“Carmen” by Georges Bizet libretto (English)

Contents: Roles; Act One; Act Two; Act Three; Act Four

ACT ONE

Prelude

No. 1 Scene and Chorus

A square in Seville
(On the right, the door of a tobacco factory. At the
back, facing the audience, a bridge from one side
of the stage to the other, reached from the stage
by a winding staircase beyond the factory door. The
bridge is open underneath. In front, a guard-house;
in front of that, three steps leading to a covered
passage. As the curtain rises, a file of soldiers
(dragoons of Almanza) are grouped before the
guard-house, smoking and looking at the passers-
by in the square coming and going from all parts.
The scene is full of animation.)

SOLDIERS
On the square
everyone comes by,
everyone comes and goes;
funny sort of people these!

MORALÈS
At the guard-house door,
to kill time,
we smoke, gossip and watch
the passers-by.

SOLDIERS and MORALÈS
On the square, etc.
(Micaëla enters.)

MORALÈS
Now look at this little lass
who seems to want to speak to us.
Look, she's turning round, she's hesitating.

SOLDIERS
We must go and help her!

MORALÈS (to Micaëla)
Whom are you looking for, pretty one?

MICAËLA
I'm looking for a corporal.

MORALÈS
Here I am, look!

MICAËLA
My corporal is called
Don José...do you know him?

MORALÈS
Don José? We all know him.

MICAËLA
Really! is he with you, please?

MORALÈS
He isn't a corporal in our company.

MICAËLA (disappointed)
Then he isn't here?

MORALÈS
No, my charmer, he isn't here.
But in a few minutes he will be,
he'll be here when the new guard
comes to relieve the old guard.

SOLDIERS and MORALÈS
He'll be here, etc.

MORALÈS
But while you wait for him to come
will you, my pretty child,
take the trouble
to step inside with us for a moment?

MICAËLA
Inside with you?

SOLDIERS and MORALÈS
Inside with us.

MICAËLA
No, no.
Many thanks, soldiers.

MORALÈS
Don't be afraid to come in, my dear,
I promise you we shall treat
your dear self
with every due respect.

MICAËLA
I don't doubt it; all the same
I'll come back, that's wiser.
I'll be back when the new guard
comes to relieve the old guard.

SOLDIERS and MORALÈS
You must stay, because the new guard
is on its way to relieve the old guard.

MORALÈS
You'll stay!

MICAËLA
Indeed I'll not!

SOLDIERS and MORALÈS (surround Micaëla)
You'll stay!

MICAËLA
Indeed I'll not! No, no, no!
Goodbye, soldiers!
(She escapes and runs off.)

MORALÈS
The bird has flown;
we'll console ourselves.
Let's resume our pastime
and watch the folks go by.

SOLDIERS
On the square
everyone comes by, etc.

No. 2 Chorus of Street Boys

(A military march of bugles and fifes is heard in
the distance. The relief guard arrives; an officer
comes out of the guard-house. Soldiers take their
muskets and form up in front of the guard-house.
The passers-by gather in a group to watch the
parade. The military march comes nearer and
nearer. At last the relief guard emerges and
crosses the bridge. First, two bugles and two fifes.
Then a band of street urchins. Behind the children,
Lieutenant Zuniga and Corporal Don José, then the
troopers.)

CHORUS OF STREET BOYS
Right beside the relief guard,
here we come, here we are!
Blow out, loud trumpet!
Taratata, taratata!
We march with head erect
like little soldiers,
keeping time with no mistakes -
one, two - keeping step.
Shoulders back
and chest well out,
arms this way
straight down beside the body.
Right beside the relief guard, etc.
(The relief guard halts facing the guard going off
duty. The officers salute with their swords and
begin to talk in low voices. The sentries are
changed.)

MORALÈS (to Don José)
A charming young girl

has just been asking us
if you were here.
Blue skirt and long plaited hair.

JOSÉ
That must be Micaëla.
(The old guard passes before the newcomers. The
gang of street boys resume the place they
occupied when they arrived, behind the drums and
fifes.)

CHORUS OF STREET BOYS (reprise)
And the old guard
goes off home to barracks -
blow out, loud trumpet!
Tararara, taratata!
We march with head erect
like little soldiers, etc.
(Soldiers, urchins and idlers go off at the back;
the sound of chorus, fifes and bugles grows fainter.
The commander of the new guard,
during this time, inspects his men silently.
When the chorus of street boys can no longer be heard,
the soldiers enter the guard-house.
Don José and Zuniga remain.)

Recitative

ZUNIGA
Surely it's there, isn't it,
in that big building,
that the cigarette girls work?

JOSÉ
It is, sir,

and quite certainly
you never saw such a flighty lot of girls.

