One of the world's most popular operas, forming the 'C' in the famed ABC of opera, Carmen is a sizzling tale of lust and betrayal that runs the gamut from passionate romance to tragedy, belayed by Bizet's unforgettable score. Returning to the Royal Opera House this season, Olivier winner Damiano Michieletto's seductive five-star production updates the story to 1970s Spain in a naturalistic setting that captures the simmering heat of the beloved work.

Love affairs between gods and mortals rarely end well, as the titular heroine of Handel's Semele discovers. Created alongside librettist William Congreve, the work was first performed in February 1744 in London's famous Royal Opera House. One of the true masterworks of the Baroque period, it returns to London in a glorious new production by The Royal Opera, directed by Oliver Mears, starring Pretty Yende.