen!Won’t you answer us, yes or no!

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(The young men once more encircle Carmen. Shelooks at them one by one, then moves right, towardsDon José. He raises his eyes and sees Carmen infront of him.)

CarmenHey, you!… What are you doing?

Don JoséI’m busy…

CarmenWhy don’t you try busying yourself with me?(She seizes a cassia flower from the posy on herblouse and throws it at him.)You like this flower? It’s yours.

(She hurries away.)

Cigarette Girls (laughing among themselves)Love is a child of gipsy blood etc.

(The factory bell sounds again. Carmen runs offfirst into the tobacco factory. The young men leaveto the left and right.)(The lieutenant, who has been sharing a joke withsome workmen during this scene, leaves them andenters the guardroom after the soldiers.)

Scene 6

Don JoséThe cheek of it! (smiling) All that fuss because I wouldn’t pay her any attention. (He looks at the cassia flower lying at his feet, picks it up, and smellsits fragrance.) The flower has an intoxicating scent – it smells of witchcraft…

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(Enter Micaëla.)

Scene 7

MicaëlaCorporal José?

Don José (quickly hiding the cassia flower)What is it? Micaëla – it’s you!

MicaëlaIt’s me!

Don JoséYou’ve come to see me!

MicaëlaYes, your mother sent me.

No. 6 Duet

Don José (moved )Give me news of my mother!

Micaëla (simply)I come on her behalf just as the humble bearer Of a letter…

Don José ( joyously, looking at the letter)Of a letter!

MicaëlaAnd then some money, too…(She gives him a small envelope.)…That you can add to what they’re paying you.(hesitantly)And then…

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My God, I’ve no idea…The moment will come… or pass, who can say?(resolutely)But one thing is sure: not today.

No. 4 Habanera

CarmenLove’s a bird wild as any rebelNo man on earth has learned to tame;You can call as loud as you’re able:If love won’t come, it’s all the same.Threats or pray’rs, you should never bother:One talks a lot, the other sighs;And in truth I prefer the other:He may be dumb – I like his eyes.Ah love! Ah love!

Cigarette Girls, Young Men and SoldiersLove’s a bird wild as any rebel etc.

CarmenLove is a child of gipsy bloodWho cannot see what rules are all about;If you don’t love me now, I’ll love you:If I love you, then just watch out!

Cigarette Girls, Young Men and SoldiersThen just watch out!Love is a child of gipsy blood etc.

CarmenIf you don’t love me now, I’ll love you!

Cigarette Girls, Young Men and SoldiersThen just watch out!

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Don José (deeply moved )You’ve a kiss from my mother!

MicaëlaYes, a kiss for her child!

Don JoséYou’ve a kiss from my mother!

MicaëlaYes, a kiss for her child!José, I kiss you now just as I said I would.

(Micaëla raises herself a little on her toes and givesDon José a simple, motherly kiss.)

Don José (continuing to look at Micaëla)I see my mother’s face!…I see her there in our village!Another time, another place,Oh mem’ry so dear and sweet!I never can forget!

MicaëlaHe sees his mother’s face! etc.

Don José and MicaëlaYou shall renew my/his heart and soul with

strength and courage!…Oh mem’ry dear and sweet! etc.

Don José (to himself, eyes fixed on the factory)What demon might have taken my soul as its prey?(collects himself )From far away my mother sends her aid,And sends a kiss this very dayTo drive away the danger that besets her child.

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MicaëlaWhat demon? What danger? I do not

understand…What is all this about?

Don JoséNothing! No!Let’s speak of you and of your message;Quite soon you’ll be going back home…

MicaëlaYes, in the evening: tomorrow I’ll see your dear

mother.

Don JoséYou’ll see her then! Ah well!You say these words:Your son still loves you very dearly…He’s sorry he left you alone…And don’t judge him too severely,But be proud of your son.Ev’ry word I have said, my darling,You repeat to her without fail;And as I kiss you when we’re partingFrom my heart, you kiss her as well.

(He hugs Micaëla.)

Micaëla (simply)I promise I shall say that her son loves her still,And then give her the kiss just as I say I will.

Don JoséI see my mother’s face! etc.

MicaëlaHe sees his mother’s face! etc.

Don JoséWait a moment – I’m going to read the letter.(He presses the letter to his chest before he begins to read it.) ‘Be on your best behaviour son: soon you can leave the army and be with me and dearlittle Micaëla…’

Micaëla (interrupting him)It’s better if I go – you read it by yourself.

Don JoséBut what about the reply?

MicaëlaI’ll come back for it later.

Don JoséMicaëla!…

MicaëlaI’ll come back.

(She leaves.)

Scene 8

Don José (reads)‘…little Micaëla. She would be the perfect wifefor you, she’s kind, she’s wise…’ Yes, mother, Ishall do what you say. I shall marry Micaëla. Asfor that gipsy…

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Don JoséAnd then?…

MicaëlaAnd then…It makes me tremble!…And then… and then she gave me something

simpleWhich money cannot buy, and which a faithful sonWould value more than anyone.

Don JoséThis something simple that she gave you,Please explain…

MicaëlaYes, I shall explain.And what she gave to meI shall give you in turn.Your dear mother and I were leaving church this

morning,When all at once she hugged me tight.My dear, she said to me, you must go to the city:It isn’t far to travel, and when you reach SevilleYou find my only son, my José, my dear child!And from his old mother you tell himThat she thinks of him night and day,That she is sad, that she is waiting,And that she loves him come what may.Every word I have said, my darling,You repeat to him without fail;And as I kiss you when we’re partingFrom my heart, you kiss him as well.

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(Don José takes two men with him, the soldiers gointo the factory. At the same time the women crowdround, arguing among themselves.)

First Group of Cigarette GirlsIt’s Carmencita’s fault! etc.

Second Group of Cigarette GirlsNo, no, she didn’t start it! etc.

Zuniga (to the soldiers, loudly)Hey there!Get all these women away from me now!

Cigarette GirlsOh sir! Oh sir!

Soldiers (trying to push the women back)Calm down!Just get away and stop your noise!

(The cigarette girls evade the soldiers who are tryingto move them away. They rush towards thelieutenant and resume their chorus.)

Cigarette GirlsDon’t listen to their lies! etc.

First GroupIt’s Carmencita’s fault:She was the one who hit first!

Second GroupIt’s Manuelita’s fault:She was the one who hit first!

First GroupCarmencita did!

Second GroupManuelita did!

First GroupCarmencita did!

Second GroupManuelita did!

First GroupYes!

Second GroupNo!

First GroupYes! She was the one who first hit out! etc.

Second GroupNo! She was the one who first hit out! etc.

SoldiersCalm down!Just get away and stop your noise! etc.

(The square is finally cleared.)(The cigarette girls scream as they are beingchased away.)(Carmen appears at the factory gate, led by DonJosé and followed by two soldiers.)

Scene 9

ZunigaSo, corporal: tell me what happened.

Don JoséThere was a fight, sir, and one of the women waswounded.

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(At the moment he moves to tear the flower fromhis shirt, loud noises can be heard from inside thetobacco factory. Entry of Lieutenant Zunigafollowed by his soldiers )

No. 7 Chorus

Cigarette Girls (off-stage)Come and help! Come and help!

Zuniga (shouting)What’s going on in there?

(The cigarette girls exit the factory rapidly and inconfusion.)

Cigarette Girls (onstage)Come and help! Come and help!Can’t you hear the noise?Come and help! Come and help!Come on, soldier boys!It’s Carmencita’s fault!No, no she didn’t start it!It’s Carmencita’s fault!No, no, she didn’t start it!She did!It’s not true!She did, she really did!She was the one who first hit out!(surrounding the lieutenant)(to Zuniga)Don’t listen to their lies!Listen to us!No, sir!Yes, sir!

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Second Group of Cigarette Girls (pulling theofficer to their side)Manuelita carried on,So that the whole world could hear her,That this donkey was a treasureAnd she meant to buy it soon.

First Group of Cigarette GirlsThat made Carmencita laughAnd then, sarcastic as usual,She said: ‘Will a donkey suit you?Won’t a broomstick be enough?’

Second GroupManuelita in a flashReplied, screaming like a fishwife:‘If you want to have a nice rideI’ll send you my lovely ass!

