With international flamenco dancer Samantha Quy and flamenco singer Fernando De Sevilla.

Bizet Carmen is a hot blooded, passionate opera directed by Ellen Kent and includes stunning Spanish Flamenco Dancing. Flamenco is weaved into the storyline to express the emotion of Carmen through traditional Spanish dance.

This marriage of opera and dance has been achieved between Ellen Kent and international flamenco dancer Samantha Quy. Having recently performed in the Royal Opera House’s performance of Carmen, Sam had experience in performing to Bizet’s famous score, and brought her own ideas and inspiration to this brand new production of Carmen. Ellen was delighted when Sam agreed to tour with Ellen Kent & Amphitheatre Productions.

Sam attributes her passion for performing flamenco to growing up with flamenco imagery in her parents and grandmothers’ homes and seeing a flamenco version of ‘Carmen’ as a young child. The raw emotion of the art form deeply moved her and continues to be her inspiration today. After graduating with distinction in an MA in Dance, Sam pursued her flamenco studies under scholarship in Sevilla. Here she went on to perform choreographies by flamenco greats, such as Milagros Menjibar and Manolo Soler at Teatro Sol. Sam moved back to UK to set up flamencoshow.co.uk which brings flamenco classes and shows to schools, universities, festivals, events, and theatres throughout the country. Sam recently performed in four operas at Covent Garden and is thrilled to stage her choreographic ideas in Ellen Kent’s touring production of ‘Carmen’.

Sam will be on tour with Fernando de Sevilla who brings traditional Spanish singing to the opera and intensifies the emotion of flamenco. Born in Sevilla, Fernando began singing as a child, inspired by his father who played classical/flamenco guitar, and his Uncle who was a famous Andalucian composer. He started singing flamenco naturally as a child, and professionally from the age of 16 in flamenco peña clubs and concerts. He came to England collaborating with flamenco companies for shows, including the reception of Tomatito and Estrella Morente at the Barbican, and is looking forward to performing in his first Ellen Kent opera.

Flamenco is a fundamental part of Andalucian gypsy culture in Sevilla, where the Opera ‘Carmen’ is set. The gypsies were travellers believed to be originally from Northern India. Moorish influence from this time can be found in flamenco music, as well as the impact of Jewish, Catholic and local Spanish folklore music. The flamenco dancer’s duty is to visually interpret the mood of the song. At the extremes of Flamenco music are jondo (‘deep’ flamenco) which is profoundly sad and tackles subjects such as death, solitude, and great anguish; and chico (‘light’ flamenco) with themes such as the countryside, love, and merriment. Such extremes are manifested in the dynamics achieved by Bizet’s themes of love and death which run throughout Carmen.