A public square in Seville. The girl Micaëla approaches the soldiers on duty near the tobacco factory. She is looking for Corporal José, who will soon be on duty. The cheerful children’s ruckus accompanies the сhanging of the guard.
A lunch break at the tobacco factory. A crowd of men meets women workers. Several men have been waiting until their beloved Carmen appears. She rejects their advances as her attention is drawn to José, who has been watching the events in the square from the side. As a sign of affection, she throws him a flower and leaves while other women are laughing.
Micaëla finally finds José. They happily recall times in their native village. In the letter she hands over, the mother advises José to marry Micaëla.
Screams are heard from the factory. It turns out that Carmen attacked one of the workers and injured her. Lieutenant Zuniga orders José to take her to prison. However, after the two of them are left alone, Carmen wins the heart of the young corporal for good. He helps her escape.
In the tavern, gypsy women entertain the officers by singing and dancing. From the conversation between Zuniga and Carmen, we learn that José was released from two months’ detention which he received because of Carmen’s escape.
Toreador Escamillo and his friends visit the tavern. He likes Carmen, but she refuses his gestures. Escamillo is willing to wait.
The guests leave. Smugglers Remendado and Dancaïre discuss with Carmen, Frasquita and Mercédès the plan to dispose of some recently acquired contraband. Carmen refuses to go with them. She is waiting in the tavern for José, who has been released from arrest.
Carmen joyfully meets him. She is singing and dancing just for him. They hear the distant sound of the bugle. José must return to the barracks. High-handed Carmen is resentful. She is not convinced by José’s love confessions and demands that he drop everything and run away with her. José is preparing to leave, but Zuniga suddenly appears looking for Carmen. In a burst of jealousy, José attacks him. The smugglers stop the fight. Now José’s only option is to stay with Carmen.
A night in a wild mountain area. Smugglers make their way between the rocks. Remendado and Dancaïre go to find out if the way is clear from the customs officials.
The relationship between José and Carmen is tense. Although the way of the smuggler does not suit him, he does not even want to hear about being separated from Carmen.
Mercédès and Frasquita decide to read their fortunes from the cards. One of them is foretold mad love, the other – the life of a rich widow. Carmen joins them. The cards foreshadow her death.
Micaëla approaches the smugglers’ camp. She wants to find José. Among the rocks, the girl notices him, but he pulls out a gun. A shot is heard, and Micaëla hides in fear. José nearly killed a stranger approaching the camp. From their conversation, it turns out that this is Escamillo, who decided to come here because of his passion for Carmen. The fight starts, and only Carmen, who called for help, saves Escamillo from certain death.
Later, Micaëla gets discovered. She wants to persuade José to return home but he refuses. His destiny is only together with Carmen. But the news of his mother dying forces him to change his mind and leave the camp.
A square in front of the circus in Seville. The excited audience is waiting for the arrival of the bullfighters, including Escamillo. Carmen also came to see the toreador. They confess their love to each other.
Mercédès and Frasquita appear. They warn Carmen that José is nearby and she should be careful.
To the sound of fanfare, the crowd bursts into the circus doors. Carmen tries to enter as well, but José blocks her way. He begs her to come back to him. Carmen remains adamant – everything is over between them.
Desperate, José kills Carmen.
Opera in 4 acts. The libretto by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy, based on the novella of the same title by Prosper Mérimée.