Stratos Papanoussis
Natassa Siouta - Aleksander Neskov
Maria Kousouni (7,8/10)
Eleana Andreoudi (11, 13/10) - Vangelis Bikos
Popi Sakellaropoulou - Danilo Zeka
Vanessa Kourkoulou - Thanassis Solomos
Mania Karavassili - Elton Dimrochi
Anna Fragou - Agapios Agapiadis
Eleana Andreoudi (7,8/10)
Vicky Tsirogianni (11, 13/10) - Michalis Pappas
Eleni Kladou - Yiannis Benetos

With Orchestra, Principal Dancers, Soloists, Demi-Soloists and the Corps de Ballet of GNO

SOLOIST
Julia Souglakou
Tzina Poulou
Eleni Davou
Yannis Christopoulos
Petros Magoulas

SOLOISTS
Vassiliki Karayanni
Yannis Christopoulos

PIANO
Domna Chalari

SOLOISTS
Cellia Costea
Dimitri Platanias
Dimitris Paksoglou

OPINION PUBLIQUE
Ioanna Kokovika (15/7)
Stella Kavvadia (16/7)

ORPHÉE
Yannis Christopoulos (15, 16/7)

EURYDICE
Erophile Papadogia (15/7)
Elisabeth-Nefeli Papageorgiou (16/7)

PLUTON
Nikolaos Katsigiannis (15, 16/7)

CUPIDON
Christina Asimakopoulou (15/7)
Ioanna Karamolegou (16/7)

JUPITER
Nikos Masourakis (15, 16/7)

JUNON
Lydia Angelopoulou (15, 16/7)

MULTITALENT
Arkadios Rakopoulos (15, 16/7)

VOCAL ENSEMBLE
Christina Asimakopoulou (16/7)
Stella Kavvadia (15/7)
Ioanna Karamolegou (15/7)
Ioanna Kokovika (16/7)
Elisabeth-Nefeli Papageorgiou (15/7)
Erophile Papadogia (16/7)
Marialena Varela (15, 16/7)
Demosthenes Vlachos (15, 16/7)

DIRECTION
Angela-Kleopatra Saroglou

SETS
Yorgos Kollios

COSTUMES
Alexia Theodoraki

LIGHTS
Spyros Tzoras

PIANO
Yiannis Tsanakaliotis

12 July 2015
Open-air Municipal Theatre of Zografou
Starts at 21.00 |
Free admission

FLORIA TOSCA
Dimitra Theodossiou (14, 17/6)
Cellia Costea (16, 18/6)

ΜARIO CAVARADOSSI
Roberto Aronica (14, 17/6)
Rudy Park (16, 18/6)

ΒARON SCARPIA
Dimitri Platanias (14, 16, 18/6)
Francesco Landolfi (17/6)

CESARE ANGELOTTI
Petros Magoulas (14, 16, 17, 18/6)

SACRISTAN
Dimitris Kassioumis (14, 16, 17, 18/6)

SCIARRONE
Vangelis Maniatis (14, 16, 17, 18/6)

SHEPHERD BOY
Christine Assimakopoulou (14, 16, 17, 18/6)

GAOLER
Christos Amvrazis (14, 16, 17, 18/6)

SPOLETTA
Charalambos Alexandropoulos (14, 16, 17, 18/6)

With the Orchestra, Chorus and Children's Chorus of the GNO within the framework of its educational program

VESPETTA
Myrsini Margariti

PIMPINONE
Vangelis Maniatis

LOULA
Lydia Zervanou

GEORGE
Dimitris Nalbantis

FIROULIS
Christos Lazos

MERLOUTSOS
Kostis Rasidakis

XENI
Vassiliki Petrogianni

DON JOSÉ
Yannis Christopoulos
Philippos Modinos
Dimitris Paksoglou
Dimitris Sigalos

ESCAMILLO/MORALLÈS
Akis Laloussis
Arkadios Rakopoulos
Yannis Selitsaniotis
Dionyssis Tsantinis

ZUNIGA/LE DANCAÏRE
Nikolaos Karagiaouris
Giorgos Mattheakakis
Costas Mavrogenis
Dionyssis Tsantinis

