Carmen Is the Feb. 2, 2019, Met Opera Saturday Matinee Broadcast

Summary: Bizet’s Carmen is the Feb. 2, 2019, Met Opera Saturday matinee broadcast, numbering ninth of 24 in the 2018-2019 season’s schedule.

The 2018-2019 Met Opera season's performances of Carmen revive Sir Richard Eyre's staging, which debuted Dec. 31, 2009: Paul Selar @OperaChaser, via Twitter Feb. 11, 2017

Georges Bizet’s Carmen is the Feb. 2, 2019, Met Opera Saturday matinee broadcast, airing as the 10th of 24 scheduled Saturday matinee radio broadcasts during the 2018-2019 Met Opera season.

French Romantic Era composer Georges Bizet (Oct. 25, 1838-June 3, 1875) set his musical score for Carmen to a French libretto by French librettist, novelist and playwright Ludovic Halévy (Jan. 1, 1834-May 7, 1908) and French dramatist and librettist Henri Meilhac (Feb. 23, 1830-July 6, 1897). The libretto’s literary source is the same-named novella by French archaeologist, historian and writer Prosper Mérimée. The novella was first published in 1845 in la Revue des Deux Mondes, a French language cultural, literary and political affairs magazine that has been issued monthly in Paris, France, since 1829.

Opéra Comique premiered the first performance of Bizet’s Carmen at Salle Favart in Paris March 3, 1875. Salle Favart, the third of three buildings at the current site, is located on the Seine’s right bank (rive droite) at 1 Place Boïeldieu, in the 2nd arrondissement (2e arrondissement de Paris).

The Metropolitan Opera premiere of Bizet’s emotionally turbulent opera took place Jan. 5, 1884, at Boston Theatre in Boston, Massachusetts. The premiere season’s 10 performances were all sung in Italian.

The 2018-2019 Met Opera season offers 14 performances of Bizet’s Carmen. Opening night happened Tuesday, Oct. 30, at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time.

Four performances took place in November. The month’s performances happened Saturday, Nov. 3, at 1 p.m. EDT. Late autumn’s time change placed start times according to Eastern Standard Time: Tuesday, Nov. 6, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 10, at 8 p.m.; and Thursday, Nov. 15, at 7:30 p.m.

January 2019 offered six performances. January performances dates comprised Wednesday, Jan. 9, at 8 p.m.; Saturday, Jan. 12, at 8:30 p.m.; Thursday, Jan. 17, at 7:30 p.m.; Monday, Jan. 21, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Jan. 26, at 1 p.m.; and Tuesday, Jan. 29, at 7:30 p.m.

The 2018-2019 Met Opera season’s last three performances are scheduled for February. The month’s first performance is slated for Saturday, Feb. 2, at 1 p.m. and airs as the 2018-2019 Met Opera season’s 10th Saturday matinee radio broadcast. The month’s second performance takes place Tuesday, Feb. 5, at 7:30 p.m. The month’s last performance, Friday, Feb. 8, at 7:30 p.m. is closing night.

The Metropolitan Opera’s production has an estimated run time of 3 hours 21 minutes during the 2018-2019 Met Opera season. Act I spans 101 minutes. An intermission of 36 minutes follows. Act II is estimated at 64 minutes.

Omer Meir Wellber conducted the 2018-2019 Met Opera season’s autumn performances of Bizet’s Carmen. The Israel conductor makes his Metropolitan Opera debut with his autumnal conductorship.

Omer Meir Wellber shares conductorship with Louis Langrée, who conducts the opera’s winter performances, including the Feb. 2 Saturday matinee. The French conductor’s Metropolitan Opera debut happened Nov. 27, 2007, in the opera company’s sixth performance of Iphigénie en Tauride by German classical composer Christoph von Gluck (July 2, 1714-Nov. 15, 1787).

Guanqun Yu appeared in all five autumn performances as Micaëla, whose love for Don José is thwarted by the corporal’s obsession with Carmen. The Chinese soprano’s Metropolitan Opera debut happened Sept. 29, 2012, as Leonora in the opera company’s 626th performance of Il Trovatore by 19th century Italian opera composer Giuseppe Verdi (Oct. 10, 1813-Jan. 27, 1901). In the 2018-2019 Met Opera season, Guanqun Yu also appears as Donna Anna in Don Giovanni by Classical Era composer Wolfgang Mozart (Jan. 27, 1756-Dec. 5, 1791).

