Georges Bizet:

CARMEN
Opera in Hungarian

Translated by Emil Ábrányi
A guest performance by Csokonai National Theatre, Debrecen

WORLD PREMIERE: March 7, 2025
PERFORMANCES: July 31 and August 1, 2026
Planned rain date: August 2, 2026

A fresh, modern approach that preserves classic values comes to the main stage of the Szeged Open-Air Games this summer: the Csokonai National Theatre Debrecen presents Georges Bizet’s immortal masterpiece, Carmen, directed by Kossuth Prize-winning Tamás Juronics. The director chose a unique, innovative approach: the story unfolds during a Day of the Dead carnival in a mystical Mexican setting, where passion and fate take on even sharper contours.

Based on Prosper Mérimée’s story with a libretto by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy, the opera centers on a woman shaped by destiny. Carmen is not defined solely by her choices – she embodies freedom and sensuality. A beautiful gypsy woman born with a demonic allure, she instinctively and masterfully wields her greatest weapon: her femininity. She seeks to break free from the world of quick-tempered working women, predatory soldiers, and fame-seeking toreadors – teasing, defying, and resisting. Yet while captivating every man, she becomes caught in a fatal game. Her passionate and destructive relationship with Don José unfolds in a relentless tension of attraction and repulsion: their love becomes their mutual downfall.

The visual design is striking and daring: the Jászai Mari Prize-winning, distinguished artist László Erkel’s centaur-inspired sets and costumes bring new colors to this almost mythic story. The atmosphere of the Mexican Day of the Dead, colorful carnival elements, and the traditional operatic form create a unique and exciting experience – worthy of showing Carmen in a new light on Hungary’s largest open-air stage.

This production of Carmen tells a story of passion, freedom, and destiny – both modern and respectful of tradition, visually stunning and provocative, deeply human and powerfully elemental. The audience of the Szeged Open-Air Games is in for an unforgettable operatic experience this summer.
The production was made possible with the support of the Ministry of Culture and Innovation.
Please note: the performance includes strong sound effects.

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