Tag: Bizet

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Performances Productions

“Dr Miracle” to be performed at 2026 French May

The Hong Kong Professional Vocalists Association is performing the OperaLab’s “fairy-tale” version of George Bizet’s first opera Le Docteur Miracle as part of the French May Arts Festival and with the support of the French Consulate, featuring the new selections for children’s soloists and choir written by Marco Iannelli. It will performed on 21-22 May at Tungpo.

More operetta than opera, and only about an hour in length, Dr Miracle is a comedy that doesn’t take itself too seriously, yet still shows early evidence of the talent of the future composer of Carmen. It tells the timeless story of a young woman in love with a boy her overbearing father thinks unsuitable — only a doctor or lawyer will do — but, despite the attractions of a vain and flirty stepmother, love finds a way through various disguises, a poisoned possibly omelette, and a fake doctor with a miracle cure.

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Productions

“Carmen Wong” debuts in Shenzhen

The full version of Carmen Wong, complete with new score for chamber ensembles, was performed three times with three different casts at the Shenzhen School of Music.

This new version for five singers is set over two scenes and set in a bar. Carmen, Micäela and Mércedès are bargirls; Don José is a police officer who stumbles upon a criminal operation run by the gangster Escamillo.

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Performances Productions

“Dr. Miracle” returns to Guangzhou Opera House for New Year 2026

The upcoming four performances from 31 December 2025 make bring this new adaptation of George Bizet’s first opera into its third year of lighting up the stage at the Guangzhou Opera House.

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Performances Productions

“Carmen Wong” staged in Hong Kong

Carmen at Polytechnic University

Carmen Wong is a new adaption of George Bizet’s iconic opera set in a Hong Kong of the 1970s. Developed for the French May and as part of the “Carmen 2025” programme celebrating the opera’s 150th anniversary, and premiering at the Hong Kong Peninsula, Carmen Wong had two staged performances at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University in October 2025.

These staged performances featured Ashley Chui and Etta Fung as the two bar hostesses Carmen and Micaëla, Chen Yong as José and Isaac Droscha as the colonial policeman Escamillo, with Jaclyn Chiu on piano and including narration taken from Prosper Mérimée’s original novel.

Carmen at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Ashley Chui & Isaac Droscha
Etta Fung and Chen Yong
Ashley Chui and Chen Yong
Ashley Chui and Chen Yong
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Performances Productions

“Dr Miracle” returns to Guanghou Opera House

The Guangzhou Opera House closed added more performances of the world-premiere production in modern-day Laurette travels to a French fairy-tale where all her dreams come true. Marco Iannelli’ conducted his ‘s new scores includes original music featuring resettings of familiar French children’s songs, and additional music by Bizet from his other operas “Don Procopio” and “Carmen”.

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Performances

“Carmen” dual anniversary celebration at Peninsula Shanghai

As part of “Carmen 2025“, the yearlong programme of events celebrating the dual anniversaries of the novel and the opera, and following on from the opening performance of Les amours de Carmen Wong at the Hong Kong Peninsula, a musical reception was held on 29 September 2025 by the Peninsula Shanghai with French Consulate-General and Alliance Française.

Shen Xiwen (mezzo)
Shen Xiwen (mezzo)
Li Zijian (piano) & He Jiangqing (flute)
He Jiangqing (flute)
Edouard Beaud (narration)
Peninsula Shanghai

The even featured readings from the novel by Edouard Beaud, and musical selections—including a new arrangement of the Chanson Bohème for piano, flute and mezzo by Marco Iannelli—performed by mezzo-soprano Shen Xiwen, pianist Li Zijian and flautist He Jingqian. The evening was directed by Chen Yong.

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Performances

“Les amours de Carmen Wong” returns to the Peninsula

This second performance of Carmen Wong, the new localised version reduced to the four principles which debuted at the 2025 French May at Felix in the Peninsula Hong Kong on 31 May, features Ashley Chui and Etta Fung as the two bar hostesses Carmen and Micaëla, Chen Yong as José and Albert Lim as the colonial policeman Escamillo.

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Performances Productions

“Les amours de Carmen Wong” at Peninsula Hong Kong

Carmen Wong, the new localised version reduced to the four principles debuted at the 2025 French May at Felix in the Peninsula Hong Kong on 31 May, featuring Ashley Chui and Etta Fung as the two bar hostesses Carmen and Micaëla, Chen Yong as José and Isaac Droscha as the colonial policeman Escamillo.

It will be performed twice more on 21 July and 20 September.

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Performances Productions

“The Story of Carmen”

2025 is the 150th anniversary of Georges Bizet’s iconic “Carmen”. In celebration, this multimedia presentation offers a new rendition of the timeless story. Centred on selections from the opera sung by some of Hong Kong’s most acclaimed vocalists, infused with narrative from the original novel by Prosper Mérimée (itself celebrating its 180th anniversary!) – it brings to life one of Europe’s most fascinating literary characters.

Sung in French with English surtitles and English narration, this “Europe Day” event is the first major performance of “Carmen 2025”, a year-long programme of opera, literature, music and dance, commemorating the dual anniversaries of the novel and opera.

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Artist activities Performances Productions

Holiday performances of “Le docteur Miracle” at Guangzhou Opera House

Marco Iannelli conducting

The Guangzhou Opera House closed out 2024 and welcomed in 2025 with four special performances of world-premiere production in modern-day Laurette travels to a French fairy-tale where all her dreams come true. Marco Iannelli conducted his new score which includes original music featuring resettings of familiar French children’s songs, and additional music by Bizet from his other operas “Don Procopio” and “Carmen”.

This four performances bring the total to 10 so far in the 2024-2025 season, almost certainly the longest run of Le docteur Miracle since its debut run of 11 performances in 1857. A further 13 performances are scheduled.

The set of “Le docteur Miracle”, Guangzhou
Children’s chorus
Marco Iannelli conducting
“Le docteur Miracle”, Guangzhou
The “Omelette Quartet”
“Le docteur Miracle”, Guangzhou
“Le docteur Miracle”, Guangzhou
The arrival of Dr. Miracle