I Cantori di Carmel hosts a first-ever operatic performance showcase at the Forest Theater.

The Forest Theater in Carmel is the setting for plays, musicals, concerts and even movie screenings. But it was during a screening of The Breakfast Club a few years ago where Daniel Henriks, music director for I Cantori di Carmel, realized that there was something missing from the stage’s repertoire – opera.

Henriks, also an experienced opera baritone and conductor, decided to start planning an operatic show for the choral group, which will perform on May 11 and 12, a first for the over-40-years-old organization. The concert will feature select works from world-renowned operas, including four selections from Georges Bizet’s masterpiece, Carmen, plus arias like “Nessun Dorma” and other Italian and French pieces.

“It’s a big undertaking,” Henriks says. Publicity director for I Cantori Alexa Dieterle adds, “This has been the biggest production we’ve mounted so far.”

For this concert, the Forest Theater will accommodate a full production and lighting crew, a full 45-player orchestra and will feature three professional soloists: New York City-based mezzo-soprano Kelly Guerra, tenor Christopher Bengochea and soprano Sandra Bengochea, both from the San Francisco Bay Area. Although Carmel plays host to such artists individually on a regular basis, a spectacle like this is rarely seen on the Monterey Peninsula.

“You’d have to go at least to San Jose, or the South Bay or to San Francisco to see and hear anything operatic live,” Henriks says.

Opera singing challenges performers with not only delivering bravado, but also to imbue it with the essence of characters – no easy task when the only means of conveyance are vocal chords. Because of the intensity, I Cantori has been training for this performance since late January.

“Opera is immersive and stimulates all senses,” Henriks says. “It’s also something where choruses play a big role.”

The concert will feature 21 different pieces, and aims to make it approachable for those who have never experienced the art form. For Henriks and Dieterle, the event aims to be a gala-like evening experience on Saturday, then a lovely Mother’s Day entertainment option on Sunday.

I Cantori di Carmel’s Opera Under the Stars is at 7:30pm on Saturday, May 11 and Sunday May 12; doors open at 6pm. $55; $18/students, military. 644‑8012, icantori.org