A critical failure in 1875, French composer George Bizet died before Carmen went on to become arguably the most popular opera in the world. Intense and violent, it was too much for its time. The four-act opera tells the story of the downfall of Don José, a naïve soldier, when he is seduced by the titular gypsy, Carmen. Australian director Barrie Kosky’s unconventional new version structures the famous opera as a series of tableaux that emphasize the emotions at its core with intensely physical choreography and a re-worked score that draws on some of Bizet’s music that isn’t often heard.
Sung in French with English subtitles. Includes one 15 min intermission.