Tony-award winning actress Anika Noni Rose is returning to the stage to revive Carmen Jones !
According to Deadline, the 45 year-old has been chosen to play Carmen Jones in the revival of the classic musical. The character was made famous by late actress Dorothy Dandridge in the 1954 screen adaption of French composer Georges Bizet’s 1875 opera. Carmen tells the story of a temptress who seduces a soldier. But their passion leads to one of betrayal and murder.
This isn’t the first time someone has given the classic French opera a unique twist. In 2002, rapper-producer Missy Elliot composed a more urban version of the production, titled Carmen: A Hip-Hopera starring Beyonce and Mos Def.
However, this upcoming adaptation will be the first major staging of the Oscar Hammerstein II music since its debut in 1943.
Production begins on June 8 in New York City and will run through July 29th. Deadline reports that Carmen will by the Classic Stage Company’s 50th anniversary and season finale. No word yet on ticket sales.
Beautiful is an understatement to describe Rose’s voice so a phenomenal for her upcoming performance in Carmen is guaranteed. She blew us away in 2004’s Dreamgirls and again as our first black Disney Princess, Tiana, in 2009’s The Princess and the Frog.
Carmen will be Rose’s first musical theatre debut since Caroline or Change. Most recently, Rose starred in BET’s The Quad, which was canceled after two seasons.
Rose is a proud graduate of Florida A&M University.
