Opera by Georges Bizet

Libretto by Henri Meilhac & Ludovic Halévy
based on the novella by Prosper Mérimée
French (with German surtitles), dialog in German

"In love to the point of madness ..."

Don José meets Carmen - a worker in a cigarette factory, desirable, unpredictable, freedom-loving. When she is arrested after a stabbing, Don José is supposed to take her to prison, but the spark of love has already ignited them both - and he lets her go. A fateful moment: little by little he loses everything - his rank, his honour, his self-control - not realizing that love does not mean possession. He falls deeper and deeper into the maelstrom of his obsession. He teeters between fulfilling his duty and desire. Carmen, on the other hand, fights unwaveringly for her own path in search of love, freedom, independence and self-determination. The celebrated bullfighter Escamillo also falls for her strength. Blinded by jealousy, Don José finally makes a fatal decision ...

With "Carmen", Georges Bizet created an opera full of devotion and tragedy, tempo, rhythm and unforgettable melodies. The premiere in March 1875 at the Opéra-Comique in Paris was initially met with rejection. The work seemed too modern, too realistic to the audience of the time. Just three months later, the composer died at the age of 36, without realizing that "Carmen" would soon celebrate worldwide triumphs and become one of the most frequently performed works of opera literature. His artistic legacy is still moving today.