Georges Bizet’s “Carmen” is a passionate, sensual 19th-century opera that explores sexual politics, perceptions of morality and stereotypes about Roma people. When a corporal in 1820s Seville named José meets the charismatic, flirtatious Carmen, he grows so enthralled by her beauty and charm that he gives up his entire life to pursue her. However, Carmen soon grows tired of José and abandons him for the toreador Escamillo. Driven mad by jealousy, José stabs Carmen to death.
While many 19th-century opera heroines serve as plot devices in the male protagonist’s story, Carmen’s decisions drive the plot and influence the actions of the men around her. She strategically uses her attractiveness to manipulate José into obeying her whims, and Escamillo is a one-dimensional prop that exists solely to stir jealousy between Carmen and José.
She initiates the relationship with José by throwing him a flower, and when he is instructed to arrest her after she starts a fight with a coworker, she seduces him so he will free her. When José gets in trouble for attacking his superior officer, Carmen allows him to join her gang of smugglers on the road, but she dumps José for Escamillo because she prioritizes her own desires more than her obligation to José.
Carmen is also shamelessly confident in her sexuality, especially for a woman in 19th-century Spain. She first appears on the stage singing her iconic aria “Habanera,” in which she declares her flippant attitude towards love while flirting with the entire cast. She enjoys casual flings but refuses to be bound to a husband because she does not want to give up her liberty.
Furthermore, Carmen demonstrates a startling disregard for morality, social expectations and the feelings of others. Although her actions are often cruel and insensitive, she shatters the mold of submissive, passive opera heroines and demonstrates that women are complex people capable of both good and evil, rather than just beautiful accessories for men. She is never intended to be a sympathetic character, and much of her allure actually comes from her shocking heartlessness.
Although “Carmen” is surprisingly progressive in its approach to female protagonists, its portrayal of Roma people is deeply problematic. Carmen’s promiscuity, dishonesty and participation in a gang of criminals lean into harmful stereotypes about the Romani community. Roma women are frequently fetishized in the media, and the portrayal of Carmen as an exotic seductress reinforces these misconceptions.
It’s not inherently problematic to write flawed characters from marginalized groups, but Carmen’s faults are drawn specifically from common offensive stereotypes about Roma people. Furthermore, positive Roma representation in the media is still rare, so negative representations heavily influence society’s perceptions of the Romani community.
“Carmen” examines the dangers of lust and obsession in a dazzling, intoxicating opera. The complex titular heroine’s fierce independence, unabashed sexuality and casual immorality upends society’s narrow expectations for 19th-century women in Spain. Unfortunately, while Carmen is an intriguing, polarizing character who seduces the audience as easily as she seduces José, it’s important to note how much of her characterization is rooted in stereotypes that harm the Romani community.