This week the Festival Opera is set to open its production of “Carmen” with a cast of rising stars including Nikola Printz, who is well-known for their interpretation of the iconic heroine.

Over the years Printz has performed Carmen to great acclaim with the West Bay Opera, Opera Modesto, Opera San Jose, and Shreveport Opera, among others. Printz has had a long relationship with the character and noted in a recent interview, “To me, Carmen’s the picture of resilience and defiance. I feel that fiery side of her, that lust for living more than ever now.”

And for their portrayal critics have said, “The dark palette Printz calls upon both vocally and in their acting draws out the menace of a reckless and dangerous woman. Their portrayal colors the story with undertones of destructive energy. This is not a Carmen whose actions might be excused as youthful foolishness. Printz gives a stellar performance in this production.”

Recordings

For those interested in Printz’s Carmen, here is a clip of their work at Opera Modesto.

Here they are in a clip from “Lakme.”