Ainhoa Arteta will debut the role of “Carmen” in Feb. 2019.

According to Diario de Jerez, the soprano will debut the role at the Teatro Villamarta. The company’s director, Isamay Benavente, stated that Arteta has wanted to sing the role for a long time and after the theater offered her role, she said yes.

With the debut of the role, Arteta will join a select group of sopranos who have interpreted the famed gypsy. Among them are Maria Callas and Angela Gheorghiu who recorded the work on EMI and Maria de Los Angeles who recorded and performed stage productions. In most recent times, soprano Ana María Martinez has taken the mezzo role.

Arteta recently performed the role of Maddalena in “Andrea Chénier” in Oviedo and is currently preparing a new production of “Pagliacci” at La Monnaie. She will also sing the title role in “Adriana Lecourvreur” at the Teatro La Maestranza and “Tosca” at the San Carlo Festival in the summer with Roberto Frontali.