Act I

On a square in Seville, Corporal Moralès and some soldiers entertain themselves people-watching. Micaëla, a peasant girl from Navarra, is looking for Don José. Moralès tells her he is with another brigade and will arrive soon. Dodging the soldiers advances, Micaëla departs. The trumpet sounds and the relief guard enters, accosted by street urchins. Moralès relays to Don José that a girl is looking for him. A stranger in Seville, Lieutenant Zuñiga asks Don José about the women at the tobacco factory. The factory bell rings, and the women come out on their break, and meet the men of Seville on the square. Carmen, the Gypsy, sings to them about love, calling it a hard-to-catch bird. Carmen throws a flower at Don José, who has ignored her singing. After the break, the women return to the factory. The women go back to work, and Micaëla arrives. Don José’s mother has sent her to give him a letter. Micaëla runs off, embarrassed, as the letter suggests that he marry her. The noises of a fight are heard, and the women burst out of the factory. Carmen and another woman had an argument and the other woman was hurt. Don José takes Carmen aside for questioning, but she refuses to answer Zuñiga, who commands Don José to bind her hands and throw her in jail. Instead, Carmen talks Don José into going to Lillas Pastia’s bar, by the city walls, to dance. Already in her hypnotic power, Don José agrees to help her escape. She does, as she is being led to prison, and Don José gets arrested instead.

Act II

Zuniga and other officers are being entertained by Carmen, and two other Gypsies, Frasquita and Mercédès. Zuniga tells Carmen that Don José is out of jail. The bullfighter Escamillo arrives with his followers, and sings of love as the reward that comes with success at the bullring. He makes a pass at Carmen. She says she’s engaged at the moment, but he insists he’ll wait. Carmen refuses to leave with Zuniga, who vows to return. Once the others leave, Dancaïre and Remendado, the smugglers, enter. They need the women to help with an operation. Frasquita and Mercédès are game, but Carmen says she must remain in Seville. When they press her she says she’s in love. The smugglers leave as Don José arrives. Carmen dances and sings for him, beguilingly. Suddenly, the bugles sounds the retreat. Don José realizes he must return to barracks, but Carmen is offended that he plans to leave her. He produces the dried flower that she threw at him, which he says has kept its perfume and pulled him through the long nights in prison. He caps the statement with the most poignant and heartfelt declaration of love. She counters that if he loved her, he’d stay and join her and her friends in the mountains. Initially enticed, he comes to his sense and refuses to become a deserter, and she dismisses him coldly. He runs into Zuñiga as he’s leaving, and attacks him in a jealous outburst. At that point the smugglers seize Zuñiga, leaving Don José no other choice but to join them. He’s now a deserter.

Act III

The smuggler group, contraband in tow, stops for a brief respite, while Dancaïre and Remendado do some reconnaissance. Carmen and Don José have a fight. Carmen tells him to go back to his mother’s village. The women turn to fortune telling with a deck of cards. Frasquita and Mercédès predict marriage and wealth for themselves. Carmen's fate card is death for her and her lover. She accepts her fate. Remendado and Dancaïre return to report that the border pass is well guarded, and seek help from the women to distract the customs officers. They all leave for the checkpoint. Micaëla arrives. She is not as afraid of the surroundings as she is of coming face to face with the woman that has led her boyfriend astray. A shot rings out, scaring her away. It’s Don José firing at an intruder. The intruder turns out to be Escamillo, transporting bulls to Seville. He tells Don José he’s madly in love with a Gypsy woman who had an affair with a deserter. Don José asks and Escamillo explains that he’s in love with Carmen. Don José’s brusque reaction reveals to Escamillo that he is the deserter, and the two fight. Carmen and the smugglers return and separate them. Addressing the comment to Carmen, Escamillo invites everyone to be his guests at the next bullfight in Seville. Discovered hiding nearby, Micaëla come out in the open and begs Don José to return to his mother. When he refuses, she explains that his moder is dying. Departing, Don José promises Carmen that they will meet again. Escamillo’s song is heard in the distance.

Act IV

Amidst the bustle of cigarette and bullgfight program vendors, Escamillo enters the plaza with Carmen on his arm. They sing of love. Frasquita and Mercédès warn Carmen that Don José has been sighted and that she should not stay, but she’s not afraid. Don José enters, imploring her to forget the past and start a new life with him. Distant, she tells him that their affair is over. As he presses her, she says will never give in. She will live and die free. The crowd cheers for Escamillo, but when Carmen tries to walk into the bullring, Don José prevents her. Defiant, Carmen takes off the ring that Don José gave her and throws it down. Don José stabs her. As people gather around, he admits to killing Carmen, the object of his adoration.

Carmen Index | The Story of Carmen | The Costumes | The Set | Performance Pictures | The Program