Friends Help a Fan To Meet Carmen Monarcha in Brazil

A Story of Carmen in Brazil ~ From Arie

This story was not written by me, but by the persons involved in the story. I had to translate the letters from Portuguese into English. It is just something fun to read and it is full of lovely emotions.

The story consists of correspondance messages only. The name of the great Fan is Ivan and a Friend of all of us. The persons involved were; Carla Maffioletti, Carmen Monarcha and a young soprano Jean Pontes, pupil of Marina Monarcha, Carmen's mother. Bruno is a colleague of Carmen's and an artist of the opera Falstaff. He made it possible for Carmen to say to her surprised Fan, "You must be Ivan!".

Ivan always writes lovingly to his Friends. He is a popular man. He is married and has a daughter and a son.

Many friends help a Fan, "Ivan" to meet his Idol Carmen Monarcha in Belo Horizonte, Brazil

What your are about to read is a story about Carmen Monarcha and her acting in the opera Falstaff from Verdi, and a great Fan of hers in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Carmen and Carla both approved of me posting this story here. ~ Arie

Opera "Falstaff" in Belo Horizonte, Brazil

Pic of Ivan and children

Once Ivan posted to me: Hello Arie,
“I 'd like to challenge you as to who is a greater Fan of Carmen Monarcha,

You or I!"

I was surprised with this message ~ My answer was:

Hello Ivan, Well I met Carmen in person in Maastricht 2007 and she was very lovely to me. If you look at my picture on the right side you'll see long hair. That hair belongs to Carmen Monarcha.
In this way I feel her warmth with me wherever I go! I uploaded videos of her to Youtube and she appreciates that,
she wrote me. She didn't write so much, but she wrote lovely things on my picture. What do you have to tell me? ~ Arie

He gave me a strange answer:
Hello Mr. Bussemaker,
"Years ago I went to a soccer game in Belo Horizonte".
Suddenly the Police came and pushed us like criminals to a Police station.
I was so ashamed about this act, that I left Brazil!
But, when I bought the DVD Romantic Paradise from André Rieu, I saw Carmen and Carla singing sooo beautifully ... and they were born in Brazil. I decided to come back, because of these wonderful persons!!

I replied to him:

Hello Dear Ivan,
You came back for Carmen only, because Carla is still in my country Holland."
Carla writes me beautiful letters in Dutch! ~ Arie

Jeanne Pontes
Pupil of Marina Monarcha, Carmen's mother

Sep. 27, 2007

Hello Ivan!! Carmen will go to sing in Belo Horizonte at the Palácio das Artes on October 11, 13, 15, 17 and 21.
I hope you will be happy with this information ... I am preparing to go as well. I hope to see your family.

Kisses and till then,

Jeanne Pontes

Carla Maffioletti

Oct. 7, 2007
Hello Dear Ivan! How beautiful ... Now you can see Carmen from near, her immense talent and her personality. Have a superb weekend for you and your family!!

PS. According to André Rieu I am a Sicilian, Hungarian and from Rio de Janeiro. He-he ...?

Carmen Monarcha
Oct 8, 2007

Hoi Dear Ivan, I forgot, that you live in Belo Horizonte.
We are preparing the opera Falstaff at the Palacio das Artes in Belo Horizonte.October 11, 13, 15, 17, 19 and 21. I don’t know the opening times.You are welcome with your family. The opera is real funny. A big embrace, Carmen

Bruno

Oct. 12, 2007

(Bruno is in the Falstaff Opera with Carmen in Belo Horizonte)

Hello my friend Ivan, At the end of the opera, I'll make it possible for you to meet with Carmen. She is a fantastic person and very kind. ~ Embraces, Bruno

Carla Maffioletti Oct. 14, 2007

Dear Ivan,

How wonderful to see Carmen, I am also Carmen's fan.We will pray for André to come to Brazil.

It is in Andre's plans to visit Latin America ... A big embrace, Carla

Oct. 19, 2007 Ivan wrote in the Forum To Carmen Monarcha
“Friends I need not to be jealous of you anymore!”My lady friend brought me the best news of this year.Carmen Monarcha, the marvellous Carmen Monarcha, the talented Carmen Monarcha, the simpatico Carmen Monarcha, the Diva Carmen Monarcha comes here to Belo Horizonte!

