The Met: Live in HD Brings CARMEN to the Rialto Theatre

The Metropolitan Opera’s 2023–24 Live in HD season continues with a live transmission of Bizet’s ever-popular Carmen on Saturday, January 27, at 19:55 at Rialto Theatre. In her highly anticipated Met debut, English director Carrie Cracknell reinvigorates the classic story of deadly passion with a new staging that moves the action to the modern day and explores themes that could not be more relevant today: gendered violence, abusive labor structures, and the desire to break through societal boundaries. 

The production stars young mezzo-soprano Aigul Akhmetshina, who made headlines in 2018 as the youngest artist ever to sing the title role at London’s Royal Opera House, at just 21 years old, and who now makes Met history as the youngest lead in a new staging of Carmen at the age of 27. World-renowned tenor Piotr Beczała also stars as Carmen’s troubled lover Don José, alongside soprano Angel Blue as the loyal Micaëla, and bass-baritone Kyle Ketelsen as the swaggering Escamillo. Maestro Daniele Rustioni conducts Bizet’s timeless score, which includes some of the most famous arias in opera, such as the Habanera and the Toreador Song.

Cracknell’s creative team includes veteran set designer Michael Levine. Making their Met debuts are costume designer Tom Scutt, lighting designer Guy Hoare, projection designer Rocafilm/Roland Horvath, and choreographer Ann Yee.

Gary Halvorson will direct the Live in HD presentation for cinemas, with Grammy Award–winning mezzo-soprano Susan Graham as host, providing exclusive behind-the-scenes access and conducting interviews with the cast and creative team during intermission.

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