ARTS

PT
Presentation & Art by
Monique Delorino
9-Nuclearchemists
Option 1. Costume and Props Design for
Romantic Opera
Research about the French Opera, Carmen
Write a summary of the plot of this French Opera.

It is 1820 in Seville, Spain, when Carmen, a wild provocative gypsy tries to fascinate each and every individual, seducing
some men here and there. Everyone seemed to fall for her charms except for one soldier, Don Jose. Carmen throws him a
flower as he pretends not to care, hiding the flower when his girlfriend, Micaela appears. A fight arises between a lady and
Carmen, prompting Don Jose to do his job as a solider and tries to arrest Carmen. Carmen seduces her way out of the
situation and escapes, resulting in Jose’s arrest for breach of duty. In a tavern one month later, Carmen meets a bullfighter
named Escamillo. He attempts to flirt with Carmen, who rejects him as she waits for Jose’s release from prison. Jose arrives
short after as Carmen entertains the man with her dancing skills. As Jose was about to leave for the barracks, Carmen
taunts him, saying that if he truly loved her, he would run off with her. Jose shows the flower that Carmen had given him
the month before, proving his love for her. Suddenly, Jose’s lieutenant proceeds to arrest Carmen. The two argue and later
on fight, and are parted by Carmen’s gang of smugglers. As Jose violated more rules by attacking a superior officer, he had
no choice but to run away with Carmen to the mountains. Not long after their stay in the mountains, Carmen gets bored of
Jose and suggests that he goes home to his mother. Escamillo appears and invites everyone to his next bullfight. During the
bullfight, Carmen is seen between Escamillo’s arms, running into Jose outside the arena. Jose once again tells Carmen that
they run away, but Carmen refuses, saying she was born free and will die free. Jose stabs her to death as he lets his jealousy
and anger take over him as the crowd in the arena rejoices in Escamillo’s victory.
 Process Questions

a. What does the opera Carmen say about European Society around the 1870’s?
- Carmen, as created by Bizet, has become the stereotypical Spanish woman of the 19th century in
the popular imagination. She's hedonistic, impetuous, hot-tempered and cold-hearted. She's
lovestruck and a femme fatale at the same time. It's ironic, then, that this quintessential Spanish
woman… was created by a Frenchman.
b. How do you think life would be without the plays and operas?
- Life without plays and operas would be boring and bland, without any way to convey artistic
emotions into words and into life.
c. How does the elements and principles of art affect the creation and communication of meaning
in Western classical theaters and operas?
- The combination of dramatic narrative, stagecraft and music, and especially the range and
vulnerability of the human voice, make opera the art form that comes closest to expressing pure
emotion. It is storytelling at its most vivid and manipulative. It is literally the works - singing,
acting, lighting, costume, production, orchestral playing, technical support etc., every aspect of the
performing arts. Well performed opera is a feast for the eyes and ears, an escape into another
world, sometimes romantic, sometimes tragic, at other turns humorous.