Carmen - schedule, program & buy tickets

An opera in four acts by Georges Bizet
Libretto by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy, based on the novella of the same name by Prosper Mérimée
Premiered on March 3, 1875, in Paris
Premiere at the Deutsche Oper Berlin on January 20, 2018

Introduction: 45 minutes before the start of each performance in the Rang Foyer on the right
Language: In French with German and English surtitles
Running time: 3 hours / including an intermission after approximately 90 minutes
Recommended for ages 16 and up 

“She was born free, and she will die free”—to preserve her freedom, Carmen is even willing to accept her own death. With her uncompromising will to autonomy, she shattered the moral conventions of her time. This sets her apart from the many passive, self-sacrificing female characters in 19th-century opera—once a subject of scandal, later a role model, always a powerful canvas for projection. Director Ole Anders Tandberg explores these ambivalences and works with iconic imagery: the bright-red flamenco dress, the bullfighter’s costume, and the bullring. Yet these symbols are not left uncommented upon; rather, they are exaggerated to the point of the grotesque and macabre. An emotional roller coaster ride featuring catchy tunes like the Habanera and the Toreador Song, which linger in the memory for a long time. Argentine conductor Alejo Pérez, General Music Director of the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires, makes his debut at the Deutsche Oper Berlin. Gaëlle Arquez, as the French Carmen, brings charm and sophistication to the role; later, our new ensemble member Kristina Stanek will introduce herself as the new Berlin Carmen. 

Subject to change.