Hi all! Here in Florence it’s been all about the Renaissance. We have seen so much amazing art and architecture that amazes me every single day. One night a few of us decided to part from the Renaissance theme of Florence and go see the opera Carmen by George Bizet.
For those of you who may not know, Carmen is a tragic love story set in Seville about a girl who is a gypsy. She and a soldier, Don José, fall in love, but their love is not acceptable because of the difference in status. Don José leaves his post to be with Carmen, but eventually Carmen becomes bored with him and tells him to go back to his mother. In the last scene, Carmen is with a new man, Escamillo, the bullfighter. When Don José sees this, he is so angry that he stabs and kills Carmen.
So after dinner one night Margaret, Catherine Anne, Heather, and I went across the Arno to a charming little church where the opera was being performed. I have seen Carmen in a large stage production, so I was surprised at the small size of the church and a little skeptical that this amazing opera could be performed in small space, but it was an absolutely incredible production. The actors had great voices and they were able to interact with the audience because of the small size, which made the experience very fun and special.
This opera was a great experience and all four of us are very happy we were able to see it!
– Hannah
Italy 2012