ZUNIGA
But they're pretty, at least?

JOSÉ
Sir, I know nothing about that,
and don't concern myself with these gallantries.

ZUNIGA
I know very well, my friend,
what's keeping you busy;
a charming young girl
called Micaëla,
in a blue skir t and long plaited hair.
Have you nothing to say to that?

JOSÉ
I reply that it's true,
I reply that I love her!
As for the factory girls there,
as to their prettiness - here they are!
And you can judge for yourself.

No. 3 Chorus of Cigarette Girls

(The square fills up with young men who have

come to intercept the cigarette girls. The soldiers
come out of the guard-house. Don José sits down
on a seat, and remains quite indifferent to all the
comings and going, working on a little chain for his
priming pin.)

YOUNG MEN
The bell has rung; we've come here
to catch the factory girls on their way back;
and we'll follow you, dark-haired cigarette girls,
murmuring words of love to you!
(At this point the girls appear,
smoking cigarettes.)

SOLDIERS
Look at them! Impudent glances,
Saucy airs,
all of them puffing away
at a cigarette.

CIGARETTE GIRLS
We gaze after the smoke
as it rises in the air,
sweet-smelling,
towards the skies.
Gracefully it mounts
to your head,
so gently
it exhilarates you!
Lover's soft talk -
it's smoke!
Their raptures and promises -
smoke!

We gaze after the smoke
as it rises, etc.

SOLDIERS
But we don't see la Carmencita!
(Carmen enters.)

CIGARETTE GIRLS and YOUNG MEN
There she is! There she is!
There's La Carmencita!
(She has a bunch of cassia flowers at her bodice,
and a cassia flower in the corner of her mouth.
The young men come in with Carmen. They follow
her, surround her, talk to her. She flirts with them
in an offhand fashion. Don José looks up. He
glances at Carmen and then quietly resumes his work.)

YOUNG MEN
Carmen, we all throng after you!
Carmen, be kind, answer us at least,
and tell us when you're going to love us!

Recitative

CARMEN (with a glance at Don José)
When am I going to love you?
My word, I don't know.
Perhaps never, perhaps tomorrow;
but not today, that's certain.

No. 4 Habanera

CARMEN
Love is a rebellious bird
that no one can tame,
and it's quite useless to call him
if it suits him refuse.
Nothing moves him, neither threat nor plea,
one man speaks freely, the other keeps mum;
and it's the other one I prefer:
he's said nothing, but I like him.
Love! etc.

CHORUS
Love is a rebellious bird, etc.

CARMEN
Love is a gypsy child,
he has never heard of law.
If you don't love me, I love you;
if I love you, look out for yourself! etc.

CHORUS
Look out for yourself! etc.
Love is a gypsy child etc.

CARMEN
The bird you thought to catch unawares
beats its wings and away it flew -
love's far away, and you can wait for it:
you wait for it no longer - and there it is.
All around you, quickly, quickly,
it comes, it goes, then it returns -

you think you can hold it, it evades you,
you think to evade it, it holds you fast.
Love! etc.

CHORUS
All around you, etc.

CARMEN
Love is a gypsy child,
he has never heard of law.
If you don't love me, I love you;
if I love you, look out for yourself!
If you don't love me, I love you, etc.

CHORUS
Look out for yourself! etc.
Love is a gypsy child etc.

No. 5 Scene

YOUNG MEN
Carmen, we all throng after you!
Carmen, be kind, answer us at least!
(A pause. The young men surround Carmen, who
looks at them one by one. Then she breaks
through the circle and goes straight to Don José,
who is still busied with his little chain.)

CARMEN
What are you up to there?...

JOSÉ
I'm making a chain to fix my priming-pin.

CARMEN
Truly! Your priming-pin, really!...Pin-maker of my heart...
(Carmen throws the cassia flower at Don José. He
jumps up. The flower has fallen at his feet.
Outburst of general laughter.)

CIGARETTE GIRLS (surrounding Don José)
Love is a gypsy child, etc.
(The factory bell rings again. Carmen and the other
cigarette girls run into the factory. Exeunt young
men, etc. The soldiers go into the guard-house,
who had been chatting to two or three of the girls.
Don José is left alone.)

Recitative

JOSÉ
What looks! What brazen impudence!
That flower had the effect
of a bullet striking me!
Its scent is strong and it's a pretty flower!
And the woman...
If there really are witches
she's certainly one.

MICAËLA (entering)
José!

JOSÉ
Micaëla!

MICAËLA
Here I am!

JOSÉ
How lovely!

MICAËLA
It's your mother who sent me.

No. 6 Duet

JOSÉ
Tell me about my mother!

MICAËLA
A faithful messenger, I bring from her
this letter...

JOSÉ
A letter!