First GroupThen you’ll get something at last,Something big you can be proud of,And we’ll cheer our little mouths offAs we watch you sweeping past…’

Both GroupsThen we saw both of the girlsPulling at each other’s curls.

Zuniga (with humour)To hell with all this idle chatter!(to Don José )You go, José, and take two other men:Find out just what has caused all this uproar

inside there!

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Scene 10(A moment of silence. Carmen looks up at Don José.He turns away, takes a few paces back, then movesforwards towards Carmen, who is still looking at him.)

CarmenWhere are you taking me?

Don JoséTo prison.

CarmenOh please, mister corporal sir, have pity on me!The rope is so tight, it’s hurting my wrists.

Don José (approaching her)I suppose I can loosen it a bit…

Carmen (whispering to him)Set me free and I’ll give you a charm that willmake all the women love you…

Don José (moving away from her)Don’t be ridiculous! You’re going to prison and there’s nothing to be done about it.

CarmenYou can’t fool me! You will do everything I ask;you’ll do it because you love me.

Don JoséI… love you!

CarmenYes, you love me. There’s no point in denying it:I know. The way you look at me, the way youspeak to me, the flower you’ve kept in your

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breast pocket – the one I threw… You don’tneed it any more, by the way: it’s already cast itsspell…

Don José (angrily)Don’t speak to me, do you hear! I forbid you to speak…

CarmenVery well, mister corporal: you forbid me to speak, I won’t say another word…

(She looks at Don José, who retreats.)

No. 9 Song and Duet

Carmen (frequently looking intently at Don José,who little by little draws nearer)There’s an old bar in the city,Run by my friend Lillas Pastia;I go there to dance SeguedillasAnd drink cool Manzanilla…In the bar of my friend Lillas Pastia.Yes, but if I’m alone I’m lonely:Life’s pleasures are for two to share;So, for my own amusement onlyI’ll have my sweetheart with me there!(smiling)My sweetheart, no…That story’s over…I sent him packing yesterday!So my poor heart pines for a lover,My heart is free as air today!

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ZunigaAnd who was responsible?

Don José (hesitating)This woman, sir.

(After throwing a glance at Don José, Carmengives her shoulders a light shrug and sitsimpassively.)

ZunigaCarmencita?

Don JoséYes, sir.

(Carmen turns abruptly to Don José and throwshim another glance.)

ZunigaWell, Carmencita: what do you have to say for yourself?

No. 8 Song and Melodrama(Instead of replying, Carmen begins to hum.)

CarmenTra la la la la la la la,You can beat me and burn me, I’ve nothing to

say!Tra la la la la la la la,I’ll brave fire and the sword, even heaven above.

Zuniga (spoken)I don’t want a song; I want an answer!

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Carmen (looking brazenly at Zuniga)Tra la la la la la la la,I’ve a secret to keep and won’t give it away!Tra la la la la la la la,I love someone, but you’ll never know who

I love.

Zuniga (spoken)If that’s the way you want it, you can sing to your heart’s content – in prison!(At this point, five or six women on the rightmanage to break through the line of guards andrush forward. One of the women is next toCarmen, who raises her hand and tries to throwherself at her. Don José stops Carmen. Soldiersmove the women back, this time pushing them offthe stage completely. A few sentries are still to beseen, guarding the approaches to the square.) My God, you’re ready with your fists,Carmencita!

Carmen (humming impertinently as she looks at Zuniga)Tra la la la la la la la etc.

ZunigaIt’s a pity, a great pity: you’re a real charmer. Butyou’ll have to learn your lesson. Corporal! Tiethose pretty little wrists! You can take her to thecell later.

(Carmen, attempting no resistance, smilingly holdsout her two hands to Don José.)

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Don José (spoken)Careful – it’s the lieutenant!

(Carmen returns to her stool, hands behind her back. Enter the lieutenant.)

Scene 11

No. 10 Finale(Zuniga leaves the guardroom.)

Zuniga (to Don José )Take the order and go!Be careful with your pris’ner.

Carmen (in a low voice, to Don José )At the door I’ll push you away,I’ll push you awayJust as hard as a woman can.You fall over and curse:The rest is up to me.(She places herself between the two soldiers, DonJosé beside her. Meanwhile, the women andtownspeople have entered, still kept at a distance bysoldiers… Carmen crosses the stage from left toright towards the bridge… humming, and smilinginto the face of Zuniga.)Love is a child of gipsy bloodWho cannot see what rules are all about;If you don’t love me now, I’ll love you:If I love you, then just watch out!

(She begins to march with Don José and his soldiers.On reaching the entrance to the bridge on the right,

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Carmen pushes José, knocking him over. Confusionand disorder. Carmen runs off. In the middle of thebridge, she stops a moment, tosses the rope over theparapet and escapes, while below the cigarette girlsencircle the lieutenant, laughing loudly.)(jostle)(widespread laughter)

Curtain as Carmen tosses the rope

Entr’acte

Act II

Scene 1Curtain rises on Lillas Pastia’s bar. Tables to theright and left. Carmen, Mercédès, Frasquita,Lieutenant Zuniga, Moralès and a lieutenant.Dinner is over. The table is cluttered. The officersand the gipsies are smoking cigarettes. Two gipsiesstrum a guitar in a corner while in the middle ofthe stage another two dance. Carmen is seatedwatching the dancers. The lieutenant is talking toher in a low voice, but she takes no notice of him.Suddenly, she stands and begins to sing.

No. 11 Gipsy Song(The dancing ceases.)

CarmenFrom far away mysterious sounds,Like bells that echo ever sweeter,Would sing a strange refrain to greet her,The gipsy girl from distant lands.

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I have admirers, two a penny,But none of them will really do.The weekend’s here and I am ready:Do you want love? I want it too!You want my soul?Yours for the taking!You’ve come in time to join the ride!In a moment I shall be racing,With a new lover at my side,To that old bar in the city,Run by my friend Lillas Pastia;I go there to dance SeguedillasAnd drink cool Manzanilla…Yes, in the bar of my friend Lillas Pastia!

Don José (hard )Be quiet, I have told you before not to speak to

me here!

Carmen (simply)I’m not speaking to you:I’m singing to myself now!And I’m thinking!It’s surely not forbidden to think.To think of a soldier I’ve seenWho loves me and who in turn,Yes, who in turn could waken love in me.

Don José (moved )Carmen!

Carmen (intently)He’s not a high ranking officer, though,Not a captain at all:

He’s only a corp’ral,But that’s enough for a poor gipsy girl,So I think I’ll make do with him.

Don JoséCarmen, it’s as if I’ve been drinking!If it happens, if I release you,Do you promise that you’ll be true?Ah! If I love you, Carmen,Carmen, you’ll love me, too!

CarmenYes.

Don José (loosens the rope that binds Carmen’shands)At Lillas Pastias…

CarmenWe’ll soon be dancing Seguedillas…

Don JoséYou promise me!Carmen…

CarmenAnd drinking cool Manzanilla… Ah!

Don JoséYou promise me!…

CarmenThere’s an old bar in the city,Run by my friend Lillas Pastia;We’ll go there to dance SeguedillasAnd drink cool Manzanilla…Tra la la la la la la la la la la etc.

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ZunigaOh Frasquita! What about you, Mercédès?

MercédèsI have to stay, too.

ZunigaSurely you’ll come, Carmen?

CarmenCertainly not!

Zuniga (privately to Carmen)Do you still hate me for being so cruel andsending you to prison?

CarmenPrison? I don’t remember going to prison…

ZunigaNo, but the corporal – the ex-corporal – whohelped you escape went to prison in yourplace…

CarmenOh!

ZunigaYes, a month in prison…

CarmenBut he’s been released?

ZunigaToday.

Carmen (suddenly vivacious)Then everything’s all right!

ZunigaYou’re very easy to please.

(The scene is interrupted by a chorus sung off-stage.)

No. 12 Chorus and Ensemble

Friends of Escamillo (off-stage)Hurrah! Hurrah! The Torero!Hurrah! Hurrah! Escamillo!Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah!

ZunigaWho’s that?

FrasquitaIt’s Escamillo, the bullfighter from Granada.

ZunigaInvite him in.(calling out of the window)Señor Torero, would you like to join us for a drink?

Friends of Escamillo (off-stage)Hurrah!

