// Bizet //
CARMEN
Tickets can also be purchased through the NC Opera Box Office by calling 919.792.3853.
PERFORMANCE INFORMATION
Friday, October 16, 2026 at 7:30PM
Sunday, October 18, 2026 at 2:00PM
Raleigh Memorial Auditorium
Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts
CARMEN runs approximately 2 hours and 45 minutes including one 20-minute Intermission.
Performed in French with English translations projected above the stage.
Performance advisory: Carmen includes theatrical haze, flashing lights, and a loud gunshot sound in Act III.
OPERA OVERVIEW
Music by Georges Bizet
Libretto by Ludovic Halévy and Henri Meilhac
Based on the novella, Carmen, by Prosper Mérimée
World premiere: Opéra-Comique, Paris, France, March 3, 1875
A passion that burns. Desire ignites a dangerous flame in Bizet’s Carmen. When a fiercely independent woman pulls a soldier into her orbit, obsession spirals into jealousy, betrayal, and tragedy. Packed with bold melodies and irresistible rhythms, this fiery story of seduction and destruction blazes all the way to its unforgettable final moment.
MORE DETAILS
- Community Night at the Opera: Celebrating Black Artistry & Community.
Join North Carolina Opera for an evening of opera, conversation, and connection as we celebrate the artistic legacy and enduring influence of Black artists in opera. The evening welcomes HBCU communities, Divine Nine organizations, Black cultural and professional organizations, students, families, and all who wish to celebrate the rich legacy and lasting impact of Black artistry.
💥 Free for all Friday, October 16 ticket holders
📆 Friday, October 16
⏰ Doors open at 6:00PM - Seduction and the Body in Carmen | Pre-show talk by Marcus Pyle, Ph.D.
Carmen is a master of seduction, using dance and song to entice the men around her, but within the opera there’s also an underlying commentary about women’s agency, empire, and race. This pre-show talk provides insight into the history of Carmen and the generation of dangerous women it helped birth.
💥 Free for all Friday, October 16 ticket holders
📆 Friday, October 16
⏰ 6:30PM
📍 Carolina Room, downstairs from Raleigh Memorial Auditorium - $15 college student tickets are available for the Friday evening performance and can be purchased online, or by calling the NCO Box Office at 919.792.3853. A valid student ID must be presented at will-call to pick up tickets. Limit of 2 tickets per ID.
- Subscribers: log in to your NCO Account Manager to purchase additional tickets with your subscriber discount and enjoy waived handling fees, or contact the Box Office at 919.792.3853.
- Groups 10+ save on tickets: call the Box Office at 919.792.3853 to book your group now.
- Audio Description will be available for the Friday, October 16th performance, provided by Arts Access.
QUESTIONS? We’re here to help! Call the Box Office at 919.792.3853.
THE ARTISTS
Joseph Mechavich
Conductor
Denyce Graves
Director
Gina Perregrino
Carmen
Eric Taylor
Don José
Laureano Quant
Escamillo
Elana Gleason
Micaëla
Christian Simmons
Zuniga
Yazid Gray
Moralès / Le Dancaïre
Gretchen Bruesehoff
Frasquita
Sarah Neal
Mercédès
Scott Wichael
Remendado
Frances Rabalais
Associate Stage Director
Marcelo Martinez
Choreographer
Ross Kolman
Lighting Designer
Jeanie Wozencraft-Ornellas
Chorus Master
YOUR VISIT
- Directions and Parking| Parking Map
**To help reduce traffic congestion near the venue during events, we strongly encourage guests to utilize one of several parking decks located along Wilmington Street, as identified on the parking map.**
Due to construction of the Omni Raleigh Hotel, the two parking lots located directly in front of the Martin Marietta Center have closed permanently.
The following parking decks are all within 0.2mi of the Center:- Performing Arts Center Deck (H on the map) with entrances off South St and Lenoir.
- City Center/Red Hat Decks (D on the map) with entrances off Wilmington, Cabarrus, and Blount Streets.
- Convention Center/Charter Square Underground Decks (C on the map) with entrances off Lenoir and Wilmington Street.
- All bags are subject to search and must meet size requirements. A small clutch or wallet is recommended and no bags larger than 12″ x 12″ x 10″ will be allowed, this includes backpacks, camera bags, and oversized purses.
- Lobby doors and the on-site Box Office/Will Call will open 90 minutes prior to curtain. Please plan to arrive early to find parking, pass through security, and get to your seat.
- Accessibility
- Health and Safety
- FAQs
- Venue Policies (Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts)
- Concessions (Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts)
Please note that food may not be brought inside the theater during North Carolina Opera performances and must be consumed in the Lobby.
SPONSORS
This production is generously sponsored by Ross W. Lampe, Jr.
Media Sponsor
Donor and Artist Reception Sponsor
No refunds. All sales final. Casting subject to change. Ticketmaster is the only authorized online seller of North Carolina Opera tickets. Tickets purchased from other sites may be more expensive, fraudulent, or ineligible for entry. To avoid online fees, call the NC Opera Box Office at 919.792.3853.
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