By Charlene Baldridge | SDUN Theatre Critic
When: May 7 – 20; times vary by performance.
Where: Civic Center, 3rd & B Street Downtown San Diego
Info: (619) 533-7000
Web: sdopera.com
When Nino Surguladze was 7 years old, she curiously followed a line of kids to its end, whereupon she found herself at an audition being asked what she wanted to perform. “I guess I could sing a song,” Surguladze said, and the Tbilisi (Republic of Georgia) native commenced to give voice to a well-known Georgian folk tune. Two weeks later, a letter of acceptance arrived and Surguladze found herself enrolled in an academy for theatrically gifted students. Thus began the mezzo-soprano’s international career.
It wasn’t long before Surguladze was capturing attention. Even before she graduated, her voice teacher began entering her in vocal competitions, and in 2001 the Academy Studio of the prestigious La Scala opera house in Milan, Italy, selected her to make her professional debut as Marguerite in “La Damnation de Faust.” Since then, Surguladze has sung major roles in the great opera houses of Europe. She made her U.S. debut at Chicago Opera and her Metropolitan Opera debut last season as Maddalena in “Rigoletto.”
After hearing Surguladze sing the trouser role of Nicklausse and the Muse at Teatro Regio, San Diego Opera general and artistic director Ian Campbell engaged her to perform the title role in Georges Bizet’s 1875 tragedy, “Carmen,” which closes the season May 14-22 at the Civic Theatre. Thus the adult version of the brave, inquisitive little girl, who followed a line because she was curious, comes to San Diego as the fiery, sultry gypsy named Carmen.
The opera is set in Seville, Spain. Surguladze plays opposite tenor Richard Leech’s Don Jose, an innocent country boy enlisted in the army, who saves Carmen as she is led to prison for stabbing a coworker. When he is released from jail, Don Jose joins Carmen’s renegade gypsy band of smugglers. Along comes his old girlfriend from home (Micaela, played by soprano Talise Trevigne), who attempts to persuade him to return to his mamma. Smitten with Carmen, Don Jose refuses. When Carmen falls for a matador (Wayne Tigges) Don Jose is insanely jealous. He murders Carmen at the bullring, thus ending the tragedy Carmen foresaw all along.
Directed by Sonja Frisell and conducted by Edoardo Müller, “Carmen” is melodic, colorful and passionate. The music includes Carmen’s well-known and seductive “Habanera,” Don Jose’s haunting “Flower Song,” and Escamillo’s “Toreador’s Song.” One of the most performed and popular of grand operas, it is a thrilling conclusion for any city’s opera season. Performances take place at 7 p.m. Sat., May 14; 7 p.m. Tues., May 17; 8 p.m. Fri., May 20 and 2 p.m. Sun., May 20 at the Civic Theatre, 3rd and B Street, downtown San Diego. For information and tickets, visit: sdopera.com or call (619) 533-7000.