MICAËLA
And then a little money
to add to your pay.
And then...

JOSÉ
And then?

MICAËLA
And then...really, I dare not,
and then yet another thing
worth more than money
at which a good son
will surely value higher.

JOSÉ
This other thing, what is it?
Tell me, then.

MICAËLA
Yes, I'll tell you:
what was given to me
I'll give to you.
Your mother and I were coming out of the chapel,
And then, as she kissed me,
"You will go to town," she said.
"It's not far; once in Seville
you'll seek out my son, my José, my boy.
And you'll tell him that his mother
thinks night and day of her absent one,
that she grieves and hopes,
that she forgives and waits.
All that, little one,
you'll tell him from me, won't you;
and this kiss that I'm giving you
you'll give him from me."

JOSÉ
A kiss from my mother!

MICAËLA
A kiss for her son!
José, I give it to you
as I promised.
(Micaëla raises herself on tiptoe and gives Don
José a frank, motherly kiss. José, very moved, lets

her. He gazes into her eyes.
There is a moment of silence.)

JOSÉ
I see my mother!
Yes, I see my village again!
O memories of bygone days,
sweet memories of home!
Sweet memories of home!
O precious memories!
You put back strength
and courage into my heart,
O precious memories!
I see my mother!
I see my village again!

MICAËLA
He sees his mother again!
He sees his village once more!
O memories of bygone days!
Memories of home!
You put back strength
and courage into his heart!
O precious memories!
He sees his mother again,
he sees his village again!

JOSÉ (his eyes fixed on the factory)
Who knows into what demon's clutches

I was about to fall!
Even from afar my mother protects me,
and this kiss she sent me,
wards off the peril and saves her son!

MICAËLA
What demon? What peril?
I don't quite understand.
What do you mean by that?

JOSÉ
Nothing! Nothing!
Let's talk about you, the messenger.
You're going back home?

MICAËLA
Yes, this very evening:
tomorrow I shall see your mother.

JOSÉ
You'll be seeing her!
Well then, you'll tell her -
that her son loves and reveres her
and that today he is repentant;
he wants his mother back there
to be pleased with him!
All this, my sweet,
you'll tell her from me, won't you,
and this kiss that I give you
you'll give her from me.
(He kisses her.)

MICAËLA
Yes, I promised you; from her son

José I shall give it as I have promised.

JOSÉ
I see my mother! etc.

MICAËLA
He sees his mother again! etc.

Recitative

JOSÉ
Wait there, now,
while I'm reading.

MICAËLA
No. Read first
and then I'll come back.

JOSÉ
Why go away?

MICAËLA
It's wiser.
It suits me better that way.
Read! Then I'll come back.

JOSÉ
You will come back?

MICAËLA
I'll come back.
(She leaves.)

JOSÉ
Never fear, mother your son will obey you

and do as you say; I love Micaëla
and I shall take her for my wife.
As for your flowers, filthy witch... !

No. 7 Chorus

(Just as he is about to tear the flower from his
tunic, an uproar begins in the factory. Zuniga
comes on stage, followed by soldiers.)

ZUNIGA
Whatever's going on over there?

FIRST GROUP OF GIRLS
Help! Help!
Can't you hear?

SECOND GROUP OF GIRLS
Help! Help!
You soldiers!

FIRST GROUP OF GIRLS
It's Carmencita!

SECOND GROUP OF GIRLS
No, no, it's not her!
Not a bit of it!

FIRST GROUP OF GIRLS
It's her! It is, it is! It's her!
She started the fighting!

SECOND GROUP OF GIRLS
Don't listen to them!

ALL THE GIRLS (surrounding Zuniga)
Listen to us, sir!
Listen to us! etc.

SECOND GROUP OF GIRLS
(pulling the officer to their side)
Manuelita said, and kept saying
at the top of her voice,
that she'd make sure she bought
a donkey that pleased her.

FIRST GROUP OF GIRLS
Then Carmencita,
in her usual mocking way,
said; "A donkey? What for?
A broom will do for you."

SECOND GROUP OF GIRLS
Manuelita retorted,
and said to her friend:
"For a certain ride
my donkey will be useful to you! - "

FIRST GROUP OF GIRLS
" - And on that day you'll be able
to play the lady in your own right;
two lackeys will follow behind
keeping flies off as best they can!"

ALL THE GIRLS
Thereupon they both started
to pull each other's hair out!

ZUNIGA
To the devil with all this chatter!

José, take two men in with you
and see who's causing all this commotion.
(Don José takes two men with him. The soldiers go
into the factory. All this while the girls are pushing
and arguing among themselves.)

FIRST GROUP OF GIRLS
It's Carmencita! etc.

SECOND GROUP OF GIRLS
No, no! It's not she! etc.

