Carmen | 2025

In a square in Seville, the young Micaëla searches for her fiancé, Don José, a corporal of the dragoons, but she leaves before the guard changes and he arrives. Shortly after, the cigarette factory girls emerge from the nearby tobacco factory, among them the captivating gypsy Carmen, who initially expresses doubts about the constancy of love and then teases Don José by tossing him a flower. Micaëla returns with news of his distant mother, but he is now completely drawn to Carmen. When the gypsy is arrested for fighting, she quickly promises Don José a romantic rendezvous in exchange for his help in escaping.

At Lillas Pastia's tavern, Carmen delights in dancing and singing alongside her friends Frasquita and Mercédès. The renowned bullfighter Escamillo makes his entrance, captivated by Carmen's allure. However, Carmen is waiting for Don José (recently released from prison after serving a sentence on her behalf) and also refuses to partake in a smuggling operation with her usual accomplices. Don José arrives and Carmen begins to dance for him, but duty calls when the barracks trumpet sounds, forcing Don José to return. The gypsy mocks him, but the corporal, despite declaring that he loves her, does not want to desert his post. However, a violent confrontation with a superior officer (who has come to court Carmen) later forces Don José to join the smugglers.

In the smugglers' mountain hideout, Carmen and Don José constantly bicker. Meanwhile, Frasquita and Mercédès decide to read their fortunes in the tarot cards. Carmen joins in, but the cards predict death for both her and Don José. Micaëla and Escamillo arrive in the mountains. Micaëla overcomes her fears to win back her beloved, while Escamillo seeks to win Carmen's affections. Don José confronts the bullfighter, but upon learning of his mother's impending death, he has no choice but to follow Micaëla.

In front of the Plaza de Toros, a jubilant crowd welcomes the arrival of the quadrille and Escamillo. Prior to stepping into the arena, Escamillo exchanges love vows with Carmen. However, Carmen remains outside, where she encounters Don José, who pleads for her return. Despite his insistence, Carmen stubbornly refuses, and in a fit of jealousy, Don José tragically ends her life.