The Metropolitan Opera kicks off the new year with a vital new production of Carmen, starring acclaimed Polish tenor Piotr Beczała as Carmen’s troubled lover Don José. Directed by Carrie Cracknell, Bizet’s timeless masterpiece also features mezzo-soprano Aigul Akhmetshina, soprano Angel Blue, and bass-baritone Kyle Ketelsen. Daniele Rustioni conducts one of opera’s most powerful works. 

The tenor is among the top tier of opera singers in the world, performing regularly in starring roles on the stage of the Metropolitan Opera in New York. He holds a contract with the Deutsche Grammophon label since autumn 2012. 

Piotr Beczała made his Met debut as the Duke of Mantua in Rigoletto in 2006 and returned to the role with the company in 2009 and 2011. He has also sung the Duke with Zurich Opera and Paris Opera. His most recent Met performances were as the Chevalier des Grieux in last season’s new production premiere of Massenet’s Manon. He has sung four additional roles at the Met to critical acclaim: Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor, Lenski in Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin, Rodolfo in La Bohème, and Roméo in Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette. In March 2013, he makes his Met role debut as the title character in Gounod’s Faust. Click here to read more about Piotr Beczała.