(Escamillo’s entrance)

Zuniga, Officers, Friends of Escamillo,Mercédès, Frasquita, Carmen and Moralès(onstage)Hurrah! Hurrah! The Torero!Hurrah! Hurrah! Escamillo!Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah!

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And tambourines would join the gameWith passionate guitars, unleashingTheir rhythms distant but unceasing,Ever this song, ever the same!Tra la la la, tra la la la.

(The dancing resumes.)

Frasquita, Mercédès and CarmenTra la la la, tra la la la.

(The dancing ceases.)

CarmenAnd bangles of silver and brassWould glisten in the sultry evening,Reflected in eyes dark and gleaming,As the gipsies began their dance.And soon the song and dance were one,At first a slow and gentle beating,But quicker then, the tune repeatingAnd driving on and on and on and on!Tra la la la, tra la la la.



(The dancing ceases.)

CarmenThe men, with devils in their hands,Would play a dazzling invocationThat filled with wild intoxicationThose gipsy girls from distant lands.

The pounding rhythm of that songCreated madness, fury, fever,And the girls were lost, lost for ever,In the storm sweeping them along!Tra la la la, tra la la la.



(Mercédès, Frasquita and Carmen take part in thedance.)

ZunigaBravo, bravo! More! Keep dancing!

FrasquitaIt’s closing-time and you know how strict LillasPastia is about closing…

ZunigaOf course: so as not to keep your smugglerfriends waiting…

MercédèsHow can you say that? It’s the regulations.

Zuniga (laughing)All right, all right… But it’s hours before roll-call: would you beautiful girls care to accompanyus to the theatre?

(Lillas Pastia gives a sign to the gipsies that theyshould refuse the offer.)

FrasquitaNo, we’d better stay here…

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ZunigaWe’ll come with you, Señor Torero, we’ll join your procession.

EscamilloIt would be an honour!

(The officers prepare to leave. Escamillo has movedcloser to Carmen.)

Friends of EscamilloHurrah!

Escamillo (to Carmen)Tell me your name and I shall whisper it under my breath the next time I kill a bull.

CarmenCarmencita.

EscamilloCarmencita?

CarmenCarmencita, Carmen, whichever you prefer.

EscamilloWell, Carmencita or Carmen, if I were to thinkof loving you and of you loving me back, whatwould you say?

CarmenI would say that you can love me as much as youlike but, as for me loving you back… at themoment… don’t even dream about it!

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EscamilloAh!

CarmenThat’s how it is.

EscamilloI’ll wait then – and hope…

CarmenThere’s no law against waiting and it’s always pleasant to hope.

Zuniga (to Frasquita and Mercédès)So, you’re not coming?

Frasquita and Mercédès (at another sign fromLillas Pastia) No.

Zuniga (privately to Carmen)I’ll be back in an hour…

CarmenHere?

ZunigaAfter the roll-call…

CarmenI’d rather you didn’t.

ZunigaNonetheless, I shall.(out loud )Time to go, men!

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Scene 2

No. 13 Couplets

EscamilloYou’re most kind and in return I toast you,Señors, señors, for we are allies.Yes, the Toreros and you brave soldiersHave a bond, such a bond!We fight for our lives!The ring is full, is full to bursting!A holiday for everyone!And through the crowd madness is raging:Men, women, children all shout as loud as they

can!Someone curses, the shouts redouble,Rising to fury in reply!They know today’s a day for courage!And a day when a man may die!Come on! Be ready!Come on! Come on! Ah!Toreador, be ready!Toreador! Toreador!Dream of a single voice among the roars,Dream of two flashing eyes,Dream that her love is yours, Toreador!Her love, her love is yours!

Frasquita, Mercédès, Carmen, Moralès,Escamillo, Zuniga, Officers and Friends ofEscamilloToreador, be ready! etc.

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EscamilloAll at once a deathly silence…A deathly silence… the crowd completely still…No shouting! Here he comes!No shouting! Here he comes!It’s the moment they release the bull from the

Toril!Out he dashes! He’s there, he’s charging!…A horse falls over, dragging down a Picador.‘Ah! Bravo! Toro!’ people are yelling.Back turns the bull… and then… and then…

charges once more!He shakes his horn in angry triumph,He runs about, he leaps: his blood is everywhere!Our man’s gone and the ring is empty!Now it’s your turn out there!Come on! Be ready!Come on! Come on! Ah!Toreador, be ready!Toreador! Toreador!Dream of a single voice among the roars,Dream of two flashing eyes,Dream that her love is yours, Toreador!Her love, her love is yours!

Frasquita, Mercédès, Carmen, Moralès,Escamillo, Zuniga, Officers and Friends ofEscamilloToreador, be ready! etc.

(Frasquita observes Escamillo; Escamillo observesCarmen.)(All drink and shake hands with the bullfighter.)

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Remendado and DancaïreBut, surely now, you must agree?

Frasquita, Mercédès and CarmenUndoubtedly we must agree.

Dancaïre and RemendadoBut, surely now, you really must agree?

Frasquita, Mercédès and CarmenOf course, undoubtedly we must agree.

Frasquita, Mercédès, Carmen, Remendado andDancaïreWhen it’s a question of deceitWorking a beat,Playing a cheat,You can be sure there’s no disgraceIn having women on the case.And without us/you there is no doubt,You/we men cannot begin to win!Yes, when it’s a question of deceit,A tricky beat,A subtle cheat,You can be sure there’s no disgraceIn having women on the case.

DancaïreThat’s it: we’re off!You’re coming, then?

Frasquita and MercédèsYou just say when.

DancaïreNow… Straight away!

CarmenAh! Just hold on… just hold on!(to Mercédès and Frasquita)If you all want to go, be gone!But I shan’t be one of the party.I’m staying here… I’m staying here!

Remendado and DancaïreCarmen, we need you too, my dear,And surely you don’t have the heartTo let us down and not to care?

CarmenI’m staying here, I’m staying here!

Frasquita and MercédèsAh! My Carmen, you must be there!

DancaïreBut at least tell us why, Carmen, that’s only fair!

Mercédès and FrasquitaTell us why, tell us why!

Remendado and DancaïreTell us why, tell us why!

CarmenWell, all that I can say is this…

Dancaïre, Remendado, Frasquita and MercédèsGo on! Go on!

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No. 13 Chorus Encored

Friends of EscamilloToreador, be ready! etc.

(All leave except Carmen, Frasquita, Mercédès andLillas Pastia.)

Scene 3(Enter Dancaïre and Remendado. Lillas Pastiacloses doors and shutters.)

Scene 4

RemendadoAt last!

FrasquitaWe got rid of them as quickly as we could. So, you pair of scoundrels, what’s the news?

DancaïreWe’re just back from arranging a ‘shipment’. Andthat’s why we’ve come to see you.

FrasquitaReally?

MercédèsReally?

No. 14 Quintet

DancaïreThere’s a little job that we’re starting!34

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Mercédès and FrasquitaYou’re sure it will go well for you?

DancaïreAbsolutely certain, my darling…We need you, though, to help us through!

RemendadoWe need you, though, to help us through!

Carmen, Frasquita and Mercédès You do?

Dancaïre and RemendadoWe do!

Frasquita, Mercédès and CarmenWhat! Need us all to help you through?You do?

Dancaïre and RemendadoWe do!With great respect we have to say,And in a deeply humble way,Yes, with respect we have to say:When it’s a question of deceit,Working a beat,Playing a cheat,You can be sure there’s no disgraceIn having women on the case.And without you there is no doubt,We men cannot begin to win!

Frasquita, Mercédès and CarmenWhat! Without us there is no doubtYou men cannot begin to win?

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CarmenWhat makes you think that?

Dancaïre (furious)Carmen!

Carmen (very calm)Well! ( pause) You can go ahead without me; I’lljoin you tomorrow. But… this evening I’mstaying here.

FrasquitaI’ve never seen you like this. Who is he?

CarmenA poor young soldier who helped me out.

MercédèsThe one who was in prison?

CarmenYes.

DancaïreHe’ll never turn up: I’d bet good money on it.

(Don José is heard singing off-stage.)

CarmenHow much would you like to lose?…

No. 15 Song

Don José (in the far distance)Stop! beware!Who goes there?I’m from Alcala!

