History YMMV / Carmen

* AdaptationDisplacement: Everyone knows the opera but few have read the novella by Prosper Mérimée the opera was based upon. The novella itself is quite different from the opera, narrated in flashback, and generally has weak characterization. While the author was quite well regarded in his age, the Carmen novella was seen as one of his minor works while Bizet and the librettists made the characters more complex, more developed and added in key supporting characters like Escamillo and Micaela who aren't in the story. So perhaps a JustifiedTrope.

** Carmen can be either seen as a strong, independent and willed woman or a mindless hedonistic bimbo led by her hormones, depending on viewer.
*** There's also the circumstances regarding the story: is Carmen really in love with Don José or Escamillo? Does her leaving Don José provoke his jealousy, or does his jealousy [[FreudianExcuse provoke her leaving him]]?

* BrokenBase: The Cristiano Chiarot's production at Florence's Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino changes the ending so [[spoiler:Carmen does not die; rather, she gets a gun and shoots Don Jose]]. Seeing that the opera hasn't had any major changes for centuries, it certainly drew a lot of buzz. Some praised the concept of it, given the campaign to protest violence against women (particularly women being killed by jealous ex-lovers, a major problem in Italy) was a large part in the revision. However, others felt like it just makes Carmen a huge KarmaHoudini; despite the tragedy of the ending, Carmen was still largely a manipulative and toxic person for Don Jose to be around, and to see her [[spoiler:not only shoot Don Jose herself but walk away from the story largely unscathed]] seems to ignore the consequences of her actions. Not to mention that it ignores major plot points, such as the fact that Carmen, upon reading the tarot cards, [[PropheciesAreAlwaysRight sees death for herself and her lover]], ''in that order''. ScrewDestiny or AssPull?

* DracoInLeatherPants: Don José is tragic, yes, but he's still responsible for his own actions due to his own jealousy and possessiveness. This doesn't stop some viewers from blaming Carmen for everything he does and treating him like a hapless victim rather than his own person. Cristiano Chariot, who oversaw the 2018 Florence production, heard the audiences applauding the artists after the DownerEnding and mistook it for approving of Don José's killing of Carmen, which influenced his own take on it.

* VindicatedByHistory: It was critically and publicly reviled upon its premiere, because of the questionable moral choices made by the main characters. Bizet died thinking it was a failure. It is now one of the most famous and beloved operas of all time.

* VindicatedByHistory: It was critically and publicly reviled upon its premiere, because of the questionable moral choices made by the main characters. Bizet died thinking it was a failure. It is now one of the most famous and most beloved operas of all time.

*** There's also the circumstances regarding the story: is Carmen really in love with Don José or Escamillo? Does she leave Don José out of spite, or because she is tired of [[CrazyJealousGuy his clinginess]]?

%%* SongAssociation: While "Votre Toast" is well-known and oft-parodied, a lot of people circa 2014 know it as "the song where [[VideoGame/FiveNightsAtFreddys Freddy stares at you before he kills you.]]"

* DracoInLeatherPants: Don José is tragic, yes, but he's still responsible for his own actions and becomes a villain of his own accord due to jealousy and possessiveness. This doesn't stop some viewers from blaming Carmen for everything he does and treating him like a hapless victim rather than his own person. Cristiano Chariot, who oversaw the 2018 Florence production, noted that some audiences applauded after the DownerEnding, which influenced his own take on it.

* AwesomeMusic: Pretty much the entire score by Geroges Bizet. Of particular note are the Prelude to Act 1, "Toreador", and "Habanera".

* ValuesDissonance: Carmen's portrayal as a HotGypsyWoman, FemmeFatale, and criminal draws on a lot of old racist stereotypes of Romani women, and at least a few modern productions try to make Carmen [[FreudianExcuse more sympathetic]] and less stereotypical. But at the time it was written, even depicting Roma in the opera was controversial.