CARMEN
Kassandra Dimopoulou
Diamanti Kritsotaki
Marissia Papalexiou
Ines Zikou

MICAËLA/FRASQUITA
Antonia Kalogirou
Sofia Mitropoulou
Despina Skarlatou

MERCÉDÈS
Eleni Davou
Athina Kastrinaki
Vicky Tsiliakou
Maria Vlachopoulou

Act I / At a café in a square of Seville, soldiers comment leisurely on the passers-by while waiting for Carmen who works nearby to show up. Eventually, Carmen comes and almost threatens her admirers by singing a song about the fickle nature of love. Reacting to Zuniga's persistent flirt, she takes refuge to Don José by kissing him in a provocative manner and throwing him a flower. Although Don José seems to be annoyed, he keeps the flower. Carmen and Mercédès return to work. Micaëla enters the stage and gives José a kiss and a letter from his mother. In the letter his mother designates Micaëla as a suitable wife for him. Voices are heard, Carmen and Zuniga enter the stage again, but this time in dispute. Carmen keeps a suspicious object in her bag, but she won't give any explanations. Zuniga asks Don José to lead her to prison. Once they are left alone, Carmen charms the officer and in exchange of liberating her she pledges her love to him. Don José helps her escape.

Act II / In a bar. Carmen and Mercédès work night shift. Escamillo, the famous toreador, arrives. Carmen seems to be disinterested, but she lets him hope. Don José arrives and Carmen joyously dances for his sake. When he explains to her that duty calls him and has to leave, Carmen is outraged; she remains unmoved both at the view of the flower of their first encounter and by his marriage proposal. As she explains, if he loves her, he must leave her and make a fresh start someplace else. The lieutenant of the guards (Zuniga) returns hoping to find Carmen alone. Don José, jealous of Zuniga, attacks him. Now he has no other choice but to follow Carmen.

Act III / In a deserted place where Carmen and Don José have taken refuge. Micaëla comes dispirited only to inform Don José that his mother is dying. When she perceives that someone is following her, she hides. The person following her is Escamillo who has come to claim Carmen. Don José is furious and challenges him in a duel. At this point Carmen interrupts them and Escamillo invites everyone to his next bullfighting. Micaëla turns up informing Don José that his mother is on her death bed. He threatens Carmen and follows the girl. Carmen is mesmerised by Escamillo and follows his voice.

Act IV / In Escamillo's dressing room. Carmen helps him in his preparations for the arena. Escamillo bids her a warm goodbye and enters the arena. Carmen is left alone and watches the bullfighting on a monitor. Don José rushes in and insists on her following him. She openly tells him that she does not love him and that she would rather die than losing her freedom. Through the arena she can hear the cheering crowd and she is about to dash and take a taste of Escamillo's triumph, but Don José stands in her way. She gives him back the ring he had given her as a token of his love and kills her the very moment the bull strikes a deadly blow at Escamillo.

Director's note / Although today Carmen is synonymous with Spain, nobody remembers that its composer had never visited the Iberian Peninsula before composing this work that was to reserve him a place amongst the most celebrated opera composers. In the abridged version of the work we prepared for the Suitcase Opera, our aim was to narrate the story from a different angle with regard to Spain and its particular character. We kept intact the opera's dramatic core in which the dynamic rapport that develops among the main characters is skilfully outlined through music and dramatic performance. However, the grand spectacle and the vivid, crowded scenes were left out. In essence, every abridged version is a new creation. Consequently, our intent was to place our own Carmen in the Spain of the 1990s, in Seville; a city whose history is always evident and where the past encounters the present, and both engage in a discourse with daily life.
Almodovar's films are our focal point of reference as far the aesthetics are concerned. Through his cinematography we saw Spain from a different viewpoint and we became familiarised with the country, perhaps more than Bizet was in his time. Our version presents two different worlds that meet and eventually come into conflict: on the one hand we see the conservative, Catholic and provincial Spain (especially Southern Spain); on the other hand there is the emancipated Spain and its big cities of the post-Franco era, the way it is depicted in Almodovar's films. The gypsy element was consciously omitted from our narration because in the past it bore different connotations from today and especially because in the original text it is used as an explanation for the deviant nature of Carmen and her comrades. Our decision to dispense with this outdated pseudo-exotic element did not emerge from the need to be politically correct, but rather from our choice to be more loyal to the spirit of the work and our decision to depict Carmen as a contemporary woman who is trying to survive by working day and night. She is a woman who knows the nitty-gritty of the world both under the bright light of day and in the darkness of night, making her a lot more experienced than Don José who grew up in a safe bourgeois environment. Carmen does not aspire to have a family and children; she knows that her desires would cost her dearly. However, she had never imagined the price would be so high…