Guanqun Yu shares the role of Carmen with Aleksandra Kurzak and Susanna Phillips. Aleksandra Kurzak sings the title role in eight (Jan. 9, 12, 21, 26, 29; Feb. 2, 5, 8) of winter’s nine performances. The Polish operatic soprano is scheduled for the Feb. 2 Saturday matinee broadcast. Aleksandra Kurzak’s Metropolitan Opera debut happened Dec. 10, 2004, as Olympia in the opera company’s 233rd performance of Les Contes d’Hoffmann by German-born French composer Jacques Offenbach (June 20, 1819-Oct. 5, 1880).

Susanna Phillips sang the title role in the Thursday, Jan. 17, performance. The American lyric soprano’s Metropolitan Opera debut happened Dec. 15, 2008, as Musetta in the opera company’s 1,201st performance of La Bohème by Italian opera composer Giacomo Puccini (Dec. 22, 1858-Nov. 29, 1924). During the 2018-2019 Met Opera season, Susanna Phillips reprises her Met Opera debut role and also appears as Donna Elvira in Mozart’s Don Giovanni.

Clémentine Margaine appears in all performances in the impetuous, seductive title role. The French mezzo-soprano reprises her Metropolitan Opera debut role. She debuted as Met Opera’s Carmen Jan. 19, 2017, in the opera company’s 1,002nd performance of Bizet’s passionate opera.

Yonghoon Lee appears in autumn performances as Don José, whose obsession with a gypsy seductress ends in tragedy. The South Korean operatic tenor’s Metropolitan Opera debut happened Nov. 29, 2010, in the title role in the opera company’s 193rd performance of Verdi’s Don Carlo. In the 2018-2019 Met Opera season, Yonghoon Lee also appears as Radamès in Verdi’s Aida.

Yonghoon Lee shares the role of Don José with Roberto Alagna, who appears in all nine winter performances. The French tenor’s Metropolitan Opera debut happened April 10, 1996, as Rodolfo in the opera company’s 1,031st performance of Puccini’s La Bohème. In addition to playing Don José to his wife Aleksandra Kurzak’s Micaëla in Carmen, during the 2018-2019 Met Opera season Roberto Alagna also sings the male title role in Samson et Dalila by French Romantic Era composer Camille Saint-Saëns (Oct. 9, 1835-Dec. 16, 1921).

Kyle Ketelsen appeared in autumn performances as Escamillo, the captivating bullfighter who comes between Carmen and Don José. The American bass-baritone’s Metropolitan Opera debut happened April 22, 2006, as Angelotti in the opera company’s 874th performance of Puccini’s Tosca.

Kyle Ketelsen shares the role of Escamillo with Alexander Vinogradov and Michael Todd Simpson. Alexander Vinogradov appears in eight (Jan. 9, 12, 21, 26, 29; Feb. 2, 5, 8) of winter’s nine performances. The Russian bass is scheduled for the Feb. 2 Saturday matinee broadcast. Alexander Vinogradov’s Metropolitan Opera debut happened as Count Walter in the opera company’s 87th performance of Verdi’s Luisa Miller.

Michael Todd Simpson appears as Escamillo in the Thursday, Jan. 17, performance. The American operatic baritone’s Metropolitan Opera debut happened Dec. 3, 2009, as Hermann/Schlémil in the opera company’s 241st performance of Offenbach’s Les Contes d’Hoffmann. During the 2018-2019 Met Opera season, Michael Todd Simpson also appears as Sonora in Puccini’s La Fanciulla del West and as Donner in Das Rheingold by 19th century German composer and librettist Richard Wagner (May 22, 1813-Feb. 13, 1883).

The 2018-2019 Met Opera season’s performances of Bizet’s Carmen revive Sir Richard Eyre’s staging. The English film, opera, television and theatre director’s staging debuted as a new Met Opera production Dec. 31, 2009, in the opera companys 946th performance of Bizet’s Carmen.

Sir Eyre’s production team comprises Rob Howell, set and costume designer; Peter Mumford, lighting designer; and Christopher Wheeldon, choreographer. Paula Williams is the revival stage director.

The takeaway for Georges Bizet’s Carmen as the Feb. 2, 2019, Met Opera Saturday matinee broadcast is that the French Romantic era composer’s impassioned opera airs as the 10th of the 2018-2019 Met Opera season’s 24 scheduled Saturday matinee radio broadcasts.

In the 2018-2019 Met Opera season, French mezzo-soprano Clémentine Margaine reprises her Met Opera debut role as a fiery gypsy seductress in Georges Bizet's Carmen: The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera, via Facebook Jan. 23, 2017

Acknowledgment

My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.

