Olivier Award-winning OperaUpClose to premiere new version of Carmen at the King's Head Theatre

CARMEN

Olivier Award-winning OperaUpClose's new version of Georges Bizet’s Carmen, in a new English libretto by Ben Cooper, accompanied by piano and Spanish guitar, will be directed by Rodula Gaitanou, a recent Royal Opera House Jette Parker Young Artist.

Carmen, with a cast of gangs and outcasts, is set in a modern day North London where Carmen, an irresistible and bold young woman, becomes the fatal link between law-abiding society and the gritty underworld where she belongs. Featuring the famous Habanera in which she entices and enrages the men around her, and the Toreador Song, Carmen revolutionised the world of opera with its sensuous, dangerous heroine and candid depiction of criminality.

It will play a limited season at the King's Head Theatre from Tuesday 3 April - Saturday 5 May.

Press Night is Tuesday 10 April at 7.15pm

Casting to be announced.

Musical Director: Elspeth Wilkes

OperaUpClose is dedicated to presenting new, difficult and classic operas in intimate spaces with world-class trained singers and directors, bringing opera to life for diverse audiences and to offer the extraordinary opportunity to experience the dramatic and musical event of opera up close.

La Bohème was the company's first production, opening at The Cock Tavern Theatre in October 2009. It became the longest continuously performed opera in the UK and won the 2011 Laurence Olivier Award "Best New Opera Production" and the 2011 Whatsonstage.com Award "Best Off-West End Production".

In October 2010, OperaUpClose became the resident company at the King's Head Theatre, where the company has now produced nine new opera productions, as well as two productions (two transfers of La Bohème and a new production of Don Giovanni) at Soho Theatre.

CARMEN

King’s Head Theatre

115 Upper Street

London

N1 1QN

Tuesday 3 April to Saturday 5 May

Press Night: Tuesday 10 April at 7.15pm

Tuesday - Saturday at 7.15pm Sunday at 3.00pm

Previews: Tuesday 3 April - Sunday 10 April: all seats £10.00

Tickets: £16.00 - £25.00

www.kingsheadtheatre.com

Box office: 020 7478 0160