Bizet’s Carmen comes to Limassol screen

Carmen is Georges Bizet’s most famous opera, renowned all over the world. Bringing it to Limassol is The Met: Live in HD, a programme that broadcasts operas straight from New York. A live transmission of Carmen will be screened at Rialto Theatre on Saturday evening with mezzo-soprano Aigul Akhmetshina, making Met history as the youngest lead in a new staging of Carmen.

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 labour 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. Besides showing the opera production, Saturday’s broadcast will also include exclusive behind-the-scenes access and interviews with the cast and creative team during intermission. More live opera broadcasts will follow, namely La Forza del Destino on March 16 and Madama Butterfly on May 11.

Carmen

The Met Live opera broadcast. January 27. Rialto Theatre, Limassol. 7.55pm. €15-20. www.rialto.com.cy