Georges Bizet's Opera "Carmen" will delight the public of Santa Cruz

(Santa Cruz, June 26^th, 2013). In the framework of its Music to Grow program, CAF, Development Bank of Latin America, supports the staging of one of the most outstanding and performed operas in the world: Carmen, which will take place in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, on June 27^th,  28^th, and 29^th, with the participation of close to 150 people between soloists, musicians, and members of the choirs.

CAF contributes with the participation of two high level maestros, who have been working with the choirs of the cities of  Cochabamba, La Paz, and Santa Cruz since June 18, preparing them for a demanding performance under the model of the Schola Cantorum Foundation of Venezuela, a partner institution of the program in its choral component, which assigns its best professionals to teach in different countries.

The operatic style is shown for the first time in Santa Cruz, with these new generations. The last time that fragments of Bizet's Carmen were presented was in 1997 and, since then, activities have focused on the symphonic and choral styles.  

It will be a macro production integrating three Latin American countries (Argentina, Bolivia and Venezuela) with artists, singers, directors, and musicians, in addition to bringing together renowned national singers.  

Among the soloists, the following stand out: Alicia Cecotti, first mezzo-soprano from the Buenos AiresTeatro Colón(playing Carmen); sopranos Katia Escalera (Cochabamba), Alejandra Gonzalez and Elizaveta Vorodinksky (La Paz), Giovanna Montaño (Santa Cruz) and Jaqueline Mc Caig (Canada); tenor Jorge Villarroel (La Paz) and baritone Pablo Machicado. 

The opera will be directed by Ana Karin Rendon, Farah Rojas, Alberto Valdivia and Carolina Zabala, in the choral part, and Antoine Duhamel and Pablo Morales in the orchestra. Participants will include musicians from the Youth Symphonic Orchestra of Santa Cruz de la Sierra, and theHombres Nuevos(New Men) Orchestra; theSanta CeciliaandVoces del Cielo(Voices from Heaven) municipal choirs, the Municipal Choir of Portachuelo, the choirs from theInstituto Intercultural de Musica Santa Cruz(Santa Cruz Intercultural Music Institute), theInstituto Superior de Bellas Artes(Fine Arts Institute), and from theUniversidad Evangelica Boliviana(Bolivian Evangelic University). 

The Comite Civico Femenino Provincial (Feminine Provincial Civic Committee) participates in the coordination of the event and, in addition to CAF, the Autonomous Departmental Government of Santa Cruz and the Municipal Government are sponsoring the municipal choirs ofSanta CeciliaandVoces del Cielo.

Music to Grow

Since its creation in 2000, the Music to Grow program has consolidated as one of the banner programs in the sphere of social insertion of at risk children and youths. Aimed mainly at low income children and youths, it has shown to be an excellent tool for social rescue through musical training, both choral and orchestral.

The program is based on itinerant training workshops that are an innovative  methodology that provides experienced Venezuelan instructors to children and youths in the beneficiary countries. These instructors travel for short periods of time and teach technical instrumental and choral classes.

The activities that make up the program are the Conservatorio Latino Itinerante (Itinerant Latin Conservatory (orchestral training), Voces Latinas a Coro (Latin Choir Voices) (choral training), Taller Itinerante Latino de Lutería (Itinerant Latin Luthier Workshop), and crosswise in each of them, Formación de Formadores (Training for Trainers), aimed at teaching future local teachers that generate a multiplier and sustainable effect of the program.