Carmen

The story of Carmen

In a remote Spanish town, the free-spirited Carmen declares that any man she loves should beware. But even she is unprepared for what happens when she decides to seduce police officer Don José. Though initially uninterested in Carmen’s charms, Don José – against the wishes of his mother and of Micaëla, the woman who loves him – soon abandons his respectable career for a life of danger with Carmen. But she soon grows weary of Don José’s possessiveness, longing to return to a life of independence. When Carmen turns her attention to the celebrated toreador Escamillo, Don José’s jealousy and despair threaten to violently erupt. 

Classic work, contemporary production

Catchy melodies

Drawing from the opera’s setting of Seville, Bizet’s unforgettable score boasts a host of Spanish-inspired melodies, including Carmen’s sensual ‘Habanera’ and ‘Seguidilla’ arias, and Don José’s tender ‘Flower Song’, ‘La fleur que tu m’avais jetée’ (The flower that you threw to me). The composer’s gift for writing memorable melodies reaches its peak in the flamboyance and masculinity of Escamillo’s ‘Toreador Song’, one of the most instantly recognisable arias in all classical music.  

To find out more about Carmen, including key plot points and background information: read our Opera Essentials: Carmen