Premieres Friday, June 14 at 9 p.m. on PBS (check local listings)
Acclaimed English director Carrie Cracknell makes her Met debut, resetting the classic story to the modern day that moves the focus to issues that could not be more relevant today: gendered violence, abusive labor structures, and the desire to break through societal boundaries. Young mezzo-soprano Aigul Akhmetshina leads a quartet of stars in the complex and volatile title role, alongside tenor Piotr Beczała as Carmen’s troubled lover Don José, soprano Angel Blue as the loyal Micaëla, and bass-baritone Kyle Ketelsen as the swaggering Escamillo. Daniele Rustioni conducts Bizet’s score.
Later this summer, Great Performances at the Met: La Forza del Destino starring soprano Lise Davidsen as Leonora premieres Sunday, July 7 at 2 p.m. on PBS (check local listings). These operas are part of season 18 of Great Performances at the Met premiering now through October.
Carmen Production Credits:
Cast:
Benjamin Taylor – Moralès
Angel Blue – Micaëla
Piotr Beczała – Don José
Wei Wu – Zuniga
Aigul Akhmetshina – Carmen
Sydney Mancasola – Frasquita
Briana Hunter – Mercédès
Kyle Ketelsen – Escamillo
Michael Adams – Le Dancaïre
Frederick Ballentine – Le Remendado
Creative:
Gary Halvorson – Director for Television
Daniele Rustioni – Conductor
Carrie Cracknell – Production
Michael Levine – Set Designer
Tom Scutt – Costume Designer
Guy Hoare – Lighting Designer
Rocafilm/Roland Horvath – Projection Designer
Ann Yee – Choreographer
Tim Martyn – Music Producer
Matt Dobkin and Merrin Lazyan – Creative Content Producers
Matthew Polenzani – Host
Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy – Libretto
Prosper Mérimée – Novella upon which opera is based