Live opera is back in Saskatoon with the first larger concert since the pandemic. Saskatoon Opera is presenting Carmen at Persephone Theatre on the main stage June 11th to the 18th. One of the performers, Danika Loren,  says she is happy to be back in front of a live audience, as is the rest of the cast.

This performance is a modern take on the original Carmen. Loren explains that it is set in Spain in the 2000s. The original is about a seductress who ruins Don Jose, but this version focuses more on Jose and his inability to take responsibility for his actions and express his feelings, which leads to his spiral and the demise of Carmen.

Loren says the classic version is a reflection on the thinking of the time in 1875, and this version is more in tune with the current situation. The Saskatoon Children’s Choir and members of the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra are also involved in this performance. Tickets are available online through the Saskatoon Opera website or through the Persephone Box Office.