What are you doing here,Man from Alcala?Here I have a rivalAnd I shan’t be goingTill his blood is flowing.If it’s as you say,Friend, be on your way:Honour and loveAre all that we haveWhen we travel far,Far from Alcala!

(He can be heard approaching.)

MercédèsLook – he’s handsome!

FrasquitaHe’s very handsome!

DancaïreWell, since you refuse to come tonight, you know what you have to do tomorrow?

CarmenWhat?

DancaïreMake him come with you.

CarmenIf only I could! But there’s no point: he’s too silly.

DancaïreThen why are you in love with him?

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CarmenThe reason, put quite simply, is…

Remendado, Dancaïre, Frasquita and Mercédès Is what? Is what?

Carmen…that I am in love!

Remendado and Dancaïre (in amazement )What did she say? What did she say?

Frasquita and MercédèsShe’s telling us that she’s in love!

Remendado, Dancaïre, Frasquita and MercédèsShe’s in love! She’s in love!

CarmenYes, I’m in love!

DancaïreTalk sense, Carmen!Heavens above!

CarmenI’m in love, head over heels!

Remendado and Dancaïre (with irony)Your news has put us in a whirl;But this is yet another chanceTo show us that you know, my darling,Only too well that duty comes first, duty first,

then romance.You have no choice: duty first, then romance.

CarmenMy friends, at any other timeI’d come along to help you out;But just this once I can’t oblige you;Duty shall give way to love: love comes first for

tonight…I have no choice: love comes first for tonight!

DancaïreThat cannot be your final word?

CarmenOh, but it can!

RemendadoIt really would be better to give in!

Frasquita, Mercédès, Remendado and DancaïreYou think again, Carmen, you think again!You must take part in the job we’re startingFor as you know…

CarmenI know all that and I admit it’s true:…

Frasquita, Mercédès, Carmen, Remendado andDancaïreWhen it’s a question of deceit etc.

DancaïreBeing in love is not a reason.

CarmenYou’re wasting your breath.

DancaïreI’m the boss and you’ll do as I say.

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COMPACT DISC TWO

No. 16 Duet

Carmen (with comical seriousness)To bid you welcome to our barI mean to dance, Señor;And, since there is no music,I myself shall play it!(She makes Don José sit.)Sit over there, Don José,And enjoy it!(She dances and hums, accompanying herself withthe castanets. Don José looks at her ecstatically.)La la la la la la la la…

(Bugles sound from afar.)

Don José (taking Carmen by the arm and forcingher to stop)Did you hear that, Carmen?Stop for a moment. Just listen…

Carmen (surprised )And what for, may I ask?

Don JoséI was sure that… out there…Yes, those bugles are ours: they’re sounding the

retreat.Don’t tell me you can’t hear!

Carmen (spiritedly)Bravo! Bravo! I tried my hardest: but still, it’s

rather drearyWhen the orchestra’s missing…

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This music’s very cheery:Let them play! I shall dance.(Don José resumes looking at Carmen, who dancesand plays the castanets.)La la la la la la la la…

(The bugles sounding the retreat draw nearer, pass,then slowly fade into the distance.)(Don José attempts once more to rouse himself fromcontemplation of her.)

Don José (forcing her to stop)You still don’t understand, Carmen… what the

retreat means:I must go back to camp for the roll-call at once!

(The sound of the retreat stops suddenly.)

Carmen (stupefied, looking at Don José who putson his belt and cartridge strap)Back to camp!… Go at once!…Ah! I really have been stupid!I took a lot of trouble and paid good money, too,Yes, paid good money, too, to entertain my lord.And I sang! And I danced!I thought, may God forgive me,That it might have been love!Ta ra ta ta…He thought he heard a bugle!Ta ra ta ta…Oh dear, he’d better go!Run along!Don’t be shy!( furiously as she flings his cap after him)

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CarmenBecause he’s good-looking and I like him.

DancaïreBut there are plenty…

CarmenGet out, all of you. Lillas! Ham, olives, oranges, sweets, Manzanilla!

(Remendado exits. Dancaïre follows, leadingMercédès and Frasquita who try to calm him. DonJosé enters.)

Scene 5(During the scene, Lillas Pastia brings a tray withfood and drink, then leaves.)

CarmenAt last!

Don JoséThey only let me out of prison two hours ago…

CarmenSo you came straight here… You don’t regretbeing thrown into a cell because of my prettyface?

Don JoséNo.

CarmenReally?

Don JoséI was stripped of my rank, too, but none of that matters to me…

CarmenBecause you love me?

Don JoséBecause I love you, because I adore you.

CarmenSome of your officers were here just now and wedanced for them… The lieutenant said he adoresme, too…

Don JoséCarmen!

CarmenWhat’s this? Are you jealous?

Don JoséBut of course I’m jealous!

CarmenYou really are a silly boy! You’re jealous because Idanced for those other soldiers… Very well!Where are my castanets?

Don JoséI love you so much!

CarmenI should hope so, too.

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How can it be the will of FateThat I descend to such a state?Then I cursed myself for blaspheming;For, within the depths of my being,I knew there lay one secret joy,One secret joy, one secret pain:To see you, oh Carmen, you once again!Just that first sight of you inspired me,Just the way that you met my gaze:You have possessed my soul entirely,Oh my Carmen!And I’m a plaything in your eyes!Carmen, I love you!

CarmenNo, it’s not love at all!

Don JoséDon’t say that!

CarmenNo, it’s not love at all!No!For you would decide…Away… Away we both would ride!

Don JoséCarmen!

CarmenYes!Far and away to distant lands…

Don JoséCarmen!

5

CarmenFar and away we both would ride!And you would follow me with pride,Onto your horse you’d sweep me up and

gallop…You’d always keep me at your side!Far and away to distant lands…

Don JoséCarmen!

CarmenFar and away we both would ride!We both would ride,If you decide!Out there you must answer to no one:No little men who try to tell you what to do,And no bugles calling to summonThe poor young man in love when it’s time he

should go!The sky above, the open road,All Creation is yours; Be the man you want to be,And rejoice, for you have discoveredThat we are free!

Don JoséMy God!

CarmenFar and away to distant lands…

Don José (quite shaken)Carmen!

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Wait!You’ll need your cap and sword, try to catch them!And be off, little boy, be off!Scurry back to your barracks!

Don José (tenderly)It is not right, Carmen, for you to taunt me so!I cannot bear to leave:I never met before, before I was with you,No, never, no, before I was with you,I never met a girl who moved me so profoundly.

CarmenTa ra ta ta…My God! The bugle’s calling!Ta ra ta ta…I’m late for the retreat!Oh my God!Oh my God! The bugle’s calling!The retreat! I’ll be late!His head is spinning!He’s off! He knows just how to love!

Don JoséYou mean you don’t believe my love is true?

CarmenI don’t!

Don JoséYou must! Hear what I say!

CarmenI’ve heard it all before!

Don JoséHear what I say!

CarmenYou’ll be keeping them waiting!

Don JoséHear what I say!

CarmenYou’ll be keeping them waiting!

Don JoséYes, hear what I say!

CarmenNo! No! No! No!

Don José (violently)I insist, Carmen!Hear what I say!(With the left hand he has seized Carmen brusquelyby the arm. With the right he searches within hisuniform jacket for the cassia flower which she hadthrown to him in Act I. He shows it to Carmen.)That flow’r you threw to me I treasuredAnd by its bloom my days were measured.It dried and withered, yet my cellFilled with its sweet and haunting smell.I would pass the hours of waking,Eyelids closed, that perfume inhaling,Until its pow’r was hard to bear;Then night would fall and you were there!I took to cursing our first meeting,And then cursing you, and repeating:

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CarmenFarewell!

(Don José runs towards the door. At the moment hereaches it, someone knocks. Don José stops. Silence)

Scene 6

No. 17 Finale

Zuniga (outside)Hello! Carmen!Hello! Hello!

Don JoséWho’s knocking! Who’s out there?

CarmenBe quiet… Be quiet!

Zuniga (entering after having forced the dooropen)I pushed it open… I’m in now…(He sees Don José.)(to Carmen)What’s this! What’s this, my lovely!That’s not a happy choice!To take the soldier boyBetrays a lack of class when the officer’s nearby.(to Don José )Clear off !… and quickly!

Don José (calm but resolute)No!

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Zuniga (severely)Be gone! Do what you’re told!

Don JoséI’m staying where I am!