SOLOISTS
Cellia Costea (soprano)
Myrtò Papatanasiu (soprano)
Andrew Haji (tenor)

DON JOSÉ
Dimitris Sigalos

ESCAMILLO/MORALLÈS
Yannis Selitsaniotis

ZUNIGA/LE DANCAÏRE
Nikolaos Karagiaouris

CARMEN
Diamanti Kritsotaki

MICAËLA/FRASQUITA
Antonia Kalogirou

MERCÉDÈS
Athina Kastrinaki

VIOLETTA VALÉRY
Myrtò Papatanasiu (15, 17, 22/5)
Francesca Dotto (16, 20, 23/5)

FLORA BERVOIX
Angelica Cathariou (15, 16, 17/5)
Irini Athanassiou (20, 22, 23/5)

ANNINA
Alexandra Mattheoudaki (15, 17, 22/5)
Ekaterini Krassa (16, 20, 23/5)

ALFREDO GERMONT
Antonis Koroneos (15, 17, 22/5)
Yannis Christopoulos (16, 20, 23/5)

GIORGIO GERMONT
Dimitri Platanias (15, 17, 22/5)
Dionissis Sourbis (16, 20, 23/5)

GASTONE
Alex Tsilogiannis (15, 17, 22/5)
Nikos Tsaousis (16, 20, 23/5)

BARONE DOUPHOL
Kostas Dotsikas (15, 17, 22/5)
Christos Amvrazis (16, 20, 23/5)

MARCHESE D'OBIGNY
Nikolaos Karagkiaouris (15, 17. 22/5)
Vassilis Kostopoulos (16, 20, 23/5)

DOTTORE GRENVIL
Dionyssis Tsantinis (15, 17, 22/5)
Pavlos Sampsakis (16, 20, 23/5)

GIUSEPPE
Thanassis Evangelou (15, 17, 22/5)
Manolis Lorentzos (16, 20, 23/5)

COMMISSIONER / SERVANT
Theodore Moraitis (15, 17, 22/5)
Vasilis Asimakopoulos (16, 20, 23/5)

With the GNO Orchestra and Chorus and members of the GNO Ballet

DON JOSÉ
Dimitris Sigalos

ESCAMILLO/MORALLÈS
Yannis Selitsaniotis

ZUNIGA/LE DANCAÏRE
Nikolaos Karagiaouris

CARMEN
Diamanti Kritsotaki

MICAËLA/FRASQUITA
Sofia Mitropoulou

MERCÉDÈS
Vicky Tsiliakou

Act I / At a café in a square of Seville, soldiers comment leisurely on the passers-by while waiting for Carmen who works nearby to show up. Eventually, Carmen comes and almost threatens her admirers by singing a song about the fickle nature of love. Reacting to Zuniga's persistent flirt, she takes refuge to Don José by kissing him in a provocative manner and throwing him a flower. Although Don José seems to be annoyed, he keeps the flower. Carmen and Mercédès return to work. Micaëla enters the stage and gives José a kiss and a letter from his mother. In the letter his mother designates Micaëla as a suitable wife for him. Voices are heard, Carmen and Zuniga enter the stage again, but this time in dispute. Carmen keeps a suspicious object in her bag, but she won't give any explanations. Zuniga asks Don José to lead her to prison. Once they are left alone, Carmen charms the officer and in exchange of liberating her she pledges her love to him. Don José helps her escape.

Act II / In a bar. Carmen and Mercédès work night shift. Escamillo, the famous toreador, arrives. Carmen seems to be disinterested, but she lets him hope. Don José arrives and Carmen joyously dances for his sake. When he explains to her that duty calls him and has to leave, Carmen is outraged; she remains unmoved both at the view of the flower of their first encounter and by his marriage proposal. As she explains, if he loves her, he must leave her and make a fresh start someplace else. The lieutenant of the guards (Zuniga) returns hoping to find Carmen alone. Don José, jealous of Zuniga, attacks him. Now he has no other choice but to follow Carmen.

