The Australian Ballet

The Characters of Carmen

Carmen Act 1 Opening Night Side Stage Sydney BJ 8 1

Artists of The Australian Ballet, Carmen (Inger) 2024
Photo Brodie James

Navigating the people and personalities of Johan Inger’s reimagined Carmen.

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Principal Artist Jill Ogai with artists of The Australian Ballet, Carmen (Inger) 2024
Photo Brodie James

Carmen

Young, beautiful, and overtly sexual, Carmen works in a tobacco factory, revelling in the attention she receives from the male guards and fighting with her female coworkers. Carmen is an unapologetically fierce heroine and force to be reckoned with.

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Principal Artist Callum Linnane with artists of The Australian Ballet, Carmen (Inger) 2024
Photo Daniel Boud

Don José

A guard at the tobacco factory where Carmen works, Don José initially ignores Carmen but quickly becomes obsessed with her, losing everything in an effort to keep her.

Carmen Act 1 Opening Night Side Stage Sydney BJ 27 1

Principal Artist Brett Chynoweth, Carmen (Inger) 2024
Photo Brodie James

Zúñiga

Don José’s commanding officer at the tobacco factory.

3139420 TAB Carmen Inger Marcus Morelli Credit Brodie James 1

Principal Artist Marcus Morelli, Carmen (Inger) 2024
Photo Brodie James

Torero

A celebrity bullfighter who performs a passionate pas de deux with Carmen.

3136340 TAB Carmen Inger Larissa Kiyoto Ward Mason Lovegrove Bryce Latham Credit Brodie James 1

Larissa Kiyoto-Ward, Mason Lovegrove and Bryce Latham, Carmen (Inger) 2024
Photo Brodie James

Manuela

A cigarrera (cigar-maker) at the tobacco factory and Carmen's nemesis.

3132338 TAB Carmen Inger Samara Merrick Credit Daniel Boud 1

Samara Merrick, Carmen (Inger) 2024
Photo Daniel Boud

Boy

A young and innocent child transformed over the course of the ballet from naïve youth to compliant participant.

3132816 TAB Carmen Inger Jake Mangakahia Artists of TAB Credit Daniel Boud 1

Artists of The Australian Ballet, Carmen (Inger) 2024
Photo Daniel Boud

Shadows

The shadows are an abstract representation of the darkness and despair of Don José as his jealousy and paranoia become all-consuming.

3510767 TAB Carmen Inger Benjamin Garrett Charlton Tough Credit Kate Longley 1

Benjamin Garrett and Charlton Tough, Carmen (Inger) 2025
Photo Kate Longley

Dogs

Also called the “smelling dogs,” these characters are the representation of a hypermasculine and violent society.

Carmen plays at the Regent Theatre in Melbourne until March 18 before heading to Canberra in June 2025.

Carmen