If he really loves her, Carmen says, he will leave the army and go with her to the mountains. Once more, Carmen taunts him, accusing him of not loving her. Yet a roll call persuades him that the barracks are his true home. Don Jose arrives and Carmen dances with him. Mockingly, the men suggest she brings her new amour with her.

Unlike Frasquita and Mercedes, Carmen is unwilling to comply, saying she is waiting for Don Jose. Remendado and Dancairo, two of Carmenâ€™s gypsy friends, arrive and try and recruit their lady friends on a smuggling mission. He, too, is immediately attracted to Carmen. A crowd is heard outside acclaiming the great toreador Escamillo, who enters with his entourage.

Zuniga tells Carmen that, after a month in prison, Don Jose has been set free. ACT IIĬarmen and her gypsy friends are entertaining officers in a local tavern. Carmen flees and it is Don Jose who is arrested. He agrees to help her escape if she promises to love him. Left alone, Carmen exerts her wiles on the innocent Don Jose. Zuniga charges her and orders Jose to take her to prison.

A disturbance has occurred in the factory: Carmen is accused of brawling. Micaela returns, delivering to Don Jose a letter from his mother, asking him to travel home and marry Micaela. It is the gypsy Carmen who attracts the most attention, and she begins openly to flirt with Don Jose. Soon after Don Jose and his superior Zuniga have entered, the factory bell sounds and the women workers come out for their break. Morales tells her Don Jose will arrive with the changing of the guard, but Micaela flees before he does so. “Chrystal E.Outside a cigarette factory in Seville soldiers are enjoying the sunshine when Micaela enters, in search of a corporal, Don Jose. Please be aware this production includes depictions of violence (including violence against women and murder) and drug use. Edward Dick returns to direct following his five-star Tosca that thrilled audiences in 2018. Penned 150 years ago, the themes of femininity, desire, violence and toxic masculinity resonate now more than ever.

But when one man’s obsession turns to wild jealousy, the consequences are shocking.īizet’s flamenco-infused music overflows with emotion and unforgettable melodies including the ‘Habanera’ and Toreador Song. This scorching new production of one of the most popular operas ever written will take you deep down into a world where desire and hot-blooded passion reign supreme… Carmen is a strong woman doing what she can to survive in a poor frontier town, manipulating and seducing the men who try to control her.

Carmen opera summary