Carmen by Bizet, From (2024/2024), Directed by Francesca Zambello, Conductor Benjamin Manis, War Memorial Opera House, San Francisco, United States

Her Passion is Freeing. His Obsession is Deadly. As free as a rebellious bird, it is hard to escape the magnetic allure of Carmen. Entranced by her passionate seguidilla, the soldier Don José descends into a dangerous spiral of desire. Jealousy and obsession lead to fatal consequences in Francesca Zambello’s production in which matadors bump shoulders with factory workers in the heat of Seville. Bizet’s evocative score features some of the most recognizable music in opera, brought to life by conductor Benjamin Manis.