Bizet's Carmen first premiered in March of 1875 at the Opera Comique in Paris. The public's reaction was indifferent at best and disgusted at worst. The critics' reviews were ruthlessly damaging, and three months later Bizet died of a heart attack at the ripe young age of 38. Unfortunately for him, French audiences couldn't accept his break from the classical French style and were too conservative to understand the passionate force of Carmen, the opera's saucy, independent gypsy heroine whose sensuality drives her from one lover to the next and ultimately leads to her undoing.
Of course, as it happens with any misjudged work of art, Carmen was ultimately reevaluated as a first-class opera and became a staple of theaters around the world.
This weekend, you can see the Opera Tampa Chorus and Orchestra perform Carmen in French with English lyrics projected above the stage at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center; Anton Coppola conducts.
If you've got extra cash to spend and want to make a night of it, WEDU hosts an intimate opening night fundraiser/performance party with the Carmen cast at Maestro's. The hefty ticket price of $120 includes party admission, champagne and desserts, and orchestra-level seats to the Friday night show. To reserve your ticket, call 800-354-9338, ext. 2241, or 813-739-2913.
Carmen, 8 p.m. Fri., 2 p.m. Sun., Dec. 2 and 4. $29.50-$85. Carol Morsani Hall, 1010 N. MacInnes Place, Tampa, 813-229-7827, www.tbpac.org.
This article appears in Nov 30 – Dec 6, 2005.