Carmen: Georges Bizet
Opera in four acts by Bizet. Libretto by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy. 1875.
Dates: July 26 - 29 August 01 - 03 - 07
Characters:
| Don José | Tenor |
| Le Remendado | Tenor |
| Escamillo | Baritone |
| Le Dancaïre | Baritone |
| Moralès | Baritone |
| Zuniga | Bass |
| Mercedes | Mezzo-Soprano |
| Carmen | Mezzo-Soprano |
| Micaëla | Soprano |
| Frasquita | Soprano |
Synopsis:
Act 1
In a square in Seville, dominated by a huge cigarette factory in the background, Morales and his "dragoons" watch the slow-moving, overheated crowd and comment on the various comings and goings. Micaela arrives, evidently searching for someone. Morales asks her to stay and wait for her corporal, Don Jose', but the intense attentions of the other soldiers force her to depart. As the female cigarette workers leave the building on a break, all eyes are upon them. Carmen, a gypsy, sings a song about the fickleness of love, and throws a flower at Jose' as she re-enters the factory. Micaela returns and gives Jose a letter from his ailing mother, in which she urges him to take the young Micaela as his wife. Just as the newly resolved Jose' is throwing away the Gypsy's flower, pandemonium breaks out, with women streaming out of the factory: Carmen has cut another girl's face in a knife fight. After she refuses to answer the questions posed by Captain Zuniga, Carmen is arrested and sentenced to 30 days in prison. Jose', who has been ordered to guard her, is unable to resist her charms, and lets her escape. He himself must now spend a month in prison for his actions….
Act 2
Late at night, Carmen and her gypsy friends, as well as some military types, are drinking and dancing at Lilas Pastia's tavern. Carmen learns from Zuniga that Jose' is about to be released after his month in prison. Sounds are heard outside: it is Escamillo's entourage, who is making the rounds, bar by bar, as he recounts his adventures as a Toreador. Though there is an immediate attraction between Escamillo and Carmen, she waits for Jose', who she knows will seek her out. The tavern empties and the smugglers Dancairo and Rememdado arrive, with important news of a new thieving job that, to be successful, demands the help of women. To their amazement, Carmen refuses to join the men in the expedition. The gypsies make themselves scarce when Jose' arrives. The couple shares an intimate moment together before Jose', hearing the reveille, claims he must leave and report to his barracks. This angers Carmen greatly. Zuniga suddenly arrives, expecting to find Carmen alone. The jealous, surprised, and volatile Jose' attacks him. Jose' is stopped by the gypsies, but the fact that he has threatened an officer means that he could be court-marshalled. He decides to escape to join Carmen and the other Gypsies in their very different lifestyle…
Act 3
At the Gypsies' mountain camp, Carmen begins to weary of the jealous and increasingly erratic Jose'. He seems to regret his decision to leave his former life. Furthermore, he is downcast that he broke the promise to his mother to marry Micaela. Escamillo is coincidentally in the same mountainous area, checking on bulls for future fights. Suddenly, he finds himself fired upon by Jose', who is guarding the gypsy camp. The men learn that they are both in love with the same woman, and a real fight ensues. The timely arrival of Carmen and the Gypsies saves Escamillo's life. Micaela, who has bravely ventured into the mountains to find Jose', delivers the message that his mother is dying, and the two leave together.
Act 4
In Seville, before the stadium, the crowds swarm, buying and selling in preparation for the bullfight. Carmen has been warned by her Gypsy friends that Jose' has been spotted, hiding in the crowd. As the pre-fight formalities end and the bullfight commences, Jose' and Carmen meet outside the ring. He desperately pleads with Carmen to join him, but she states that she is no longer in love with him, and throws his ring to the floor. Enraged, Don Jose' stabs Carmen, at the same moment that Escamillo kills the bull inside.
The Magic Flute: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Opera in two acts by Mozart. Libretto by Emmanuel Schikaneder. 1791.
