Act I - Mid-day, a square in Seville.  A young woman, Micaëla, enters looking for a corporal, Don José.  The soldiers tell her he will be coming shortly.  She excuses herself and runs off.  Soon, Don José arrives with the guard and is told a young woman was searching for him.  Now Zuniga, the lieutenant, understands why Don José is not interested in the women who work in the factory.  A bell sounds and the cigarette girls come out to chat with each other.  Carmen enters last.  She teases and taunts the men with her philosophy of love, turning away from all of them.  She gives a rose to the man who has caught her eye, Don José.  As the girls run off, Micaëla enters looking for Don José.  She gives him a letter from his mother and tells him that his mother forgives him.  He promises her that he will return home, and gives her a kiss to deliver to his mother.  As she leaves, a scream is heard and the women run from the factory into the square.  Carmen is brought out and half of the women accuse her of stabbing Manuelita while the others accuse Manuelita of starting the fight.  Carmen refues to answer Zuniga's questions, so he orders her arrest.  She is left under the watch of Don José.  She seduces him into helping her escape and tells him to join her later at Lillas Pastia's tavern.  

Act II - The Tavern of Lillas Pastia.  Carmen entices everyone with the joys of a smuggler's life.  Zuniga tells Carmen that Don José has been released.  A crowd outside announces the arrival of Escamillo, the victorious toreador.  Escamillo describes the excitement of the bullfight and he tells Carmen he will see her soon and leaves with his adoring fans.  The smugglers try to persuade Carmen to join in their next exploit, but she prefers to wait for Don José.  They chastise her for her folly, but are surprised when he approaches.  As they leave, they tell her to persuade him to join their venture.  Don José is again seduced by Carmen, but is pulled away by the sound of his regiment's trumpet.  Carmen mocks him for his weakness, but he pleads with her saying that the flower she tossed him he had kept in prison to strengthen his hope of seeing her again.  Carmen argues that if he truly loves her, he would leave his post and join her and the smugglers.  Zuniga returns for Carmen.  He ridicules José and commands him to return to the guard.  Enraged, Don José challenges him to fight while Carmen screams for help.  After Zuniga is dealt with, Don José has no choice but to join the smugglers.

Act III - In the Mountains.  The smugglers have reached a mountain pass where they must wait for a clear passage before proceeding.  Although Don José has given up everything for Carmen, she has tired of him.  The women pass along but all she sees is death.  Dancaïro returns with news that guards are blocking the road.  The women leave to deal with the guards and Don José is left as lookout.  Micaëla arrives, looking for Don José.  She hides when she hears a shot.  Escamillo has come looking for Carmen and he is stopped by Don José.  Jealousy rages in Don José and the two men draw weapons.  Don José gains the upper hand, but is stopped by Carmen and the others.  Escamillo is grateful and invites them to his next bullfight.  Micaëla is discovered and pleads with Don José to return home.  Carmen cynically tells him to return home like a good boy.  Don José refuses but Micaëla tells him that his mother is dying.  Defeated, he goes with her.

Act IV - Outside the Bullring.  Everyone awaits the triumphal return of Escamillo.  When the procession is over, everyone enters the ring preparing for the battle.  Only Don José remains to confront Carmen with one final plea.  When she refuses him again, his anger engulfs him.  He vows that if he cannot have her, no man will.  He kills her as the crowd cheers for the toreador.