Mezzo-sopranoNikola Printz, an Adler fellow with the San Francisco Opera Center, will take over the title role in Festival Opera’s new production of Bizet’s “Carmen” in Walnut Creek on Aug. 18 and 20.

Printz replaces former Adler fellowTaylor Raven, who has withdrawn from the production because of illness, the company announced Saturday, Aug. 5.

Zachary Gordin, general director of the Walnut Creek company, wished Raven a speedy recovery in a written statement, and expressed his gratitude “that an artist as fantastic as Nikola Printz is willing to step in (at the) last minute as our Carmen.”

Printz, an Oakland artist who uses they/them pronouns, has performed locally with West Edge Opera and Opera San José. During the San Francisco Opera’s just-concluded centennial season, they appeared in Gabriela Lena Frank’s “El ultimo sueño de Frida y Diego” and Richard Strauss’ “Die Frau ohne Schatten.”

The remainder of the cast, including soprano Hope Briggs, tenor Dane Suarez and baritone Young Kwang Yoo, remains unchanged.

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