A stage adaptation of Carmen, Georges Bizet’s famous opera, was held on June 30 at the Château de Pibrac, near Toulouse.
For the reopening of concerts and festivities, this performance was held outdoors. On this occasion, the Vocalya troupe presented one of the most beautiful opera jewels, “Carmen” by Bizet.
Who is VOCALYA?
Vocalya is a troupe of around twenty amateur lyrical singers, led by Annelyse Aragou, lyrical artist and conservatory singing teacher. The singers thus revisit the greatest lyrical works of the French lyric repertoire.
In 2005, Annelyse Aragou and Stéphane Bonneel, flautist, created in Pibrac (31), the association Vocalya. The goal is to allow students to access the stage in professional conditions. Since then, many have joined a higher conservatory or a training center.
The association provides solid vocal and theatrical foundations. The work, skills and suitable conditions reward the talent of these amateurs. They can thus occur in recitals or shows, just like professionals.
Where does the troupe perform?
Originally from Pibrac, the troupe performs mainly in the region. It is illustrated at the Musical Theater of Pibrac (TMP) and outside as in Colomiers, St Lieux lès Lavaur, Balma, Belcastel or St Paul sur Save. She was also present in Toulouse at the “Kalinka” and at the “Tempo” theater of Léguevin.
What works are performed?
For about fifteen years, the troupe performed lyrical works. We will note “Orpheus in the Underworld”, “Bluebeard”, “The Traveler in the Moon” by Offenbach, “The Child with Spells” by Ravel, “Dédé et Phiphi” by Christiné, “The Cairo Caravan” by Grétry , “The Doctor Despite Himself” by Gounod, Fairy Queen and King Arthur “by Purcell and Carmen by Bizet.
Portrait of Annelyse Aragou
His youth and his beginnings
Annelyse Aragou is passionate about singing and piano. She owes this attraction to her grandfather who had created a male choir and harmony in his village. and he insisted on initiating me. From an early age, he introduced him to the piano and music theory. A few years later, she obtained a graduation diploma and a music theory prize at the Albi Conservatory.
As a teenager, she discovered lyrical singing which very quickly became her main predominant passion. After her baccalaureate, she joined the class of Andréa Guiot, renowned international artist, at the Toulouse Conservatory. Annelyse won her prize in 1997. Since then, she has been on stage alone or with groups from the region. She is also passionate about teaching and decides to share between teaching and her career as a soloist.
His disciplines
His musical studies allowed him to improve in other disciplines: harmony, analysis, Gregorian chant, choir conducting and orchestra conducting. Always fond of novelties, she discovered the organ with Gilles Desrochers, holder of the Dominican organs and today partially holds the organs of Pibrac. She has also moved for 2 years to conducting and is training to conduct Vocalya shows herself accompanied by orchestras. His passion for singing led him to teach solo singing at the Colomiers Conservatory and to give private lessons. In 2005, she created the association Vocalya with a few singers. This structure aims to bring “practice to theory” and allow its “older” students to discover and specialize in the performing arts as solo singers.
Today, she gives singing lessons and provides vocal and musical direction for shows, including recently “Carmen” in Pibrac.
On this occasion, Annelyse Aragou interpreted the title role of Carmen. Frédéric Faure and Valérie Bugnas, both conservatory teachers, accompanied him on the piano. Nathalie Barolle provided the staging. A great success in a period with current sanitary conditions.
Carmen from Bizet
Carmen is a four-act comic opera. The libretto, by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy, is inspired by the new “Carmen”, by Prosper Mérimée. Premiered on March 3, 1875 at the Opéra-Comique, the work did not meet with the expected success, surely because of the image conveyed by Carmen, shocking to many. Today, “Carmen” has become one of the most performed operas in the world.
The plot
In Seville, Spain, Carmen, a young bohemian rebellious and seductive, starts a fight in the tobacco factory where she works. She gets arrested. Brigadier Don José, in charge of leading her to prison, falls under her spell and lets her escape. Out of love for her, he deserted and joined the smugglers. Very quickly, Carmen moves away from him and succumbs to the charms of a famous bullfighter. Mad with despair and devoured by jealousy, Don José stabs her.
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