Carmen 2025

Carmen Wong, the opera, marked the conclusion of the ‘Carmen 2025’ initiative—a year-long programme of events organised under the Minor in European Studies (Department of English and Communication) to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Bizet’s opera and the 180th anniversary of Mérimée’s novel. The programme was supported by the European Union Office in Hong Kong, with partners including the Consulates-General of France, Spain, and Italy; French May; the Italian Cultural Institute; the Dante Alighieri Society; the Hong Kong Trade Development Council; and Opera Hong Kong.

Carmen tells the story of a gypsy in Spain who is killed by her lover. However, this adaptation differed noticeably. The new musical arrangement set the opera in a bar in 1970s Hong Kong, featuring pin-ups of Jackie Chan and customers who spent their time drinking and arguing. A couple of these roles were performed very professionally by student volunteers! Designed specifically to captivate Chinese audiences—thus the name "Carmen Wong"—the production offered a fresh and compelling interpretation of the classic.

The first night was introduced by Madame Bouyé, Consul for culture, education and science (Conseillère de coopération et d’action culturelle), representing the Consulate General of France in Hong Kong and Macau, who sponsored the event. The second night was opened by Prof. Li, Dean of the Faculty of Humanities. Both nights saw nearly full houses, with audiences including students from various Hong Kong schools, as well as PolyU students, staff, alumni, and representatives from various European institutions in Hong Kong.