New York City Opera Brings OPERA GOES TO HOLLYWOOD and CARMEN To Bryant Park In Summer 2025

This summer, New York City Opera (NYCO) will return to Bryant Park with two open-air events. Opera Goes to Hollywood sets the stage in June, with famous arias and orchestral works from iconic films. In September, Bizet’s Carmen closes the season with one of opera’s most unforgettable scores, performed in full under the Manhattan skyline.

The Opera Goes to Hollywood program draws from film classics like Moonstruck (La bohème), Pretty Woman (La traviata), The Fifth Element (Lucia di Lammermoor), Philadelphia (Andrea Chénier), and The Shawshank Redemption (The Marriage of Figaro). Full arias, duets, and orchestral selections will be performed live.

Performers include violinist Alexander Markov, bringing his signature intensity to music from Schindler’s List, and soprano Yunah Lee, known for her celebrated performances in Madama Butterfly. Berj Karazian performs Nessun Dorma and selections from La traviata, while Kristin Sampson brings the Habanera from Carmen and other featured arias. The cast also includes Marnie Brekenridge, singing Brindisi and O mio babbino caro; Tatev Baroyan, performing the aria from the film Diva; Kristina Reiko Cooper, featured in Salut d’Amour, Libertango, and Oblivion; baritone Chris Nazarian, and tenor Jeffrey Hartman, performing Pagliacci.

Led by Maestro Constantine Orbelian, these concerts feature a cast of standout soloists and the New York City Opera Orchestra and Chorus. Known for his international work and Grammy-nominated recordings, Orbelian brings his distinctive artistry to the Bryant Park series for the first time since taking on the role of Executive Director and Principal Conductor.

The Bryant Park summer opera series has drawn thousands since 2016. All performances are free and open to the public, with audiences encouraged to arrive early for space on the lawn.

NYCO announces its Children’s Opera Touring Program, led by entertainment executive, Dina E. Meyers. Inspired by long-standing European and Eastern bloc traditions, the program will feature short, accessible productions, designed to engage young audiences with diverse musical styles, simple storylines, and dynamic staging.

Furthermore, NYCO is developing Behind the Dream, a new commissioned work based on and in collaboration with Clarence B. Jones. Jones became the first Black partner at a Wall Street firm, revived the Apollo Theater, helped fund the infamous “Rumble in the Jungle” fight, was chosen by the prisoners at Attica to speak for them during the 1971 standoff, and helped write Martin Luther King’s I Have a Dream. Now 94, he brings his extraordinary life to the opera.

Opera Goes to Hollywood: Thursday, June 26 & Friday, June 27
Carmen: Thursday, September 4 & Friday, September 5
Bryant Park, New York City
Admission is free. The lawn opens at 5 PM. Performances begin at sunset.

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