On September 12, 2018, Saimir Pirgu will make his debut as Don José in “Carmen” at Bangkok’s 20th International Festival of Dance and Music in a Daniele Finzi Pasca production revived by Paolo Vettori.

The production will also include the Orchestra and Chorus of the Teatro San Carlo of Naples, conducted by Maestro Zubin Mehta, and will also showcase Veronica Simeoni in one of her signature roles. Federica Lombardi will portray Micaëla and Vito Priante will sing Escamillo.

In a press statement the tenor noted, “I’m looking forward to enlarging my repertoire of French operas with this first Don José in Carmen. It is wonderful to make my debut under the baton of Maestro Zubin Mehta, who conducted me in other debuts such as Riccardo in Un ballo in maschera in the past and who knows my voice very well. Don José is no doubt one of the most exciting roles for a tenor, a torn character full of contrasts, developing from a caring lover to murderous maniac who is obsessed with Carmen. The role contains some wonderful lyrical parts such as the first duet with Micaela and Don José’s beautiful ‘Flower Song’ and requires a lot of stamina for the challenging final duet with Carmen. It fits my voice and temperament like a glove and I can’t wait to go on stage in this fantastic staging by Daniele Finzi Pasca and to making music with the extraordinary orchestra and choir of the Teatro San Carlo and my colleagues with a special mention to the wonderful protagonist Veronica Simeoni.”

This season, Pirgu is slated to perform Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony  as well as “Rigoletto” at the Théâtre des Champs Élysèes Paris and Philharmonie Luxembourg, Verdi’s Messa da Requiem at the Auditorium RAI Turin, “La Traviata” at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées Paris and at the Vienna State Opera, “Un Ballo in Maschera” at the Teatro Regio Parma, “La Damnation de Faust” at the Vienna Konzerthaus, “L’Elisir d’Amore” at the Vienna State Opera, and “Werther.”

“Carmen” is slated to be performed on Sept. 12 and 14, 2018.