In July and August 2017 the Italian mezzo-soprano will sing the title part in Kasper Holten’s spectacular new production of Carmen conducted by Paolo Carignani and Jordan de Souza at the floating stage.

„Carmen is an exceptionally multifaceted role“, says Ms Stroppa. „She is strong, charismatic and determined, and at the same time profound, sensitive and fragile. The role gets under one’s skin and is very challenging emotionally. I don’t want to portray a stereotype of this fascinating character. For me, Carmen is rather an extremely modern woman, who is always faithful to her ideals of freedom and who even sacrifices herself for her freedom than an easygoing gypsy, who is never in love for more than six months.“

The role of Carmen is accompanying Annalisa Stroppa since the beginning of her career. In 2010 she sang the finale of the opera with Plácido Domingo as Don José at the conclusive concert of the Operalia Competition. During the following year she made her role debut in Bizet’s opera in Italy at the Teatro Sociale of Trento and in 2014 she performed the part in a new production in France at the Limoges Opera House.

Founded in 1946, the Bregenz Festival presents a wide variety of musical and theatrical events in several venues, among them the floating stage, a 7.000 seat open-air amphitheatre located on a stage over water on the shores of Lake Constance.

(Photo by Karl Forster / Bregenzer Festspiele]