Zuniga (striking Don José )Idiot!

Don JoséGod help me! I’ll beat you black and blue!

(The lieutenant half unsheathes his sword.)

Carmen (throwing herself between Don José andZuniga)You’re crazy both of you!(calling)Come out! Come out!(Dancaïre, Remendado, Mercédès, Frasquita andgipsies appear from all sides. Carmen indicates thelieutenant to the gipsies; Dancaïre and Remendadothrow themselves at him and disarm him.)(to Zuniga in a mocking tone)Lieutenant fair, it’s true That Love has played a rather dirty trick on you!Your timing was so bad,Alas! And I regret to say,Since you might give the game away,That we must tie you up… just for an hour!

Remendado and Dancaïre (to Zuniga, pistol inhand; amiably)My dear young sir!

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CarmenFar and away, if you decide…

Don JoséBe quiet!

CarmenFar and away we both would ride,And you would follow me with pride…

Don José (almost defeated )Ah! Carmen, I’m lost!Be quiet! Be quiet! My God!

CarmenYou’d always have me at your side,You’d sweep me up onto your horse and gallop…Away we both would ride,If you decide!

Don JoséI’m lost! I’m lost! No more, Carmen, no more!Oh my God! I’m lost!

CarmenAh yes, you’re right!Your heart is mine…And now you’re lost!Far and away we both shall ride…You love me: keep me at your side…Away, away we both shall ride!

Don JoséAh! Be quiet! Be quiet!(brusquely grabbing Carmen’s arms)No! I’ll hear no more of such words!

To run away now… to desert…That is shameful… that is a crime!…No, I shall not!

Carmen (in a hard tone)All right! Go!

Don José (imploringly)Carmen, won’t you listen?

CarmenNo! I’ve heard quite enough!

Don JoséI beg you!

CarmenGo! You’re a bore!

Don JoséCarmen!

CarmenFarewell!And farewell to our love!

Don José (with pain)It’s done, past… Farewell!Farewell to our love!

CarmenBe off!

Don JoséCarmen! Farewell!Farewell to our love!

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Don José (carried along with them)Ah!

AllThe sky above the open road,The open road, the sky above,All Creation shall be yours;Be what you want to be,…Yes, all Creation shall be yours,Do what you want,Be what you want to be,And then rejoice, for you’ve discovered…That we are free!

Curtain

Entr’acte

Act IIICurtain rises on a wild place in the mountains.

Scene 1

No. 18 Introduction: Sextet and Chorus

(The gipsies enter.)

GipsiesKeep going, dear old friend, keep going!There’s a fortune to be made out there;But be careful, look what you’re doing:You’ll stumble if you don’t take care!Keep going, dear old friend, you must keep

going etc.

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Frasquita, Mercédès, Carmen, Don José,Remendado and DancaïreWe have a job, we have a job to do:The life is good, the life is hard,You need a will of iron!And dangers lurk, they lurk at every turn:There’s one in front, there’s one behind,Look anywhere, you’ll find one!We press on to our goal, casting danger

aside!We press on through the storms, through the

thunder and lightning!There are soldiers out there, but we shan’t be

afraid,Though they’re ready and waiting to join in

the fighting:We press on casting danger aside!Keep going, dear old friend, keep going! etc.

GipsiesMy friend, a fortune’s to be made:You must keep going, dear old friend;Be careful, look what you’re doing:You’ll stumble if you don’t take care!

AllBe careful! Be careful!

DancaïreRight! Let’s stop for a while: if you’re tired, rest.We’ll go ahead and see how we can smuggle this stuff in.

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Begging your pardon, but we have to leave thisbar now;

So will you come with us?

Carmen (smiling)An outing would be splendid!

Remendado and DancaïreDon’t make a fuss!

Remendado, Dancaïre and GipsiesCome on, we’re all so friendly!

Zuniga (handling his predicament cheerfully)Of course I shall!(with irony)You should know that I’d hardly dareTurn down an invitation that’s so very pressing.(changing his tone)But later on… beware!

Dancaïre (philosophically)That battle’s never over!But for the time being we’ve won:So may we ask you to hurry along?

Remendado and GipsiesSo may we ask you to hurry along?

(Zuniga exits in the company of four gipsiesholding their pistols.)

Carmen (to Don José )You’re one of us now, I presume?

Don José (sighing)I have no choice!

CarmenAh! That wasn’t nicely put.But, you’re coming!So… you’ll be all rightWhen you find outHow you can live beneath the sky:All Creation shall be yours;Be the man you want to be,And rejoice, for you have discoveredThat we are free!

Frasquita, Mercédès, Carmen and Gipsies(to Don José )Come ride with us over the plains:Find a new life up in the mountains;Come on, and you’ll be all rightWhen you find out aboutHow you can live beneath the sky:All Creation shall be yours;Be the man you want to be,And rejoice, for you have discoveredThat we are free!

Remendado, Dancaïre and Gipsies (to Don José )Friend, ride with us over the plains:Find a new life up in the hills;You’ll be all rightWhen you find outWhat it’s about,…How you can live under the sky:All Creation is yours;And rejoice, for you have discoveredYes! that we are free!

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FrasquitaWell, a bold young lover I seeWho swears that he’ll always be constant…

MercédèsA rich older man here for me,And he marries me in an instant!

Frasquita ( proudly)…Then he sweeps me up on his horseAnd carries me off to the mountains.

MercédèsI live in a castle, of course,With turrets and gardens and fountains.

FrasquitaHe is passionate to a fault:Every day he says how he’ll love me!

MercédèsHe show’rs me with silver and gold,Diamonds and pearls, all he can give me!

FrasquitaMy lover becomes a great chief:A hundred men march in his shadow!

MercédèsAnd mine… And mine… This is hard to

believe…Yes…( joyously)He dies!(eagerly)Ah! I am rich and a widow!

FrasquitaAh!

Frasquita and MercédèsNow deal again and let them tell usOf every joy and pain that may befall us.They know just who the traitors are!They know who our true lovers are!They know, they know!

Mercédès (resumes consulting the cards)My fortune!

FrasquitaMy love!

Carmen (who follows the card game of Mercédèsand Frasquita with her eyes)Come on,… let me see what I have.(All three begin to turn cards.)Diamonds! Spades!That’s death! It’s quite clear…First for me,… ( pointing to the sleeping Don José )…And then for him…There’s no escape: we die!(in a low voice, as she continues to shuffle the cards)In vain you would avoid the bitter things they’re

saying,You deal again and try!You only waste your time, the cards remain

unchanging,And they can never lie!If Destiny has spared you suffering and fury,

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Scene 2

Don JoséListen, Carmen… I’m sorry if I spoke harshly.Let’s make up…

CarmenNo.

Don JoséYou don’t love me any more, then?

CarmenI certainly don’t love you as much as I used toand, if you carry on, I will end up not lovingyou at all.

Don JoséAre you the devil, Carmen!

CarmenYes. (pause) What are you thinking?

Don JoséI’m thinking that there’s a village not far fromhere where a good old woman lives who believesthat I am still an honest man…

CarmenWhat good old woman?

Don JoséMy mother.

CarmenYour mother. Well, go back to her… This life doesn’t suit you.

Don JoséIf you keep talking like that, if you won’t do what I say…

CarmenYou’ll kill me, perhaps? (pause) I’ve seen it in thecards: we’re fated to die together. Well, whathappens, happens.

Don JoséAre you the devil, Carmen?

CarmenYes. I’ve told you already.

(She turns her back to Don José and walks away.After a moment’s hesitation Don José too walks off,and lies down on some rocks.)

No. 19 Trio(Carmen is seated by the fire. Mercédès andFrasquita, squatting on the ground, spread out apack of cards in the firelight.)

Frasquita and MercédèsShuffle!Cut them!Yes! that’s all right!First three and then four: deal them out!We read the cards and let them tell usOf every joy and pain that may befall us.They know just who the traitors are!They know who our true lovers are!They know, they know!

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CarmenI certainly do!

Don José (furiously)Carmen!…

DancaïreThat’s enough of your jealous tantrums! We’regoing ahead. José, stay here. Stand guard andmake sure we’re not being followed… I give youpermission to take your bad temper out onanyone you don’t like the look of… Are weready?

