Carmen is an opera in four acts composed by the French composer Georges Bizet. The libretto was written by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy, based on a novella of the same name by Prosper Mérimée. It premiered at the Opéra-Comique in Paris on March 3, 1875, where it initially shocked audiences for breaking established conventions.
The work achieved international acclaim within ten years of its debut, despite Bizet dying suddenly after only 33 performances. Carmen has since become one of the most popular and frequently performed operas in the classical canon. Notable arias from the piece include the "Habanera" and "Seguidilla" from act 1, as well as the "Toreador Song" from act 2.