Carmen (French: [kaʁmɛn] ⓘ) is an opera in four acts by the French composer Georges Bizet. The libretto was written by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy, based on the novella of the same title by Prosper Mérimée.
Carmen, opera in four acts by French composer Georges Bizet —with a libretto in French by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy —that premiered on .
Carmen contains many well-loved numbers, such as Carmen's seductive Habanera and Escamillo's rousing Toreador's song, in which he celebrates the thrill of the bullfight.
Perhaps the most obvious (and most widely credited) is French writer Prosper Mérimée’s novella Carmen. Mérimée shared in the mid-19th-century French fascination with exotic, bizarre, and sordid subjects.
Keep reading for everything you need to know about this dramatic love story, including a full summary of Carmen’s plot in a detailed synopsis and captivating previews of what you can expect from ENO production. You’ll also find answers to audience FAQs about the opera’s story, music and characters.
Carmen is a gripping opera with the most magnificent arias. It is a decidedly French opera but one that takes place in Spain and uses considerable elements of the Italian verismo style.
Carmen follows a free-spirited and independent woman and her passionate and destructive love affair with the rule-abiding Don José. Where is Carmen set? Carmen is set in Seville, Spain, during the early 19th century.
Josè comes out again with the two soldiers holding Carmen between them. He explains to his superior that in the complete chaos the only thing he could make out was that Carmen and another girl had started fighting, and Carmen had cut a cross in the other girl’s face.