For Russian mezzo-soprano Anna Goryachova, Carmen isn’t just a role – it’s a living, evolving character that continues to challenge and inspire her. As she prepares to return to the Royal Opera House in June 2025 to sing one of her signature roles, she reflects on the complexity of Bizet’s iconic heroine, and why each staging feels like the start of a new journey.

Goryachova first performed Carmen at Covent Garden in Barrie Kosky’s bold and highly stylised production. This summer, she returns to the same role – but in Damiano Michieletto’s very different staging. “I really enjoyed the Kosky production.”, she says. “It was very cool, and one of my favourites. This new one will be completely different, and I still don’t know exactly what to expect but I’m looking forward to building it together with my colleagues step by step.”

Despite having sung the role in many of the world’s leading opera houses, Goryachova approaches each Carmen as though she’s meeting the character anew. “With life, we all change – we mature, and so does our voice. Our psychological approach becomes deeper. And with every production, new layers appear. It becomes more complex.”

That sense of psychological richness is what draws her back to Carmen time and again. “She’s never too dark,” Goryachova says, “even in the card scene – which could be very heavy – she remains playful and full of life. There are so many nuances to her character. She’s sensual, yes, but also light, funny, unpredictable. And then there’s her inner freedom – that’s the quality I love most about her. It’s what makes her so special.”

Asked how she keeps her interpretation fresh, Goryachova is quick to reject the idea of having a fixed notion of the character in place. “I never want to sing the role the same way every time. I always look for new colours, and I try to get rid of any clichés. With Carmen, that’s especially important – it’s such a well-known role that you always have to be questioning, searching. And every new conductor, every new partner on stage, brings something different out of you.”

That ongoing search extends to her musical preparation, too. “At home, I always go back to the score”, she explains. “Even if I’ve sung it many times, I still find things I missed before – small changes in colour, or moments I didn’t fully notice. I vocalise, I work on the technical side. And then in rehearsals, I adapt to the team, to the direction, to what’s happening in the room. Sometimes I’ll even film myself to check how my body language is coming across – whether the emotion is readable to an audience.”

For Goryachova, Carmen isn’t just a role to be sung – it’s a story to be lived. “You can’t switch off for a second”, she says. “There’s so much emotion in the music, in the drama. It’s not just about hitting the right notes – you have to connect, to really reach the audience. They need to feel something.”

That emotional immediacy is part of what keeps the opera feeling so contemporary, even 150 years after its premiere. “It’s an eternal story”, she says. “The themes – love, freedom, defiance, violence – they don’t have a time limit. And Carmen herself, she’s such a powerful figure. She inspires people – especially women.”

As conversations around gender and female agency continue to evolve, Carmen’s enduring relevance feels sharper than ever. “Of course, society has changed”, Goryachova says. “Modern audiences see the story differently than they did 30 years ago. The role of women, the way men treat women – we have a new awareness now. And I think productions have to reflect that.”

Beyond Carmen, Goryachova’s calendar is packed with exciting new challenges. Immediately after her Covent Garden run, she heads into one of her favourite roles – the title role in Rossini’s Tancredi. She’ll also take on Handel’s brilliant and complex Roman general for the first time in his opera, Giulio Cesare, a role she describes as “completely new and very exciting”. Then comes something altogether more unexpected: a contemporary opera, Il nome della rosa composed by Francesco Filidei based on The Name of the Rose, adapted from the famous novel which premiered at La Scala Milan in April, and opened to enthusiastic reviews. Goryachova will perform in the staging when it moves to Genoa next year. “It’s a totally new creation”, she says. “There’s no history, no recordings – just the score and the team. It’s pure exploration. I don’t know how it will sound yet, or how it will look. That makes it challenging – but also very special.” And of course, there’s more Rossini in the pipeline – “My beloved composer”, she says with a smile. “His music just fits my voice.”

But for now, all eyes are on Carmen. “Coming back to Covent Garden in this role – it feels like a gift”, she says. “I’m very excited. Every time, it’s a new voyage. Let’s enjoy it together.”

• Carmen opens at the RBO on 16 June. Details and booking information can be found here.