Music Students Perform Carmen in Joint Production

UNC Charlotte music students recently performed in a production of Bizet’s Carmen jointly presented by the Central Piedmont Community College Opera Theatre and the UNC Charlotte Department of Music’s Opera Workshop program. Performances took place November 17-20 in the Halton Theater on the main campus of Central Piedmont. Dr. Brian Arreola, director of the Opera Workshop program, conducted.

The production marked the conclusion of Central Piedmont’s opera program, which was founded 25 years ago by Rebecca Cook-Carter. Cook-Carter will retire from Central Piedmont at the end of this month.

Carmen is the second opera that the two institutions have presented collaboratively. Last spring nine UNC Charlotte students joined the cast of Susannah by Carlisle Floyd.

Twelve UNC Charlotte students performed in Carmen, and several sang lead roles (some roles were double cast): Nicholas Andruzzi (Don José), Maria Chernokhlebova, Daniel Crisostomo, Frida Marmolejos (Carmen), Nicholas Matherly, Bianca Muñoz, Jack Richardson, Delenn Rumbolo (Micaela), Christian Souza (Escamillo), Zach Voigt, Caleb Wilson (Don José), and Tia Wilson.

Below are pictures from the November 18 performance. Photos are by Darnell Vennie.

Nicholas Andruzzi (second from right).

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Delenn Rumbolo as Micaela.

Zach Voigt as Zuniga.

Christian Souza as Escamillo.

Caleb Wilson as Don José.

Students backstage at the Halton Theater.