An opera company hopes to raise £3,500 to fund a new touring production of Bizet’s Carmen, with the opening performance in St Albans later this month.
Bizet’s classic tale of love and revenge is due to be performed by a cast of singers at St Saviour’s Church in Sandpit Lane on Tuesday, June 27 at 7.30pm.
Dulwich Opera Company is currently Crowdfunding to fund this new production.
The young and vibrant company has devised a brand new chamber adaptation of Bizet’s classic, which will be touring South East England this summer.
Featuring a cast of young professional singers making role debuts, Carmen will be sung in French with English surtitles, with international conductor Jeremy Silver directing the music from the piano.
The company’s website says: “Opera is an intricate art form, with the hours of preparation and rehearsal involved, as well as costumes, props and set.
“Ticket sales generally make up around half of our production budgets; we receive no public funding, and therefore rely on the generous support of corporate sponsors and individual donors to keep ticket prices at an accessible level and offer much-needed professional performance opportunities to young singers and creative artists.”
Further details, and a short video introducing the project, can be found at www.crowdfunder.co.uk/dulwich-opera-carmen
The campaign ends on June 17.
The company is delighted to reunite the creative team behind its highly acclaimed production of Così fan tutte, which is headed by international opera director Ptolemy Christie, and designer Leah Sams.
Between them, they bring a great deal of experience to the production, having worked for many of the major opera and theatre companies here in the UK and abroad.
Premiered in 1875, Bizet’s Carmen remains one of the most loved and performed of all operas around the world, and includes the famous Habanera, Toreador song, and Flower Song.
Based on the novella by Prosper Mérimée, the opera tells the story of the fiery gypsy girl’s tragic love affair with the obsessive soldier, Don José.
Phillipa Thomas will sing the title role, with James Hutchings as Don José.
Tickets are available in advance from www.dulwichoperacompany.org.uk/box-office
They cost £21, £19 concesssions, and £10 under-16s when accompanied by an adult.
• For more on the Dulwich Opera Company, visit www.dulwichoperacompany.org.uk/carmen or follow the company on Twitter @DulwichOperaCo
You can also find them on Facebook and www.facebook.com/DulwichOperaCompany and Instagram at www.instagram.com/dulwichoperacompany
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