(Credit: Paola Kudacki / Met Opera)

The Metropolitan Opera is set to celebrate its New Year with a new production of Bizet’s “Carmen”

The opera will be directed by English director Carrie Cracknell. Cracknell will explore themes that could not be more relevant today: gendered violence, abusive labor structures, and the desire to break through societal boundaries.

The opera will be shown twice in the season, in the winter and in the spring.

For the winter production mezzo-soprano Aigul Akhmetshina will make history becoming the youngest lead in a new production of “Carmen,” at the age of 27. She will be joined by Piotr Beczała as Don José, Angel Blue as Micaëla, and bass-baritone Kyle Ketelsen as Escamillo. Daniele Rustioni conducts.

In the spring, Diego Matheuz makes his Met debut conducting mezzo-soprano Clémentine Margaine, tenor Michael Fabiano, soprano Ailyn Pérez, and bass-baritone Ryan Speedo Green.

The performance of “Carmen” on Jan. 27 will be transmitted live to movie theaters around the globe as part of the Met’s Live in HD series. The Jan. 3, 16, and 27, April 29 and May 22 performances will be broadcast live on the SiriusXM app.

“Carmen” is set to run through May 25, 2024.