Vancouver Opera

On a blistering day, soldiers hang out and watch people go by. The shy, pretty Micaëla comes looking for Corporal Don José, but he’s not there. The soldiers try to get Micaëla to stay by flirting with her, but she leaves. Soon after, Don José arrives as the guards change shifts. The cigarette factory bell chimes, and women come out for their smoke break. The men flirt with the factory girls, too. Carmen comes out last, and everyone fixates on her, except Don José. Rising to the challenge, she sets eyes on him, sings "love is a rebellious bird that no one can tame” and throws him a flower. Laughing, she and the other women return to the factory. Don José hides the flower in his uniform. Micaëla returns with a letter from Don José’s mother, who begs him to marry Micaëla. As he reads the letter to himself, Micaëla leaves. Suddenly, screams come from the factory. Carmen has gotten into a fight with another girl and slashed her face with a knife. Lieutenant Zuniga questions Carmen, who replies with a mocking “tra-la-la.” Don José is ordered to guard Carmen while Zuniga gets an order for her imprisonment. Alone with Don José, Carmen seduces him into making a plan that will let her escape. Zuniga returns with Carmen’s formal arrest orders. As she’s being led away to prison, Carmen pushes Don José and escapes through the confused crowd.

Months later, Carmen and her friends Frasquita and Mercédès have fun singing and dancing for the soldiers late at night in Lillas Pastia’s tavern. Carmen hears that Don José, who was sent to prison because he let her escape, was released the day before. The famous bullfighter Escamillo arrives, and everyone is star-struck. He sings about his adventures in the bullring and flirts with Carmen, but she’s not interested. The soldiers and Escamillo leave as the smugglers Dancaïre and Remendado join Carmen, Frasquita, and Mercédès. They need to deliver their smuggled goods and want the three women to join them. Carmen says she can’t go because she’s in love, but nobody believes her. Don José arrives and the others leave Carmen and Don José alone. He tells her how much he loves her. A trumpet signals that the soldiers must report back to the barracks. Don José says he must leave, but Carmen mocks his loyalty to the military. Don José proves his love by pulling out the flower she threw at him when they met. That’s not enough for Carmen; she wants him to leave the army and join her free-spirited life. Don José tells her he could never leave the military. Zuniga shows up to see Carmen and orders Don José to leave. José refuses. The smugglers burst in, interrupt the fight, and tie up Zuniga. Don José has no choice but to flee with the smugglers.

Late at night, the smugglers are carrying off their goods. Carmen’s love for Don José is fading and the two bicker. She tells him to go home to his mother. Frasquita and Mercédès read their fortunes in cards, but when Carmen tries, she only sees her and Don José’s deaths. Planning to distract any guards, the women join the smugglers on their trip. Don José stays behind to watch the camp. Micaëla has found her way to the smugglers’ site, looking to take Don José away from Carmen. Micaëla hides after seeing Don José shoot at and barely miss Escamillo, who is there to see Carmen. The Toreador claims the two of them are in love. Don José challenges him to a fight, but it is cut short when the smugglers return. After Escamillo leaves, Remendado finds Micaëla hiding. She tells Don José that his mother is dying. As Don José rushes off with Micaëla, Escamillo’s voice is heard in the distance.

Outside the bullfighting arena, merchants hawk their wares. Zuniga tells Frasquita that an order has been issued for Don José’s arrest. The crowd cheers Escamillo as he enters, and he and Carmen express their love for each other. As the throng enters the arena, Frasquita warns Carmen that Don José is somewhere in the crowd. Carmen says that she is not afraid and stays behind to confront him. Disheveled and crazed, he emerges from the shadows and begs Carmen to start a new life with him. Carmen says everything is over between them. Carmen tries to go into the arena and Don José blocks her. Carmen says that she loves Escamillo. Enraged, Don José fatally stabs her. The crowd exits the arena with a victorious Escamillo to find Don José standing over Carmen’s lifeless body. - Courtesy of Opera Philadelphia, slightly edited for length.