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St. Olaf Lyric Theatre to present Carmen

By John Andert '10
October 12, 2007

A presentation of one of the world's most popular operas, Bizet's Carmen, will launch St. Olaf's 2007-08 Lyric Theatre season. Opening Thursday, Oct.18, the opera will run three consecutive nights in Christiansen Hall of Music on the St. Olaf Campus at 7:30 p.m., concluding Saturday, Oct. 20. Performances are free and open to the public.

HardyAndMcKeel
Carmen co-directors Janis Hardy and James McKeel.
Set against a rich backdrop of bullfighters, gypsies, smugglers and soldiers, Carmen is one of the finest examples of the gritty and sensual "verismo" movement in opera. The story centers on Carmen, a beautiful, reckless and passionate gypsy. When she sets her eye on the young Spanish soldier Don Jose, he abandons his army post to join Carmen's band of smugglers. He also leaves behind Micaela, the young village girl who loves him.

St. Olaf faculty members and co-directors Janis Hardy and James McKeel and their cast of St. Olaf students have worked diligently to make this production their own. Mezzo-soprano Laura Wilde '08 and tenor Taylor Baggot '08 vividly animate the characters of Carmen and Don Jose, while soprano Elizabeth Steffensen '08 brings to life the role of the young Micaela. A chorus will back the cast.

'The perfect opera'
"Carmen is the perfect opera for those who have never seen one," says Wilde. "They will recognize most of the music and the show has a lot of variety. It is funny, intense, sensual and tragic."

"One of the rewards of music directing a classic piece of opera like Carmen with a young and talented cast of singer-actors," explains Music Director James Mckeel, "is watching the youthful energy they bring to the characters while challenging themselves to successfully fuse the elements of text, music, character and dance into an effective performance. There is no time for second guessing -- only solid preparation and the ability to let one's character leap before one looks. It's exciting, exhausting, frightening, and -- ultimately -- the greatest high a performer can achieve."

Contact David Gonnerman at 507-786-3315 or gonnermd@stolaf.edu.