CARMEN - THE MOVIE

Playing period

04. October - 22. December

Carmen is one of the most performed operas in the world, but what happened after she was murdered? Bergen National Opera’s new film ‘Obsession in isolation’ is a murder mystery set for our times.

Bizet's Carmen changed the genre of opera forever and is today one of the world's most performed, with its famous Habanera and Toreador arias. It famously ends with Carmen's brutally killing by José, one of her lovers. But – what happened afterwards? Was the killer ever brought to justice?

In Bergen National Opera’s new film, Bizet´s famous temptress becomes the obsession of the Norwegian journalist Mina Jensen during the Covid-19 lockdown. Carmen, a famous singer and internet sensation, was murdered five years ago, and her killer’s whereabouts are unknown. Mina Jensen, investigating the murder from her flat in Oslo, sets out on a mission to catch him.
See the trailer

STAR CAST
Three star singers, amongst them one of the most sought after Carmen’s of our time, have lead roles in the film. They were all to appear in our cancelled production of Carmen, which was planned for spring 2021. Joining the original cast as journalist Mina Jensen is BNO's artist-in-residence, soprano Beate Mordal.

A FILM IS BORN
So what to do when you have secured a top cast, but have no stage due to Covid 19? Quickly change the plan. With a brand new script by John Ramster, and music direction/supervision from Stephen Higgins, Norwegian film director Anders Lindstad set out to create a film with an addition to the plot - the context of lockdown. A complex filming situation emerged, as all singers had to be filmed in their home locations in Ukraine, Spain and the UK - to a new recording of Carmen with the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra.

Bizet's music for the opera has been specially arranged by Stephen Higgins. Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, Bergen Philharmonic Chorus and Edvard Grieg Kor have all participated in the recording, which took place this spring and summer.

Spring 2020

- The most alluring mezzo-soprano in the world right now. Bloomberg on Ketevan Kemoklidze

Anders Lindstad / Director
Mary Miller / Executive Producer
John Ramster / Script
Stephen Higgins / Music Supervisor
Eivind Gullberg Jensen / Conductor
Håkon Matti Skrede / Chorus Master
Elaine Maltezos / Sound Engineer

Klaus Rødahl / Visual design
Marius Ytterdal / Sound design

Ketevan Kemoklidze / Carmen
Freddie De Tommaso / Joseph Navarro
Andrei Kymach / Eskil Murov
Beate Mordal / Mina Jensen

Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra
Edvard Grieg Kor
Bergen Philharmonic Choir

The film is produced by Peiling Film & TV for Bergen National Opera

See the trailer!