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Opera Carmen to be staged in Seville

SEVILLE, Spain, Dec. 12 (UPI) -- The opera Carmen is to be performed at the sites where Bizet's drama is supposed to have unfolded, the city of Seville announced.

The production scheduled for September 2004 continues a trend of producing operas in their actual settings that in the past have included the famous televised performance of Tosca in Rome, directed by Franco Zeffirelli, Aida among the pyramids and Egyptian temples in Luxor and Turandot in Beijing.

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Carmen -- the tragic story of a cigarette factory girl torn between love of an army officer and a bullfighter -- will be staged against such key city backdrops as the Plaza de Espana, the Maestranza bullring, and the Maria Luisa park.

However, Seville's old cigarette factory will not be used because it long since been converted into the busy main building of Seville University, and its facade will be replicated elsewhere.

A fleet of 19th century horse-drawn carriages will transport members of the audience from one site to another, a city official said.

Top soprano Angela Gheorghiu will sing the title role. Carlos Saura will direct the production and the orchestra will be under the direction of Lorin Maazel.

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Observers pointed out Seville has a bright future as an opera setting. Among the many opera composers to have set their works in the historic Spanish city are Beethoven (Fidelio), Mozart (Le Nozze di Figaro), and Rossini (Il Barbiere di Siviglia).

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