Lithuanian soprano Asmik Grigorian is set to take on the title role in Georges Bizet's 'Carmen' at the Salzburg Festival next summer, a role typically sung by mezzo-sopranos. The 44-year-old star will perform eight shows starting July 26 in a new production by Gabriela Carrizo, with Jonathan Tetelman as Don José and Kristina Mkhitaryan as Micaëla, conducted by Teodor Currentzis.
Grigorian, who made her opera debut in 2004 as Donna Anna in Mozart's 'Don Giovanni', said she wanted to tackle the role now rather than later in her career. 'I thought if I want to do Carmen I need to do it now because I don't want to do when I will be 54,' she explained ahead of a concert at New York's Carnegie Hall.
While sopranos such as Maria Callas and Leontyne Price recorded the role, few have performed it live on stage. Ana María Martínez and Danielle de Niese are among the notable exceptions. Metropolitan Opera general manager Peter Gelb praised Grigorian's fearlessness, saying, 'I would not bet against her. She’s very much of a kind of old-school singer.'
Grigorian is currently performing a season that includes the title roles in Puccini's 'Turandot' and 'Manon Lescaut', and Strauss's 'Salome'. She has also tentatively planned to sing Wagner's 'Tristan und Isolde' at the Vienna State Opera in 2029. Her first performance as Carmen is expected to draw considerable attention in the classical music world.
Despite the vocal challenges of the role, which has a lower tessitura, Grigorian remains undaunted. 'I started to live that role day by day a bit,' she said. 'I never know if I can sing something before I start to do it, so maybe it will be my failure? Who knows? Let’s see.'
