The Washington herald., 1910-06-05
STORIES OF OPERAS.
Carmen

No opera is so eolorful, so atmospheric.
so charged with elemental passions.
brought out both in libretto and score.
as Carmen" by George Bizet.
Jose de Lbengoa is a corporal In the
Spanish infantry. He Is betrothed 10 a
sweet young girl, Michaela. whose in
iuence on him has always been of the
purest The beginning OF the opera
shows Jose stationed with HIS troop hard
| by a cigarette factory in Seville. MlchaeIa
comes with a message OF love and ten
derness from Jose's mother, who sends
him some tokens of her affection, includ-
ing a kiss, which Michaela delivers shyly.
The scene between them is touching, and
the pretty and fair Spanish maiden re-
turns 10 her inn with her heart fun OF
love for Jose and faith In his love for
her
Jose 10 left alone in the public square.
Soon there is a disturbance IN the cigar
cite factory. Some Of the soldiers rush
in and bring out a bevy Of struggling
girls. among whom is Carmen, the most
notorious and flrtatiOus Of all the cigar
cite girls Of Seville. Carmen has stabbed
another OF the girls in a quarrel over a
man, and she is placed under arrest
Jose is detailed as her guard. but she
practices her devilish wiles upon him and
he conntves at her escape. For this act
ne Is sentenced 10 prison, but has Car
mems promise that she viii meet him
when his term IS over Disgraced and
reduced TO the ranks Jose forgets the
pure and sweet Mieheela and his loving
mother goes cheerfully TO prison for the
sake Of the wicked Carmen, who spends
the time in the wine shops with other
lovers, Of whom she has a score or more.
Jose, his sentence concluded. now
mere private in the sOldiery. comes TO the
wine shop OF Lnuas Pasta. where be
| finds Carmen. She fiouts him and. mad
dened by Jealousy, he fights a duel with
| the captain of his company, to whom
Carmen is Just then giving her favors.
Carmen secretly loves Escamillo, a torea-
dor, but Jose having wounded his superior
| officer, IS In danger of being executed.
She persuades him 10 join her band OF
gypsy smugglers and fly with her TO the
mountains.
This is done, and he and Carmen con-
tinue as lovers, but she grows tired OF
Jose. and he in turn is stricken with re-
morse at the way be has deserted his
mother and Micheela The latter seeks
out the mountain retreat OF the SNUG
glers and implores Jose to return 20 his
mother. who is diving. AS he promises 10
do so. he hears the song Of the toreador.
who is advancing over the mountain
passes TO Join Carmen Infuriated with
passions Of Jealousy and hatred and mad
with love, Jose fights with EscamFlo
with knives. bur Carmen comes between
them and declares her preference for the
| toreador. She goes back TO Seville with
Escamillo. 9nd Jose is left TO bear the
weeping Alichaela back TO the mothers
home.
The final scene shows Carmen and Es-
camille in full glory. The toreador is the
hero of the bull ring and Carmen IS his
mistress. Poor. haggard, hunted Jose,
his mother dead, haunts the vicinity Of
the Plaza del Toros, and as Carmen ar
rives for the fete he stabs her and turns
the knife upon himself. while Escamillo
awaits IN vain for the black-eyed She
devil who never more viii prey upon
mems souls.