Northern Ireland Opera has officially unveiled the initial cast and creative team for its upcoming production of Georges Bizet’s masterpiece, Carmen. Directed by the company's artistic director, Cameron Menzies, the grand-scale presentation marks the national opera company’s first-ever staging of the definitive work. The highly anticipated production will run at Belfast's historic Grand Opera House for four performances on 12, 15, 17, and 19 September 2026, viewing the visceral story of passion and defiance through a distinctly modern lens.
The production marks the popular Belfast return of Harlem-born tenor Noah Stewart, who previously captivated local audiences in La Bohème and La Traviata. Stewart will interpret the unravelling obsession of Don José opposite rising star and Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition national finalist Ruby Dibble, who is set to make her highly anticipated role debut as the fiercely independent Carmen. Joining the principal duo is a wealth of celebrated local talent, including sopranos Mary McCabe as Micaëla and Petra Wells as Frasquita, alongside mezzo-soprano Jenny Bourke as Mercédès.
Steering the musical vision is Greg Arrowsmith, who returns as music director following his work on last year's smash-hit staging of Follies. Arrowsmith will lead the 37-strong Orchestra of Northern Ireland Opera while introducing exclusive new arrangements crafted for an intimate, in-character on-stage instrumental quintet to add an immersive layer to the legendary score. The physical and visual world of the production is shaped by long-time collaborator and set designer Niall McKeever, marking his sixth major project with the company alongside West End choreographer Jennifer Rooney.
In tandem with the performances, the company will host Behind the Curtain on Thursday, 20 August 2026. This essential panel event will utilize live musical extracts from the opera to confront historic operatic tropes of the tragic heroine, creating a vital forum to address real-world conversations surrounding gender-based violence and safety today. Tickets for the upcoming September run are available now through the Grand Opera House box office.
