INDY'S WEEKLY ALTERNATIVE NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTING ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

‘Carmen’: the Peter Brook version

by Editors

Most people are familiar with the story of Carmen — a tale of jealousy, love, sex and violence — whether they’ve seen Bizet’s opera or not. What folks may not realize is that in 1981, the great British theater visionary Peter Brook, along with Jean-Claude Carriere, created a chamber version of The Tragedy of Carmen that reduces the cast of the production to four singers and three actors, the orchestra to a 12-piece ensemble and the running time from three hours to 80 minutes.

-Manuel Arteaga, baritone, as Escamillo in the Butler Theatre/Indianapolis Opera collaboration of ‘Carmen’ April 14-25; 940-9659.-

This revolutionary version of the Carmen story has enjoyed great success with audiences around the world. Local audiences will now get to experience this production thanks to a collaboration between Butler Theatre, the Indianapolis Opera and the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra. Butler’s John Green will direct with the IO’s James Caraher.

Indianapolis performances will be held at 8 p.m. April 14 to 18 and April 22 to 24, and at 2 p.m. April 17, 18, 24 and 25 in the Butler Black Box Theatre, Lilly Hall, Room 168. Tickets are $30. For more information, call 940-9659. Butler University is located at 4600 Sunset Ave.