Over 80 students at LA's "Arts High" present "Carmen High"
Jenine Baines
March 02, 2009
When the Opéra Comique of Paris presented Georges Bizet´s opera Carmen, the initial response was not exactly positive. Ticket sales lagged and critics denounced the production as "low" and "immoral." Bizet himself gave his detractors plenty of ammunition, saying, "As a musician I tell you that if you were to suppress adultery, fanaticism, crime, evil, the supernatural, there would no longer be the means for writing one note."
But while, today, Carmen is number four on Opera America's list of the 20 most-performed operas in North America, mezzo soprano Stephanie Vlahos – founder and artistic director of the Full Circle Opera Project, which will present "Carmen High" at the Luckman Theater in Los Angeles on March 27 at 7:30 p.m. and March 28 at 8 p.m. – is concerned that one audience in particular has yet to discover what a powerful, moving and relevant experience ´a night at the opera´ can be: teenagers. And, with "Carmen High," Vlahos is doing something about it.
"The Full Circle Opera Project is dedicated to promoting the classical arts in a fresh, new way," explains Vlahos, a professional opera singer who has performed worldwide and served as house mezzo-soprano for Los Angeles Opera for seven years. "With Carmen High, we´ve taken Bizet´s original opera and recast it as a high school drama rife with issues that are current to the real high school experience. Peer pressure, bullying, teen pregnancy, violence and what happens to those who are marginalized – all are incorporated into the opera. But, at the same time, we remain true to Bizet´s music and concept. I think Bizet, realist that he was, would approve."
For example, in Carmen High´s version of the famous "Seguedilla" scene in Act I, Carmen, a popular cheerleader who is often at odds with the school principal, Mr. Zuniga, flirts with Jose, an introverted, nerdy classmate. Despite the fact that Escamillo, the star of the football team, is obviously showing interest in Carmen, it is Jose Carmen invites to a party.
"This Friday night at Frasquita´s, I know of a certain party," Carmen sings note by note to Bizet´s popular score. "We´ll dance and we´ll drink and the music will be playing till morning…And her parents won´t be there to stop us!"
However, unlike other outreach programs – where adult singers typically mount a production geared for teen audiences and invite students to attend it – at the Full Circle Opera Project it´s kids themselves who are doing the heavy lifting. This year, over 80 students at the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts are participating in "Carmen High" – as cast members, dancers, musicians or part of the production team.
"There is no better way to appreciate opera than by doing it and, likewise, no better way to learn than through teaching," says Vlahos, who is known in Los Angeles, according the Associated Press, as "the moonlighting diva." "The Full Circle Opera Project does both. It´s dedicated to kids teaching kids."
Cast members include Celeste Rose as Carmen; Cameron Kush as Jose; Lily Ali-Oshatz as Micaela; Meghan Mahowald as Mercedes; Katie Colbert as Frasquita; Eugene Olea as Zuniga; Sammy Lopez as Dancairo; Kevin Gino as El Remandado; Andrew Rogers as Morales; and Alana Haim as the Rock 'n Roll muse.
By the looks of things, the cast is totally in sync with Vlahos´ vision. "This production portrays the truth about high school," says Cameron Kush, 18, who will continue his musical studies at New York University next year. "Even the things you would like to forget."
Adds Sarah Anderson, a junior who is understudying the role of Carmen, "Our depiction of Carmen in a high school setting is both beautiful and appropriate. Not everyone has opera in common, but everyone has high school in common."
Although the Full Circle Opera Project was recognized for excellence in 2002 by Performing Arts magazine and won an Award of Distinction from the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, Vlahos gives the students themselves full credit for the project´s success over the past ten years since it was founded. "The group is proactively engaging their peer groups without any reward but the satisfaction of doing it," she says. "I can´t begin to say how proud of them I am."
To learn more about "Carmen High," call the music office at 323 343 2569. Tickets are available for $20 for adults and $15 for students and may be purchased by calling the Luckman Theatre box office at 323.343.6600. "Carmen High" is sponsored by the Flora L. Thornton Foundation.
