Chicago Opera Theater's LA TRAGEDIE DE CARMEN Plays At Harris Theater 5/2-5/15

Chicago Opera Theater's second opera of their 2009 Spring Festival Season is La Tragédie de Carmen, a 90 minute adaptation of Georges Bizet's Carmen by Marius Constant, Jean-Claude Carrière, and Peter Brook. La Tragèdie de Carmen runs May 2nd through May 15th at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance in Millennium Park.

La Tragédie de Carmen won the 1984 special Tony Award for Outstanding Achievement in Musical Theatre. Peter Brook, one of the greatest theatre directors of the 20th century, adapted Bizet's most popular opera and depicts a more intense and immediate tale of the doomed Carmen.

"I actually had the pleasure of working with Peter Brook in 1980 on the casting of the La Tragédie de Carmen premiere at Théâtre Bouffe du Nord in Paris. For lovers of Carmen like me, it's imperative they see this new interpretation that highlights the core drama with Bizet's music still at the centerpiece." said General Director Brian Dickie. "For theatre lovers, this is a perfect introduction to opera, which at its heart, is simply passionate musical theatre."

COT's Resident Conductor Alexander Platt will conduct La Tragédie de Carmen. Alexander is entering his twelfth season as Music Director of both the Waukesha Symphony in Wisconsin and the Marion Indiana Philharmonic. He is also in his second season as Principal Conductor of the Boca Raton Symphonia. He has led the Chicago premieres of such challenging 20th-century masterpieces as John Adams' Nixon in China (2006), Britten's Death in Venice (2004) and A Midsummer Night's Dream (2005); the Chicago stage premiere of Schoenberg's Erwartung (2007); the world premiere recording of Kurka's The Good Soldier Schweik (2002); and Bartók's Duke Bluebeard's Castle (2007).

Andrew Eggert will be making his directorial debut with Chicago Opera Theater after a long career as assistant director on COT productions of Così fan tutte (2001), The Rape of Lucretia (2002), Semele (2002), The Turn of the Screw (2003), Agrippina (2003), L'incoronazione di Poppea (2004), Death in Venice (2004), La resurrezione (2004), Le nozze di Figaro (2005), A Midsummer Night's Dream (2005), Nixon in China (2006), Il ritorno d'Ulisse in patria (2007), and Don Giovanni (2008). He also directed outreach productions of The Impresario (2004)and an original adaptation of Iolanta (2005).

The design team consists of Scenic and Costume Designer Carol Bailey and Lighting Designer Christine Binder.

Singing the role of Carmen is Sandra Piques Eddy, who sang to great acclaim in two previous COT productions-as Béatrice in Béatrice et Bénédict in 2007 and as Cherubino in Le nozze di Figaro in 2005. Sandra's 2008-09 season included the title role in La Cenerentola with Austin Lyric Opera, Charmian in Antony and Cleopatra with New York City Opera, and Juno and Ino in Semele with Florentine Opera. Since her Metropolitan Opera debut in 2001 she has performed 14 roles on the legendary stage.

Noah Stewart sings the role of Don José. Noah sang the role of the Prince to great acclaim in COT's 2008 Midwest premiere of John Adams' A Flowering Tree. Noah made his San Francisco Opera debut as Major-domo in Der Rosenkavalier, and recently returned as Macduff in Macbeth, the Philistine Messenger in Samson and Delilah, and T. Morris Chester in the world premiere of Philip Glass's Appomattox. Next, he makes his Michigan Opera Theatre debut as Ismaele in Nabucco, and his Arizona Opera debut as Narraboth in Salome.

The role of Micaela will be sung by the young Kosovar soprano Krenare Gashi, who was a 2007 finalist in the international competition, Neue Stimmen and has appeared in concert and opera in Detmold, Berlin, Tokyo, Paris, and Frankfurt. Michael Todd Simpson, who sings Escamillo, opened the Dallas Opera season as the Count in Le Nozze di Figaro. This summer he goes on tour with Opera Australia in Taiwan in their production of Carmen, and next season makes his debuts at the Metropolitan Opera. In the role of Zuniga is Brian Herriott, who has sung at Chicago Opera Theater as Sykos in the world premiere of Comedy on the Bridge and Liberto in L'incoronazione di Poppea. On Broadway and as a member of the Third National Tour, he played Enjolras in Les Misérables and he performs regularly at the Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire, IL.

Rick Snyder performs two non-singing roles: Lillas Pastia and Garcia. Rick is an ensemble member of Steppenwolf Theatre and appeared in the original production of August: Osage County. Additional acting credits at Steppenwolf include The Unmentionables, Man From Nebraska, I Never Sang For My Father, Wedding Band, Time of your Life, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (also in London and on Broadway), Sideman, The Beauty Queen of Leenane, Slaughterhouse Five, Molly Sweeney, Picasso at the Lapin Agile, The Grapes of Wrath, The Road to Nirvana, and A Walk in the Woods.

Chicago Opera Theater presents Georges Bizet's La Tragédie de Carmen for 5 performances on May 2, 5, 10, 13 and 15, 2009. The 2009 Spring Festival Season opens with Mozart's La clemenza di Tito (April 18-May 1, 2009) and Benjamin Britten's Owen Wingrave (May 16-26, 2009).

THE 2009 SPRING FESTIVAL SEASON IS DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF Alan Stone, COT FOUNDER (1921-2008)

Chicago Opera Theater performs at The Harris Theater for Music and Dance in Millennium Park-205 East Randolph Drive.

Season Subscriptions for the 2009 Spring Festival Season range from $90-$345 which include a ticket to all three operas. Individual tickets range from $30-$120. COT also offers a 50% discounted student rate in most sections. Tickets may be purchased online at ChicagoOperaTheater.org and by phone at 312.704.8414. Tickets may also be purchased at the Harris Theater Box Office: HarrisTheaterChicago.org or 312.334.7777.

 

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