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Location: Sydney

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2025

July

Thu
10 Jul 2025

Sat
12 Jul 2025

Tue
15 Jul 2025

Fri
18 Jul 2025

Tue
22 Jul 2025

Thu
24 Jul 2025

Sat
26 Jul 2025

Wed
30 Jul 2025

August

Sat
02 Aug 2025

Mon
04 Aug 2025

Thu
07 Aug 2025

Sat
09 Aug 2025

Tue
12 Aug 2025

Sat
16 Aug 2025

Fri
22 Aug 2025

Tue
26 Aug 2025

Sat
30 Aug 2025

September

Mon
01 Sep 2025

Wed
03 Sep 2025

Sat
06 Sep 2025

Tue
09 Sep 2025

Thu
11 Sep 2025

Sat
13 Sep 2025

Mon
15 Sep 2025

Wed
17 Sep 2025

Fri
19 Sep 2025
Venue

Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House
Bennelong Point, Sydney

Language

Performed in French with English surtitles.

Running time

Approximately 2 hours and 50 minutes, including one interval.

Please note

This production contains adult themes, including sexual references and violence against women.

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Are you looking for Carmen in Melbourne?


Smuggler, seductress, risk-taker, rebel.
Who is this woman that turns every head?

When Carmen meets Don José, sparks fly. She won’t give up her freedom, and Don José won’t give up his girl. Their smouldering passion sets the stage for tragedy, but first, Bizet gives us an adrenaline-pumping ride through lust, jealousy and spectacle.

This visceral opera is thrilling from the moment the curtain rises and the orchestra races away with the overture. The music has it all: explosions of colour, tender love songs, sensual dances, massive choruses, and always, underneath, the beating pulse of danger.

One of Australia’s great theatre directors, Melbourne Theatre Company’s Anne-Louise Sarks offers a bold new production of the opera classic, leaning into the revolutionary heart of Bizet’s once groundbreaking opera. This is a Carmen for our time, asking urgent questions about opera’s iconic femme fatale, whose dance with destiny ends in disaster.

We have four extraordinary Carmens performing over the course of the season: Danielle de Niese opens the season with a spectacular role debut, followed by international star Rihab Chaieb, and locals Sian Sharp and Angela Hogan. They lead a cast of absolutely dynamic singers, making this one of the opera events of the year.

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Cast & Creative

Conductor
Lidiya Yankovskaya (10 Jul–4 Aug)
Natalie Murray Beale (7 Aug–6 Sep)
Tahu Matheson (9–19 Sep)
Director
Anne-Louise Sarks
Set & Costume Designer
Marg Horwell
Lighting Designer
Carmen
Danielle de Niese (10 Jul–4 Aug)
Rihab Chaieb (7 Aug–1 Sep)
Sian Sharp (3–11 Sep)
Angela Hogan (13–19 Sep)
Don José
Abraham Bretón (10 Jul–4 Aug)
Young Woo Kim (7 Aug–1 Sep)
Diego Torre (3–19 Sep)
Escamillo
Andrii Kymach (10 Jul–4 Aug)
Phillip Rhodes (7 Aug–19 Sep)
Micaëla
Jennifer Black (10 Jul–4 Aug, 3–19 Sep)
Stacey Alleaume (7 Aug–1 Sep)

Opera Australia Orchestra
Opera Australia Chorus

Carmen at Sydney Opera House

Cheat Sheet: Carmen

Everything you need to know about one of opera's greatest hits.

What happens in the story? Who was the composer? What should I expect from the music? Here’s everything you need to know…

Read the cheat sheet

Beyonce, featured in Carmen: The original pop opera

New to opera? We promise you’ll know Carmen’s famous tunes

Maybe this is your first Carmen. It could be your first live opera. So how come you’ve heard so many of these songs before? Well, for starters, it has more smash hits than any other opera. Even Beyoncé’s movie debut was an adaption of this famous opera.

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Synopsis

This production takes place in a timeless version of Seville. Don José, who was training for the priesthood in his native Basque country, killed a man in a quarrel and has had to enlist in the army in Seville. His mother and Micaëla, who loves him and hopes to marry him, have followed him to the south and live in a village near the city…

Read the Full Synopsis