Carmen’s Weddings is a unique musical film and west end musical, taking as its basis the worlds most popular Opera, Bizet’s Carmen. When an opera company hosts a competition to find the new Carmen, life begins to imitate art with hilarious consequences.

Carmen already has world wide audience of devoted followers. By adapting the opera into an accessible musical, packed with all the greatest hits, and brushing aside highbrow conventions, Carmen’s Weddings aims to popularise Carmen further still.

In this topsy turvy romcom, expectations are reversed. A change of fortune brings an unlikely star in the making to one of the worlds most coveted roles, and brings opera to the masses in this musical extravaganza.

Carmen’s Weddings is backed by Scottish Opera and Creative Scotland.

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OUTLINE

Carmen’s Weddings follows an opera company desperately in need of publicity. In a last ditch attempt to stave off their impending financial crises, the company stages a national competition to find their new Carmen. Life begins to imitate art as the production choose, a new, if unlikely Carmen.

Enter Carmella, a shy slightly plump, but not unattractive 24 year old, has a voice like an angel but is a reluctant star in the making.

On the day of the competition, filmed live for local TV, hundreds of hopefuls turn up but nearly all are terrible. In any case, it is a foregone conclusion that the Opera company’s owner, Aiden, will give it to his daughter Michelle (38), who has her eye on the part. Michelle always gets what she wants, including the young, handsome, protégé tenor Joseph (21), whom she has made daddy install as the new ‘Don Jose’ in Carmen. The two have recently recently become engaged, a power couple in the making.

Relaxed in the knowledge that she will land the part, Michelle coolly watches on as Carmella starts her audition. Hesitantly and nervously at first, but as she steadies herself it becomes clear that Carmella has an astonishingly powerful voice, projecting into the auditorium with ease.

As the orchestra erupts in spontaneous applause, Joseph in his enthusiasm hugs Carmella. The audience go wild. As the TV cameras, capture the jubilant scenes, there can be no doubt who the winner is. Aiden has no option but to give the part to Carmella. Michelle is gutted.

Carmella becomes the new singing sensation, whilst Michelle plays second fiddle taking a much smaller role in the opera (Michaela). A spontaneous love affair erupts between Carmella and Joseph. Joseph, increasingly captivated by Carmella, omits to tell her about his impending wedding to the wealthy Michelle. When Carmella finds out, she is heartbroken, but not one to loose face, feigns a relationship with Erskine, the populist opera star. Erskine plays Carmen’s lover in the opera, and as the show progresses, Joseph becomes consumed by jealousy.

As life starts to imitate art, emotions are heightened and nerves are frayed. As the opening night approaches. Carmella is being thwarted at every turn by the ambitious Michelle, who schemes to win back Joseph and gain back her rightful place as Carmen.

Will Carmella ever forgive Joseph? Will Michelle get her way at last? The arias of the worlds most popular opera mark each twist and turn of the plot in this inventive adaptation of Carmen.