Rigoletto and Carmen

Florida Grand Opera. Presentations in April and May 2006The Florida Grand Opera will be presenting for the spring two of the best known works in Opera: Rigoletto by Giuseppe Verdi and Carmen by Georges Bizet. Carmen will be Florida Grand Opera’s final production in Miami-Dade County Auditorium in April this year, 55 years after being the very first Opera ever performed at the venue. Featuring the famous aria “La donna è mobile,” only few operas offer the musical and dramatic intensity of Verdi’s Rigoletto. Based on Victor Hugo’s play Le roi s’amuse, it tells the tragic story of a deformed, embittered court jester who delights in helping to arrange female prey for his sex-crazed master, the Duke. When Rigoletto hires an assassin to kill the Duke, his plan for revenge backfires catastrophically. Rigoletto will feature Bruno Caproni, Leah Partridge, Stefano Secco and Morris Robinson. And Carmen, as the well-known seductive gypsy that captures the heart of the young soldier Don Jose who sacrifices everything to be with her. Carmen premiered in Paris to scathing reviews – Bizet died three months later thinking that his masterpiece had been a complete failure. Bizet’s score for Carmen contains one great melody after another, from the famous Habanera to the stirring toreador’s song. The vivid colors and sounds of Seville, together with intoxicating dances and riveting drama make Carmen arguably the most famous opera of all-time. Carmen features Rinat Shaham, William Joyner, Sandra Lopez and Franco Pomponi. For more information please call 305.854.7890