Caregiver Hans-Peter Stalder knows the secret code to happiness: a money multiplication strategy that promises hand-picked investors almost unbelievable profits - and a carefree life of luxury. There's just one catch to his story. It's a hoax and only one person stands to benefit: Stalder. For thirteen years, the notorious conman and womanizer fools his naive victims and the authorities.

This ever-popular opera is given a fresh point of view in Barrie Kosky’s highly physical production, originally created for Frankfurt Opera. The Australian director is one of the world’s most sought-after opera directors, whose Royal Opera debut with Shostakovich’s The Nose in 2016 was greeted with delight. For Carmen he has devised a far-from-traditional version, incorporating music written by Bizet for the score but not usually heard, and giving a new voice to the opera’s endlessly fascinating central character.