Arguably the sexiest role in opera, Carmen (Cecelia Hall) is a beautiful, free-spirited woman all too aware of her allure, and yet, she despises any man who falls for her. When her mild flirtation with a soldier, Don José (Samuel Levine), ignites his flaming desire, Carmen rejects him for the famous bullfighter, Escamillo (Seth Carico). José’s childhood sweetheart, Micaëla (Raquel González), visits on the pretext of persuading him to return home to his elderly mother, but she arrives just too late. José only has eyes for Carmen. His fate—and Carmen’s—has already been sealed.
Georges Bizet’s score creates a lush and emotionally charged setting for this tragic story, which includes two of opera’s most iconic and instantly recognizable arias, in the Habanera and the Toreador March. Sadly, Bizet died within three months of Carmen’s 1875 premiere—meaning he never knew that he had written what would become one of the most popular operas in the repertoire. Austin Opera’s Sarah and Ernest Butler Music Director, Timothy Myers, will conduct.
Content Advisory: This production of Carmen contains mature and adult themes including violence against women, simulated gunshots, murder, and smoking.
