The Opéra de Montréal is closing the 2025/26 season with Bizet’s Carmen, in a strong production made unmissable by Rihab Chaieb as Carmen and the Orchestre Métropolitain under Jean-Marie Zeitouni.
During the Habanera, what struck me first about Rihab Chaieb’s Carmen was her freedom –freedom of voice, freedom of movement, freedom to be herself. “Libre elle est née et libre elle mourra,” as Carmen says in the last act (“She was born free, and she will die free”). Chaieb commanded the stage, making every movement and musical choice feel spontaneous. She brought her text to life with flawless deliveries and endless nuance, while her rich, warm mezzo-soprano seemed to pour out effortlessly no matter the register.
Jean-Marie Zeitouni and the Orchestre Métroplitain supported her at every slightly held note or tempo change and sounded exceptional while doing so. The curtain was down for the overture and the entr’actes, and I was glad, because I could give all my attention to the orchestra: they gave gripping performances each time, crisp but flexible, with beautifully operatic phrasing. A special tip of the hat to the woodwinds, prominently featured in Bizet’s score.
At the podium, Zeitouni radiated energy. He took some very speedy tempos and delved into some very soft dynamics, but the risks paid off as singers delivered rapid-fire patter singing and dramatic contrasts in volume. These contrasts were especially noticeable in the third-act aria “Je dis que rien ne m’épouvante,” sung by Quebec soprano Magali Simard-Galdès as Micaëla. It was a pleasure to hear Simard-Galdès sing French opera, and her bright, beautiful voice conveyed all of Micaëla’s innocence and courage.
Photo Credit: Vivien Gaumand
Ethan Vincent, as the Toreador Escamillo, being cheered by the crowd
Don José was played by Mexican tenor Arturo Chacón-Cruz, who has a powerful voice that’s made for Romantic opera. His singing was strong and confident throughout, and his straightforward acting worked well for Don José, who rarely stops to consider his actions. I would have liked to see him respond with more subtlety to Chaieb’s Carmen, though, especially as the characters fell in love.
Ethan Vincent, an Indigenous Mexican-American baritone with a rich, focused sound, played Escamillo. Some of his lowest notes sounded less comfortable (strictly speaking, Escamillo is a bass-baritone role), but his easy confidence and commanding stage presence made him everything a toreador should be.
Baritone Jamal Al Titi and tenor Rocco Rupolo played the two smugglers Le Dancaïre and Le Remendado; soprano Emma Fekete and mezzo-soprano Tessa Fackelmann played Carmen’s friends Frasquita and Mercédès. All four leaned fully into their roles, and their ensemble numbers were excellent – particularly their second-act quintet with Carmen, which stayed crisp, engaging and in tune, even at breakneck speed. Bass-baritone Stephen Hegedus gave a compelling performance as the unpleasant Lieutenant Zuniga, and baritone Dante Mullin Santone helped kick off the first act as Corporal Moralès. Notably, all six of these smaller roles were filled by current or former members of the Atelier lyrique.
There is also a lot to enjoy about the production, originally created by Edmonton Opera. Anna Theodosakis’s staging flowed naturally throughout, and her work with the chorus made for colourful and engaging crowd scenes. In the first act, Les Petits Chanteurs de Laval earned some spontaneous applause for their spot-on singing and acting as the rowdy urchins. Theodosakis was the choreographer as well: she crafted very compelling singing and dancing scenes at Lillas Pastia’s tavern, which was represented by a lovely set with an evocative starry sky.
What I will remember most, though, is the profound, whip-smart performance of leading lady Rihab Chaieb and the joyful playing of the orchestra.
Photo Credit: Vivien Gaumand
The final moments of Opéra de Montréal’s Carmen
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