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 {…}
(Credit: © Benoîte Fanton) “Carmen” is just about the last opera one would think of as homoerotic, yet this is the vibe of this Paris production; it’s haunted by the male body as object of desire. Other adjectives used to describe it would be bleak, vulgar, obscene, violent and most of all angry. Judging from the costumes, Calixto Bieito’s staging {…}
(Credit: Metropolitan Opera / Ken Howard) The Metropolitan Opera is set to revive Richard Eyre’s 2009 production of “Carmen.” The AP News confirmed the news in an article in which “A person familiar with the Met’s planning, speaking on condition of anonymity because no announcement had been made, said the company intends in a future year to bring back Richard {…}
The team behind the Metropolitan Opera’s 2023 “Carmen” production is asking the company to remove their names from programs. According to the Associated Press (AP), the dispute began after the company decided to restage certain elements of the production. When the production opened, Escamillo entered in a red Jaguar convertible and was accompanied by his entourage in three pickup trucks. All {…}
(Credit: Javier del Real) There are operas that survive by turning into monuments–and others by remaining dangerously alive. “Carmen” belongs to the second category. It refuses preservation. It resists comfort. And every so often, a production appears that reminds one why this work still unsettles rather than reassures. Production Details Damiano Michieletto’s “Carmen” at Teatro Real is one of those {…}
(Photo: Javier del Real) The Teatro Real farewells 2025 and welcomes 2026 with 16 performances of Bizet’s popular masterpiece, “Carmen.” This revival is a new production directed by the talented stage director Damiano Michieletto, which opened in London two seasons ago and which will be seen at La Scala. Italian stage director Damiano Michieletto proved once more why he is {…}
Nate, the activist who led the November 21, 2025, disruption of the Metropolitan Opera’s “Carmen,” has issued an open letter addressed to the cast, creative team, and members of the public seeking clarity on the group’s motivations. The letter, which was sent to OperaWire, was written following Smith’s release from Manhattan’s central booking facility and outlines both an apology to {…}
( Credit: Ken Howard) On Friday, Nov. 21, the Metropolitan Opera experienced a protest during the first Act of “Carmen” that interrupted the performance. According to the New York Times, three demonstrators were arrested by the New York City police, and removed from the hall. The report did not make clear what they were protesting. Still, it noted that eyewitnesses {…}
(Photo: Evan Zimmerman) The Metropolitan Opera’s season premiere of Carrie Cracknell’s revived production of Georges Bizet’s “Carmen” debuted on October 28, 2025 with a stellar cast lineup including Isabel Leonard, Kristina Mkhitaryan, Michael Fabiano, Benjamin Taylor, Scott Conner, Madison Leonard, Briana Hunter, Adam Plachetka, Michael Adams, and Aaron Blake. The original debut of this production took place during the 2023-24 {…}
Opera Australia is set to present Bizet’s “Carmen” with Danielle de Niese in the title role. The soprano will make a return to her home city in a new production of “Carmen” from Nov. 15 to 25 at the Regent Theatre. De Niese will star in Anne-Louise Sarks’ new production, which will feature collaborations with Tony Award-winning Marg Horwell, who {…}
(Credit: Ken Howard) The Metropolitan Opera is set to revive Carrie Cracknell’s production of Bizet’s “Carmen.” The work will be performed 13 times with mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard taking on the lead role alongside tenor Michael Fabiano and Matthew Polenzani. The cast will also include soprano Kristina Mkhitaryan as Micaëla and bass-baritone Adam Plachetka as Escamillo. Fabien Gabel, in his company debut, {…}