* BrokenBase: The revised ending that a 2018 production at Florence's Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino[[note]]For the unaware, [[spoiler:Carmen does not die here; rather, she gets a gun and shoots Don Jose]][[/note]] introduces. Seeing that the opera hasn't had any major changes for centuries, it certainly drew a lot of buzz. Some praised the concept of it, given the campaign to protest violence against women (particularly women being killed by jealous ex-lovers, a major problem in Italy) was a large part in the revision. However, others felt like it just makes Carmen a huge KarmaHoudini; despite the tragedy of the ending, Carmen was still largely a manipulative and toxic person for Don Jose to be around, and to see her [[spoiler:not only shoot Don Jose herself but walk away from the story largely unscathed]] seems to ignore the consequences of her actions. Not to mention that it ignores major plot points, such as the fact that Carmen, upon reading the tarot cards, [[PropheciesAreAlwaysRight sees death for herself and her lover]], ''in that order''. ScrewDestiny or AssPull?

%%* EsotericHappyEnding: The ending of the 2018 Florence production where Carmen stands up to her "abusive" ex-boyfriend Don Jose and kills him instead of him killing her.

** Similarly, Don Jose is viewed as either a helpless victim of LoveMakesYouEvil or a violent individual who engages in DomesticAbuse [[RonTheDeathEater in the first place.]]

** Similarly, Don Jose is viewed as either a helpless victim of LoveMakesYouEvil or a violent individual who was a {{Domestic Abuse}}r [[RonTheDeathEater in the first place.]]

* SongAssociation: While "Votre Toast" is well-known and oft-parodied, a lot of people circa 2014 know it as "the song where [[VideoGame/FiveNightsAtFreddys Freddy stares at you before he kills you.]]"

** Similarly, Don Jose is viewed as either a helpless victim of LoveMakesYouEvil, or a violent individual who was a {{Domestic Abuse}}r [[RonTheDeathEater in the first place.]]
* BrokenBase: The revised ending that a 2018 production at Florence's Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino[[note]]For the unaware, [[spoiler:Carmen does not die here; rather, she gets a gun and shoots Don Jose]][[/note]] introduces. Seeing that the opera hasn't had any major changes for centuries, it certainly drew a lot of buzz. Some praised the concept of it, given the campaign to protest violence against women (particularly women being killed by jealous ex-lovers, a major problem in Italy) was a large part in the revision. However, others felt like it just makes Carmen a huge KarmaHoudini; despite the tragedy of the ending, Carmen was still largely a manipulative and toxic person for Don Jose to be around, and to see her [[spoiler:not only shoot Don Jose herself, but walk away from the story largely unscathed]] seems to ignore the consequences of her actions.
** Not to mention that it ignores major plot points, such as the fact that Carmen, upon reading the tarot cards, [[PropheciesAreAlwaysRight sees death for herself and her lover]], ''in that order''. ScrewDestiny or AssPull?

** Arguably, Carmen herself fits this trope as well, especially in the Chiarot production wherein she [[spoiler: is depicted as a victim of domestic abuse who kills Don Jose in self-defense]].
* EsotericHappyEnding: The ending of the 2018 Florence production where Carmen stands up to her "abusive" ex-boyfriend Don Jose and kills him instead of him killing her. See BrokenBase above.
* RonTheDeathEater: The controversial 2018 Florence production seems to {{Flanderiz|ation}}e Don José on the basis of the opera's grim finale alone, depicting him as a domestic abuser from the beginning. Never mind that Don José was actually a NiceGuy at the start of the opera, ''and'' that it was his obsession with Carmen that [[LoveMakesYouEvil was responsible for his]] FaceHeelTurn.

* EarWorm: "Toreador Song" and "Habanera" are both insanely memorable. They are two of the most overused, parodied opera songs in popular consciousness for a reason.

