|
Opera
« Carmen »
of
Bizet
A
French
production
for
Baalbeck
145
participants
Marie-Thérèse
Keller
(Mezzo) as
Carmen
Luca
Lombardo
(tenor) as
Don
José
Frank
Ferrari
(baritone) as
Escamillo
Brigitte
Lafon
(soprano) as
Micaêlla
L’
Orchestre
Symphonique
et
Lyrique
Français
(60
musicians)
conducted
by
Philippe
Hui,
Assistant
Conductor
at
the
Opera
National
de
Paris
The
Choir
of
l’Opéra
National
de
Paris
(40 Chorists)
The
Children
Choir
of
la
Maîtrise
des
Hauts-de-Seine
(20
Chorists)
Philippe
Hui
Artistic
Director
Jack
Gervais
Director
Synopsis
The
drama
takes
place
in
Sevilla
around
1820.
The
corporal
Don
José
falls
in
love
with
the
gypsie
Carmen
who
is
employed
in
a
cigar
factory.
On
her
way
out
of
the
factory
she
is
attracted
by
Don
José
and
throws
him
a
flower.
Carmen
is
then
arrested
by
Don
José
after
quarreling
with
another
working
girl
and
wounding
her
with
a
knife.
Carmen
bewitches
the
corporal
&
promises
to
meet
him
soon
and
thus
escapes
in
the
midst
of
the
crowd.Don
José
is
imprisonned
by
his
superior
Zuniga
for
letting
Carmen
run
away.
He
is
then
released
from
prison
and
hurries
to
meet
Carmen
at
la
Taverna
de
Lillas
Pastia.
She
provokes
the
jealousy
of
her
lover
by
telling
him
that
she
danced
for
others.
In
fact
she
was
approached
by
the
famous
torreador
Escamillo
who
won
the
corrida
in <?xml:namespace
prefix
=
st1
/>Granada but
she
elegantly
refused
his
insistant
proposals.
The
flaming
Carmen
is
at
the
core
of
a
quarrel
between
Zuniga
&
Don
José.
Carmen's
friends
come
to
the
rescue
threatening
Zuniga
with
their
pistols.
Don
José
is
thrown
into
a
difficult
situation
and
finds
himself
joining
the
outlaws.
Meanwhile,
Michaela
searches
for
Don
José
to
announce
him
his
mother's
death.
at
the
same
time
Don
José
to
fight
a
duel
with
the
torreador
Escamillo
for
the
latter
has
declared
his
love
to
Carmen.
Carmen
calls
off
the
fight
at
the
last
moment.
Escamillo
is
grateful
to
Carmen
for
saving
his
life,
and
invites
all
the
outlaws
to
attend
his
next
corrida
in
Sevilla.
Don
José
accepts
to
follow
Michaela
wheras
Carmen
leaves
with
Escamillo.
The
day
of
the
Corrida,
Escamillo
enters
the
arena
accompanied
by
Carmen
walking
by
his
side
and
they
both
swear
each
other
eternal
love.
Suddenly
José
appears
begging
Carmen
to
leave
with
him
&
promising
to
begin
a
new
life
together.
Carmen
refuses
Jose's
offers
and
draws
his
anger
by
throwing
a
ring
at
him,
a
ring
he
had
offered
her.
Blinded
by
jealousy
and
fury,
Don
José
plunges
a
dagger
in
Carmen's
heart
and
kills
her.
Marie
Thérèse
Keller
Mezzo
Marie
Thérèse
Keller's
debut
as
an
opera
singer
began
at
the
"Conservatoire
National
de
Région
de Strasbourg"
where
she
received
her
1st prize
for
singing,
a
first
prize
for
Lyrical
Art
and
the
award
for
Baroque
Chamber
Music.
Parallel
to
her
music
classes
she
pursues
English
and
German
language
studies
at
the university of Strasbourg.
She
joins
consequently
the
Ecole
de
l'Opera
de
Paris.