The Luckman Theater is located on the campus of Cal State LA, at 5151 State University Drive in Los Angeles. For more information about the Full Circle Opera Project, call 626. 529.3163 or visit www.myspace.com/fullcircleoperaproject.
But while, today, Carmen is number four on Opera America's list of the 20 most-performed operas in North America, mezzo soprano Stephanie Vlahos – founder and artistic director of the Full Circle Opera Project, which will present "Carmen High" at the Luckman Theater in Los Angeles on March 27 at 7:30 p.m. and March 28 at 8 p.m. – is concerned that one audience in particular has yet to discover what a powerful, moving and relevant experience ´a night at the opera´ can be: teenagers. And, with "Carmen High," Vlahos is doing something about it.
"The Full Circle Opera Project is dedicated to promoting the classical arts in a fresh, new way," explains Vlahos, a professional opera singer who has performed worldwide and served as house mezzo-soprano for Los Angeles Opera for seven years. "With Carmen High, we´ve taken Bizet´s original opera and recast it as a high school drama rife with issues that are current to the real high school experience. Peer pressure, bullying, teen pregnancy, violence and what happens to those who are marginalized – all are incorporated into the opera. But, at the same time, we remain true to Bizet´s music and concept. I think Bizet, realist that he was, would approve."
For example, in Carmen High´s version of the famous "Seguedilla" scene in Act I, Carmen, a popular cheerleader who is often at odds with the school principal, Mr. Zuniga, flirts with Jose, an introverted, nerdy classmate. Despite the fact that Escamillo, the star of the football team, is obviously showing interest in Carmen, it is Jose Carmen invites to a party.
"This Friday night at Frasquita´s, I know of a certain party," Carmen sings note by note to Bizet´s popular score. "We´ll dance and we´ll drink and the music will be playing till morning…And her parents won´t be there to stop us!"
However, unlike other outreach programs – where adult singers typically mount a production geared for teen audiences and invite students to attend it – at the Full Circle Opera Project it´s kids themselves who are doing the heavy lifting. This year, over 80 students at the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts are participating in "Carmen High" – as cast members, dancers, musicians or part of the production team.
"There is no better way to appreciate opera than by doing it and, likewise, no better way to learn than through teaching," says Vlahos, who is known in Los Angeles, according the Associated Press, as "the moonlighting diva." "The Full Circle Opera Project does both. It´s dedicated to kids teaching kids."
Cast members include Celeste Rose as Carmen; Cameron Kush as Jose; Lily Ali-Oshatz as Micaela; Meghan Mahowald as Mercedes; Katie Colbert as Frasquita; Eugene Olea as Zuniga; Sammy Lopez as Dancairo; Kevin Gino as El Remandado; Andrew Rogers as Morales; and Alana Haim as the Rock 'n Roll muse.
By the looks of things, the cast is totally in sync with Vlahos´ vision. "This production portrays the truth about high school," says Cameron Kush, 18, who will continue his musical studies at New York University next year. "Even the things you would like to forget."
Adds Sarah Anderson, a junior who is understudying the role of Carmen, "Our depiction of Carmen in a high school setting is both beautiful and appropriate. Not everyone has opera in common, but everyone has high school in common."
Although the Full Circle Opera Project was recognized for excellence in 2002 by Performing Arts magazine and won an Award of Distinction from the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, Vlahos gives the students themselves full credit for the project´s success over the past ten years since it was founded. "The group is proactively engaging their peer groups without any reward but the satisfaction of doing it," she says. "I can´t begin to say how proud of them I am."
To learn more about "Carmen High," call the music office at 323 343 2569. Tickets are available for $20 for adults and $15 for students and may be purchased by calling the Luckman Theatre box office at 323.343.6600. "Carmen High" is sponsored by the Flora L. Thornton Foundation.
The Luckman Theater is located on the campus of Cal State LA, at 5151 State University Drive in Los Angeles. For more information about the Full Circle Opera Project, call 626. 529.3163 or visit www.myspace.com/fullcircleoperaproject.
Print
Email
