The Royal Opera House's Carmen review: Akhmetshin and Véliz ignite Michieletto's production
Damiano Michieletto's Carmen sizzles on The Royal Opera House main stage.
From 1875 to 2025, Georges Bizet's Carmen still proves ever-popular; Damiano Michieletto's production of Carmen has returned to The Royal Opera House, and, staying true to the original, you can expect passion, lust and violence.
I was invited to see Carmen on its opening night at Covent Garden's The Royal Opera House. Bizet's Carmen is the second most performed opera (after La Bohème) in the theatre's repertory, having been shown on stage over 600 times.
As always with RadioTimes.com's reviews, we share our thoughts on a piece of theatre in an accessible way, whether it's your first time at the opera, you visit once every season, or frequenting the opera to you is like popping into your corner shop.
One of the most well-known operas in the world, Carmen is set in a remote Spanish town where its eponymous character declares that any mean she loves should be afraid. However, even our heroine is unprepared for what will happen when she seduces police officer Don José, and his jealously threatens to erupt...
Mezzo-soprano Aigul Akhmetshin returns to the role of Carmen in this The Royal Opera House production, and she carries off Carmen's songs, such as Carmen's Habanera, with fire. As does Yaritza Véliz as Don José's neglected lover Micaëla.
Véliz is an alumna of The Royal Opera's Jette Parker Artists Programme (which has made us even more excited to visit the Jette Parker Artists Summer Performance), who now has an incredible career of her own. Véliz brings an urgency to Micaëla's pleadings with Don José to return to his dying mother, who she claims has forgiven him of his sins. Micaëla's urgency is at contract with the ghostly figure of Don José's mother who haunts the stage as if she can't believe what trouble her son has gotten into.
Tenor Freddie De Tommaso fills the shoes of Don José. Tommaso is excellent as the role of Carmen's jealous lover, and his vocals earned him perhaps the most bravos of the entire show. However, we did wonder why Carmen fell for Don José, as it didn't take much for him to fall for her, so what made him different to the other men lusting after her in the square? We doubt it would've been because he did her a favour.
As well as the main cast, Carmen features a gaggle of children who make up by-standers in the square and announced the next act with title cards. While sweet to watch, the group of children felt at odds with the dramatic and often menacing story of Carmen.
Carmen's score was excellent, with thanks to conductor Mark Elder; the rhythm and timing was brilliant, with room for the singers to breath in more serious numbers and for quicker scenes to skip along nicely. I also went to the front of The Royal Opera House to take a look inside the pit where the orchestra plays as I hadn't seen one before, and I'd recommend taking a look for yourself if you haven't either!
I loved the set design; the lighting and staging felt modern but it didn't take away from Carmen's original southern Spain setting.
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When and where is Carmen showing in London?
Like a lot of operas, you only have a limited time to catch Carmen at The Royal Opera House.
Carmen is being performed at Covent Garden's The Royal Opera House from 9th April until 15th April 2025.
Buy Carmen tickets from £60 at TodayTix
How to get The Royal Opera House Carmen tickets
Tickets to see Carmen are on sale right now at TodayTix, and tickets will set you back £60.
Buy Carmen tickets from £60 at TodayTix
For more of the best operas in London, be sure to read our extensive guide. Plus how to get Women's FA Cup Final tickets.