Act III / In a deserted place where Carmen and Don José have taken refuge. Micaëla comes dispirited only to inform Don José that his mother is dying. When she perceives that someone is following her, she hides. The person following her is Escamillo who has come to claim Carmen. Don José is furious and challenges him in a duel. At this point Carmen interrupts them and Escamillo invites everyone to his next bullfighting. Micaëla turns up informing Don José that his mother is on her death bed. He threatens Carmen and follows the girl. Carmen is mesmerised by Escamillo and follows his voice.

Act IV / In Escamillo's dressing room. Carmen helps him in his preparations for the arena. Escamillo bids her a warm goodbye and enters the arena. Carmen is left alone and watches the bullfighting on a monitor. Don José rushes in and insists on her following him. She openly tells him that she does not love him and that she would rather die than losing her freedom. Through the arena she can hear the cheering crowd and she is about to dash and take a taste of Escamillo's triumph, but Don José stands in her way. She gives him back the ring he had given her as a token of his love and kills her the very moment the bull strikes a deadly blow at Escamillo.

Director's note / Although today Carmen is synonymous with Spain, nobody remembers that its composer had never visited the Iberian Peninsula before composing this work that was to reserve him a place amongst the most celebrated opera composers. In the abridged version of the work we prepared for the Suitcase Opera, our aim was to narrate the story from a different angle with regard to Spain and its particular character. We kept intact the opera's dramatic core in which the dynamic rapport that develops among the main characters is skilfully outlined through music and dramatic performance. However, the grand spectacle and the vivid, crowded scenes were left out. In essence, every abridged version is a new creation. Consequently, our intent was to place our own Carmen in the Spain of the 1990s, in Seville; a city whose history is always evident and where the past encounters the present, and both engage in a discourse with daily life.
Almodovar's films are our focal point of reference as far the aesthetics are concerned. Through his cinematography we saw Spain from a different viewpoint and we became familiarised with the country, perhaps more than Bizet was in his time. Our version presents two different worlds that meet and eventually come into conflict: on the one hand we see the conservative, Catholic and provincial Spain (especially Southern Spain); on the other hand there is the emancipated Spain and its big cities of the post-Franco era, the way it is depicted in Almodovar's films. The gypsy element was consciously omitted from our narration because in the past it bore different connotations from today and especially because in the original text it is used as an explanation for the deviant nature of Carmen and her comrades. Our decision to dispense with this outdated pseudo-exotic element did not emerge from the need to be politically correct, but rather from our choice to be more loyal to the spirit of the work and our decision to depict Carmen as a contemporary woman who is trying to survive by working day and night. She is a woman who knows the nitty-gritty of the world both under the bright light of day and in the darkness of night, making her a lot more experienced than Don José who grew up in a safe bourgeois environment. Carmen does not aspire to have a family and children; she knows that her desires would cost her dearly. However, she had never imagined the price would be so high…

VIOLIN
Panagiotis Tziotis

DON JOSÉ
Dimitris Sigalos

ESCAMILLO/MORALLÈS
Yannis Selitsaniotis

ZUNIGA/LE DANCAÏRE
Nikolaos Karagiaouris

CARMEN
Diamanti Kritsotaki

MICAËLA/FRASQUITA
Sofia Mitropoulou

MERCÉDÈS
Vicky Tsiliakou

Act I / At a café in a square of Seville, soldiers comment leisurely on the passers-by while waiting for Carmen who works nearby to show up. Eventually, Carmen comes and almost threatens her admirers by singing a song about the fickle nature of love. Reacting to Zuniga's persistent flirt, she takes refuge to Don José by kissing him in a provocative manner and throwing him a flower. Although Don José seems to be annoyed, he keeps the flower. Carmen and Mercédès return to work. Micaëla enters the stage and gives José a kiss and a letter from his mother. In the letter his mother designates Micaëla as a suitable wife for him. Voices are heard, Carmen and Zuniga enter the stage again, but this time in dispute. Carmen keeps a suspicious object in her bag, but she won't give any explanations. Zuniga asks Don José to lead her to prison. Once they are left alone, Carmen charms the officer and in exchange of liberating her she pledges her love to him. Don José helps her escape.