ZUNIGA
Stop!
Rid me of all these women!

ALL THE GIRLS
Sir, don't listen to them! etc.
(The soldiers keep the girls back. Carmen appears
at the factory door, led by Don José and followed
by two dragoons. The factory-girls go out in a
disorderly rush.)

No. 8 Song and Melodrama

JOSÉ
Sir, there was a quarrel,
insults first, then blows to end up with;
one woman hurt.

ZUNIGA
And by whom?

JOSÉ
Why by her.

ZUNIGA (to Carmen)
You hear - what have you to say?

CARMEN
Tralalalala,
cut me, burn me,
I shall tell you nothing;
tralalala,
I defy everything -
fire, the sword, and heaven itself!

ZUNIGA
Spare us your songs,
and since you've been told to answer - answer!

CARMEN
Tralalalala,
I'm keeping my secret, and keeping it well!
Tralalalala,
I love another,
and will die saying I love him.

ZUNIGA
Since you adopt that attitude
you'll sing your song to the prison walls.

CHORUS
In prison! In prison!
(Carmen tries to get at the girls.)

ZUNIGA (to Carmen)
Plague on it!

Decidedly you have a ready hand!

CARMEN
Tralalalala...

ZUNIGA
It's a pity,
a great pity,
because she's nice, really!
But she must be made to see sense;
bind those two lovely arms.
(Zuniga leaves. A brief pause. Carmen raises her
eyes and looks at Don José. He turns, withdraws a
few paces, then comes back to Carmen who has
been watching him all the while.)

CARMEN
Where are you taking me?

JOSÉ
To prison, and there's nothing I can do.

CARMEN
Really, you can't do anything?

JOSÉ
No, nothing! I obey my superiors.

CARMEN
Very well, but I know

that in spite of your superiors
you'll do everything I want,
and that because you love me!

JOSÉ
I, love you?

CARMEN
Yes, José!
The flower I made you a present of,
you know, the witch's flower -
you can throw it away now.
The spell is working!

JOSÉ
Don't talk to me any more! You hear me?
Say no more. I forbid it!

No. 9 Seguidilla and Duet

CARMEN
By the ramparts of Seville,
at my friend Lillas Pastia's place,
I'm going to dance the seguidilla
and drink manzanilla.
I'm going to my friend Lillas Pastia's!
Yes, but all alone one gets bored,
and real pleasures are for two.
So, to keep me company,
I shall take my lover!
My lover... he's gone to the devil:
I showed him the door yesterday.
My poor heart, so consolable -
my heart is as free as air.

I have suitors by the dozen,
but they are not to my liking.
Here we are at the week end;
Who wants to love me? I'll love him.
Who wants my heart? It's for the taking!
You've come at the right moment!
I have hardly time to wait,
for with my new lover...
By the ramparts of Seville, etc.

JOSÉ
Stop! I told you not to talk to me!

CARMEN
I'm not talking to you,
I'm singing to myself;
and I'm thinking... It's not forbidden to think!
I'm thinking about a certain officer
who loves me,
and whom in my turn I might really love!

JOSÉ
Carmen!

CARMEN
My officer's not a captain,
not even a lieutenant,
he's only a corporal;
but that's enough for a gypsy girl
and I'll deign to content myself with him!

JOSÉ
(untying Carmen's hands)

Carmen, I'm like a drunken man,
if I yield, if I give in,
you'll keep your promise?
Ah! if I love you. Carmen, you'll love me?

CARMEN
Yes...
We'll dance the seguidilla
while we drink manzanilla.

JOSÉ
At Lillas Pastia's...
You promise!
Carmen...
You promise!

CARMEN
Ah! By the ramparts of Seville, etc.
(Her hands behind her, Carmen goes and re-seats
herself on her stool. Zuniga returns.)

No. 10 Finale

ZUNIGA (to José)
Here's the order; off you go now.
And keep a good lookout.

CARMEN (aside to José)
On the way I shall push you,

I shall push you as hard as I can...
Let yourself fall over...
The rest is up to me.
(Carmen places herself between the two dragoons,
with José at her side. The girls and others return
onstage, kept back by the soldiers. Carmen
crosses the stage, moving towards the bridge.)

Love is a gypsy child,
he has never heard of law.
If you don't love me, I love you;
if I love you, look out for yourself.
(Arriving at the foot of the bridge, Carmen pushes
José who falls. In the confusion Carmen takes to
her heels. At the middle of the bridge she stops
for a moment, sends her cord flying over the
parapet of the bridge, and escapes, while the
cigarette girls, with great shouts of laughter,
surround Zuniga.)

Entr'acte

libretto by Alan Gregory, 1964

Contents: Roles; Act One; Act Two; Act Three; Act Four