(Credit: Piotr Beczała official website)

The Wiener Staatsoper has announced a cast change for the premiere of Calixto Bieito’s production of Bizet’s “Carmen.”

The company announced that Piotr Beczała will replace Charles Castronovo in the role of Don José.  Castronovo was recently hospitalized due to COVID-19 and is currently recovering. Therefore, he will not be able to make all scheduled rehearsals.

Beczała recently performed livestreamed productions of “Werther” and “Der Rosenkavalier” at the Wiener Staatsoper and was featured on the Metropolitan Opera’s Live concert series.

He will join a cast that includes Erwin Schrott in the role of Escamillo, Olga Kulchynska as Micaëla, and Anita Rachvelishvili in the title role. The cast also includes Slávka Zámečníková, Szilvia Vörös, Peter Kellner, Martin Häßler, Carlos Osuna, and Michael Arivony. Andrés Orozco-Estrada conducts.

The Wiener Staatsoper will livestream “Carmen” on its streaming platform on Feb. 21, 2021.