Opera Columbus to present an updated version of 'Carmen' at the Southern Theatre

French composer Georges Bizet’s 1875 opera “Carmen” has endured in the operatic repertoire for close to 150 years.

It’s past time, then, for opera companies staging the show to offer fresh, modern interpretations, said Julia Noulin-Merat, the general director and CEO of Opera Columbus. This weekend, the group will present a new production of the opera.

Above all, Opera Columbus’ “Carmen” — which will be performed on Friday and Sunday in the Southern Theatre — seeks to transform audiences’ understanding of the title character. In most productions, Carmen is depicted as a bohemian whose power of seduction contributes to the unhappy fate of a soldier, Don Jose, as well as her own downfall.

In the new production directed by Sarah Dahnke, however, Carmen is given a sense of agency.

“(Dahnke) really makes Carmen not be a victim,” Noulin-Merat said. “She chooses her fate, which I think is very powerful, especially in this day and age.”

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An updated 'Carmen'

Dahnke — a participant in Opera Columbus’ Crane Directing Fellowship program to expand opportunities available to BIPOC (Black, indigenous, people of color) stage directors working in opera — has also updated the setting of “Carmen” from the 19th century to some period in the late 20th century. The locale has also shifted.

“We re-set it so we’re actually in Ibiza, Spain, instead of Seville,” Noulin-Merat said.

The action unfolds in a nightclub, where Carmen — performed by mezzo-soprano Tesia Kwarteng — works as a singer.

“She is a performer at this club,” Noulin-Merat said. “Instead of feeling like she’s passed on from one man to another, she actually chooses, ‘OK, I’m building this relationship with this fellow; now this one.’ She is dating; that is fine!”

Don Jose will be performed by tenor Adam Diegel.

“This is (Diegel’s) 75th version of ‘Carmen,’” Noulin-Merat said, “and he said this is the first time he’s ever done it this way.”

A shorter 'Carmen'

In recent years, Opera Columbus found that many audiences were more willing to attend shorter shows than full-length operas with multiple intermissions. Consequently, this weekend’s “Carmen” has been trimmed to about 90 minutes; there will be no intermission.

“We cut out all the chorus parts, and it really, at its core, became an ensemble piece, which is absolutely beautiful,” Noulin-Merat said. “Some of what is typically sung by the chorus is actually sung by the ensemble. It really keeps the action going.”

Noulin-Merat said that the abbreviated length also heightens the story of Carmen, Don Jose and Escamillo (another man who comes between Carmen and Don Jose).

“What it really does is makes it about this love triangle,” she said. “It raises the stakes, too.”

Mezzo-soprano Kwarteng to shine

Kwarteng, who recently performed in the show “Camelot” at the Lincoln Center Theater in New York, is described by Noulin-Merat as a renaissance woman as a singer.

“She does it all,” Noulin-Merat said. “She does Broadway; she’s performed at the (Metropolitan Opera) . . . she’s also done some voice-over and in movies.”

But this is the first time the mezzo-soprano has performed in “Carmen.” Despite that, Kwarteng is embracing the character’s complexities.

“She brings a lot of depth to her character,” Noulin-Merat said. “She’s asking a lot of questions about what are (Carmen’s) motivations and where is she coming from.”

Columbus Symphony to join singers

Despite the many changes made to “Carmen,” one important aspect remains unchanged (albeit shortened): Bizet’s music, which will be performed by 23 members of the Columbus Symphony.

The number of musicians is unusually large for the orchestra pit in the Southern Theatre. (The full symphony usually performs in the far larger Ohio Theatre.)

“We’re very excited,” Noulin-Merat said. “They’ve been tremendous in collaborating: ‘OK, maybe we can fit one more string part!’”

Conductor Everett McCorvey will lead the musicians.

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Pre-show activities

During both the Friday and Sunday performances, audiences are invited to get into the spirit of the show by participating in a pre-show tarot card reading.

“This idea of controlling destiny and finding your destiny is very important in this piece,” Noulin-Merat said. “There’s a really big number that has to do with tarot card readings, so we thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be fun if, pre-show, people were invited to actually get their tarot cards read?’”

A bourbon bar will also be open on Friday.

Why is a reimagined 'Carmen' important?

Opera Columbus — which last performed “Carmen” in 2017 — has certainly made many modifications to the opera, but to what end? Noulin-Merat said that the time is perfect to rethink how and why the century-and-a-half-old opera should be performed.

“We should talk about women’s voices, and women’s voices in opera specifically,” she said. “It was really important to say, ‘What is a 2023 “Carmen” looking like for this audience now?’”

But, despite the modern interpretation of the plot and characters, the opera will still sound the same.

“It’s a testament to how incredible Bizet’s music is,” Noulin-Merat said. “We’re still doing his ‘Carmen.’ We didn’t rewrite the music!”

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At a glance

Opera Columbus will perform “Carmen” at 7:30 p.m. Friday and 2 p.m. Sunday in the Southern Theatre, 21 E. Main St. Tickets start at $10. For more information, visit operacolumbus.org.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Opera Columbus will perform 'Carmen' at the Southern Theatre