Vancouver Opera Will Close 2023-24 Season With Georges Bizet's CARMEN

Vancouver Opera Will Close its 2023-2024 season with Georges Bizet’s opera, Carmen. Carmen is one of the most widely performed works in operatic history and Vancouver audiences will have five opportunities to see this production. 

Performances run April 27, May 2 & May 4 at 7:30pm and April 28 & May 5 at 2:00pm.

Carmen has already eclipsed all previous Vancouver Opera box office records, and audiences are encouraged to book tickets now to avoid disappointment. The excitement surrounding Vancouver Opera’s 2023-2024 season finale is a testament to the enduring allure of Bizet's opera and Vancouver Opera's commitment to delivering exceptional experiences.

“Bizet's masterful score, multi-level sets that straddle the spectacular and the seedy, and the promise of captivating performances by some of the opera world’s most talented artists has already driven tremendous audience interest in this production,” said Tom Wright, General Director of Vancouver Opera. “Carmen is a must-see for both seasoned opera enthusiasts and those seeking an introduction to the mesmerizing world of classical music and storytelling. It’s an opera that has stood the test of time and continues to captivate audiences worldwide, so considering how audiences have responded in the past, we knew that offering an extended run of five performances was key to meeting the interest; in our 64-year history, we’ve never seen ticket demand like this!”  

This lush, grand-scale production updates the original setting from late-1800s southern Spain to an unnamed, pan-Latin city in the mid-1950s, where mounting political tensions and romantic desires match the scorching midsummer temperatures. Eye-catching but peeling billboards, bustling town squares and dive cafés, and costumes that range from proletariat denim to opulent bullfighting regalia give a vivid but distressed texture to this timeless tale of class division and teeming emotion.

Rachel Peake returns to Vancouver Opera (The Pearl Fishers) to direct Carmen alongside conductor Leslie Dala (The Flying Dutchman) for a five-show engagement of seductive arias, enduring, richly coloured melodies, and rhythmic vibrancy. Animated by an all-star cast and audacious stagecraft, the conflicting worlds and failed romance of the sensual, rebellious Carmen and the possessive military man Don José absolutely burst off the stage. From the stirring Toreador Song to the tauntingly seductive aria Habanera, Georges Bizet’s music transcends the hummable while cutting a compelling path through a story that intertwines the political and the personal. 

Adds Wright, “the opera's unwavering popularity lies not only in its captivating story but also in its ability to showcase the complexity of its characters. Carmen is more than an opera; it is an immersive journey into the tempestuous world of love and destiny that keeps audiences on the edge of their seats.”

Portraying the romantic title character are mezzo-sopranos Sarah Mesko (April 27, May 2 & 4) and Carolyn Sproule (April 28 & May 5). The fiery Don Jose is performed by Alok Kumar (April 27, May 2 & 4) and Matthew White (April 28 & May 5).  Appearing in all five performances are soprano Jonelle Sills (A Midsummer Night’s Dream) as Micaela, Nathan Keoughan making his company debut as Escamillo, Alain Coulombe (Turandot) as Zuniga, and Luka Kawabata (A Midsummer Night’s Dream) as Le Dancaire. Joining them are Vancouver Opera’s Yulanda M. Faris Young Artists Jeremy Scinocca as Le Remendado, Simran Claire as Mercedes, Heidi Duncan as Frasquita and Danlie Rae Acebuque as Morales.

Photo Credit: Steven Pisano for Opera Philadelphia

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