The story that shocked Paris at its premiere is now the world’s most favorite opera. Georges Bizet’s Carmen, opera’s ultimate femme fatal, is a woman not afraid to pursue her heart’s desires – whatever the consequences. A handsome soldier wins her affection and a glamorous bullfighter turns her head, but neither can tame her defiant spirit.

The story of Carmen will come to life on The Centrum stage with narration and song.

1. Cigarette Girls’ Chorus -  Klein Collins Vocal Ensemble
2. Habaňera -  Carmen and Ensemble
3. Duet -  Michaela and Don José
4. Seguidilla and Duet – Carmen and Don José
5. Gypsy Song - Carmen
6. Couplets (Toreador) - Escamillo, Frasqita, Carmen, Morales, chorus
7. Duet - Carmen and Don José
8. Aria: La fleur – Don José
9. Air: Je dis, que rien ne mepouvante – Michaela
10. Duet: Si tu maimes Carmen - Escamillo and Carmen
11. Duet and Final Chorus - Carmen and Don José, chorus

Cast
Carmen, a Gypsy Girl: Ashly Evans
Don José, Corporal of Dragoons: John Stevens
Micaela, a Village Maiden: Stephanie Northcutt
Escamillo, Toreador: James Rodriguez

Ensemble
Frasquita: Stephanie Northcutt
Morales: John Stevens
Chorus: Klein Collins Vocal Ensemble

Narrator: Clara Lewis
Performance Accompanist: Dr. Roger Keele
Chorus Directors: Jan Juneau and Christian Clark
Production Co-Directors: Clara Lewis and Jay Whatley

Ashly Evans, Mezzo soprano, is becoming one of the fastest emerging singers in the Midwest. Miss Evans’ wide range of operatic roles include Third Lady in Die Zauberflöte with New Jersey Opera, Buttercup in H.M.S. Pinafore and Louisa Hurst in the World Premiere of Pride and Prejudice at Ohio Light Opera. She also had the opportunity to sing the roles of Viktoria/Viktooria in the American Premiere of Rautavarra’s House of the Sun and Juno in Orpheus in the Underworld with Opera in the Ozarks. Miss Evans also performed over eight main stage roles with the University of Missouri at Kansas City’s Conservatory of Music and Dance including, Giulio Cesare in Giulio Cesare, Mrs. McLean in Susannah, Cherubino in Le Nozze di Figaro, Pitti-Sing in The Mikado and Hansel in Hansel and Gretel.

Stephanie Northcutt has performed with Portland Opera, Operafestival di Roma, Minnesota Opera, Chautauqua Opera, Caramoor Festival and Indianapolis Symphony. Stephanie has repeatedly been a guest Artist at Duke University. Performances include the Countess in Le nozze di Figaro, Soprano soloist in Brahms Requiem and Four Last Songs of Strauss. Her many awards include National Opera Association Finalist, Dallas Opera Guild Finalist, MTNA first runner-up (Nationals), NATS first place winner and MacAllister Award Regional Winner. She has been featured in Foundation of the Arts through Christian Enrichment’s “Promenade Series” in her programs “Romantic Rhapsody” and “Art and Soul”. Stephanie has a B.M.E from Texas Christian University and a M.M from Sam Houston State University. Stephanie is the creator and featured Artist on The Pearl Fincher Museum of Fine Arts at Cypress Creek Lullaby book and CD entitled “Hush… Don’t say a Word”. She was raised in Houston, Texas and currently resides in Missouri City, Texas with her husband Gary, and their sons Jake, and Zach.

James D. Rodriguez, Baritone, holds a Bachelor of Music from Southern Methodist University and this fall will begin his Master of Music degree at the Moores School of Music. His operatic portrayals include Figaro in Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro, Belcore in Donizetti’s L’Elisir D’Amore and Olin Blitch in Floyd’s Susannah, among others. He has been a young artist with the Rising Star Singers Opera Program and the Immanuel and Helen Olshan Texas Music Festival’s Le Chiavi di Bel Canto. Upcoming engagements include the role of Don Profondo in Rossini’s Il Viaggio a Reims with the Moores Opera Center.

John Stevens, Tenor, has performed over 30+ operas with the Houston Grand Opera as a Chorus Member/ Soloist since receiving a BA in Vocal Performance from Baylor University under the study of Dr. Jack Coldiron in 1998. Mr. Stevens is a frequent guest artist for churches and events across Texas and the greater Houston metropolitan area. During his studies at Baylor University, Mr. Stevens was a finalist and top 3 place winner in 1994, 1995, and 1997 National Association of Teachers of Singing, Texoma Region Solo Competition (Texas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico). In addition to Mr. Stevens musical interests, he is an avid outdoor enthusiast with a passion for big game hunting and fishing. By profession, Mr. Stevens is an entrepreneur focusing on Consulting Services through the entity, EverFind Resources, LLC and is currently pursuing Water Cleaning Technology’s for the Oil and Gas industry with Aspen Creative Technologies, a Colorado LLC.