During
this
period
she
takes
part
numerous
opera
performances
at
the
Opera
de
Paris,
the
Opera
comique
and
various
theaters
in France and
abroad.
Among
her
many
roles,
we
cite
her
interpretation
of
Conception
in
the
Spanish
hour.
This
she
played
in Toulouse under
the
direction
of
Michel
Plasson,
at
the
Opera
Comique
and
the
Théâtre
des
Champs
Elysées.
She
was
Nicklausse
in
the
"Contes
d'Hoffman",
Zerline
in
Don
Giovanni,
Siebel
in
Faust
by
Gounod,
Chérubin
in
Nozze
de
Figaro
and
Prince
Orlofsky
in
the
"Fledermaus".
She
held
the
main
part
in
the
opera
Mignon
by
Ambroise
Thomas.
Her
repertoire
continues
as
Dryade
in
Arianne
at Naxos,
Mallika
in
Lakmé
and
Tisbé
in
Cenerentola.
She
plays
Dorabella
in
Cosi
Fan
Tutte,
and
Marie
in
the
Dialogue
of
the
Carmélites.
Marie
Thérèse
Keller
has
worked
under
the
baton
of
famous
conductors
such
as
Michel
Plasson,
Armin
Jordan,
Marek
Janowski,
Alain
Lombard,
Paul
Ethuin
and
Patrick
Fourniller.
She
has
been
invited
by
the
Opéra
Bastille
to
take
part
in
major
productions:
Katia
Kabanova,
La
Dame
de
Pique,
Madame
Butterfly
and
Lucia
Di
Lammermoor
.
Marie-Thérèse
Keller
participated
in
the
production
of
"The
Virgin"
of
Massenet,
at
the
St
Etienne's
festival.
This
production
was
recorded
at
the
Nice
Opéra
.
She
was
highly
acclaimed
in
the
"Chapeau
de
paille
d'Italie"
by
Nino
Rota.
The
Théatre
du
Chatelet
will
host
her
in
Janacek's
Jenufa,
and
for
the
creation
of
the
60th Parallel
by
Philippe
Manoury.
Marie
Thérèse
Keller
took
part
in
the
world
famous
production
"A
Tango
for
Mr.
Lautrec"
that
was
sponsored
by
the
city
of Nancy and
directed
by
George
Zulneta.
She
interpreted
the
role
of
the
cook
in
"the
Nightingale"
of
Stravinsky
at
the
"théâtre
des
Arts"
of Rouen.
She
recently
performed
many
singing
roles
where
she
was
highly
acclaimed
as
Charlotte
in
"Werther"
at
the
Opera
de
Metz,
as
Geneviève
in
"Pelléas
&
Mélissandre"
at
the
opera
de
Rennes
&
Ferrara
(under
the
baton
of
Marc
Minkowsky)
as
Jenufa
at
Opera
de
Nancy,
as
Véronique
at
the
Opera
de
Lausanne,
as
well
as
"Juliette
ou
la
clé
des
songes"
by
Martinu
at
the
Opera
de
Paris,
as
the
main
character
of
"La
Belle
Hélène"
at
the
grand
théâtre
de
Tours.
M.T.K.
auditiones
as
a
lieder &
melodies
singer.
She
sang
in
the
"Chant
de
la
Terre"
under
the
baton
of
Cyrill
Diet
rich
at
the
"Filature
de
Mulhouse".
She
has
a
full
agenda
and
her
projects
are:
The
Requiem
of
Verdi
at
the
Théâtre
Mogador,
"Orages
désirés"
of
Gérard
Condé
created
for
the
Festival
of
Radio France at Montpellier,
the
main
role
in
Carmen
at
the
Baalbeck
Festival.
She
will
be
playing
the
3rd
Dame
in
the
Flute
Enchantée
at
the
Marseilles
Opéra,
the
role
of
Diane
in
the
King
Pausole
at
the
Opéra
Comique
and
Flora
in
la
Traviata
at
the
Opéra
Bastille.
