The Faces of Carmen – Aigul Akhmetshina

Georges Bizet’s "Carmen" is one of the greatest and most popular operas of all time. But who is Carmen herself? A heroine? A victim? A betrayer? Few characters in opera are as open to interpretation as the free spirit at the heart of Bizet’s masterwork. "The Faces of Carmen” takes an unusual approach to exploring this evergreen piece. The film follows rising 28-year-old opera star Aigul Akhmetshina as she undertakes a truly unique journey, performing the role of Carmen in six different productions in a single year. Her Carmen year takes her, and us, to some of the world’s greatest opera stages - Arena di Verona, Vienna State Opera, Teatro Real, London’s Royal Opera House, the Glyndebourne Festival and the Metropolitan Opera - as she brings Carmen to life in a range of differing productions. Some are modernized, others traditional; some are directed by men, and some by women; some are new, some revivals. We hear about each interpretation in interviews with the directors and see excerpts from the finished productions. Additionally, extensive biographical material reconstructs Bizet's life and his work on the opera.