Klein Collins Vocal Ensemble, Jan Juneau, Director; Christian Clark, Assistant Director
Kathryn Allen; Victoria Best; Joslyn Buzonas; Mary Dahdouh; Kaitlyn Donovan; Sarah Heptig; Kimbrely Jenkins; Carolena Lara; Alyssa Mardel; Zoe McSwain; Stephanie Reid; Sarah Roth; Nicole Stelter; Hannah Thomas; Sarah Young.
Randy Kirk, Klein Collins Principal; Monte Mast, Klein ISD Fine Arts Coordinator; Dr. Jim Cain, Klein ISD Superintendent

Dr. Roger Keele, Accompanist, holds the degree Doctor of Musical Arts in Choral Conducting from the Moores School of Music at the University of Houston.  As well, he holds Masters degrees  from the University of North Texas in Piano Performance and from the University of Illinois in Vocal Coaching and Accompanying where he studied with world-renowned coach-accompanist John Wustman.  An artist of unusual versatility, Keele has enjoyed success in fields as diverse as vocal coaching and accompanying, stage directing, and musical composition.  He has served on the faculties of the University of California at Santa Barbara and Texas Wesleyan University.  He served as the Assistant Director of the Houston Symphony Chorus in its 2002-2003 Season.  Currently he an adjunct faculty member of the music department at Lamar University in Beaumont and maintains a small private studio of singers and pianists.   Keele was for eight years the Director of Music at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Houston and the first Artistic Director of St. Cecilia Chamber Music Society.  He is a founding member of the Lone Star Lyric Theater Festival and serves as its Music Director.

Clara Lewis, Narrator & Production Co-Director, has served the arts community as Artistic Director of Cypress Creek FACE since May 1997. She has been music director of the Cypress Creek Christian Church and Community Center and Executive Director of community center operations for twenty-four years.  She is experienced in all phases of arts, performance and facilities management. She is also a founder The Pearl Fincher Museum of Fine Arts and former development coordinator, and is a founding director of the Cypress Creek Cultural District.  A graduate of Texas Christian University and former member of the TCU School of Education faculty, she has been active as a member of the ACDA, TCDA, TMEA, Chorus America, AGEHR, and was a summer faculty lecturer for the Southwestern University at Georgetown Church Music Institute.  She is treasurer of the board of Rita Guy Christian Music Ministry Inc. Ms. Lewis was a U.S. Delegate to IFCM World Choral Symposium held in Stockholm, Tallin, Estonia, and Helsinki, and conferences in Vancouver and Sidney, Australia and Copenhagen.  An accomplished musician and conductor, she has toured internationally with her choirs, performing at Cathedral Notre Dame in Paris, Salzburg Cathedral, and St. Paul’s Cathedral, London, and Carnegie Hall in New York City.

Jay Whatley, Production Co-Director, is Associate Professor of Music at Lone Star College – Kingwood, where he coordinates the applied keyboard, class piano & theory programs. In high demand as a collaborative artist, chamber musician, & continuo player, Whatley maintains an active & varied career at the state, regional & national levels. He has performed with such notable choral conductors as Robert Sund, Maria Guinand, Craig Jessop, Charles Bruffy, and Sigrid Johnson. He was recently selected to accompany the 2009 Texas Music Educators Association All-State Men’s Choir under the direction of Larry Kaptein, and also a large festival choir under the direction of Andre Thomas in February 2009. He collaborated with Allen Hightower and the SHSU Chorale in performances at TMEA (San Antonio) and ACDA (Miami), as well as on the Chorale’s tour of Italy. Solo organ recitals include Salzburg’s Dome Cathedral and Bath Abbey; he was guest soloist in a performance of Poulenc’s Organ Concerto at St. John’s Smith Square, London.

George Bizet (1838 – 1875)
Bizet won early success as a composer and initially as a pianist. His later career in Paris was more variable, and a number of stage works remained unfinished at the time of his early death, which took place as his most famous opera, Carmen, was enjoying increasing favour.
Bizet’s last opera, Carmen, is among the most famous of all operas, with its realistic Spanish setting and strongly dramatic story. Carmen was composed in 1855 and rediscovered and brought to popularity in 1935.  Concert audiences are familiar with two concert suites drawn from the opera. His melodrama L’Arlésienne, a collaboration with the writer Alphonse Daudet, was coolly received in the theatre. The two suites from the work are well known, the second arranged by Bizet’s friend Ernest Guiraud.
Bizet’s only surviving symphony, written in 1855, was rediscovered and first performed in 1935. Popular piano works include the two-piano Jeux d’enfants, Children’s Games.

Promenade Series Tickets: $12 adult, $10 senior, $6 child/student. Group tickets are also available for $8 each for groups of 10 or more.