Luca
Lombardo
Tenor
Born
in
Marseilles,
Luca
Lombardo
studied
with
C.
Thiola
in
the
city
of
Trevise
before
being
a
candidate
for
many
international
competitions-
the
Caruso
de
Milan,
Prix
Georges
Thill,
Concours
des
Voix
d'Or,
Concours
Vinas
de
Barcelone…
In
1989
he
made
his
debut
in
the
role
of
Gabriel
(Simon
Baccanegra)
at
the
Opera
des
Flandres,
then
sang
Cavalleria
Rusticana
in
Sydney
and
Melbourne.
Followed
in
1990-91
Simone
Bocanegra
at
the
Grand
Théâtre
de
Genève,
Othello
(Cassio)
with
Placido
Domingo
at
the
Opéra
Bastille
and
Wiener
Staatsoper,
Cherubini's
Lodoiska
(directed
by
Glyndebourne),
Werther
(concert),
Les
Contes
d'Hoffman,
Tosca,
La
Traviata,
Roméo
&
Juliette
(gounod)
Faust,
Un
Ballo
in
Maschera
and
the
main
role
in
Sigmund.
In
1993-1994
he
took
part
in
"Der
Fliegende
Hollander"
at
the
Opéra
Bastille-Paris,
and
he
performed
in
La
Vestale
at
La
Scala
de
Milan
(cond.
Muti).
Lately
he
was
in Toronto and
Francfort
for
Luisa
Miller,
in
Lyon
and
Paris
for
Carmen,
in
the
Scottish
opera
for
les
Pêcheurs
de
Perles,
and
in Frankfurt and Munich.
He
plays
regularly
at
the
Opéra
Comique
(La
Bohème,
Mireille).
Among
his
remarkable
appearances
we
will
cite
La
Traviata
(Francfort),
Les
Contes
d'Hoffman
(Toulon),
Carmen
and
Tosca
(opera
comique),
La
Bohème
(Avignon),
Luisa
Miller
(Frankfurt).
The
season
2000-2001
saw
him
singing
Carmen
in Japan, Metz and
Sanxay,
as
well
as
major
opera
works
in
the
most
prestigious
festivals.
For
2001-2002,
Luca
Lombardo
interpreted
Don
José
in
Carmen
at
the
Bonn
Opéra
and
at
the Vienna opera,
Mario
in
Tosca
in Catania,
La
Damnation
de
Faust
in Leipzig and
Hoffman
in
Les
Contes
d'Hoffman
at
the
Opéra
Bastille,
in
September
2002
under
the
baton
of
James
Conlon.
Brigitte
Lafon
Soprano
Graduating
with
a
diploma
from
Ecole
du
Louvre,
Brigitte
Lafon
joined
the
Opera
of
Lyon
in
1982.
She
was
selected
by
Bob
Wilson
to
perform
in
two
of
his
productions.
In
1986
she
was
awarded
the
"unanimous
1st prize"
by
the
"Forum
International
de
la
Mélodie
&
du
Lied
d'île
de
France"
and
in
1988/89
she
participated
and
won
in
the
"Concours
International
de
l'Opéra
de Rennes"
for
her
roles
as
Zerlina
&
Suzanna.
In
1989
she
was
selected
as
"Solist
of
the
year"
by
the
European
Union
of
Radios.
She
sings
in
Concert
in Canada, Italy, Morocco, Germany and
all
francophone
countries.
She
is
to
take
part
in
many
opera
films
and
in
television
and
radio
shows
and
interviews.
She
has
many
recording
and
CDs,
having
won
many
international
recognition.
Brigitte
Lafon
is
an
honored
guest
to
many
festivals:
Wexford
in
Ireland,
Aix
en
Provence,
Festival
d'Art
Sacré
de
Paris,
Printemps
des
Arts
à
Nantes,
Musique
Sacrée
à
Marseille…
Besides
she
has
performed
in
the
most
prestigious
opera
houses
accompanied
by
great
orchestras.
