Carmen

  • Friday JUNE 30 7:30 PM
  • Sunday JULY 2 2:00 PM
  • Friday JULY 7 7:30 PM
  • Tuesday JULY 11 7:30 PM
  • Thursday JULY 13 7:30 PM
  • Saturday JULY 15 7:30 PM
  • Sunday JULY 23 2:00 PM
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Carmen

A rebel with a cause, the free-spirited Carmen lives boldly in her fiery pursuit of freedom. “Born free, she will die free,” Carmen sings, but sparks fly after an encounter with military officer Don José. When the smitten José leaves everything behind to be with Carmen, their passionate affair takes a sudden, dangerous turn after the charismatic bullfighter Escamillo catches Carmen’s eye. With its twisting tale of romance, intrigue and obsession set to the instantly recognizable melodies of Bizet, it’s no wonder Carmen is one of the world’s most popular and beloved operas.

Mezzo-soprano Taylor Raven, who returns to DMMO after a 2021 debut as Pauline in Tchaikovsky's The Queen of Spades, makes her much-anticipated role debut as Carmen, and tenor Matthew Cairns makes his DMMO debut in the role of Don José. Matthew Cairns appears by kind permission of the Metropolitan Opera Lindemann Young Artist Development Program. Conductor Kelly Kuo, who is making his DMMO debut, will lead the production.

Performances

Friday, June 30 - limited availability
Sunday, July 2 - SOLD OUT (Join the Waitlist)
Friday, July 7 - some availability
Tuesday, July 11 - best availability
Thursday, July 13 - best availability
Saturday, July 15 - limited availability
Sunday, July 23 - SOLD OUT (Join the Waitlist)

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MUSIC BY
Georges Bizet

LIBRETTO BY
Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy 

BASED ON
Carmen by Prosper Mérimée

PREMIERED
3 March 1875
Opéra-Comique, Paris

SUNG IN
French (with English subtitles)

ESTIMATED RUN TIME
3 hours, 15 minutes with one 20-minute intermission

PREVIOUS PRODUCTIONS
1978, 1994, 2007

The Artists

Taylor Raven Carmen
Matthew Cairns Don José
Christian Pursell Escamillo
Yunuet Laguna Micaëla
Allen Michael Jones Zuniga
Emma Marhefka Frasquita
Imara Miles Mercédès
Sankara Harouna Moralès
Daniel Esteban Lugo Remendado
Ryan Wolfe Dancairo
Kelly Kuo Conductor
Brenna Corner Director
David P. Gordon Scenic Designer
Kate Ashton Lighting Designer
Todd Rhoades Choreographer

The Music

Carmen features some of the most famous music in all of opera. These hits include:

  • Habanera: Carmen’s sultry entrance aria, featuring a distinctive dance-inspired rhythm juxtaposed against a descending, chromatic vocal line.
  • Seguidilla: Carmen's second aria, which features vibrant flamenco rhythms
  • Toreador Song: The bull-fighter Escamillo famous aria in which he details his fame and victory in the ring

In addition to these famous arias, Carmen includes Don José’s delicate, heart-wrenching Flower Song, the sparkling Chanson Bohème, and the famous orchestral Prélude that kicks everything off!