大象传媒

Act I

In Seville by a cigarette factory, soldiers comment on the townspeople. Among them is Micae虉la, a peasant girl, who asks for a corporal named Don Jose虂. Morale虁s, another corporal, tells her he will return with the changing of the guard. The relief guard, headed by Lieutenant Zuniga, soon arrives, and Jose虂 learns from Morale虁s that Micae虉la has been looking for him. When the factory bell rings, the men of Seville gather to watch the female workers鈥攅specially their favorite, the Gypsy Carmen. She tells her admirers that love is free and obeys no rules. Only one man pays no attention to her: Don Jose虂. Carmen throws a flower at him, and the girls go back to work. Jose虂 picks up the flower and hides it when Micae虉la returns. She brings a letter from Jose虂鈥檚 mother, who lives in a village in the countryside. As he begins to read the letter, Micae虉la leaves. Jose虂 is about to throw away the flower when a fight erupts inside the factory between Carmen and another girl. Zuniga sends Jose虂 to retrieve the Gypsy. Carmen refuses to answer Zuniga鈥檚 questions, and Jose虂 is ordered to take her to prison. Left alone with him, she entices Jose虂 with suggestions of a rendezvous at Lillas Pastia鈥檚 tavern. Mesmerized, he agrees to let her get away. As they leave for prison, Carmen escapes. Don Jose虂 is arrested.

Act II

Carmen and her friends Frasquita and Merce虂de虁s entertain the guests at the tavern. Zuniga tells Carmen that Jose虂 has just been released. The bullfighter Escamillo enters, boasting about the pleasures of his profession, and flirts with Carmen, who tells him that she is involved with someone else. After the tavern guests have left with Escamillo, the smugglers Dancai虉re and Remendado explain their latest scheme to the women. Frasquita and Merce虂de虁s are willing to help, but Carmen refuses because she is in love. The smugglers withdraw as Jose虂 approaches. Carmen arouses his jealousy by telling him how she danced for Zuniga. She dances for him now, but when a bugle call is heard he says he must return to the barracks. Carmen mocks him. To prove his love, Jose虂 shows her the flower she threw at him and confesses how its scent made him not lose hope during the weeks in prison. She is unimpressed: if he really loved her, he would desert the army and join her in a life of freedom in the mountains. Jose虂 refuses, and Carmen tells him to leave. Zuniga bursts in, and in a jealous rage Jose虂 fights him. The smugglers return and disarm Zuniga. Jose虂 now has no choice but to join them.

Act III

Carmen and Jose虂 quarrel in the smugglers鈥� mountain hideaway. She admits that her love is fading and advises him to return to live with his mother. When Frasquita and Merce虂de虁s turn the cards to tell their fortunes, they foresee love and riches for themselves, but Carmen鈥檚 cards spell death鈥攆or her and for Jose虂. Micae虉la appears, frightened by the mountains and afraid to meet the woman who has turned Jose虂 into a criminal. She hides when a shot rings out. Jose虂 has fired at an intruder, who turns out to be Escamillo. He tells Jose虂 that he has come to find Carmen, and the two men fight. The smugglers separate them, and Escamillo invites everyone, Carmen in particular, to his next bullfight. When he has left, Micae虉la emerges and begs Jose虂 to return home. He agrees when he learns that his mother is dying, but before he leaves he warns Carmen that they will meet again.

听

Act IV

Back in Seville, the crowd cheers the bullfighters on their way to the arena. Carmen arrives on Escamillo鈥檚 arm, and Frasquita and Merce虂de虁s warn her that Jose虂 is nearby. Unafraid, she waits outside the entrance as the crowds enter the arena. Jose虂 appears and begs Carmen to forget the past and start a new life with him. She calmly tells him that their affair is over: she was born free and free she will die. The crowd is heard cheering Escamillo. Jose虂 keeps trying to win Carmen back. She takes off his ring and throws it at his feet before heading for the arena. Jose虂 stabs her to death. - See more at: http://www.metopera.org/Discover/Synopses/Carmen/#sthash.d50MqvAp.dpuf