Remendado (to the women)And are you ready for that customs officer of yours?…

No. 20 Ensemble Piece

Frasquita, Mercédès and CarmenAs for that man, it should be easy!Like all the rest he’ll want to please,He’ll flirt and try to play the lad.Ah! Why don’t you send us on ahead?He’ll want to please!He’ll play the lad!

Frasquita, Mercédès, Carmen and GipsiesAs for that man it should be easy! etc.

Frasquita, Mercédès, Carmen, Remendado,Dancaïre and GipsiesHe’ll want to please!

15

MercédèsWhat a very lenient man!

Frasquita, Mercédès, Carmen, Remendado,Dancaïre and GipsiesHe’ll play the lad!

CarmenWhat a very charming man!

Frasquita, Mercédès, Carmen, Remendado,Dancaïre and GipsiesHe’ll want to please!

FrasquitaWhat a very gallant man!

MercédèsAnd we might find he’s an enterprising man!

Frasquita, Mercédès and CarmenYes, he’s a man, it should be easy!Like all the rest he’ll want to please etc.Why don’t you send us on ahead?

Remendado, Dancaïre and GipsiesAs for that man, they’ll cope with ease!Like all the rest he’ll want to please etc.

GipsiesWhy don’t you send them on ahead?

Frasquita, Mercédès and CarmenIt doesn’t mean we’ll go too far;No, all it means is, in a word,We’ll let him put his arms around us,

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Then deal and have no fear,The cards that you turn up will tell a happy

storyOf life without a care!But if your death is near, if Destiny has writtenThe words none shall deny,You may deal twenty times, the cards cannot be

beaten,They always say: you die!Yes, if your death is near,You may deal twenty times,The cards cannot be beaten,They always say: you die!(turning cards)Again!… Again!… Always: you die!

Frasquita and MercédèsNow deal again and let them tell usOf every joy and pain that may befall us.They know just who the traitors are!

CarmenAgain!

Frasquita and MercédèsThey know who our true lovers are!

CarmenAgain!They bring despair!

Frasquita and MercédèsAgain they know!They know just who the traitors are!They know who our true lovers are!

CarmenYou die! You die!Again… You die!

MercédèsMy fortune!

FrasquitaMy love!

CarmenOnce more: you die!

Frasquita, Mercédès and CarmenThey know! They know!

(Dancaïre and Remendado return.)

Scene 3

FrasquitaYou’re back!

DancaïreWe found where the town wall has fallen down;but it’s guarded by a customs officer.

MercédèsDid you find out his name?

DancaïreBartolomé…

Carmen (laughing)Then there’s no problem…

RemendadoYou know him?

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José! He’s looking the other way – (frightened ) what’s he doing? (A gun shot is heard .) Oh my God…

(She disappears behind the rocks. At the same timeEscamillo enters, holding his hat in his hand.)

Scene 6

Escamillo (looking at his hat)A few inches lower, and no more bullfighting for me…

(Don José enters.)

Don José (carrying his coat )Who are you?

Escamillo (very calm)Hey, hey! Calm down!

No. 22 Duet

EscamilloEscamillo is my name, and I come from Granada.

Don José (replacing his dagger in his belt )Escamillo!

EscamilloThat’s right!

Don JoséIt’s a name that I know.You’re very welcome here.And listen… if you’d rather,Do stay with us a while.

19

Escamillo (unconcerned )I don’t think I’ll say no.But I’ve fallen in love, my dear, madly and

deeply!(cheerfully)And any man who’s worthy to be called a manWould risk his life to find the girl he loved so

deeply!

Don JoséSo the girl that you love must be here.

EscamilloYou’re quite right.And it’s a gipsy girl, my dear…

Don JoséWhat is her name?

EscamilloCarmen.

Don José (aside)Carmen!

EscamilloCarmen!Yes, my dear.She had a lover here,A soldier who deserted one fine day for her

sake…

Don José (aside)Carmen!

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We’ll let him say something absurd,And if we must give him a smile,Then, come what may, we’ll have to try;And I’d say that, in a while,Our contraband’s sure to get by!

GipsiesAnd I tell you that, in a while now,Our contraband’s sure to get by!

Frasquita, Mercédès and CarmenForward march! Come on! Straight ahead!He’s a man, it should be easy! etc.

Remendado, Dancaïre and GipsiesStraight ahead!He’s a man, it should be easy! etc.

(The gipsies exit followed by Don José whoexamines his rifle.)

Scene 4(A guide advances cautiously, then gives a sign toMicaëla, still off-stage. Micaëla enters.)

MicaëlaIs this the place?

GuideYes. Not very inviting, is it?

MicaëlaI’m sure there’s nothing to fear.

GuideWill you be all right? I’ll go back to the inn.

16

MicaëlaYes, you go back. I’ll be quite all right.

Scene 5

No. 21 Aria

MicaëlaI say that there’s nothing to fear,I say, alas, that I’ll be quite all right;But, brave and calm though I appear,Deep down I know I’ll die of fright!Here, in this desolate place,All alone, I’m afraid, but wrong to be afraid!Oh God in Heaven, help me face it,Protect me in my need, oh Lord!I shall meet that woman at lastWhose wicked female wiles have drawnTo a life of crime and of lustThe man whom I have loved so long!A dangerous woman… and a beauty!…But I don’t mean to be afraid!No, no, I don’t mean to be afraid!…I’ll speak out for honour and duty… Ah!Protect me, Lord, I beg of you,Yes, Lord, protect me in my need! Ah!I say that there’s nothing to fear etc.I beg of you, answer me!God in Heav’n, help me face it!I beg of you, answer me!Protect me now, oh Lord!

MicaëlaIt’s him! I’m sure it’s him over there! (calling) José!18

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(Keeping a certain distance, they prepare to fighteach other.)I know the way you fight in Navarra,And I tell you now, as a friend,That it will not work.(Without answering, Don José moves towards thebullfighter.)There you are:You can’t say you haven’t been warned.

(Combat: the bullfighter, remaining very calm,seeks only to defend himself.)

Don JoséYou’re not fighting, you dog!

EscamilloI’m far too strong to play these little games with

you!

Don JoséWe shall find out!

(A quick fight man to man. Don José finds himselfat the mercy of the bullfighter who does not strikehim.)

EscamilloYou see! Your life’s in my hands.(nobly)But I cannot:My role in life is to slaughter the bull,Not cut the heart of a man out.

Don JoséKill me or you die!You see, this is no game!

EscamilloFine!But let’s rest and then resume.

Don JoséGet ready!

EscamilloGet ready!

Don José and EscamilloHere I come! Get ready,Beware I say!The man who is steadyShall win the day!

(The fight resumes. The bullfighter slips and fallsto the ground. Carmen and Dancaïre rush in;Remendado and gipsies follow.)

No. 23 Finale

Carmen (restraining Don José’s arm)Holà! holà! José!

Escamillo (rising again; gallantly to Carmen)Well! You’ve charmed me completelyBy stepping in, Carmen, to save my life so

sweetly!

CarmenEscamillo!

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EscamilloIt was intense!But now I hear it’s past:After six months, Carmen’s affairs will never last.

Don JoséAnd you love her like that!…

EscamilloI love her!

Don JoséAnd you love her like that!…

EscamilloI love her, yes, my dear, I love her, I love her very deeply!

Don JoséBut if you were to take a gipsy woman from us,There is a price that must be paid…

Escamillo (cheerfully)Fine! I can pay.

Don José (ominously)…A price that must be paid by means of a

dagger!

Escamillo (surprised )By means of a dagger!

Don JoséYou understand?

Escamillo (with irony)What you say is quite clear.

(with a light touch of irony)The one who fled, the soldier who’s her lover,Or at least used to be, must be you?

Don JoséYes, I’m her lover!

EscamilloI’m glad to know, my dear!I’m glad to know, my dear: what a charming

surprise!

(Both men, dagger in hand, pull on their coats.)

Don JoséAt last all my fury Can relieve its pains:For blood, yes, blood will end the story,Pumping from his veins!At last all my fury etc.Here I come! Get ready,Beware, I say!The man who is steadyShall win the day.

EscamilloThat was rather churlish,But it made me laugh:I came for the girlAnd I found her former love!That was rather churlish etc.Here I come! Get ready,Beware, I say!The man who is steadyShall win the day!

