(upbeat music) - "Carmen Inside Out," the critically acclaimed one-woman show based on Bizet's "Carmen" has been enjoyed by enthusiastic audiences around the world since its 2017 debut.

University of Utah School of Music artist-in-residence Kirstin Chàvez is here with more details.

Hi.

Kirstin.

- Hi, Mary.

- What a pleasure to have you.

- Thank you, it's great to be here.

- So talk about how this came about.

You wanted to tell her story.

- Well, you know, I've been really fortunate.

I've played Carmen around the world for about two and a half decades, and she's very... She and I are very close.

And so I've been asked to play her in many different ways.

And I thought, "You know what?

I really want to be able to tell her story from her point of view."

And so that's how this was born.

My creative partner, Jonathan Pape, and I created this one-woman version, and we've done it around the world now, performing for intimate audiences, making an interactive experience.

And then we thought during COVID, "We've gotta turn this into a film so that we can bring it to more people."

And so we started working on that, collaborating with the Dallas Opera.

They created the soundtrack, they will be the streaming platform for us.

And now we're collaborating with the University of Utah School of Music and Film and Media Arts department to bring the film to life and the live performance on January 9th.

- Wow.

Wow.

I mean, this is ambitious.

- Yes.

- It's wonderful.

- Yes, very ambitious.

- So we get to see the production January 9th at Kingsbury.

- Right.

- And then you'll be filming it- - Yes, in June.

- In June.

- In June.

- And are you filming on campus here?

- We're filming at the Film and Media Arts department.

They've given us the use of their soundstage, which is a great gift.

We're super grateful for that.

We have artists coming from around the world.

My flamenco choreographer dancer is from Spain, and my two... my leading men are from the Philadelphia area, world-renowned opera singers.

So I am so excited.

- What a production.

I'm excited to see it.

(Kirstin chuckles) So thank you for being here- - Thank you, Mary.

- And telling us.

Thanks.

And if you'd like to know more about that performance coming up, "Carmen Inside Out", January 9th at 7:00 in Kingsbury Hall, to get tickets or find out more, go to carmeninsideout.com.

Carmeninsideout.com.

(upbeat music) I'm Mary Dickson.

Thanks for watching "Contact."

(upbeat music continues) - Local events, arts, culture.

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Hi, I'm Mary Dickson.

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