Act II / In a bar. Carmen and Mercédès work night shift. Escamillo, the famous toreador, arrives. Carmen seems to be disinterested, but she lets him hope. Don José arrives and Carmen joyously dances for his sake. When he explains to her that duty calls him and has to leave, Carmen is outraged; she remains unmoved both at the view of the flower of their first encounter and by his marriage proposal. As she explains, if he loves her, he must leave her and make a fresh start someplace else. The lieutenant of the guards (Zuniga) returns hoping to find Carmen alone. Don José, jealous of Zuniga, attacks him. Now he has no other choice but to follow Carmen.

Act III / In a deserted place where Carmen and Don José have taken refuge. Micaëla comes dispirited only to inform Don José that his mother is dying. When she perceives that someone is following her, she hides. The person following her is Escamillo who has come to claim Carmen. Don José is furious and challenges him in a duel. At this point Carmen interrupts them and Escamillo invites everyone to his next bullfighting. Micaëla turns up informing Don José that his mother is on her death bed. He threatens Carmen and follows the girl. Carmen is mesmerised by Escamillo and follows his voice.

Act IV / In Escamillo's dressing room. Carmen helps him in his preparations for the arena. Escamillo bids her a warm goodbye and enters the arena. Carmen is left alone and watches the bullfighting on a monitor. Don José rushes in and insists on her following him. She openly tells him that she does not love him and that she would rather die than losing her freedom. Through the arena she can hear the cheering crowd and she is about to dash and take a taste of Escamillo's triumph, but Don José stands in her way. She gives him back the ring he had given her as a token of his love and kills her the very moment the bull strikes a deadly blow at Escamillo.

Director's note / Although today Carmen is synonymous with Spain, nobody remembers that its composer had never visited the Iberian Peninsula before composing this work that was to reserve him a place amongst the most celebrated opera composers. In the abridged version of the work we prepared for the Suitcase Opera, our aim was to narrate the story from a different angle with regard to Spain and its particular character. We kept intact the opera's dramatic core in which the dynamic rapport that develops among the main characters is skilfully outlined through music and dramatic performance. However, the grand spectacle and the vivid, crowded scenes were left out. In essence, every abridged version is a new creation. Consequently, our intent was to place our own Carmen in the Spain of the 1990s, in Seville; a city whose history is always evident and where the past encounters the present, and both engage in a discourse with daily life.
Almodovar's films are our focal point of reference as far the aesthetics are concerned. Through his cinematography we saw Spain from a different viewpoint and we became familiarised with the country, perhaps more than Bizet was in his time. Our version presents two different worlds that meet and eventually come into conflict: on the one hand we see the conservative, Catholic and provincial Spain (especially Southern Spain); on the other hand there is the emancipated Spain and its big cities of the post-Franco era, the way it is depicted in Almodovar's films. The gypsy element was consciously omitted from our narration because in the past it bore different connotations from today and especially because in the original text it is used as an explanation for the deviant nature of Carmen and her comrades. Our decision to dispense with this outdated pseudo-exotic element did not emerge from the need to be politically correct, but rather from our choice to be more loyal to the spirit of the work and our decision to depict Carmen as a contemporary woman who is trying to survive by working day and night. She is a woman who knows the nitty-gritty of the world both under the bright light of day and in the darkness of night, making her a lot more experienced than Don José who grew up in a safe bourgeois environment. Carmen does not aspire to have a family and children; she knows that her desires would cost her dearly. However, she had never imagined the price would be so high…

DON JOSÉ
Dimitris Paksoglou

ESCAMILLO/MORALLÈS
Yannis Selitsaniotis

ZUNIGA/LE DANCAÏRE
Costas Mavrogenis

CARMEN
Ines Zikou

MICAËLA/FRASQUITA
Sofia Mitropoulou

MERCÉDÈS
Eleni Davou

Act I / At a café in a square of Seville, soldiers comment leisurely on the passers-by while waiting for Carmen who works nearby to show up. Eventually, Carmen comes and almost threatens her admirers by singing a song about the fickle nature of love. Reacting to Zuniga's persistent flirt, she takes refuge to Don José by kissing him in a provocative manner and throwing him a flower. Although Don José seems to be annoyed, he keeps the flower. Carmen and Mercédès return to work. Micaëla enters the stage and gives José a kiss and a letter from his mother. In the letter his mother designates Micaëla as a suitable wife for him. Voices are heard, Carmen and Zuniga enter the stage again, but this time in dispute. Carmen keeps a suspicious object in her bag, but she won't give any explanations. Zuniga asks Don José to lead her to prison. Once they are left alone, Carmen charms the officer and in exchange of liberating her she pledges her love to him. Don José helps her escape.

