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Opera in October Wraps Up with Cedar Rapids Opera Theatre's "Carmen"

Iowa Public Radio’s Opera in October series comes to a dramatic close with the Cedar Rapids OperaTheatre’s thrilling performance of Bizet’s Carmen. Their production, originally broadcast in January of this year at the Parmount Theatre in Cedar Rapids, will air at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 1st and 8:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 2nd on IPR Classical.

The Cedar Rapids Opera Theatre’s performance of Bizet’s Carmen simmers with love, lust and revenge. Mezzo soprano and Iowa native, Janara Kellerman, sings the title role of the gypsy seductress. Tenor Alok Kumar plays the love-struck Don José, baritone Philip Torre appears as the handsome toreador Escamillo and soprano Melissa Shippen portrays the innocent Micaëla.  Debuted in 1875 with a libretto written by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halevy, Carmen would go on to become Bizet’s most famous opera. Guest stage director Bill Ferrara and CROT’s music director Daniel Kleinknecht bring the opera to life. Don’t miss the last broadcasts in Iowa Public Radio’s Opera in October series featuring the Cedar Rapids Opera Theater’s production of Carmen on Saturday, November 1st at 7:00 p.m. and Sunday, November 2nd at 8:00 p.m.  

Jacqueline Halbloom is a Sr. Music Producer and Classical Music Host