Dates: August 05 - 09 - 13 - 16 - 18
Characters:
| Tamino | Tenor |
| First Lady | Soprano |
| Second Lady | Soprano |
| Third Lady | Mezzo-Soprano |
| Papageno | Baritone |
| Queen of the Night | Soprano |
| Monostatos | Tenor |
| Pamina | Soprano |
| Three Genies | Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Alto |
| Speaker | Bass-Baritone |
| Sarastro | Bass |
| First Priest | Tenor |
| Second Priest | Basse |
| First Armed Man | Tenor |
| Second Armed Man | Bass |
| Papagena | Soprano |
Synopsis:
Act 1
Prince Tamino is being pursued by a Gigantic Serpent, but he faints, and the beast is killed by the three Ladies-In-Waiting of the Queen of the Night. The Ladies comment at length on the good looks of the young man. Papageno, official bird catcher for the Queen, arrives and takes credit for the heroic deed. To punish his lying, the Ladies put a padlock on his mouth. The ladies give Tamino a portrait of the Queen's daughter, Pamina, who has been abducted. He instantly falls in love with her image and sets out to rescue her. The Queen herself then arrives and promises her daughter in marriage if the Prince is able to succeed in his rescue. Tamino is given a Magic Flute, and his new friend Papageno, who now has had the padlock removed, is given some magic bells. They set out to Sarastro's Kingdom to rescue Pamina. The inadvertent arrival of Papageno at the castle surprises and saves Pamina from an attack by Monostatos, a moor who is in the service of Sarastro. Papageno explains to Pamina that a man who has fallen in love with her will soon rescue her, and they leave, in search of Tamino. The Prince has now arrived at the Temple(which is dedicated to Wisdom, Reason, and Nature), led by the three Genii. He learns from a priest there that it is not Sarastro who is evil, but rather the Queen of the Night, and that Pamina has been
"abducted" for her own good. Papageno and Pamina are confronted by Monastatos and his slaves, but are able to manage an ingenious escape by using the Magic Bells. Monastatos again appears, and denounces Tamino to Sarastro. Sarastro, however, is not convinced, and orders a sound flogging for Monastatos. Pamina and Tamino finally meet, however briefly, and immediately fall in love. Sarastro commands that they be brought to the Temple of Ordeals, where they will be tested for their worthiness.
Act 2
Sarastro explains to the Priests that the Gods have chosen Pamina to be Tamino's wife. Tamino must himself however prove that he is worthy of becoming a member of the Temple. Tamino and Papageno prepare to undergo a series of tests and trials if they are to be accepted into the brotherhood of the Temple. The first test is silence, and Papageno is hilariously poor at this first trial. The Ladies arrive and try to prompt the men to speak, but are rebuffed. Pamina, asleep, is again aggressed by Monastatos, but this time it is the Queen herself who wards off the attack. She gives her daughter a dagger and instructs her that the only recourse to regaining power is by killing Sarastro. . Again Monastatos attempts to force himself on Pamina, but Sarastro luckily enters. He reminds the Moor that the Brotherhood demands a true bond of love. Monostatos leaves, unrepentent, hoping to have better luck with the mother than with the daughter. Sarastro explains that he is not motivated by vengeance, but rather by Light and Understanding. The Geniis appear with food and drink, and Papageno, the everyman, is given a glimpse of his beloved, Papagena, but is warned that if he fails his trials he will lose her. Pamina is taken to Tamino, and together they continue a series of tests by Fire and Water. After suicidal thoughts, Pamina is comforted with extraordinary tenderness by the Genii. With the help of the Magic Flute, the young royal couple successfully complete the trials. Papageno, despite his inability to hold his tongue, is eventually united with Papagena, due to "divine intervention" after his "parallel" attempt at suicide. The evil characters, the Queen of the Night, Monastatos, and the Three ladies, are engulfed by a Thunderclap, and the other characters rejoice in the Victory of Good over Evil, of Light over Darkness.