On Sunday, Venice’s Teatro La Fenice raised the curtain on one of the most eagerly anticipated opera events of the season: Georges Bizet’s Carmen, presented in the celebrated staging by Spanish director Calixto Bieito. This is no ordinary production. Bieito’s interpretation won the prestigious Premio Franco Abbiati for Best Direction seen in Italy in 2011, following its debut in Palermo, and has since become one of the most talked-about contemporary readings of Bizet’s masterpiece.
Taking center stage on opening night was mezzo-soprano Annalisa Stroppa, recently described as “the finest Carmen currently performing in Italy.” The production also marked her operatic debut on the Venetian stage, making the occasion especially significant for the acclaimed singer. Conducting the Orchestra and Chorus of Teatro La Fenice was music director Francesco Ivan Ciampa, joined by the children’s choir Piccoli Cantori Veneziani. With its powerful staging and internationally renowned cast, the production confirms La Fenice’s position as one of Europe’s leading opera houses and sets an ambitious tone for the new season.