HOT-blooded masterpiece

The irresistible appetite of flaming beauty Carmen is set to devour audiences one more as Houston Grand Opera presents this stunning production of Georges Bizet's quintessential operatic experience. Expect an explosive whirlwind of swishing skirts and fiery passion as they bring the alluring tale to you. Rob Ashford directs this Co-production with the Lyric Opera of Chicago, with Isobel Leonard and Carolyn Sproule sharing the famous title role.

 A thrilling tale of love found and ruthlessly taken, Carmen is one of the repertoire's most vivid and engaging pieces, a dance of lust and revenge that go hand in hand, making for a fiery, unforgettable finale. Coupled with Bizet's recognizable score that includes the pieces 'Habanera' Seguidilla', and 'The Toreador Song', it is no wonder that it continues to dominate nearly 150 years after it first premiered!

What is the story of Carmen?

The opera follows Carmen, a fiery, provocative gypsy woman at odds with the conventions of Spain in the early 18th century. Able to seduce men with her dulcet tones and feminine wiles, Carmen ensnares the heart of Don Jose, who drops everything, including his betrothed Micaela, to be with her. When Carmen tires of her latest conquest, she leaves him for the handsome bullfighter Escamillo, setting off harrowing and ultimately fatal events fuelled by jealousy, obsession, and murderous rage.