Opera Hong Kong will present a new production of Bizet’s “Carmen” at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Grand Theatre from May 7 to 10, 2026, as part of the French May Arts Festival.

The production is directed by Jia Ding, marking his second collaboration with Opera Hong Kong following the company’s 2024 staging of “Turandot.” Franck Colombier conducts the Opera Hong Kong Orchestra, Chorus, and Children’s Chorus.

The largely French cast features Marie Gautrot and Ambroisine Bré sharing the title role, Amadi Lagha and Sébastien Guèze alternating as Don José, Timothée Varon and Wang Yun Peng as Escamillo, and Camille Schnoor and Perrine Madoeuf as Micaëla. Edmund Kwan sings Zuniga, with Albert Lim, Chen Yong, Christy Li, Valentina Tao, and Lam Kwok Ho completing the ensemble.

The production transposes Bizet’s opera to 1970s Hong Kong, using the city’s era of rapid economic growth and cultural exchange as the backdrop for Carmen’s themes of passion, ambition, and destiny.

“The story of Carmen is one of intense emotions and human connections, themes that align beautifully with Hong Kong’s dynamic spirit in the 1970s. By reimagining Carmen in this unique setting, we hope to bring a production that is both fresh and timeless to our audiences,” said Producer Dr. Warren Mok, per an official press release.

BNP Paribas will serve as title sponsor.

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