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When she prays, alas, she cries:Cries for you, her one and only,Cries for you, calling out your name.Picture her, sad and lonely!José, ah! José, you must come home!

Carmen (to Don José, labouring)Go on, go on, give up the fight:For you this life was never right!

Don José (to Carmen)Are you saying go with her?

CarmenYes, leave us while you can.

Don JoséYou are saying go with herSo that you… you’re free then to runInto your new lover’s arms!No! No more games!(resolutely)Though I may be lost for ever,No, Carmen, I cannot leave you now.We are bound as one together,Bound until the day we die!…Though I may be lost for ever,No, no, no, I cannot leave you now!

Micaëla (to Don José )I beg you, listen to me:Your mother needs you now.Nothing binds you, don’t you see?José, you must come away!

Frasquita, Mercédès, Remendado, Dancaïre andGipsies (to Don José )You will soon be lost for ever,José, unless you leave now.While you’re bound as one togetherIt is sure that you will die!

Don José (to Micaëla)Let me be!

MicaëlaAlas! José!

Don José (angrily seizing Carmen)I am sentenced to death!

Frasquita, Mercédès, Remendado, Dancaïre andGipsiesJosé! Be careful!

Don JoséAh! You are mine: now it’s too late!You are mine, and you’ll learn, daughter of hell,To accept the will of Fate:My sentence is yours as well!Though I may be lost for ever,No, no, no, I cannot leave you now!

Frasquita, Mercédès, Remendado, Dancaïre andGipsiesAh! Be careful, be careful, Don José!

Micaëla (firmly)Then you must hear these words:(sadly)

141

Escamillo (to Don José, pleasant but proud )As for you, soldier boy,It’s one game all between us, so we’ll play our

deciderAs soon as you would like to have another try.

Dancaïre (intervening)All right, all right!That’s enough fighting!We must hurry away,(to Escamillo)And so… and so, my friend, good night.

EscamilloBefore I go, I’d like to suggest, if I might,That you all come to see the bullfight in

Seville;I’m confident that I shall be seen at my best.(intently)If you love me, you’ll come!(looking at Carmen)If you love me, you’ll come!(to Don José who coldly makes a threatening gesture)My friend, don’t take it ill!That is all,…(looking at Carmen)…Yes, that is all!Then let me say farewell to you and all the rest.

(Don José is about to attack the bullfighter, but isheld back by Dancaïre and Remendado; Escamilloexits with great calm.)

Don José (to Carmen, with suppressed menace)You should take care, Carmen:Heaven knows what I’ll do!

(Carmen responds to Don José with a light shrug ofthe shoulders and moves away from him.)

Dancaïre and GipsiesGet moving, get moving, it’s time to go!

RemendadoStop! There’s someone here who’s trying to hide!

(He brings forth Micaëla.)

CarmenIt’s a woman!

DancaïreMy God!That’s a pleasant surprise!

Don José (recognising Micaëla)Micaëla!

Micaëla ( joyfully)Don José!

Don JoséTell me why…Why have you come out here?

MicaëlaWhy? I’ve come here for you!Back home there lives another,Better woman who prays;And that woman, your mother,

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MenProgrammes with the details inside!Red wine!Ice cream!Some cigarettes!

Merchants and VendorsA few cuartos! A few cuartos!Just for a few cuartos,Señoras and Caballeros!

ZunigaWe need oranges…Quickly!

Women (to Frasquita and Mercédès, eagerly)Here you are!Just help yourselves, dear Señoritas!

An Orange Vendor (to Zuniga who pays her)My thanks!You’re very kind, Señor.

Women (to Zuniga)These ones here are really much sweeter!Think of the heat and buy a fan!Oranges for a thirsty man!


ZunigaHey there!We need some fans!

A Gipsy (to Zuniga who pushes him away)Would you like binoculars too?

Merchants and VendorsA few cuartos! A few cuartos!Just for a few cuartos,Señoras and Caballeros!A few cuartos! A few cuartos!Come on and buy!

(Great cries are heard from off-stage. The processionis arriving.)

No. 25 March and Chorus

Children (off-stage)Here they come! Here they come!Here comes the procession!

Merchants and VendorsHere they come! Yes, here they come!Here comes the procession!

Children and CrowdHere they come!Here comes the procession!Here they are, our brave Toreros!See the sunlight glint on their weapons!Olé! Olé! Olé! The air’s filled with our sombreros!Here they come!

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143

They’re the last I shall say.(to Don José )Alas! José, your mother is ill…She is dying,And longs to have the chance of forgiving her son.

Don JoséMy mother! Dying you say!

MicaëlaYes, Don José!

Don JoséCome on! Ah, come on!(He takes a few steps, then stops in front ofCarmen.)As you wanted, I go… but… we shall meet

again!

(Don José follows Micaëla. Hearing the voice ofEscamillo, he stops hesitatingly.)

Escamillo (off-stage)Toreador, be ready!Toreador! Toreador!Dream of a single voice among the roars,Dream of two flashing eyes,Dream that her love is yours, Toreador!Her love is yours!

(Don José halts in the background, among therocks; Carmen listens and leans against the rocks.The gipsies have taken up their bundles and areheading off.)

Curtain falls rapidly.

23

Entr’acte

Act IVA square in Seville. In the background, the walls ofan ancient bullring. The entrance to the arena isclosed by a long canopy. It is the day of a bullfight.The square is very busy. There are merchants sellingwater, oranges, fans etc.

Scene 1

Curtain rises.

No. 24 Chorus

Chorus of Merchants and VendorsA few cuartos! A few cuartos!

(During the chorus, Zuniga and an officer appearwith Mercédès and Frasquita.)

WomenThink of the heat and buy a fan!Oranges for a thirsty man!


WomenThink of the heat and buy a fan!Oranges for a thirsty man!

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24

142


He’ll wield the sword and blood will flow;He appears when the drama’s endingAnd delivers the final blow!Our Escamillo! Our Escamillo!Ah! Bravo! They’re all here!It’s here, the procession!They’re all here, our brave Toreros!See the sunlight glint on their weapons!Olé! Olé! Olé!The air’s filled with our sombreros!They’re all here! It’s here, the procession!They’re all here, our brave Toreros!And Escamillo! Ah!

EscamilloIf you love me, Carmen, if you love me, Carmen,You might find very soon That you’re proud I am yours.If you love me, if you love me.

CarmenEscamillo, I love you and may I be struck downIf I have ever knownLove as pow’rful as yours.

Carmen and EscamilloAh! I love you, yes, I love you!

CordeliersWay there! Way there! Way for my lord Alcalde!

(The Alcalde appears in the background,accompanied by the Alguazil, and approaches thearena with the rest of the procession and the crowd.)

27

FrasquitaCarmen! take my advice…You’d better not stay here.

CarmenAnd why not, may I ask?

MercédèsHe is here.

CarmenWho is?

MercédèsHim! Don José!Trying to hide in the crowd.Just look…

CarmenYes, I can see him.

FrasquitaBe careful!

CarmenI’m not the sort of woman who’s frightened of

him…I shall stay; I must talk to him now.

MercédèsCarmen, she’s right…Be careful!

CarmenI’m not afraid!

145

Here comes the procession!Here they are, our brave Toreros!Here they are, here they are, here they are!

(The procession passes by. The Alguazil enter.)

ChildrenNow look who are taking their places!It’s the Alguazil right enough,It’s the Alguazil right enough,You know them by their ugly faces.Get off! Get off! Get off! Get off!

CrowdDown with the Alguazil! Get off!

ChildrenGet off! Get off! Get off! Get off!

CrowdYes! Get off! Get off! Get off! Get Off!(The Chulos and Banderilleros enter.)Now let’s raise a cheer for the lads!Yes, the Chulos are brave as well!Bravo! Viva! You’re not a bad lot!Go on, Chulos, you give them hell!You see the Banderilleros there!Look how they strut about so proudly!You see? You see?

ChildrenYou see?

CrowdYou see the costume that they wear to fightIs covered with such fine embroid’ry.You see? You see?

ChildrenYou see?

CrowdIt glitters as they move about.

Children and CrowdThe Banderilleros get a cheer!

(The Picadors enter.)

ChildrenThe others are coming along!

CrowdThe others are coming along!The Picadors are here!

ChildrenThe Picadors are here!

