Zuniga asks José about the young women who work in the cigarette factory, but José is not interested in them. Zuniga then teases José about his interest in Micaëla; José admits that he loves her. Carmen and José enter with the smugglers and their booty (“Écoute, écoute, compagnon”); Carmen has now become bored with José and tells him scornfully that he should go back to his mother. Frasquita and Mercédès amuse themselves by reading their fortunes from the cards; Carmen joins them and finds that the cards are foretelling her death, and José’s.
The smugglers depart to transport their goods while the women distract the local customs officers. Several months later, Carmen, José and BUY XANAX WITHOUT PRESCRITION the smugglers enter a mountain pass. Carmen has grown tired of José and his controlling behaviour, and says he should return to lie with his mother. The women read their fortunes which foretell love and riches for Frasquita and Mercédès, but death for Carmen.

Bizet Music

The opera is written in the genre of opéra comique with musical numbers separated by dialogue. It is set in southern Spain and tells the story of the downfall of Don José, a naïve soldier who is seduced by the wiles of the fiery gypsy Carmen. José abandons his childhood sweetheart and deserts from his military duties, yet loses Carmen’s love to the glamorous torero Escamillo, after which José kills her in a jealous rage. The depictions of proletarian life, immorality, and lawlessness, and the murder of the main character on stage, broke new ground in French opera and were highly controversial.

Le cheveu en quatre : la Habanera de Carmen

Set in Spain and sung in French, George Bizet’s Carmen has some of the most famous melodies and characters in any opera. Carmen and her friends Frasquita and Mercédès are entertaining Zuniga and other officers (“Les tringles des sistres tintaient”) in Pastia’s inn. Carmen is delighted to learn of José’s release from two months’ detention. Outside, a chorus and procession announces the arrival of the toreador Escamillo (“Vivat, vivat le Toréro”). Invited inside, he introduces himself with the “Toreador Song” (“Votre toast, je peux vous le rendre”) and sets his sights on Carmen, who brushes him aside.

As Escamillo leaves he invites everyone to his next bullfight in Seville. Micaëla is discovered; at first, José will not leave with her despite Carmen’s mockery, but he agrees to go when told that his mother is dying. Escamillo is heard in the distance, singing the toreador’s song. José begs Carmen to return to him but she tells him that their relationship is over and throws down the ring he gave her. As the noise of the crowd roars, José stabs Carmen and kills her. Suddenly an uproar begins as women fly back out of the factory as they have accused Carmen  of threatening someone with a knife.
Confused yet mesmerised, José agrees to free her hands; as she is led away she pushes her escort to the ground and runs off laughing. The opera has been recorded many times since the first acoustical recording in 1908, and the story has been the subject of many screen and stage adaptations. When only Carmen, Frasquita and Mercédès remain, smugglers Dancaïre and Remendado arrive and reveal their plans to dispose of some recently acquired contraband (“Nous avons en tête une affaire”). Frasquita and Mercédès are keen to help them, but Carmen refuses, since she wishes to wait for José.