Famous opera part of Art Deco Weekend

Victoria Lambourn (Carmen) and Matthew Reardon (Don Jose) during an open rehearsal for the public.

Following hugely successful seasons in 2014 and 2015 with productions of Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro in 2014, Donizetti's The Elixir of Love in 2015 and the splendid 2016 production of Puccini's La Bohème, now it's time for Festival Opera to present one of the most famous of all works in the operatic repertoire, Bizet's passionate love story Carmen.

Directed by Josè Aparicio as part of this year's Tremain Art Deco celebrations, there will be performances in the Napier Municipal Theatre at 7pm on Tuesday and Saturday, February 14 and 18, and at 5pm on Thursday, February 16.

Sung in French with English subtitles, the opera is studded with famous melodies delivered in a glittering Art Deco style with a standout international and local cast.

Even if you've never been to the opera before, here's a chance by making Carmen part of your Art Deco experience this year. You'll love it!

Carmen, an opera in four acts by French composer Georges Bizet, was first performed at the Opéra-Comique in Paris on March 3, 1875, where its breaking of conventions shocked and scandalised its first audiences. Bizet died suddenly after the 33rd performance, unaware that the work would achieve international acclaim within the following 10 years. Carmen has since become one of the most popular and frequently performed operas with arias such the Habanera, the Seguidilla and the Toreador Song among the best known in all opera.

The opera is an example of opéra comique with musical numbers separated by dialogue.

It is set in southern Spain and tells the story of the downfall of Don José, a naïve soldier who is seduced by the wiles of the fiery gypsy Carmen. José abandons his childhood sweetheart Micaela and deserts from his military duties, yet loses Carmen's love to the glamorous toreador Escamillo, after which José kills Carmen in a jealous rage.

The depictions of proletarian life, immorality, and lawlessness broke new ground in French opera and were highly controversial. After the premiere, most reviews were critical, and the French public was generally indifferent and Carmen initially gained its reputation through a series of productions outside France.

The music of Carmen has since been widely acclaimed for brilliance of melody, harmony, atmosphere, and orchestration, and for the skill with which Bizet musically represented the emotions and suffering of his characters.

The production of Carmen will be headed by a fine group of New Zealand and international soloists with Australian mezzo-soprano Victoria Lambourn in the title role replacing Russian Nadezhda Karyazina, Sydney tenor Matthew Reardon as Don José, stunning New Zealand soprano Anna Leese as Micaela, Sol3 Mio baritone Moses McKay as Escamillo, Samoan bass-baritone Joel Amosa as Zuniga, Napier soprano Carleen Ebbs as Frasquita and Pasquale Orchard as Mercédés.

Victoria Lambourn studied piano, cello, singing and composition at the Queensland Conservatorium with further vocal study at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, and in Italy.

She has been the recipient of numerous awards in Australia and has had extensive operatic experience there and further afield. Matthew Reardon recently completed his masters of opera at the Wales International Academy of Voice with Dennis O'Neill and is a graduate of the Dame Nellie Melba Opera Trust in Melbourne.

Anna Leese completed a BMus(Hons) at the University of Otago, was a Lexus song Quest winner and has been the recipient of an impressive number of Australasian awards and prizes. She was last in Hawke's Bay in December 2016 as the magnificent soloist in the Napier Civic Choir's presentation of Messiah.

Moses Mackay is a master's graduate of the Wales International Academy of Voice. He has been in an extensive number of productions and performances around the world as an actor, musician and vocalist.

Joel Amosa is a graduate of the University of Otago, has had extensive operatic experience both in New Zealand and overseas and will be remembered for his appearance with both the Napier Civic Choir and in previous Festival Opera productions.

Raised in Hawke's Bay, living in London, soprano Carleen Ebbs studied at the Cardiff International Academy of Voice, the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and the New Zealand School of Music.

Ebbs has given recitals as part of the London Handel Festival, performed with the NZ Symphony Orchestra, and as a regular oratorio soloist at St Martin's in the Fields in London, while Pasquale Orchard is a third year BMus student at Victoria University of Wellington, is a scholar with both the Orpheus Choir and the Sacred Heart Cathedral and has performed extensively as soloist in the Wellington district.

Members of Project Prima Volta, a mentoring programme for young people, based on world renowned El Sistema, which promotes social inclusion through music and was first initiated on a large scale in Venezuela, involving students from Hawke's Bay Secondary Schools, will fill some minor roles, take part in the chorus and will be mentored by understudies in the opera.

Having attended a rehearsal, there is no doubt that his will be a stunning presentation of Carmen. Don't miss it!

Tickets for all performances from the Napier Municipal Theatre from $50 from www.ticketek.co.nz.