The OPERAnauts will perform La Petite Carmen; its own adaptation of Bizet's Carmen arranged to underscore the senselessness of violence. In creating La Petite Carmen, Joy Bechtler looked back on her upbringing in Congo and forward to what would be accepted by Congolese audiences and artists today as she arranged an OPERA that would appeal to audiences in Congo and would bridge Congolese culture and the cultures of the Western World in order to promote understanding and awarenes among a global audience.
Music is a large part of Congolese culture and the opera form, though not traditionally performed in Congo, is closely related to the national consciousness. Similarly, the staging of the opera was planned with the resources and setting of the Congo in mind. The setting evokes an urban area in Congo, and was constructed in such a way that it wcould be adapted or re-created throughout Congo using what communities have available.
The costumes will be used on the Congolese tour. Seamstresses in Kinshasa hand-made the fabrics and international fashion designer Aruna Arya used the fabrics to create the costumes. Throughout the production, please notice the Africa-inspired choreography by award-winning choreographer Aya Shabu.
La Petite Carmen builds community and bridges cultures. Enjoy the show!
