La Tragédie de Carmen

A Buxton International Festival and Norwich Theatre Production, with the Northern Chamber Orchestra

A brutal, gritty tale of self-destruction fuelled by lust, set to some of the most famous music in opera.  Peter Brook’s adaptation of Bizet’s Carmen doesn’t hold back, stripping the opera to its core essentials whilst focussing on themes of obsession and jealousy.

When Don Jose falls for the fiery and ambitious Carmen their tragic fates are sealed.  His childhood sweetheart is eschewed, and they begin a visceral journey that descends to madness and murder.

La tragédie de Carmen includes elements of the Georges Bizet opera as well as the original Prosper Mérimée novella on which Bizet’s opera was based.  Brook adapted the script with academy award-winning screenwriter Jean-Claude Carrière, re-examining it from a new perspective.  The original score was adapted for a chamber orchestra by Marius Constant and the show premiered in Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord, Paris in November 1981.

Director Katharina Kastening has created new productions for Oper Frankfurt, Opéra National de Lorraine, and Opera Northern Ireland. The cast is led by the charismatic Irish mezzosoprano, Niamh O’Sullivan.

Sung in French with English surtitles.

Duration: 1 hour and 30 minutes.

CREATIVE TEAM

Iwan Davies Conductor

Katharina Kastening Director

Bettina John Designer

CAST

Niamh O’Sullivan Carmen

Elgan Llŷr Thomas Don José

Steffan Lloyd OwenEscamillo

Erin Rossington Micaëla

Cameron Cook Zunig, Lillas Pastia and Garcia