Evans Mirageas Explores Daily Makings Of "Carmen" In Cincinnati

Evan Mirageas, The Harry T. Wilkins Artistic Director for Cincinnati Opera, has devised a unique marketing tool to spread the word about the company's upcoming production of Bizet's Carmen. On May 20, the first video hit YouTube titled "Evan's Daily Digest - Carmen Day 1." The videos now total 12 and continue to multiply. Each segment offers a day-to-day behind the scenes look at the building of the opera. Some episodes even feature trivia about locations the Cincinnati Opera has performed in the past, like the Cincinnati Zoo. Other factoids include why we say "break a leg" to performers just before curtain. It's an ingenious way to engage audiences before they arrive at the opera on opening night June 12. You can watch all of the videos by clicking here.  More about Evans Mirageas and rehearsal photos after the jump.

L'amour est un oiseau rebelle: Carmen (Stacey Rishoi) plays hard-to-get
during rehearsal for Cincinnati Opera's production, directed by Alain Gauthier,
that opens June 12. For tickets, click here.

EVAN MIRAGEAS
"Evans Mirageas is in his ninth season as The Harry T. Wilks Artistic Director of Cincinnati Opera. Widely considered one of the most talented and respected artistic leaders in the classical music industry today, Mirageas brings to Cincinnati Opera a broad range of experience in both opera and symphonic music, as well as a long history of successful part­nerships with many of the world’s leading singers and conductors. Mirageas’s varied career in classical music has included radio production with the nationally renowned WFMT radio station in Chicago, Artistic Administrator to Seiji Ozawa at the Boston Symphony, and Senior Vice President of Artists and Repertoire for the Decca Record Company. In addition, he is an award-winning record producer, lecturer, interviewer, presenter, and awards panelist. He is also the Vice President for Artistic Planning for The Atlanta Symphony. Since 1999, Mirageas has served as an independent artistic advisor to conductors, instrumentalists, sing­ers, symphony orchestras, opera companies, and other performing arts organizations throughout the United States and Europe." [Source]

Carmen, sung by Stacey Rishoi, flirts with the soldiers in rehearsal.

CARMEN 
"The mysterious Spanish beauty is an untamed spirit—hypnotic in her allure, coolly crushing hearts. When she tangles with José, an unsuspecting soldier, he’s blindsided, then spellbound, and soon, utterly obsessed. What begins as flirtation descends into something sinister...something from which Carmen may never escape. There’s a reason Carmen has endured as an all-time favorite—with one dazzling tune after another, Carmen never fails to satisfy. Our vibrant, new-to-Cincinnati production stars Stacey Rishoi in the title role, a singer admired for her 'seductive appearance and acting' and 'voice of fine beauty' (Opera News). As Carmen’s spurned lover, Don José, William Burden offers 'emotional range, high notes, and lyricism' (Chicago Tribune). Daniel Okulitch, 'full of swagger and rich, virile tone' (Opera Canada), is the cocky toreador, Escamillo. Laquita Mitchell is José’s trusting fiancée, Micaela." [Source]

Conductor Marc Piollet leads the orchestra in rehearsal.