Carmen @ the Citz

There's a fair series of firsts associated with Scottish Opera's upcoming production of Bizet's Carmen. First opera at the venerable Citizens Theatre, bringing together two disparate crowds; the first staging of Carmen set during Franco's regime, bringing new levels of complexity and relevance; and the professional debut of self-described 'Welsh farmer's daughter' Rebecca Afonwy-Jones.

"I came to opera fairly late. I was always encouraged to sing by my family but I guess I never thought it was a viable career option so I did a few other things first then trained when I was 27." That's the time when most singers are finishing their training. "People come at it from different angles. There seem to be a lot of lawyers who then decide they want to sing opera." A similar sense of drama maybe? "Ha, yeah you have to be a really good actor to be a lawyer so maybe that's the connection!"

She has previously done a lot of educational work for Scottish Opera but Carmen is her bow as a lead. It's a role many singers would kill for I imagine? "I'm so lucky, there will be many sopranos wailing in the aisles, saying they want to be Carmen –and they can't, it's mine!" A feisty lady, how Carmen is that? "Its a big responsibilty, a bit of a 'bungee-jump' role for me, exciting and terrifying. But I'm not hiding behind the sofa anymore, I'm like 'Come on, let's have it!'"

Having been in Glasgow for 2 years, she has forged a strong connection with the city. "It's really beautiful, you can breathe – which is kind of important for an opera singer – and since I'm a real country girl, being near lochs and mountains is great for me. Even if we have a 10 minute break I'm heading for the daylight in my tall wig and costume."

With the Citizens being such a Glasgow insitution you're extending the audience in two directions at once, the diehard opera crowd who would never cross the river and the hardy Southsiders who populate the Citz. "I'm really excited to bring in an audience who would never normally do opera, and Carmen is the one with something for everyone. I mean you've got Beyonce aping the style, and the songs are so well known...I think Glasgow excels at nights out where you experience something you normally wouldn't do, and that's the idea here. I love it."

The modern setting adds new textures, as does the relative youth of the cast. "Everyone in it is at the beginning of their careers, so it's great for them to have these iconic, exciting roles but in a very earthy venue rather than one of the big houses in London." And your role is the juiciest of all. "Yeah she's a girl from the wrong side of the tracks, doing anything she can to survive." Presuming you can access that side of yourself... "I'll give the audience an entertaining Carmen. Let's say I will use my guile and wit, give them a sultry, sexy Carmen." Promises promises. See for yourself when this Señorita hits the Southside and leaves a trail of broken hearts in her wake.