"Enthralling Carmen marks a triumphant return for Saskatoon Opera...This was not Carmen as it’s been performed a thousand times by companies around the world. Theodosakis wanted the characters to be more nuanced, stripping away Carmen’s oversexualization and making her a complete person while highlighting the problematic parts of her relationship with Don José...Cleary’s turn as spurned lover Don José was chillingly intense, and his portrayal of the soldier as an abusive partner throughout the middle acts was one of many creative — if intentionally unsettling — character choices. And Genga’s performance as the titular character felt refreshingly real. Strong without being sexualized and independent without being callous...bringing a deeper and more sympathetic Carmen to the stage...it’s also some of the absolute best we’ve seen from the company in recent memory."

 - Matt Olsen, PodSask