SNG Maribor Symphonic Orchestra
SNG Maribor Chorus
SNG Maribor Ballet ensemble

Conductor: Simon Krečič
Director: Juan Guillermo Nova

Music: Georges Bizet
Libretto: Henri Meilhac, Ludovic Halévy (after Prosper Merimée’s novella)

Assistant directors: Barbara Staffolani, Tim Ribič
Set designer and video projection: Juan Guillermo Nova
Assistant set designers: Giuseppe Cangemi, Matic Kašnik
Costume designer: Cristina Aceti
Assistant costume designers: Simona Toš, Suzana Rengeo, Alessandra Allegra Garanzini
Lighting designer: Jean Paul Carradori
Chorus master: Zsuzsa Budvari Novak
Choreographer: Valentina Turcu
Assistant choreographers: Tanja Baronik, Sergiu Moga

Cast:
Carmen: Ramona Zaharia
Don José: Martin Sušnik
Micaela: Andreja Zakonjšek Krt
Escamillo: Luka Ortar
Frasquita: Milica Lalošević
Mercedes: Dada Kladenik
Dancaire Bogdan Stopar
Remendado: Dušan Topolovec
Zuniga: Marko Mandir
Moralés: Sebastijan Čelofiga
Lillas Pastia: Bojan Hinteregger
Orange seller: Valentina Jerenec
Bohemian: Jernej Luketič

“Love is a rebellious bird that no one can tame. Whoever tries to capture it is wasting their time.” These words were written by the composer Georges Bizet for one of the most famous protagonists in the world of opera – the gypsy-woman Carmen, a worker in a cigarette factory in Seville, who likes to uses her charms to seduce men, but her game ends in death; the betrayed Don José stabs the seductress to death in a rage. The story, which is set in Andalusia and embellished by the composer’s melodious songs and the appealing rhythms of the regional dances, presents the audience with heroes from the everyday world. The opera ensemble of the Slovene National Theatre Maribor will be joined in the title role by Romanian mezzo-soprano, Ramona Zaharia. The performance’s overall concept will be guided by the Andalusian opera director Juan Guillermo Nova, who is credited with staging many operas and known for “expertly made and skilfully utilised projections, which blend perfectly with the physical contours of the stage”. This, one of the most popular operas, will be directed by the pianist and conductor Simon Krečič, who has for a number of years been the artistic director of the Opera of the Slovene National Theatre Maribor. He directed the staging of what were two major cultural projects for Slovenia: Wagner’s Das Rheingold and Nina Šenk’s Marpurgi (“The Morpurgos”).