New Jersey Lyric Opera to Feature CARMEN and More at MCCC's Kelsey Theatre

New Jersey Lyric Opera will return to Mercer County Community College's Kelsey Theatre for the third consecutive year with a weekend of opera favorites on Mercer County Community College's West Windsor Campus, Aug. 7-10, during the Summer Opera Festival.

The festival weekend features presentations by talented artists from the tri-state region and beyond for two live operas, Carmen and La Boheme, plus the Gala Spectacular, a showcase of opera favorites.

The opera weekend kicks off with Carmen (Thursday, Aug. 7 and Friday, Aug. 8, 7:30 p.m.), a story of unstoppable passion and sizzling drama with alluring melodies, including the famous Habanera. Sung in French with English subtitles, the story revolves around Carmen, a captivating and independent Romani woman, and Don José, a naive soldier, who is consumed by his obsession with her, leading to tragic consequences. The performance stars soprano Sarah Joseph, who sings Micaela, and tenor Chris Lorge singing the role of Don José.

The festival continues with the Puccini opera La Boheme (Saturday, Aug. 9 and Sunday, Aug. 10, at 2 p.m.), the story of young, impoverished artists and their loves in 19th-century Paris, particularly focusing on the relationship between the poet Rodolfo and the seamstress Mimì. The performance is sung in Italian with English subtitles, featuring John Paul Durazzo returns as Alcindoro, Franchesca Solis as Mimi, and versatile baritone Chaka Allen as Marcello.