The Wilmington Concert Opera Presents "Carmen" This Weekend | Delaware Public Media

The Wilmington Concert Opera Presents “Carmen” This Weekend | Delaware Public Media

by

The Wilmington Concert Opera brings Georges Bizet’s “Carmen” to Covenant Community Services in Wilmington for two performances this weekend.

Delaware Public Media reported that the production opens on Friday, November 13 at 7 pm, followed by a matinee on Sunday, November 15 at 2 pm. Admission to both Wilmington performances is free and open to the public.

Bizet’s classic ranks among the most-performed operas globally, accounting for over 16,000 stagings this century and more than 600 annual performances by professional companies. Artistic Director Kirsten C. Kunkle pointed to the score’s inescapable cultural footprint as a driving force behind its lasting appeal.

“It’s music that we all know,” Kunkle told Delaware Public Media. “It’s music that we’ve heard in movies and on TV for our entire lives.”

Beyond the familiar melodies, the production shifts its dramatic weight toward character depth and female empowerment. Director Kevin Patrick, who also performs the role of Escamillo, shaped the staging to highlight the women anchoring the narrative.

“They are very much women that you can identify with,” Kunkle said. “If you are a woman coming to the opera, you will find characteristics in them that you can identify with that make you feel more empowered.”

That lens redefines the title character, sung by Kunkle, moving her away from caricature and into complexity. The production portrays Carmen as bold, manipulative, and determined to resist external control.

“She’s very bold with her intentions,” Kunkle said. “She’s extremely manipulative, and she also isn’t going to let anyone control her.”

The company uses the intimacy of the performance spaces to heighten the stakes between Carmen, Don José, Escamillo, and Mercedes. Kunkle said that this focused character work distinguishes their interpretation from other productions.

“I think because we have this intention to make this focus on the strong women, that is going to set us apart from other productions,” Kunkle said.

Arts coverage at Delaware Public Media receives support from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency dedicated to nurturing and supporting the arts in Delaware, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts.

Keep reading

Read next