- 1875 - Opéra comique It is the day of the contest to which Escamillo invited the smugglers. The square is full of people, with merchants and gypsies selling their wares. Zuniga, Frasquita and Mercédès are among the crowd and the girls tell Zuniga that Carmen is now with Escamillo.
The crowd and children sing and cheer on the procession as the cuadrilla arrive. Carmen and Escamillo are greeted by the crowds and express their love, Carmen adding that she had never loved one so much.
After Escamillo has gone into the fight, Frasquita warns Carmen that José is in the crowd, but Carmen scorns their fears. Before she can enter the arena she is confronted by the desperate José.
He begs her to return his love and start a new life with him far away. She calmly replies that she loves him no longer and will not give way — free she was born and free she will die.
Cheers are heard from the bull-ring and Carmen tries to enter, but José bars her way. He asks her one last time to come back, but she scornfully throws back the ring that he gave to her.
He stabs her as Escamillo is acclaimed in the arena, to the strains of the chorus of the ‘Toreador Song’, she dies. Don José kneels in despair beside her. The spectators flock out of the arena and find José, confessing his guilt over her dead body.