Her
repertoire
is
immensely
rich
since
she
has
played
more
than
100
role
in
operas
and
oratorios.
She
is
highly
acclaimed
at:
- The
Salle
Pleyel
with
the
Orchestre
National
de
France
- At
the
Royal
opera
Wallonie
with
the
Orchestre
Philharmonique
de
Strasbourg.
- At
the
Opéra
Royal
de
Versailles
-
At
the
Théâtre
des
Champs
Elysées
in Paris
-
At
the
Opéra
de
Marseille
Brigitte
Lafon
was
lauded
by
the
press
for
her
roles
as
Rosine
(Il
Barbiere
di
Siviglia
Rossini),
Juliette
(Roméo&Juliette
Gounod),
Pamina
(La
flute
enchantée-Mozart),
Oscar
(A
Masquerade
Verdi).
Franck
Ferrari
Baritone
Born
in Nice, France,
Ferrari
studied
music
at
the
Conservatory
of
Nice
where
he
was
awarded
the
first
prize
of
Chanting
and
Lyrical
Art.
He
won
the
Grand
Prix
of
Marseille, Paris and Toulouse.
He
made
his
opera
debut
in
the
role
of
Figaro
in
the
"Noces
de
Figaro",
of
Malatesta
in
"Don
Pasquale",
Marcello
in
"La
Bohème",
Belcore
in
"Elixir
d'Amour"
and
Albert
in
Werther.
He
held
the
title
role
in
Don
Giovanni.
For
the
opera
Carmen,
he
played
Escamillo
and
under
the
direction
of
Casadesus
and
Plasson.
Carmen
plays
in
major
French
cities
(Avignon, Bordeaux, Tours, Toulouse"
and
in Los
Angeles (Hollywood
Bowl)
and
Teatro
Regio
of Turin.
He
is
to
participate
in
the
"Festival
de
Radio France"
in
Etienne
Marcel
of
St-Saenss,
in"
L'Arlésienne"
of
Cilea.
He
performs
in
many
opera
houses
in Metz, Toronto, Avignon,
Scala
de
Milan,
Opéra
de
Berlin,
Metropolitan
Opéra
of
NewYork,
Grand
Théâtre
de
Genève.
Lately
he
has
interpreted
Germont
in
the
Traviata
at
the
Théâtre
de
Tours,
Escamillo
in Genoa and
Enrico
in
Lucia
di
Lammermoor
at
the
Washington
Opéra.
He
is
a
regular
guest
at
the
Opéra
National
de
Paris
where
he
plays
Escamillo
(Carmen
1997-99),
Ping
(turandot
1999-2002),
Hamilcar
(Salammbo
de
Fénelon,
2000),
and
Enrico
Ashton
(Lucia
di
Lammermoor
2000).
Franck
Ferrari
enjoys
most
the
repertoire
of
French
melodies
(
Duparc,
Ibert,
Ravel).
He
recorded
the
entire
work
of
Ibert's
melodies,
accompanying
Dalton
Baldwin.
On
his
agenda
are
many
roles
to
come:
Scarpia
in
La
Tosca
at
the
Grand.
Théâtre
de
Tours
and
the
Scala
de
Milan,
Cyrano
during
the
Festival
de
Radio
France
in Montpellier,
Ramiro
in
"l'heure
Espagnole"
and
Lescaut
in
"Manon"
at
the
opera
de
paris,
Sancho
in
Don
Quichotte
in Avignon
He
is
to
prepare
La
Bohème
at
the
Nice
Opéra.
Philippe
Hui
Conductor
/
Artistic
Director
Born
in Paris,
P.H.
studied piano
&
alto
at
the
Ecole
Normale
de
Musique
de Paris,
then
at
the
Conservatoire
National
Supérieur
de
Musique
de Paris.
He
prepared
his
masterclass
with
Pierre
Boulez.
