Sensational mezzo-soprano Justina Gringyte makes her debut in the title role of Calixto Bieito’s production of Carmen, conducted by Sir Richard Armstrong.

Opens Wednesday 20 May at 7.30pm at the London Coliseum (14 performances)
Broadcast live in cinemas across UK and Ireland, and selected cinemas worldwide, as part of ENO Screen on 1 July 2015 at 7.30pm

Winner of the Young Singer Award in the 2015 International Opera Awards, mezzo-soprano Justina Gringyte makes her debut in the title role of this passionate tale of lust, seduction and betrayal. Set during the dying days of Franco’s Spain, Calixto Bieito’s “cogent, gripping” (The Guardian) production of Carmen returns to the London Coliseum for its first revival.

Calixto Bieito remains one of the most sought after opera and theatre directors of his generation and is particularly well known for his radical reinterpretations of classic operas and plays. He has previously directed ENO productions of Don Giovanni (2001) A Masked Ball (2002), and Fidelio (2013). Bieito will return to the London Coliseum in November 2015 to direct a new production of Verdi’s The Force of Destiny, conducted by incoming ENO Music Director Mark Wigglesworth. The Force of Destiny is a co-production with the Metropolitan Opera, New York, and will be performed in their 2017/18 season, marking Bieito’s directorial debut with the House.

Sensational mezzo-soprano Justina Gringyte was a member of the Jette Parker Young Artists Programme at the Royal Opera House from 2011-13. She made her ENO debut as an “exceptionally fine” Maddalena (The Independent) in Christopher Alden’s production ofRigoletto (February 2014), and also performed the role at the Royal Opera House later in the year. Accompanied by pianist Iain Burnside she performed a series of Rachmaninoff songs at the Wigmore Hall last season, which were also recorded for the Delphian label.

Internationally acclaimed tenor Eric Cutler will made his ENO debut in the role of Don José. He has performed in many of the world’s leading opera houses, including Bayerische Staatsoper, Munich; La Monnaie, Brussels; Opera Australia and the Metropolitan Opera, New York. In 2012 he performed the role of Nadir in Bizet’s The Pearl Fishers with Santa Fe Opera, for which the Wall Street Journalpraised his “focused, ringing tenor and blazing high notes”.

ENO Harewood Artist Rhian Lois returns as Frasquita. She has frequently performed with ENO and has, this season, ‘sparkled’ (Daily Telegraph) as Atalanta in Nicholas Hytner’s production of Xerxes and also created the role of the Younger Woman in the world premiere of Between Worlds, the debut opera from composer Tansy Davies and librettist Nick Drake, Between Worlds.

Former Opera Works singer Clare Presland will play Mércèdes. She made her 2012 ENO debut as the Palestinian Woman in John Adams’s The Death of Klinghoffer and has since appeared in numerous productions with the Company, including Between Worlds(alongside Rhian Lois) and as Wowkle in Richard Jones’s Olivier Award-winning The Girl of the Golden West.

ENO Harewood Artist Eleanor Dennis sings her first Micaëla, José’s ever-loyal ex-girlfriend. She most recently appeared at the London Coliseum as First Lady in Simon McBurney’s audience hit The Magic Flute. Company favourite Leigh Melrose will play the toreador Escamillo. He performed an ‘outstanding’ (The Daily Telegraph) Sonora in Richard Jones’s production of The Girl of the Golden West.

Returning to the London Coliseum to conduct this production is British conductor Sir Richard Armstrong. Formerly Music Director of Welsh National Opera and Scottish Opera, his recent appearances at the London Coliseum include five star productions of both The Passenger (2011) and The Makropulos Case (2010). He will return to ENO in May 2016 to conduct 17 performances of Anthony Minghella’s production of Madam Butterfly.

Carmen opens at the London Coliseum on 20 May 2015 for 14 performances – May 20, 22, 28, 30 & June 3, 10, 12, 16, 18, 24, 29 & July 1, 3 at 7.30pm
June 14 at 3pm