Act II / In a bar. Carmen and Mercédès work night shift. Escamillo, the famous toreador, arrives. Carmen seems to be disinterested, but she lets him hope. Don José arrives and Carmen joyously dances for his sake. When he explains to her that duty calls him and has to leave, Carmen is outraged; she remains unmoved both at the view of the flower of their first encounter and by his marriage proposal. As she explains, if he loves her, he must leave her and make a fresh start someplace else. The lieutenant of the guards (Zuniga) returns hoping to find Carmen alone. Don José, jealous of Zuniga, attacks him. Now he has no other choice but to follow Carmen.

Act III / In a deserted place where Carmen and Don José have taken refuge. Micaëla comes dispirited only to inform Don José that his mother is dying. When she perceives that someone is following her, she hides. The person following her is Escamillo who has come to claim Carmen. Don José is furious and challenges him in a duel. At this point Carmen interrupts them and Escamillo invites everyone to his next bullfighting. Micaëla turns up informing Don José that his mother is on her death bed. He threatens Carmen and follows the girl. Carmen is mesmerised by Escamillo and follows his voice.

Act IV / In Escamillo's dressing room. Carmen helps him in his preparations for the arena. Escamillo bids her a warm goodbye and enters the arena. Carmen is left alone and watches the bullfighting on a monitor. Don José rushes in and insists on her following him. She openly tells him that she does not love him and that she would rather die than losing her freedom. Through the arena she can hear the cheering crowd and she is about to dash and take a taste of Escamillo's triumph, but Don José stands in her way. She gives him back the ring he had given her as a token of his love and kills her the very moment the bull strikes a deadly blow at Escamillo.

Director's note / Although today Carmen is synonymous with Spain, nobody remembers that its composer had never visited the Iberian Peninsula before composing this work that was to reserve him a place amongst the most celebrated opera composers. In the abridged version of the work we prepared for the Suitcase Opera, our aim was to narrate the story from a different angle with regard to Spain and its particular character. We kept intact the opera's dramatic core in which the dynamic rapport that develops among the main characters is skilfully outlined through music and dramatic performance. However, the grand spectacle and the vivid, crowded scenes were left out. In essence, every abridged version is a new creation. Consequently, our intent was to place our own Carmen in the Spain of the 1990s, in Seville; a city whose history is always evident and where the past encounters the present, and both engage in a discourse with daily life.
Almodovar's films are our focal point of reference as far the aesthetics are concerned. Through his cinematography we saw Spain from a different viewpoint and we became familiarised with the country, perhaps more than Bizet was in his time. Our version presents two different worlds that meet and eventually come into conflict: on the one hand we see the conservative, Catholic and provincial Spain (especially Southern Spain); on the other hand there is the emancipated Spain and its big cities of the post-Franco era, the way it is depicted in Almodovar's films. The gypsy element was consciously omitted from our narration because in the past it bore different connotations from today and especially because in the original text it is used as an explanation for the deviant nature of Carmen and her comrades. Our decision to dispense with this outdated pseudo-exotic element did not emerge from the need to be politically correct, but rather from our choice to be more loyal to the spirit of the work and our decision to depict Carmen as a contemporary woman who is trying to survive by working day and night. She is a woman who knows the nitty-gritty of the world both under the bright light of day and in the darkness of night, making her a lot more experienced than Don José who grew up in a safe bourgeois environment. Carmen does not aspire to have a family and children; she knows that her desires would cost her dearly. However, she had never imagined the price would be so high…

