Carmen: An opera in four acts by Georges Bizet How free are we really…? On Love and Freedom This overarching theme describes the excellent opera selections for this year’s Taranto Opera Festival! Carmen is an intoxicatingly beautiful and powerful gypsy. She chooses her freedom to live life, and love, on her own terms. But does she ultimately? While working in a tobacco factory by day, and supporting smugglers by night, Carmen enjoys the freedom to sing, dance and seduce. With Don Jose it is the challenge of converting him from a good soldier and fiance to Michaela, to being with the band of smugglers. A moral choice he hates. Carmen tires of Don Jose and finds love in the arms of Escamillo, the victorious Toreador - much to Don Jose’s anger and jealousy. How will this love triangle finish? Will the bull win? Does love win? Bizet’s timeless classic is filled with beautiful music that is sung, performed and remembered centuries later. Cast Characters & Performers Carmen – FEDERICA CARNEVALE Don José – UGO TARQUINI Micaela – LAURA ESPOSITO Escamillo – LUCA BRUNO Frasquita – RIPALTA BUFO Mercédès – ELEONORA BAVIA Zuniga – STEFANO RINALDI MILIANI Il Dancairo, Il Remendado, Moralès – Students from the “Domenico Savino Summer Academy” Jimmy Chiang – Conductor Gianluca Chiera – Stage Director Orchestra del Taranto Opera Festival Lyric Choir “Tarenti Cantores” Tiziana Spagnoletta – Choral Conductor Tarenti Singers Chorus of White Voices “children’s choir” “Domenico Savino” in collaborazione con l’I.C. S.G. Bosco di Taranto Roberto Ceci – Conductor Children’s Choir Angela Massafra – Stage and Scene Director Francesco Buccoliero – Collaborator/Coordinator Cira Marangi – Choreographer Ballet Corps – Accademia di Arte e Movimento “Sublime Rouge” di Grottaglie (Ta) Damiano Pastoressa – Set Designer Angela Gassi - Costume Deisgner Attilio Mela – Voiceover Artist, Vocal Coach