Carmen

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You already know the melodies, even if you have never set foot in an opera house, because Carmen's music has soaked into the culture so deeply that the Habanera plays in your head the moment you hear the name. Bizet's story of desire, freedom, jealousy, and fate remains the most thrilling entry point into opera there is, and LA Opera opens its 40th-anniversary season with it under new music director Domingo Hindoyan. Performances run October 17 through November 7, 2026, at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in downtown Los Angeles, with a special anniversary gala on opening night. Dress up, splurge on decent seats, and let a live orchestra and full chorus wash over you. If you have been telling yourself you will try opera someday, this passionate, accessible, gorgeous production is the someday. Come be swept away.