Atlanta Opera Opens 2012-13 Season with Carmen
Sep 19, 2012

On November 10 at 8:00 p.m., The Atlanta Opera opens its 2012-13 season at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre with Bizet's Carmen.

To celebrate Opening Night, patrons are invited to attend Carmen: The After-Party, a free event immediately following the performance where audience members can celebrate the opening of the season. Held in the lobby, patrons will have the opportunity to meet members of the Carmen cast and creative team, and enjoy a cash bar.

Other performances will be on November 13 at 7:30 p.m., November 16 at 8:00 p.m., and November 18 at 3:00 p.m. Single tickets go on sale October 4 at 10 a.m., and can be purchased online at atlantaopera.org, or by calling 404-881-8885.

Set in Seville, the action of Carmen pivots around Carmen, a gypsy who has the power to seduce any man who suits her fancy. Don Jose, a corporal, throws honor aside in pursuit of Carmen. Carmen soon casts off her ardent lover for the handsome toreador, Escamillo. Jealousy and passion seal Carmen's fate when Don Jose murders Carmen, while the crowd inside the bullring cheers for Escamillo.

Debuting with The Atlanta Opera is mezzo-soprano María Jose Montiel, who sings Carmen, with Mexican tenor Fernando de La Mora in the role of Don Jose. De La Mora last appeared on the Atlanta Opera stage in the 2007 production of Romeo and Juliette. In his Atlanta Opera debut, baritone Aleksey Bogdanov sings the role of the toreador, Escamillo, and soprano Melissa Shippen performs the role of Micaëla. Atlanta-based singers, tenor Adam Kirkpatrick (El Remendado) and mezzo-soprano Kaitlyn Costello (Mercedès) also will be joining the cast. The role of El Dancaïro will be sung by baritone Adam Cannedy and the role of Frasquita will be sung by soprano Amanda Opuszynski, making her debut with the Opera. Arthur Fagen, Atlanta Opera Carl and Sally Gable Music Director, conducts. Stage direction will be provided by Jeffrey Marc Buchman, who will be working with The Atlanta Opera for the first time. Carmen will be sung in French with English supertitles projected above the stage.

Single tickets are $25 -$132 plus tax, convenience and venue fees. To book, go online at atlantaopera.org, call 404-881-8885 or 1-800-35-OPERA (Mon-Fri, 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.), or vsit in-person at the Bank of North Georgia Box Office at the Cobb Energy Centre (Mon-Fri, 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.; Saturday, 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.; and one hour prior to a performance on day of show).

Carmen, with Music by Georges Bizet and Libretto by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halevy, Sung in French with ProjectEd English Translations and featuring sets purchased from Florida Grand Opera by The Atlanta Opera, plays November 10-18, 2012. Previous Atlanta Opera Performances were produced in 1992 and 2004.