As the Aurora Opera House gears up for its upcoming opera production, it is pleased to announce a world-class cast that sees major opera houses across the globe convening in Gozo as their leading singers assemble in one celebratory cast. This year's Carmen, on Saturday October 15^th, at 7:30pm will mark the launch of a special anniversary season that celebrates the Aurora Opera House's 40^th anniversary, (falling on October 9^th) and the 40^th anniversary of opera renaissance in Malta, with the first-ever opera in Gozo (January 7^th 1977), at the Aurora. This is a pivotal date in the history of opera in Malta since it broke a long period of hibernation for the operatic genre on the islands and created a renewed enthusiasm across the nation.

To mark this special anniversary in style and class, the Aurora administration made no compromise with this year's cast. Indeed, it sought to bring out the best leading elements out of the world's most prominent opera houses.

The title role of Carmen will be interpreted by the Bulgarian-born mezzo-soprano Nadia Krasteva. "The rich, smoky colors and earthy sensuality of her voice were matched by the naturalness of her acting and a fiery temperament at one with this touchstone mezzo role", John Von Rhein writes in the "Chicago Tribune" about the debut of Nadia Krasteva as Carmen on the stage of the Chicago opera. The audience has also applauded to Nadia Krasteva´s bravura role, on leading opera stages all around the world as the Vienna State Opera, the Arena di Verona, the Bolshoi Theatre, the Deutsche Oper in Berlin, the National Opera Amsterdam, the "O2 Arena" in Hamburg, the National Opera Riga, the National Opera Sofia, New York's Metropolitan and Milan's La Scala.

She will be accompanied by the Italian world-class tenor Roberto De Biasio, who amongst other notable appearances is coming from fresh successes at the MetOpera in New York. Escamillo at the Aurora will be none less than La Scala's own Escamillo - Marcin Bronikowski who also starred in London's renowned Royal Opera House of Covent Garden. The main quartet will be rounded up by a champion up-and-coming Italian soprano by the name of Giuliana Gianfaldoni, remembered amongst other roles for her already acclaimed role of Adina with Leo Nucci.

Bizet's Carmen means an extensive cast with a further secondary quartet. Here we see Gabriele Ribis who has also performed Dancairo at the Arena di Verona, Eduardo Santamaria as Remendado, Lara Rotili as Mercedes and Madina Karbeli (as Frasquita) who has recently performed as Adina - the leading role - in Elisir d'Amore at the Manoel Theatre in Valletta. Gianluca Breda, who has already appeared at the Aurora (2013) and as Zuniga at the Arena di Verona (2016) to great acclaim will be the first lieutenant, while Francesco Baiocchi will accompany him as Morales.

This strength and consistency in a no-compromise policy when it comes to cast is actually why audiences keep on trusting the Aurora so much so ticket sales go strong even before cast in normally announced.

Infact, less than a 100 seats remain, with a handful of €80, €70 and €60 remaining. Other tickets are €45, including newly-released ones on the 4^th floor, available online via www.teatruaurora.com, via email [email protected] or via the 24/7 ticket helpline 79045779. Colin Attard, on his 25^th anniversary at the Aurora leads the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra while cast and choirs will be directed by Novella Tabili (Rome).

Further information is available via www.teatruaurora.com.

Carmen at the Aurora is being supported by the Gozo Cultural Support Programme; a joint initiative between Arts Council Malta and the Ministry for Gozo.