Lieutenant Zuniga questions Carmen, but her only reply is the mocking response “tra-la-la.” Don José is ordered to guard Carmen while Zuniga gets a warrant for her arrest. Carmen has gotten into a fight with another girl and slashed her face with a knife. Suddenly, horrible screams come from the factory. As he reads the letter to himself Micaëla leaves. Micaëla returns with a letter from Don José’s mother, who begs him to marry Micaëla.

Laughing, she and the other women return to the factory. She sees this as a challenge, sets her eyes on him, sings “Love is a rebellious bird that no one can tame,” and throws him a flower. Carmen, a gypsy, is the last to come out and everyone is drawn to her, except Don José. The men flirt with the factory girls, too. A bell from the cigarette factory chimes, and the women come out for their smoke break. Soon after, Don José arrives as the guards change shifts. He’s not there and the soldiers flirt to try and get her to stay, but she leaves. Micaëla, shy and pretty, comes looking for Corporal Don José.

A group of soldiers, hot and tired, hangs out watching the world go by. It’s a blistering hot day in sunny Seville, Spain.

Carmen opera