Set in the gay community of liberal 1920s Spain. José, the central character in this all-male reworking of Bizet’s tragic opera, is sexually confused and dominated by a strictly religious upbringing. His infatuation with handsome Carmen leads to inner turmoil and tragedy – a journey which reflects the reality still faced by many LGBT individuals today. The ‘shes’ may now be ‘hes’, but when it comes to operatic heartbreak, gender is irrelevant.