Carmen: Opera in Concert

Carmen, Bizet's passionately tragic masterpiece, is one of the most popular operas on the planet. Carmen is widely loved for its dramatic storyline, fine arias, duets and engaging choruses that center around a scandalous romance. Glacier Symphony is incredibly excited to present a concert version of Carmen, a historic opera that presents a tragic romance and strong, spirited leading female character of Carmen, who will be played by the soloist, Pascale Spinney. Glacier Symphony’s orchestra, chorale and multiple guest soloists will perform the wildly popular opera together to create a layered and vibrant musical representation of the story. 

However, the opera was not always very popular with audiences. In March of 1875, when French composer George Bizet first premiered Carmen at the Opéra-Comique in Paris, the elite Parisian audience at the time was taken aback by the leading femme fatale, on-stage fighting and dramatized murder. One scathing review after the Paris premiere states, “I won't mince words. Your Carmen is a flop, a disaster! It will never play more than twenty times!" – Jean Henri Dupin. Although the opera was too scandalous for France in the late 19th century, it was applauded in Vienna later that year, and its popularity soon spread to Brussels, London, Barcelona, New York, Saint Petersburg and more international cities over the immediately following years. More complimentary reviews resulted after the opera’s spread to new audiences, even Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky went to see Carmen and called it “a masterpiece in every sense of the word.” Ever since, audiences are fascinated by the melodrama, arias, duets, engaging choruses, scandalous romance and characters, making Carmen the most frequently performed opera across the globe. 

Our performance features a full cast of acclaimed opera singers, including Pascale Spinney, Andrew Surrena, Hanna Brammer, Alex Boyd, and Benjamin Sieverding, alongside Glacier Symphony Orchestra and Chorale. The opera will be sung in English, rather than the traditional French version, so many can enjoy this iconic opera and legendary story. Do not miss being a part of history as this opera continues to captivate audiences as it approaches its 150th anniversary! 

Buy tickets by calling 406-407-7000, visiting our box office on 69 N Main, or purchasing tickets online at https://glaciersymphony.org/concerts