In
1989
he
was
awarded
the
"1st prize
of
Orchestra
conducting"
by
the
Conservatoire
National
supérieur
de
Musique
de
Paris.
In
1992
he
received
his
degree
in
Sound
Engineering
from
the
conservatory.
Since
then
he
has
been
nominated
as
permanent
orchestra
conductor
at
the
Opera
National
de
Paris.
And
from
1998
till
2001,
P.H.
assumed
the
musical
direction
of
"Faisons
un
opera"
by
Benjamin
Britten
at
the
Opera
Comique.
He
founded
the
Orchestre
de
Chambre
Montéclair,
and
conducted
it
from
1982
till
1991.
During
this
period
he
devoted
his
free
time to
conducting
youth
orchestras.
He
is
also
the
founder
and
permanent
artistic
director
of
the
"Atelier
Lyrique
de
Haute
Normandie".
In France,
Pilippe
Hui
holds
many
responsibilities
in
the
world
of
music:
opera
comique
de
Paris,
opera
de
Tours,
orchestre
de
Picardie,
Orchestre
de
Boulogne
Billancourt,
theater
de Limoges,
orchestre
regional
des
jeunes
de
Haute
Normandie.
Philippe
Hui
directed
many
lyrical
shows
in Switzerland, Germany,
as
well
as
in Lebanon at
the
Baalbeck
International
Festival.
He
was
invited
to
conduct
Grupo
Accion
Instrumental
in Switzerland and Germany and
he
participated
in
the
Nuremberg
Festival.
Philippe
Hui
has
a
very
large
musical
repertory
ranging
from
baroque
compositions
to
classical
and
contemporary
works,
as
well
as
symphonies,
oratorios
and
lieders.
L’Orchestre
Symphonique
et
Lyrique
Français
The
Orchestre
Symphonique
et
Lyrique
Français
is
an
instrumental
ensemble
that
has
variable
dimensions,
dedicated
to
the
promotion
of
vocal
music
productions.
This
Orchestra
is
mainly
composed
of
instrumentalists
belonging
to
the
“Orchestre
des
Lauréats
du
Conservatoire
National
Supérieur
de
Musique
de Paris”.
This
instrumental
group
has
set
a
goal
to
offer
to
young
professionals
and
graduates
of
the
“Conservatoire
National
Supérieur
de
Musique”
the
possibility
to
work
closely
with
famous
conductors,
thus
becoming
professional
musicians.
Myung-Whun
Chung
has
accepted
to
be
its
honorary
president
and
is
presently
directing
the
ensemble.
The
high
technicity
and
quality
of
the
group
is
assured
by
the
presence
of
instrumentalists
belonging
to
the
Orchestra
of
the
Opéra
National
de
Paris
.
From
this
alliance
between
asserted
musicians
and
young
talented
artists,
a
most
unique
osmoses
is
brought
to
life
endowing
the
Orchestra
with
a
sparkling
colors
and
a
vibrant
dynamism.
The
Maîtrise
des
Hauts-de-Seine,
Children
Choir
The
Maîtrise
des
Hauts-de Seine is
composed
of
250
little
boys
and
girls
and
has
a
long
history
of
close
collaboration
with
the
Opéra
National
de
Paris.
Its
chorus
and
young
soloists
have
performed
hundreds
of
representations.
In
1996
the
Maîtrise
des
Hauts-de Seine became
the
official
Children
Choir
of
the
Opéra
National
de
Paris.
Alongside
its
high
standard
of
musical
and
vocal
achievement,
the
Maîtrise
des
Hauts-de-Seine
offers
a
repertory
of
great
variety
and
trains
its
singers
to
hold
the
stage
for
concerts,
operas
and
recordings.
These
young
singers
has
been
often
directed
by
famous
conductors,
such
as
Michel
Corboz,
Zubin
Mehta,
Claudio
Abbado,
Rafael
Kubelik,
Sir
Colin
Davis,
etc.
