Carmen - Georges Bizet

About the production

The premiere of Georges Bizet’s Carmen took place at the Opéra-Comique in Paris on 3 March 1875, and its stage debut was witnessed by the most prominent composers of the time, including Léo Delibes, Charles Gounod, Jules Massenet, Ambroise Thomas and Jacques Offenbach.

The work, which suffered a legendary failure at its premiere, is now in the repertoire of almost every opera house in the world. Bizet’s brilliant compositional artistry and the dramatic structure of the libretto, based on Prosper Mérimée’s famous novella of the same title, have made it a timeless masterpiece. A passionate love affair blossoms between the cigar factory worker, from whose name Bizet’s opera takes its title, and the young soldier Don José, a love whose fire will ultimately consume the heroine. This story can be summed up in a few words – love, desire, jealousy, death...

Director Maria Sartova describes her production of Carmen at the Wrocław Opera as follows:

"There are quite a few differences between Prosper Mérimée’s novel and Georges Bizet’s opera. On the one hand, Bizet remains faithful to the epic; he builds the story around two main characters – Carmen and Don José – whilst, on the other, he introduces characters who do not appear in the novella and who hold symbolic significance. Escamillo represents all of Carmen’s lovers, whilst Micaëla symbolises Don José’s mother. Bizet’s and Mérimée’s Carmen is a story of love, death, jealousy and the pursuit of individual freedom. The action of both works takes place in the magical, mysterious and dark world of the Spanish Gypsies. (...) Carmen is the linchpin of the entire work, though paradoxically she is not, for me, the central character. Carmen is more than just an object of desire. Strong, charismatic, uncompromising, mysterious, she fascinates everyone regardless of gender. She is a femme fatale – the sister of Salome, Cleopatra, Delilah... She is a woman who lives in opposition to established moral, religious and cultural norms."

Summary

ACT I

Seville. A square in front of military barracks and cigar factory.

Soldiers are preparing for the changing of the guard. Sergeant Moralès talks to a young girl, Micaëla, who is waiting for her beloved Don José, also soldier. He fails to appear, so the girl leaves. A trumpet announces the changing of the guard and lieutenant Zuniga returns with his unit to the barracks. Don José learns from Moralès about Micaëla’s visit.

A crowd of women emerge from the factory onto the square, attracting the attention of many men nearby. Most of them are drawn to the most beautiful among them – the Gypsy Carmen. The men make advances to her. However, Carmen notices only Don José, who in turn ignores the woman’s attempts to charm him. The Gypsy throws him a flower as proof of her interest and leaves. Soon Micaëla reappears, bringing Don José a letter from his mother. She tells him that she will come back when he has written a reply.

Suddenly, agitated female workers run out of the factory, having witnessed a fight. One of the women has been injured and accusations are levelled at Carmen. Lieutenant Zuniga tells Don José to find and arrest her. As she is apprehended, Carmen ask the soldier to set her free in exchange for a meeting with her at Lillas Pastia’s inn. Don José, blinded by the Gypsy’s charm and beauty, gives in and lets her go.

ACT II

Lillas Pastia’s inn.

Smugglers, soldiers and local residents are enjoying themselves. Carmen and her friends – Frasquita and Mercedes – are singing and dancing for the guests. Carmen learns from Zuniga that Don José, who released her, is about to finish serving his sentence and will soon regain his freedom.

Escamillo, a bullfighter who has won yet another fight, appears cheered for by the crowd. He decides to court Carmen, but she rejects his advances. Nor is the Gypsy interested in Zuniga, who is eager to return to her at night.

When the guests leave the inn, Dancario and Remendado discuss plans for another contraband. They are helped by Frasquita and Mercedes. But Carmen does not want to join them – she is in love. Don José comes to her, singing, but a bugle call makes him want to immediately return to the barracks. Carmen is furious and Don José’s assurances that he loves her passionately do not calm her down. As proof of his love, the soldier shows her the flower he once received from her in front of the cigar factory. When Don José prepares to leave, he notices lieutenant Zuniga, who makes him jealous. The two soldiers begin to fight. Carmen calls out to Dancario and Remendado for help; they surround the lieutenant and end the fight. Don José is now forced to join the smugglers.

ACT III

A camp in the mountains.

The smugglers, together with Carmen and Don José, spent a night in the mountains. The lovers quarrel constantly. Frasquita and Mercedes decide to do some card reading. They see a bright future for themselves, but Carmen sees something completely different: death. Dancario and Remendado set out to continue the journey, while Don José stays behind to guard the camp.

Micaëla arrives suddenly, looking for her beloved. She hears a shot and, fearing for her life, hides. The man who fired the shot was Don José, who tried to kill a stranger, who turns out to be Escamillo. The bullfighter has arrived to win Carmen, to which Don José reacts angrily, lashing out against his rival with a knife. The beautiful Gypsy saves his life and, to spite Don José, accepts his invitation to a bullfight in Seville.

Micaëla, who is hidden behind a rock and who has witnessed the event, is found by Remendado. Don José’s mother is dying – this is the message Micaëla was to deliver. Moved by the news, Don José sets out home immediately. Carmen laughs scornfully as he leaves.

ACT IV

A square in Seville.

The crowd cheers for picadors and bullfighters, especially Escamillo. The enamoured bullfighter is told by Carmen that she passionately loves her. Frasquita and Mercedes inform their friend that Don José is in the crowd, but the Gypsy ignores the news. The rejected soldier suddenly appears in the square and begs Carmen to return to him. However, she remains deaf to his entreaties. She throws down the ring he gave her. When cries announcing the victory of the bullfighter are heard in the distance, Don José, raving and despairing, stabs Carmen in the heart.

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