Opera: Georges Bizet’s Carmen in 1970s Hong Kong

Description

Composer Georges Bizet’s Carmen, one of the world’s most enduring operas, is reimagined in this four-act production presented by Opera Hong Kong and French May 2026. Directed by Jia Ding and conducted by Franck Colombier, the production shifts from 19th-century Spain to the fast-evolving Hong Kong of the 1970s — a period marked by economic rise, cultural hybridity and social transformation. Against this backdrop, the opera’s central tensions between desire and duty, freedom and control take on renewed urgency. Bizet’s score, known for its lyrical intensity and memorable motifs, anchors a narrative that follows Don José’s unraveling obsession with the fiercely independent Carmen and Micaëla’s attempt to pull him back from ruin.

On 7 to 9 May, performances will take place at 19:30, while a performance will be held at 14:30 on 10 May. Carmen will be performed in French with Chinese and English subtitles.