They
have
also
performed
with
world
famous
tenors
and
solists
such
as
Tereza
Berganza,
Montserrat
Caballé,
Jessye
Norman,
Placido
Domingo,
Pavarotti,
Raimondi,
Kurt
Moll,
José
Van
Dam.
Besides,
they
have
toured
the
most
prestigious
theaters
and
Opera
houses,
like
The
Opéra
National
de
Paris,
the
Théâtre
des
Champs
Elysées,
the
Opéra
Comique,
the
Festival
d’Aix,
the
Théâtre
Mogador,etc.
The
Choir
of
the
Opéra
National
de
Paris
Soprano,
Alto,
Mezzo,
Tenor,
Baritone
and
Bass:
All
tones
of
voices
compose
the
choir
will
that
perform
the
evening
at
the
Baalbeck
International
Festival.
This
choir
who
essentially
belongs
to
the
Opéra
National
de
Paris,
has
taken
part
in
the
most
prestigious
performances
of
lyrical
scenes.
They
all
chant
with
one
voice
while
each
one
of
them
is
an
accomplished
artist,
well
trained
to
accompany
great
directors
as
well
as
to
sing
different
repertories
be
they
classical
or
contemporary.
These
carefully
selected
chorus
enjoy
a
high
level
of
musical,
linguistic
and
stage
training.
They
are
able
to
form
an
exceptional
community
responding
in
great
harmony
to
the
requirements
of
all
productions
as
well
as
the
most
refined
conductors.
The
young
singers
are
recruited
from
all
over
the
world,
namely France, Italy, Germany, Bulgaria,
etc
which
confers
to
the
choir
an
international
dimension.
Jack
Gervais
Director
Passionate
about
the
Opera
since
his
early
childhood,
J.Gervais
has
been
a
tireless
spectactor
of
most
of
the
great
opera
evenings
in
the
South
of
France.
At
the
age
of
17
he
followed
singing
&
music
classes
parallel
to
his
studies
in accounting.
In
1980
he
studied
theater
directing
and
becomes
(régisseur
général).
In
1986
he
enters
the
Opéra
comique
de
Paris
where
he
works
for
three
years
as
regisseur
and
assistant
director.
He
was
then
promoted
to
assistant
director
for
P.L.
Pizzi
at
the
arena
of Nimes for
the
production
of
"Norma"
and
for
M.
Hampe
for
"La
Pie
Voleuse"
at
the
théâtre
des
Champs
Elysées.
In
1990
the
manager
of
the
opera
de Rennes asked
Gervais
to
direct
his
first
production "Le
pays
du
Sourire"
.
It
was
highly
acclaimed
by
the
press as
"extremely
refined
and
sensible
".
from
then
on
all
doors
were
open
to
his
talented
direction.
Jack
Gervais
produced
shows
in
theaters
all
over France: Metz, Tours, Limoges, Toulon, Lille, Bordeaux, Reims...
With
"Mireille"
of
Gounod
in
1992,
Guy
Condette
assigned
him
to
produce
his
first
opera.
Since
then,
J.G.
produces
many
Italian
as
well
as
French
operas
to
cite
but
a
few
:
"Hoffman's
tales",
"Carmen",
"Les
Pêcheurs
de
Perles",
"Manon",
"LaTraviata",
"Faust",
"Norma",
"La
fille
de
Régiment"
For
the
creation
of
the
"Festival
du
Théâtre
Antique
de
Sanxay" he
produced
in
2000
Rigoletto,
in
2001
Carmen
and
in
2002
La
Traviata.
In
2003
he
created
"La
Grande
Duchesse
de
Gerolstein"
d'offenbach,
"La
Fille
de
Mme
Angot"
de
Lecocq
both
for
the
opéra
house
of Bordeaux &
"la
Belle
Hélène"
d'Offenbach
at
Castres
Theater.
Jack
Gervais
has
great
affection
for
the
comic
opera
répertoire,
Viennese
operettes,
and Offenbach's
works,
which
he
produces
all
over France. |
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