Lamar University is pleased to offer a lecture by Dr. Catalina Castillón, Professor of Spanish and Director of Modern Languages. Dr. Castillón speaks about the enduring myth of Carmen, the title character of an 1845 novella and Georges Bizet’s 1875 opera. This French tale about an exotic gypsy woman in Spain, a liberated woman who dies for her rebellion against social norms, continues to captivate audiences. Dr. Castillón examines the adaptation of this opera in film, musicals, commercials, and even on Sesame Street by such artists as Charlie Chaplin, Harry Belefonte and Beyonce.
Through her lecture, Dr. Castillón invites us to consider why this character is so enduringly alluring, and what the history of Carmen in the United States reveals about our changing society.
Dr. Castillón grew up and attended school in Seville, the city of Carmen. She has written about Baroque and Neobaroque literature, Galician poetry, Hispanic literature in the US, and has translated and adapted several Spanish plays.