Crowd and ChildrenThey look so fine!Ah! They look so fine!They torment the bull in the ringWith their flashing blades later on!They will torment the poor old bullWith all those blades much later on!

CrowdTh’ Espada! Th’ Espada!

Children and CrowdEscamillo! Escamillo!(Escamillo appears, with Carmen close by, radiantand dressed very well.)Here’s the Espada, sharp and unbending,

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You plead it in vain…It has no effect, nothing will!

Don José (anxiously)So you don’t love me now?(Carmen is silent.)(desperately)So you don’t love me now?

Carmen (simply)No, I don’t love you now.

Don José ( passionately)But look, Carmen, I still adore you…Carmen, please help me, I implore you!

CarmenWhat is the point of this?You are just wasting words!

Don JoséCarmen, I love you, I adore you!All right, if it will make you happy,I’ll be a bandit still… all that you want of me…All, do you hear?… All!But don’t abandon me, oh my Carmen!You can’t forget the past and that we loved each

other!(desperately)Ah, don’t abandon me, Carmen, ah, don’t

abandon me!

CarmenCarmen has never given way!Free she was born and free she will die!

(Chorus and fanfares in the arena)

Crowd (in the arena)Viva! Viva! What a corrida!Viva! Look, the bull is bleeding,But he’s sure to charge once again now!You see? You see? You see?You see how our hero torments him?He can hardly move now, you see?Very soon the creature will fall!You see? You see? You see?Victoria!

(During the chorus, Carmen and Don José haveremained silent, both listening. On hearing the cryof ‘Victory’, Carmen makes a gesture of pride andjoy. Don José never lets her out of his sight. Thechorus ended, Carmen takes a step towards thearena.)

Don José (stepping in front of Carmen)Stay with me!

CarmenLet me be!

Don JoséThat man is your new lover,The one that they all cheer!

Carmen (wanting to pass)Let me be… Let me be…

Don JoséNever, never!

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147

FrasquitaBe careful!

(The Alcalde, after a pause, enters the arena, andbehind him the procession resumes its march.)(People disperse. As the crowd retreats, Carmen isleft to face Don José.)

Scene 2

No. 26 Duet and Final Chorus

CarmenIt’s you!

Don JoséIt’s me!

CarmenI have just been informedThat you are not far from here, that you would

come to me;I have even been warned to fear for my safety;But I am brave and I don’t run away.

Don JoséI shall not threaten you…I beg you… I beseech you!…Our former life, Carmen,Our former life is behind us!…Yes, we’ll go hand in hand,Go where no one else can find us,Start again in distant lands…

CarmenWhat you ask cannot be given!

28

And Carmen has never lied:She cannot change her opinion.It’s past and done:(Don José moves.)Our love is dead.No, never have I lied!It is done: our love is dead.

Don JoséCarmen, it cannot be over…No, it cannot be over…Oh my Carmen, I come toSave your soul, your humble lover.Yes! I have come to save your soul,And save my own as well.

CarmenNo! I know this is the moment,And I know you’ll murder me here,But, live or die, it doesn’t matter,No, no, no, I shan’t give way to you prayers!

Don JoséCarmen! It cannot be over,No, it cannot be over…Oh my Carmen, I come toSave your soul, your humble lover etc.

CarmenBut why can’t you see it’s over?My heart is no longer yours,No, my heart’s no longer yours.In vain you say: ‘I’m your lover!’It has no effect, no, nothing will,

146


Don JoséPut me under arrest…(Escamillo appears on the steps of the arena; DonJosé throws himself on Carmen’s body.)For I’m the one who killed her!Ah! Carmen! Ah, Carmen, my beloved!

Curtain

English translation: David Parry© 2003 Hinrichsen Edition,Peters Edition Ltd, London

Reproduced by permission of the Publishers

149

I shall not let you go, Carmen: you have to comewith me!

CarmenLet me be, Don José!… I will not go with you!

Don JoséYou mean to go with him… so…(in a rage)D’you love him, then?

CarmenI love him!And though death stares me in the face,I will say again that I love him!

(Fanfares and repeat of chorus in the arena.)(Carmen makes another attempt at entering thearena. Don José stops her again.)

Crowd (in the arena)Viva! Viva! What a corrida! etc.

Don José (violently)I see! I have learned to be evilAnd perjured my soul so that you…So that you can dally, you devil,There in his arms, laughing at me!…No, by my life, you shall not go,Carmen, you have to come with me!

CarmenNo, no, I shan’t!

Don JoséI am tired of making threats!

Carmen (angrily)All right!Stab me to death or get out of my way.

Crowd (in the arena)Victoria!

Don José (deeply distraught)For the very last time, devil, will you come with

me?

Carmen (in a rage)No, no!(pulling a ring off her finger and throwing itaway)Once you gave me this ring as a token of

passion…There!

Don JoséAll right!Be damned…

(He rushes at Carmen. Carmen wants to escape, but Don José reaches her by the arena. He strikes her; she falls and dies. Don José, overcome, sinks to his knees by her side.)

Crowd (in the arena)Toreador, be ready!Toreador! Toreador!Dream of a single voice among the roars,Dream of two flashing eyes,Dream that her love is yours, Toreador! Her love is yours!

148

Patricia Bardon in the title rolein Scottish Opera’s production

of Carmen

Bill

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Opera in English on Chandos

CHAN 3086(2)

CHAN 3079(2)

CHAN 3017(2)CHAN 3011(2)

CHAN 3027(2)



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300

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Artistic Consultant to the Peter Moores Foundation: Patric SchmidStaging director and repetiteur: Charles KilpatrickVocal and language consultant: Ludmilla AndrewDialogue director: Daniel Slater

Session photographs by Bill Cooper

Recording producer Brian CouzensSound engineer Ralph CouzensAssistant engineer Matthew WalkerEditor Jonathan Cooper Operas administrator Sue ShortridgeRecording venue Watford Colosseum; 27–30 August and 2 & 3 September 2002Front cover Photograph of Patricia Bardon, in Scottish Opera’s production of Carmen, by BillCooperBack cover Photograph of David Parry by Bill CooperDesign Sean ColemanBooklet typeset by Dave PartridgeBooklet editor Finn S. GundersenCopyright Peters Edition LtdP 2003 Chandos Records LtdC 2003 Chandos Records LtdChandos Records Ltd, Colchester, Essex, EnglandPrinted in the EU


CHAN 3088

Chandos 24-bit RecordingThe Chandos policy of being at the forefront of technology is now further advanced by the useof 24-bit recording. 24-bit has a dynamic range that is up to 48dB greater and up to 256 timesthe resolution of standard 16-bit recordings. These improvements now let you the listener enjoymore of the natural clarity and ambience of the ‘Chandos sound’.


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CHANDOS DIGITAL 2-disc set CHAN 3091(2)

CHANDOS RECORDS LTD p 2003 Chandos Records Ltd c 2003 Chandos Records Ltd Colchester . Essex . England Printed in the EU

COMPACT DISC ONETT 75:20

COMPACT DISC TWOTT 79:59

24 bit

96 kHz

recorded in

Georges Bizet (1838–1875)

CarmenOpéra-Comique in four acts

Libretto by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy based on the novella byProsper Mérimée

New Urtext Edition by Richard Langham Smith with Englishtranslation by David Parry, published by Peters Edition Ltd

Carmen, a gipsy girl ..................................Patricia Bardon mezzo-sopranoMicaëla, a country girl ..............................................Mary Plazas sopranoFrasquita, a gipsy girl ............................................Mary Hegarty sopranoMercédès, a gipsy girl ............................................Sally Harrison sopranoDon José, a corporal ....................................................Julian Gavin tenorEscamillo, a bullfighter ..........................................Garry Magee baritoneDancaïre, a smuggler ....................................................Peter Wedd tenorRemendado, a smuggler ..........................................Mark Le Brocq tenorZuniga, a lieutenant ..................................Nicholas Garrett bass-baritoneMoralès, a sergeant ......................................Toby Stafford-Allen baritoneAn Orange Vendor....................................Clare McCaldin mezzo-sopranoA Gipsy ..............................................................Paul Parfitt bass-baritoneOfficers, Soldiers, Children, Cigarette Girls, Gipsies, Smugglers etc.

Geoffrey Mitchell ChoirNew London Children’s ChoirPhilharmonia OrchestraDavid Parry

DDD

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