DON JOSÉ
Dimitris Paksoglou

ESCAMILLO/MORALLÈS
Yannis Selitsaniotis

ZUNIGA/LE DANCAÏRE
Costas Mavrogenis

CARMEN
Ines Zikou

MICAËLA/FRASQUITA
Sofia Mitropoulou

MERCÉDÈS
Eleni Davou

Act I / At a café in a square of Seville, soldiers comment leisurely on the passers-by while waiting for Carmen who works nearby to show up. Eventually, Carmen comes and almost threatens her admirers by singing a song about the fickle nature of love. Reacting to Zuniga's persistent flirt, she takes refuge to Don José by kissing him in a provocative manner and throwing him a flower. Although Don José seems to be annoyed, he keeps the flower. Carmen and Mercédès return to work. Micaëla enters the stage and gives José a kiss and a letter from his mother. In the letter his mother designates Micaëla as a suitable wife for him. Voices are heard, Carmen and Zuniga enter the stage again, but this time in dispute. Carmen keeps a suspicious object in her bag, but she won't give any explanations. Zuniga asks Don José to lead her to prison. Once they are left alone, Carmen charms the officer and in exchange of liberating her she pledges her love to him. Don José helps her escape.

Act II / In a bar. Carmen and Mercédès work night shift. Escamillo, the famous toreador, arrives. Carmen seems to be disinterested, but she lets him hope. Don José arrives and Carmen joyously dances for his sake. When he explains to her that duty calls him and has to leave, Carmen is outraged; she remains unmoved both at the view of the flower of their first encounter and by his marriage proposal. As she explains, if he loves her, he must leave her and make a fresh start someplace else. The lieutenant of the guards (Zuniga) returns hoping to find Carmen alone. Don José, jealous of Zuniga, attacks him. Now he has no other choice but to follow Carmen.

Act III / In a deserted place where Carmen and Don José have taken refuge. Micaëla comes dispirited only to inform Don José that his mother is dying. When she perceives that someone is following her, she hides. The person following her is Escamillo who has come to claim Carmen. Don José is furious and challenges him in a duel. At this point Carmen interrupts them and Escamillo invites everyone to his next bullfighting. Micaëla turns up informing Don José that his mother is on her death bed. He threatens Carmen and follows the girl. Carmen is mesmerised by Escamillo and follows his voice.

Act IV / In Escamillo's dressing room. Carmen helps him in his preparations for the arena. Escamillo bids her a warm goodbye and enters the arena. Carmen is left alone and watches the bullfighting on a monitor. Don José rushes in and insists on her following him. She openly tells him that she does not love him and that she would rather die than losing her freedom. Through the arena she can hear the cheering crowd and she is about to dash and take a taste of Escamillo's triumph, but Don José stands in her way. She gives him back the ring he had given her as a token of his love and kills her the very moment the bull strikes a deadly blow at Escamillo.

Director's note / Although today Carmen is synonymous with Spain, nobody remembers that its composer had never visited the Iberian Peninsula before composing this work that was to reserve him a place amongst the most celebrated opera composers. In the abridged version of the work we prepared for the Suitcase Opera, our aim was to narrate the story from a different angle with regard to Spain and its particular character. We kept intact the opera's dramatic core in which the dynamic rapport that develops among the main characters is skilfully outlined through music and dramatic performance. However, the grand spectacle and the vivid, crowded scenes were left out. In essence, every abridged version is a new creation. Consequently, our intent was to place our own Carmen in the Spain of the 1990s, in Seville; a city whose history is always evident and where the past encounters the present, and both engage in a discourse with daily life.
Almodovar's films are our focal point of reference as far the aesthetics are concerned. Through his cinematography we saw Spain from a different viewpoint and we became familiarised with the country, perhaps more than Bizet was in his time. Our version presents two different worlds that meet and eventually come into conflict: on the one hand we see the conservative, Catholic and provincial Spain (especially Southern Spain); on the other hand there is the emancipated Spain and its big cities of the post-Franco era, the way it is depicted in Almodovar's films. The gypsy element was consciously omitted from our narration because in the past it bore different connotations from today and especially because in the original text it is used as an explanation for the deviant nature of Carmen and her comrades. Our decision to dispense with this outdated pseudo-exotic element did not emerge from the need to be politically correct, but rather from our choice to be more loyal to the spirit of the work and our decision to depict Carmen as a contemporary woman who is trying to survive by working day and night. She is a woman who knows the nitty-gritty of the world both under the bright light of day and in the darkness of night, making her a lot more experienced than Don José who grew up in a safe bourgeois environment. Carmen does not aspire to have a family and children; she knows that her desires would cost her dearly. However, she had never imagined the price would be so high…