Image credits:

The 2018-2019 Met Opera season's performances of Carmen revive Sir Richard Eyre's staging, which debuted Dec. 31, 2009: Paul Selar @OperaChaser, via Twitter Feb. 11, 2017, @ https://twitter.com/OperaChaser/status/830551946339639296

In the 2018-2019 Met Opera season, French mezzo-soprano Clémentine Margaine reprises her Met Opera debut role as a fiery gypsy seductress in Georges Bizet's Carmen: The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera, via Facebook Jan. 23, 2017, @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOpera/photos/pcb.10158246590790533/10158246583705533/

For further information:

“Debut: Aleksandra Kurzak.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 351104 Les Contes d'Hoffmann {233} Metropolitan Opera House: 12/10/2004.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=351104

“Debut: Alexander Vinogradov.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 356929 Luisa Miller {87} Metropolitan Opera House: 12/10/2004.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=356929

“Debut: Guanqun Yu.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 354555 Il Trovatore {626} Metropolitan Opera House: 03/29/2018.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=354555

“Debut: Kyle Ketelsen.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 351503 Tosca {874} Metropolitan Opera House: 04/22/2006.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=351503

“Debut: Michael Todd Simpson.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 353209 Les Contes d’Hoffmann {241} Metropolitan Opera House: 12/03/2009.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=353209

“Debut: Susanna Phillips.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 352749 La Bohème {1201} Metropolitan Opera House: 12/15/2008.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=352749

“Debut: Yonghoon Lee, Maxime de Toledo.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 353647 Don Carlo {193} Metropolitan Opera House: 11/29/2010.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=353647

“Debuts: Clémentine Margaine, Rafael Davila, Shirin Eskandani.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 356599 Carmen {1002} Metropolitan Opera House: 01/19/2017.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=356599

“Debuts: Louis Langrée, Sasha Cooke, Michele Losier, Jacqueline Antaramian, Mark Capri.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 352202 New Production Iphigénie en Tauride {6} Metropolitan Opera House: 11/27/2007.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=352202

“Debuts: Roberto Alagna, William Shimell, Simone Young.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 323890 La Bohème {1031} Metropolitan Opera House: 04/10/1996.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=323890

Ives, George Burnham, trans. Prosper Mérimée. Little French Masterpieces. New York, NY; London, England: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1903.
Available via Internet Archive @ https://archive.org/details/prospermrime00mrgoog

Marriner, Derdriu. “2018-2019 Met Opera Season Premiere of Carmen Is Tuesday, Oct. 30.” Earth and Space News. Monday, Oct. 22, 2018.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2018/10/2018-2019-met-opera-season-premiere-of_22.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “2018-2019 Met Opera Season’s 10th Week Offers Bizet, Boito and Puccini.” Earth and Space News. Monday, Nov. 19, 2018.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2018/11/2018-2019-met-opera-seasons-10th-week.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “Carmen Is the Feb. 11, 2017, Metropolitan Opera Saturday Matinee Broadcast.” Earth and Space News. Monday, Feb. 6, 2017.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2017/02/carmen-is-feb-11-2017-metropolitan.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “Marnie is the Jan. 26, 2019, Met Opera Saturday Matinee Broadcast.” Earth and Space News. Monday, Jan. 26, 2019.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/01/marnie-is-jan-26-2019-met-opera.html

Mérimée, Prosper. Carmen. Paris, France: Michel Lévy Frères, 1846.
Available via Gallica -- The BnF (Bibliothèque nationale de France) Digital Library @ https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b86267256/f9.image

The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera. “Clémentine Margaine in the title role of Bizet's Carmen is on stage tonight, 1/23. Performances through Feb 18: bit.ly/2j6SKAH Photo by Marty Sohl/Metropolitan Opera.” Facebook. Jan. 23, 2017.
Available @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOpera/photos/pcb.10158246590790533/10158246583705533/

“Metropolitan Opera Premiere: Carmen.” [Met Performance] CID: 1560 Metropolitan Opera Premiere Carmen {1} Boston Theatre, Boston, Massachusetts: 01/5/1884.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=1560

“New Production: Carmen.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 353274 New Production Carmen {946} Metropolitan Opera House: 12/31/2009.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=353274

Operatraveller @Operatraveller. “I had a most cordial chat with the magnificent Clémentine Margaine where we discussed Concepción, Carmen, pushing the limits, and the joy of working with colleagues.” Twitter. June 2, 2018.
Available @ https://twitter.com/Operatraveller/status/1002862950271651840

Paul Selar‏ @OperaChaser. “Over the times I've seen this @MetOpera Carmen, I appreciate more and more Sir Richard Eyre's lively thoughtful direction. The tears rolled.” Twitter. Feb. 11, 2017.
Available @ https://twitter.com/OperaChaser/status/830551946339639296