BalletMet Carmen.maquia

BalletMet brings CARMEN.maquia to The Davidson Theatre at the Vern Riffe Center, running May 14 through May 22, 2027. It's a modern, visually striking take on Bizet's classic opera, choreographed by Gustavo Ramírez Sansano, and it serves as the closing production of the company's 49th season.

If you've been following BalletMet this year, you know CARMEN.maquia is just one piece of a pretty massive run. The 2026/2027 season totals 49 performances across seven ballets, and it's been a wide-ranging one. There was a world-premiere Swan Lake by Edwaard Liang Wörtmeyer with music by the Columbus Symphony, Marilyn, which tells the story of Marilyn Monroe through dance, and the Columbus premiere of William Forsythe's In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated. This production wraps things up.

The company describes its work as a must-do in Columbus, and the appeal is pretty broad—the athleticism, the storytelling, and the music are meant to hit home whether you're a regular at the ballet or just curious. CARMEN.maquia takes a story most of us recognize and puts it in a contemporary light, so it's a good entry point if you've never seen a ballet before.

Tickets run from $36.65 to $102.80, and there are a couple of ways to get in for less. Rush tickets are $15, and Pay What You Want tickets are available at the theatre box office two hours before the performance. The show runs May 14 through May 22 at The Davidson Theatre, formerly The Capitol Theatre, in the Vern Riffe Center.