This is the sleek new 2022 model of Carmen, straight from the showrooms. Forget gypsies, forget Spain.

The new Carmen is a cool sorority sister type and girl-next-door coed. And yes, the 2022 Carmen is wearing blue jeans; in the finale, she could well be transformed into a casino croupier.

And oh yes, she’s hanging out in the dregs of a bankrupt amusement park with wrecks of merry-go-round and roller coaster. Ahh, modern-day symbolism! I think I heard, after a century and a half, composer Bizet turning over in his grave.

The stellar mezzo Isabel Leonard was thrust into this new role, where the only visible remnant of the real “Carmen” opera was her adroit (and brief) flashing of castanets precisely in time with the orchestra, as if in the middle of old Seville. Warming up gradually from a lethargic “Habañera” in her opener, she produced one of the great finale scenes in violent conflict with the putative lover Don Jose. That brought forth all the whirlwind tensions and anger sadly lacking in the glitzy show-biz spectacle that came before. And Leonard’s French was excellent.

For musical purists however she was a welcome singer. Too often these days the mezzo title role is turned over to big-name sopranos who are hard put to propel those earthy low notes.

Tenor Michael Fabiano was the Don Jose, exuberantly oversinging with his booming tenor much of the night, but producing the fire and fight lighting up the lovers’ wrenching finale.

Baritone Michael Sumuel played Escamillo the Toreador with style and swagger, even though real bullfighters’ build is more like lithe dancers’ than heavyweight boxers’.

One of the stalwarts in this erratic show was conductor (and SFO Music Director) Harry Bicket. He and his pit orchestra earned special plaudits from two of the singers during the bows. He also merits praise for leading that very tricky “Carmen” gypsies’ quintet—my personal favorite—going lickety-split without a fluff.

The stage director for this odd stab at Georges Bizet’s last and best masterpiece was Mariame Clément. Much of the dialogue was spoken, not the usual musical recitative heard nowadays, matching the thrust of the original 1875 version in France. The bid for authenticity did not carry over however to including the children’s chorus, regrettably.

If this reprise failed to meet expectations, there was still the nightly reward of glorious sunsets on the Jemez Mountains, peeking right through the SFO backstage. In some ways, opera at 7,000 feet is decidedly on a higher level.

BIZET’S OPERA “CARMEN,” in French, heard Aug. 13 at the Santa Fe (N.M.) Opera, being repeated Aug. 17, 27. One intermission, under three hours all told. For SFO info: (505) 986-5900 or go online, www.santafeopera.org.