The production team has promised a faithful recreation of Carmen’s first show in 1875 at the Opera-Comique in Paris through meticulous costume and stage design.

Carmen is based on the 1845 novella of the same name by Prosper Merimee and was adapted into a dramatic opera by composer Goerges Bizet, Henri Meilhac, and Ludovic Halévy. It tells the story of a tragic love between the titular Carmen and a soldier named Don Jose.

The opera’s debut sparked controversy due to its bold, unconventional story and a strong-willed main character that challenged societal norms, but is now recognized as one of the top 20 most performed operas in history.

Bizet’s Carmen also inspired a number of adaptations and interpretations. Its upcoming version in Hanoi is a collaboration between The Royal Opera of Versailles, music center Palazzetto Bru Zane, and the Rouen Normandy Opera House.