** Similarly, Don Jose is viewed as either a helpless victim of LoveMakesYouEvil, or a violent individual who was a DomesticAbuser [[RonTheDeathEater in the first place.]]

** Not to mention that it ignores major plot points, such as the fact that Carmen, upon reading the tarot cards, [[PropheciesAreAlwaysRight sees death for herself and her lover]], ''in that order''.

* RonTheDeathEater: The controversial 2018 Florence production seems to {{Flanderize}} Don José on the basis of the opera's grim finale alone, depicting him as a domestic abuser from the beginning. Never mind that Don José was actually a NiceGuy at the start of the opera, ''and'' that it was his obsession with Carmen that [[LoveMakesYouEvil was responsible for his]] FaceHeelTurn.

* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation: Carmen can be either seen as a strong, independent and willed woman or a mindless hedonistic bimbo led by her hormones, depending on viewer.

* BrokenBase: The revised ending of the 2018 production[[note]]For the unaware, [[spoiler:Carmen does not die here; rather, she gets a gun and shoots Don Jose]][[/note]] introduces. Seeing that the opera hasn't had any major changes for centuries, it certainly drew a lot of buzz. Some praised the concept of it, given the campaign to protest violence against women (particularly women being killed by jealous ex-lovers, a major problem in Italy) was a large part in the revision. However, others felt like it just makes Carmen a huge KarmaHoudini; despite the tragedy of the ending, Carmen was still largely a manipulative and toxic person for Don Jose to be around, and to see her [[spoiler:not only shoot Don Jose herself, but walk away from the story largely unscathed]] seems to ignore the consequences of her actions.

* DracoInLeatherPants: Don José is tragic, yes, but he's still responsible for his own actions and becomes a villain of his own accord due to jealousy and possessiveness. This doesn't stop some viewers from blaming Carmen for everything he does and treating him like a hapless victim rather than his own person. Cristiano Chariot, who oversaw the 2018 Florence production, noted that some audiences cheered after the DownerEnding, which influenced his own take on it.

* RonTheDeathEater: The controversial 2018 Florence production seems to {{Flanderize}} Don José on the basis of the opera's grim finale alone, depicting him as a domestic abuser from the beginning. Never mind that Don José was actually a NiceGuy at the start of the opera, ''and'' that Carmen herself (or at least his obsession with her) [[LoveMakesYouEvil was responsible for his]] FaceHeelTurn.

* RonTheDeathEater: The controversial 2018 Florence production seems to {{Flanderize}} Don José on the basis of the opera's grim finale alone, depicting him as a domestic abuser from the beginning. Never mind that Don José was actually a NiceGuy at the start of the opera, ''and'' that Carmen herself [[LoveMakesYouEvil was responsible for his]] FaceHeelTurn.

* DracoInLeatherPants: Don José is tragic, yes, but he's still responsible for his own actions and becomes a villain of his own accord due to jealousy and possessiveness. This doesn't stop some viewers from blaming Carmen for everything he does and treating him like a hapless victim rather than his own person. Cristiano Chariot, who oversaw the 2018 Florence production, noted that some audiences cheered at the DownerEnding [[spoiler:of Don Jose killing Carmen, believing she deserved it for being unfaithful]], which influenced his own take on it.

* BrokenBase: The revised ending of the 2018 production[[note]]For the unaware, [[spoiler:Carmen does not die here; rather, she gets a gun and shoots Don Jose]][[/note]] introduces. Seeing that the opera hasn't had any major changes for centuries, it certainly drew a lot of buzz. Some praised the concept of it, given the campaign to protest violence against women (particularly women being killed by jealous ex-lovers) was a large part in the revision. However, others felt like it just makes Carmen a huge KarmaHoudini; despite the tragedy of the ending, Carmen was still largely a manipulative and toxic person for Don Jose to be around, and to see her [[spoiler:not only shoot Don Jose herself, but walk away from the story largely unscathed]] seems to ignore the consequences of her actions.