Is it possible to fulfill the musical dream of my life, to see Carmen singing in our city of Belo Horizonte?
Or am I still dreaming? I want 11 seats in the first row. I'll pay the price whatever it costs.
I'm taking with me my daughter, my wife, my mother and my sister.
They have become Fans of Carmen due to the fact that I told them so much about her.

I have lent the DVD "Romantic Paradise" to several friends and there is not even one who is not enchanted with
Carmen and Carla Maffioletti!

"Oh my God!" This is an historical moment. It's so completely unexpected that I could not even utter a word. Carmen will give me the

performance of my life, "It will be my opportunity to see her. "She will like the opportunity, I think, to take a picture with my daughter, Isabela.
My daughter sings so well ... like her. She doesn’t sing like Bidu Sayão, but it will be the maximum for the heart of a father. "But first I have to go to the Cardiologist to know if my heart will resist all these emotions!"
My wife is coming with me, you see she is also a great Fan of Carmen!

Oct. 20 Ivan to Forum Carmen Monarcha
My dream was realized. Carmen moved me twice here in Belo Horizonte.In the first place by her magnificent performance, through Nannetta in the work Falstaff from Verdi.
I came to see her, but I saw 10 great other singers as well, a marvellous production. It was the most delightful night of my life!
After this, she moved me with her love to the audience. My daughter was moved like my mother, they couldn't say a word. In her eyes “Carmen is the maximum”. You can agree or not! Carmen is simply sensational! She was a pupil of Dona Marina Monarcha, her mother.
Moreover, she is a fantastic person and very special.I define her as a genius, a diva, a muse, an incommensurable talent!However, with all these attributes, the biggest impression of her was the magnificent human being.

Together with me, there was a group of charming ladies who wanted to have a meeting with Carmen. At the end of the opera we started a conversation. They went to Maastricht to attend a concert of André Rieu. They brought the Brazilian flag with them and they told about it.
They did not get to meet Carmen in Holland. They came to the city of Belo Horizonte to be able to see her. The emotion of these ladies was impressive!

What to say about my daughter. The other day I found her half dizzy.
She said suddenly to me: “I was dreaming of Carmen Monarcha”.When we went to the opera, she was still imagining that she belonged to a choir.
That God is praised and my lovely daughter will have the force to become a singer.Without worrying about the possibility to follow, or not the singing career (the decision is all hers), she will have all my support of my heart of a father. I find her as talented as Carmen.
She asked me :"Can I see the opera again?

When Carmen passed the separating frames close to me she said: “You must be Ivan!”, my heart and my daughter's were frozen!
I, a mediocre teacher of mathematics and chess, recognized by the diva!
This emotion will never leave me!

There is a legend that says, "the one who faces a fairy, will die!" This is legend!

I stood close to Carmen and I am still alive!!
My great dream now is to see my daughter singing with her. Before 2015, who knows? However, before this, my friends, we will be able to have the chance of seeing Carmen in action here in Brazil with André Rieu in 2010.

One lady went to Carmen and lamented: “In 2010 I will be dead!”. Funny, my mother said the same thing. My mother already has passed seventy, but she is still going to live many years and she will see, if God lets, an other presentation of Carmen.
Really, to have this type of emotion, “Life is worth living!"

Oct. 27, 2007 Ivan to Forum Carmen Monarcha
Beyond all, Carmen is pretty, talented and very popular.
It is therefore why Carmen is so successfull. She captures the public, showing affection and respect.
My mother, in her seventies had a strong emotion to receive an affectionate hug from the diva. If Carmen knew, that my mother speaks of her to everybody, she would feel herself immensely flattered. My daughter wanted to see the opera again, and said to me:
"It was not a matter of the opera, it was a matter of seeing Carmen again."

"The Final Dream"

A picture of Ivan, with Carmen and Isabela his daughter

I hope you like this "story", Arie