
One of the most important naysayers in the history of opera and an icon of independence returns with Christian Weise‘s production as a colorful queer-feminist narrative peels itself away from the worn-out costumes of operatic tradition: Carmen. On 24.01.2025, the premiere of Carmen extends the series of musical theater evenings at the Maxim Gorki Theater. Georges Bizet’s last opera, which immortalized him and his leading character, the rebellious Carmen, with its premiere in 1875, will be filled with new life. Lindy Larsson embodies the self-confident factory worker and Romni, who repeatedly opts for her freedom. The actor has previously appeared in Roma Armee, alongside actress and singer-songwriter Riah Knight. Together, they negotiate the stereotypical narratives about a socially marginalized identity in Carmen. To this end, they are not so concerned with Bizet’s worldview (based on the novella of the same name by the French author Prosper Mérimée) and overwrite it with the perspectives of the new production. An important part of Jens Dohle‘s musical composition is accordionist Dejan Jovanović, who dissects the fragments of Roma culture occupied by Bizet and traces them back to their contexts of origin. In addition to Larsson and Knight, other roles are played by Catherine Stoyan, Till Wonka, Via Jikeli and Marc Benner, presenting a Carmen in Weise’s music theater that is completely absorbed in the genre of opéra-comique and defies everything that its opera father has written down in image and costume.
Text: Emma Zylla / Photos: Esra Rotthoff, Katerina Hola
Maxim Gorki Theater, Am Festungsgraben 2, 10117 Berlin–Mitte; map
Carmen 24.01.2025 19h30. Remaining tickets are available at the box office. Get tickets for February here.
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