Bizet’s Carmen is one of those operas that never seems to lose its appeal. Its unfailing tunefulness and exquisite craftsmanship are of course among the reasons for its popularity. But I suspect its underlying theme of power relations between the sexes provides the strongest attraction for directors and audiences.
Calixto Bieito and Barrie Kosky both made powerful statements in their ENO and Covent Garden productions – Damiano Michieletto less so in the most recent staging at the Royal Opera.
