Show Synopsis:
A cigarette girl named Carmen chooses Don José for her lover, while he receives a letter from his mother telling him to return home and marry Micaëla. Carmen is arrested but Jose, beguiled by her charms, helps her escape arrest and is arrested in the process. A month later he is released, but the toreador Escamillo has his sights set on Carmen, who rejects him. José fights Zuniga, the officer of the guard, to protect Carmen, and is forced to join Carmen and the smugglers who helped him win because he attacked a superior officer. By the time they reach the mountains, Carmen is bored of José, and her friends' tarot cards foretell her death as well as his. Micaëla comes looking for José and hides as he fights Escamillo, who has come looking for Carmen, and José goes with her when he hears his mother is dying. Escamillo is welcomed back to Seville for a bullfight with Carmen on his arm, but once she is alone, José asks her to return to him. When she refuses, he stabs her to death and confesses it to the crowds.
Character:
Micaëla, a shy young village maiden who wants to marry Don José.
Song Context:
Micaëla has followed the group of smugglers into the mountains to tell José that his mother wants to see him before she dies, and hopes that this will be enough to rescue him from Carmen, since Micaëla also wants to marry José.
Fun Facts:
1) This opera was based on Prosper Mérimée's novella Carmen.
2) Famous French soprano Marguerite Chapuy originated the role of Micaëla and sang other notable soprano roles throughout her career, including Rosina in The Barber of Seville and Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro.
3) The role of Micaëla does not exist in Mérimée's original novella.
"Je dis que rien ne m?épouvante,
je dis, hélas! que je réponds de moi;
mais j?ai beau faire la vaillante,
au fond du coeur, je meurs d?effroi!
Seule en ce lieu sauvage,
toute seule j?ai peur,
mais j?ai tort d?avoir peur;
vous me donnerez du courage,
vous me protégerez, Seigneur!
Je vais voir de près cette femme
dont les artifices maudits
ont fini par faire un infâme
de celui que j?aimais jadis!
Elle est dangereuse... elle est belle!...
Mais je ne veux pas avoir peur!
Non, non, je ne veux pas avoir peur!...
Je parlerai haut devant elle... ah!
Seigneur, vous me protégerez!
Seigneur, vous me protégerez! ah!
Je dis que rien ne m?épouvante,
je dis, hélas! que je réponds de moi;
mais j?ai beau faire la vaillante,
au fond du coeur, je meurs d?effroi!
Seule en ce lieu sauvage,
toute seule j?ai peur,
mais j?ai tort d?avoir peur;
vous me donnerez du courage,
vous me protégerez, Seigneur!
Protégez-moi! O Seigneur!
donnez-moi du courage!
Protégez-moi! O Seigneur!
protégez-moi! Seigneur!"
C'est des contrebandiers le refuge ordinaire.
This is of smugglers the refuge regular.
Il est ici, je le verrai
He is here, I him will see
Et le devoir que m'imposa sa mère
And the duty that on me imposed his mother
Sans trembler je l'accomplirai.
Without to tremble I it will accomplish
Je dis que rien ne m'épouvante,
I say that nothing me frightens,
Je dis, hélas! que je r?ponds de moi;
I say, alas! that I answer of myself;
Mais j'ai beau faire la vaillante,
But I have in vain to make the brave one,
Au fond du coeur je meurs d'effroi!
At the bottom of the heart I am dying of fright!
Seule en ce lieu sauvage,
Alone in this place wild,
Toute seule j'ai peur, mais j'ai tort d'avoir peur;
All alone I have fear, but I have wrong to have fear;
Vous me donnerez du courage,
You me will give some courage,
Vous me prot?gerez, Seigneur!
You me will protect, Lord !
Je vais voir de pr?s cette femme
I am going to see closely that woman
Dont les artifices maudits
Of whom the guiles accursed
Ont fini par faire un infâme
Have ended by to make an infamous one
De celui que j'aimais jadis!
Of him that I loved of old!
Elle est dangereuse, elle est belle!
She is dangerous, she is beautiful!
Mais je ne veux pas avoir peur! Non---
But I do not want to have fear! No ---
Je parlerai haut devant elle
I will speak up before her
Ah! vous me prot?gerez! donnez-moi du courage!
Ah! you me will protect! give me some courage!