TeenTix KC Blog Opera

Doors fly open as the set slowly starts to open and light begins to shine through cracks in the wall. Porgy slowly walks toward the light, looking into a future so bright he must close his eyes. And then, just as fast as the stage illuminated, it turns dark. These are the final moments of Porgy and Bess presented by the Lyric Opera of Kansas City.

It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a show that made me think so much about the material. Every character in this show feels so real and alive; I can feel each character's past, desires and emotions throughout. 

A group of soldiers. A cigarette factory. A woman named Carmen, whom all the men love. A soldier, Don José, initially shows no interest in Carmen. But Carmen has her eye on José. A turbulent love. A group of smugglers. The foreshadowing of death. A toreador in love with Carmen. A village girl in love with José. An argument. A bull fight. A murder. A suicide. A tragedy.

I went to see Carmen at the UMKC Conservatory on February 11th. I had never seen this opera before, but it has many famous songs, composed by Georges Bizet. The Habanera, “L'amour est un oiseau rebelle,” sung by Carmen (Samantha Georgiana), is instantly recognizable, with its simple melody. The Toreador song sung by Escamillo (Igor Vieria) is also very well known for its refrain. Some that sounded familiar to me were also "La fleur que tu m'avais jetée," sung by Don José (John Henrikson), and "Je dis que rien ne m'épouvante," sung by Micaëla (Yiyu Tang). 

This piece was written by a TeenTix KC teen who is learning about arts journalism. TeenTix KC seeks to engage teens in the arts and amplify their voices. This may be the first time this teen has publicly expressed their opinion about an arts experience. Thank you for reading this, and in doing so, supporting this teen’s development as an arts journalist.

There’s something special about the ferocity of women in opera. The bigness of the medium, all the lights and music and murder adds to the image of a woman who is almost divine in her nature. From Carmen to Tosca, a well-executed opera can make the audience feel as though they’re living the story themselves. I’m so glad TeenTix KC gives me the opportunity to attend them.