Carmen Adaptation Retells Controversial Story With Must-See Art (Exclusive)
The Arizona Opera is launching a Kickstarter campaign for Carmen: The Graphic Novel, based on the classic opera Carmen, by French composer George Bizet. The graphic novel features writing by opera singer and director Alek Shrader, and art by P. Craig Russell (American Gods) and Aneke (Bylines in Blood).
Carmen was a groundbreaking opera that shattered a lot of conventions when it was first performed in Paris in 1875. It is set in the South of Spain and tells the story of Carmen, who seduces a stern soldier, Don José. The man abandons his fiancee and his duties to follow Carmen, who abandons him for the bullfighter Escamillo. Mad with rage, José kills Carmen, ending the opera with the tragic death of the main character on stage, which was unusual for the genre of opéra-comique. Carmen scandalized its first audiences with its depiction of lawlessness and transgression, but it soon grew to become one of the most popular operas of the classic canon.
Related: Brandon Sanderson Fans React As New Novels Shatter Kickstarter Record
Alek Shrader is a successful tenor who has appeared with many of the world’s most prestigious opera companies. He also recently ventured into directing and writing, and Carmen will be his first foray into the world of comic books. P. Craig Russell, on the other hand, is a veteran with 50 years of experience in the industry. His breakout came with the Killraven character, and his work on the Elric of Melnibone stories - based on the character created by Michael Moorcock — for Marvel Comics and Dark Horse is legendary. Russell also adapted many of beloved writer Neil Gaiman's stories into comic form, including Coraline and American Gods. Aneke is a young artist and colorist who has worked mostly for DC
Read more on screenrant.com
