The opera Carmen premiered on March 3l, 1875 at the Opéra-Comique in Paris. The composer’s friend Ernest Giraud prepared two suites of music from the opera following Bizet’s death. Duration 13:00.

George Bizet’s Carmen is one of the great operatic hits of all time, and remains one of the most often-performed works in the repertoire. Carmen had a pretty rocky start, however. It was premiered in Paris, and in one account written by Ludovic Halévy, the audience started with enthusiastic approval, but were completely unresponsive by the end: “...and after the fourth act, when the crowd was glacial throughout, no one came backstage except for three or four faithful and sincere friends of Bizet’s.” Despite this, the opera was a great success half a year later when it was performed in Vienna, and quickly became an international hit. However, Bizet never saw this success—he died three months after the premiere.

Carmen is based upon a novel by Prosper Mérimée, and was adapted for the stage by Halévy and Henri Meilhac. It is set in Seville at the beginning of the 19th century, and the main characters are Gypsy girls, peasants, soldiers, and smugglers. Bizet was able to make effective use of Spanish rhythms and melodic turns in the score, particularly in his musical characterization of the Carmen. At the center the story is Carmen’s seduction of Don José, a young corporal. José tosses aside the good girl Micaela, who loves him, in favor of the bad girl Carmen. Carmen in turn ignores him and turns her attention to the dashing bullfighter Escamillo. In the end, Carmen’s scornful taunts put José in a jealous rage, and he stabs her to death.

The famous Carmen Suites were assembled after the composer’s death. The Suite No.1 heard on this program, published in 1882 by Bizet’s friend, Ernest Guiraud, brings together some of the most familiar themes from the opera in six short movements, beginning with the opera’s brief Prélude, with the “Fate” motive that hints that this story will turn out tragically. The lively Aragonaise comes from the beginning of Act IV, a swirling street scene before the climactic bullfight, alternating lively dance music with sinuous solo for the oboe. The lovely pastoral music of the Intermezzo comes from the beginning of Act II, as Don José has unwisely followed Carmen to a bandit camp in the mountains to declare his love. The playful and seductive Seguidilla adapts the music Carmen sings in Act I to beguile Don José. Les Dragons d’Alcala, a brief march opening with a humorous bassoon solo, is played at the beginning of Act II to represent Don José’s regiment. The final movement, Les Toréadors, adapts the Procession of the Toreadors from Act IV, swaggering music full of machismo to represent the bullfighters.

This collaborative work was composed in 2012-2014. It was premiered on November 16, 2014 by the University City Symphony Orchestra of University City, Missouri, under the direction of Leon Burke. Duration 35:00.

Flamenco is the dynamic folk music of Andalusia, Spain’s southernmost region. One of its primary musical influences is the music of the Roma people who have lived in this region for centuries. However, like a good paella, Flamenco is a spicy fusion of many flavors: other Spanish forms, and Jewish, Moorish, and North African styles. Traditional Flamenco is also a blend of types of performance, bringing together cante (highly emotional singing, often with lyrics improvised in traditional poetic forms), baile (dynamic dance forms, in which the sound of the dancers’ feet and handclaps become part of the musical performance) and tocque (Flamenco’s virtuoso guitar tradition). The concept for Impulso: Symphonic Dances for Marimba, Flamenco Guitar, and Dancer came from marimbist Maria Flurry’s interest in commissioning works that meld classical and world music. The resulting four-movement work, co-composed by Henry Flurry and Chris Jácome, clearly reflects a mixture of Classical and Flamenco traditions. It was also Maria Flurry who suggested the title, Impulso (Spanish for Momentum): the perfect description of the Flamenco rhythms and emotional intensity that drives this work. She and co-composer/guitarist Chris Jácome are our instrumental soloists, but dancer Lena Jácome also appears as a soloist, her choreography an integral part of the score. Henry Flurry provides the following note:

“Flamenco music grew out of the Roma culture of Spain and is a vibrant art form that evolved under centuries of oppression. The titles of Impulso’s movements honor the history of flamenco and the ability of a people to find its voice through the peaks and valleys of a difficult life. In addition to being co-composed, this work is unique in that the dancer is also a musical soloist whose rhythmic footwork is written into the score.

“Historically the role of the flamenco guitarist is to follow the dancer. Inspired by this tradition, Movement 1, The Discovery of Art, opens with only motion before the musical elements emerge and begin to take shape. From that point on, the movement loosely follows the Tangos Flamencos form, a lively 4/4 with the metric accent falling mostly on beat 4. The Oppression of Art, movement 2, is modeled after the Seguirilla, a tragic song form with a 5 beat compás [measure] of 12 subdivisions (counted 1 & 2 & 3 & a 4 & a 5 &). Movement 3, The Romance of Art, is slow and lyrical with a Marimba cadenza. The broad melodies are flavored by Flamenco’s signature tonality and its dramatic descent to its tonal and spiritual center. Movement 4, The Celebration of Art, is a Flamenco Allegrias (“happinesses”) form. This movement follows a 12-beat compás with a shifting metric emphasis. The traditional Allegrias dance sections power Impulso’s drive to its jubilant and thrilling conclusion.

“Chris Jácome composed the first and last movements, and Henry Flurry composed the inner movements. During the collaboration, each composer significantly influenced the other’s style, yet the distinctness of the two approaches to composing remains audible and complementary.

“Impulso is also significant in the history of Arizona Philharmonic. After Yavapai College’s Dean of Fine Arts Dr. Craig Ralston heard a 2014 performance of Impulso by the San Tan Orchestra, he proposed a concert in Prescott that featured the work. The planning and preparation for that concert evolved into the formation of Arizona Philharmonic. This performance of Impulso fulfills that original vision.”

