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This new version of the iconic opera is scored for five singers and chamber ensemble. It 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.
The new production from Xinghai Conservatory in Guangzhou, derived from the original for the 2025 French May Festival, ran on 16-17 June 2026.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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”.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.