Joseph Calleja
Carmen

Carmen

Carmen

  • Opera House Frankfurt, Germany
  • December 13, 19, 21, 27,2025

She lives in the here and now: Carmen, one of the most famous title characters in opera history, drives Sergeant Don José crazy and throws him off course in life. His attempts to lure her into the order he knows fail because of her desire for freedom. The two drive each other further and further into a corner. Bizet's music consistently contrasts their extremely different conceptions of love and relationships. The falls range from the lighthearted operetta tone to musical tragedy. Since its premiere in 2015, Barrie Kosky's production of Carmen achieved cult status and has lost none of its power since. It takes the world's most frequently performed repertoire opera back to the roots of the opéra comique. In brief interludes, the plot develops and moves towards a tragic conclusion. Along the way, romantic or humorous moments collide with the eerie revue scenes of the smugglers. Kosky's vision is fascinating due to unexpected breaks and plays virtuosically with the common Carmen and Spain clichés.