Maria Vomlehn Flurry (www.MariaFlurry.com) has performed with the Detroit, Baltimore, Spokane, Phoenix, Toledo, and Annapolis Orchestras as well as orchestras across southeast Michigan. Ms. Flurry has been guest timpanist with the Michigan Opera Theater, Mannheim Steamroller, Phoenix Symphony, and she served as principal timpanist with the Flint Symphony Orchestra for over a decade. Currently, she serves as principal timpanist with the Flagstaff Symphony and the Arizona Philharmonic.

Ms. Flurry recorded with Summit Brass and the Flint Symphony Orchestra and received national attention in Parenting Magazine with Harpbeat, a percussion and harp duo.
Ms. Flurry’s Flint Symphony performance of Tan Dun’s Water Concerto for Water Percussion and Orchestra was called “captivating, as indicated by the standing ovation” by the Flint Journal. After her Spokane Symphony performance, the Spokesman Review declared Ms. Flurry “a brilliant advocate for Tan’s music.” She has also performed the “Water Concerto” with the Tucson Chamber Orchestra and the Flagstaff Symphony. She is listed among significant performances of this work on Tan Dun’s website.

In October 2006 Ms. Flurry commissioned Kenneth LaFave’s Canto de Alba, which she premiered at Phoenix Art Museum and performed at Chaparral MusicFest and MusicNova.
She commissioned and premiered Chris Jácome and Henry Flurry's Impulso: Symphonic Dances for Marimba, Flamenco Guitar, and Dancer with University City Symphony (Missouri) and San Tan Orchestra. In April 2017, she premiered Henry Flurry’s Ragtime Dances for Marimba and Orchestra with the Prescott Chamber Orchestra and performed it again with the Arizona Philharmonic.

Educated at Interlochen Arts Academy, Peabody Conservatory, University of Michigan, Aspen Music Festival, National Repertory Orchestra, and National Orchestral Institute, she serves as faculty at the Hot Springs Music Festival.
An artist endorser for Black Swamp Percussion and juried Roster Member of the Arizona Commission on the Arts, she has performed across the Southwest with her pianist/composer husband, Henry Flurry as Sticks and Tones since 2002. Sticks and Tones is also a Roster Member of the Arizona Commission on the Arts.

Chris Burton Jácome began playing guitar in 1986. While living in Sevilla, Spain, Chris studied flamenco guitar with some of the greatest flamenco performers of this era. Since Chris’ return from Spain, he has been performing over 200 shows a year and has played many sold-out performances throughout the US and Canada.

Chris’ music can be heard scoring the Emmy Award Winning PBS television special: “Flamenco” (broadcast in Arizona by KAET-TV Channel 8: Mike Sauceda, producer) and on the popular TV shows “Kyle xy” and “Greek”. Most recently two of Chris’ original songs appeared in the film “Amreeka” which was a jury selection for the Sundance Film Festival and won the Fipresci Prize at the Cannes Film Festival in 2009. Chris’ flamenco version of the Christmas Classic, “Joy to the World”, was included in Coldwater Creek Catalogue’s 2004 Christmas CD. Chris scored and performed the music for the 2012 feature film, "Just the Vampire Hunter". Additionally, Chris can be heard as the featured soloist in the movie soundtrack of the feature film, “9/tenths”.

Chris’ music has received critical acclaim from the beginning of his career. From Chris’ debut CD, Motivación, the title track “Motivación” finished in the Top 10 in the John Lennon Songwriting Contest World Music Category. Since his first CD’s debut Chris has written and recorded two other original flamenco albums: Pa’lante & Flamenco and recently released his 4th original album entitled LEVANTO. LEVANTO features the music, lyrics and even the footwork from the flamenco spectacular by the nationally touring flamenco dance company, CALO FLAMENCO. He is a two-time Grand PRiaze winner of the prestigious John Lennon Songwriting Contest Award in the World Category. “LEVANTO is fabulous flamenco that can stand alongside any created in Spain or by those inspired beyond its borders." -- World Music Central.

Besides touring nationally with his group, The Chris Burton Jácome Flamenco Ensemble, Chris is also the musical director for one the top touring flamenco dance companies in the United States, CALO FLAMENCO, Ballet de Martín Gaxiola. Chris writes the music and lyrics for Calo’s productions and performs live with his musical ensemble for Calo’s Broadway-ready flamenco dance shows.

Chris was born with a unilateral complete cleft lip and palate. He is proud to be connected with Smile Train and bring awareness to this birth defect and let the world know that with proper care this obstacle can be overcome.

Lena Jácome is an internationally touring flamenco dancer, choreographer and instructor with Jácome Flamenco. She performed as, and choreographed for the role of  'Flamenco Dancer', in Teatro Bravo!'s presentation of 'Lorca in a Green Dress'.  She was an invited guest artist to perform for the Ibero-American Association in Jakarta, Indonesia and she was an invited guest performer & instructor for the Dance Network of South Dakota. Some performance highlights include Jazz at Lincoln Center, New York City Center and she guest performed in the World Premiere of the Pangean Orchestra at Symphony Hall.

She has assisted in the creation of an extended long term multi-residency dance curriculum for the Baton Rouge, Louisiana dance community and she has set work on various groups ranging in age and in various facets of programming; from University settings to private dance studios and everything else in between.

Lena attained her B.F.A. Degree in Dance Performance at New World School of the Arts in Miami, FL and earned her M.F.A. Degree in Choreography and Performance at Arizona State University. She has been awarded several grants to study in Spain. She's toured with Calo Flamenco under the direction of Martín Gaxiola and worked with Noche Flamenca & with guest choreographers such as Isabel Bayón and Juan Ogalla during their extended summer residency program at Scottsdale Center for the Arts.