Patricia Casement tells CHARLES HUTCHINSON why she is happy to reprise the role of Carmen. YORK Opera's main production of 2003 is Bizet's Carmen, to be performed in English next week at York Theatre Royal.

This is only the second time the company has staged Carmen, the first time being in 1989, and several of the production team from that year are involved once more. The producer is Clive Marshall, who directed the chorus scenes 16 years ago; costumes are again in the hands of Margaret Soper; and the overall designer for sets and publicity material, John Soper, is reprising his cameo role of Zuniga.

York Opera's regular musical director, Alasdair Jamieson, will be conducting Carmen for the first time, although he and Clive Marshall have worked together on many productions, notably Peter Grimes, Turandot and Don Carlos.

The part of Carmen will be played by Patricia Casement, from Hull, who began her singing career as a mezzo-soprano, playing Carmen with Hull Savoyards in 1990, Delilah with West Riding Opera and Cherubino with York Opera.

In the intervening years, she has moved into the dramatic soprano range in roles such as Abigail in Nabucco with Northern Opera and Turandot with both South Yorkshire Opera and York Opera.

This summer she returns to her mezzo roots to play Carmen, a role that brings her career full circle.

"I'd only been singing for two years when I did Carmen for Hull, and I'd done one G&S, then Carmen, so it was only my second opera," says Patricia. "I have very good memories of the production - Jonathan Clift was the director - but I haven't done it since then because of my soprano work."

Patricia will adjust her singing to the role's demands through characterisation. "You have to sing it soprano without singing in your boots. It's very tempting to get plummy but you must resist that," she says.

"As I see it, you just need to characterise the role because Carmen is very much an acting part; some opera roles are all about the voice, but I think there's much more to Carmen."

Her Don Jose is Adrian Holmes, from Selby, in his first major operatic role, while Emily Smith will be making her York Opera debut as Micaela, fresh from the Guildhall School of Music.

Regular York Opera principal Ian Thomson-Smith is Escamillo, and the cast is completed by Julia Ledger, as Frasquita; Kylie Bradburn, Mercedes; David Reston, Remendado; Kevin Ormond, Dancairo; and Clive Goodhead, Morales.

Among the many rehearsals for Carmen, York Opera chorus members are rehearsing for An Evening Of Gilbert & Sullivan too. This will be performed at the Theatre Royal next Thursday, giving the Carmen soloists a night off to rest their voices.

Building on the popularity of a similar concert last year, the 7.30pm programme features 30 soloists, complemented by chorus members, singing items from Ruddigore, The Sorcerer, The Pirates Of Penzance, The Mikado and Iolanthe to the piano accompaniment of Margaret Martin-Griffiths. Leslie Bresnen is the conductor, and stage direction is by Elizabeth Watson and Pauline Chadwick.

Next week's Carmen performances start at 7.15pm on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

Tickets cost £6.50 to £16; concessions £1 off; children half price; student standby £6. G&S tickets are £8, children £4.

For the box office, telephone: 01904 623568.

Updated: 10:32 Friday, July 04, 2003