“L’amour est un oiseau rebelle que nul ne peut apprivoiser,  Et c’est bien en vain qu’on l’appelle, S’il lui convient de refuser.” With these lines, Georges Bizet’s Carmen bursts onto the stage, declaring that love is wild, untameable, and indifferent to human desire. This is the heart of Carmen: a tale of irresistible attraction and fatal freedom, set against the sun-drenched streets of Seville. Nearly 150 years after its premiere, Carmen remains a fan favourite. According to OperaBase, it is the third most performed opera in the world, with 19,405 performances across 4,686 productions, including 232 performances in Canada. History…