How did Carmen influence the later verismo style of opera?

Georges Bizet’s Carmen was a foundational influence on the verismo style of opera by breaking away from the conventions of the time, which typically favored light, moralistic stories where virtue was rewarded.1

Instead, Bizet chose to depict the lives of the underclass and unheroic, centering his narrative on smugglers, factory workers, deserters, and the Roma. By bringing these characters to the stage and grounding his work in a gritty, realistic approach, he blazed a new trail for the next generation of composers, including Giacomo Puccini.213

While Carmen was initially condemned by critics for its perceived immorality and vulgarity—as it featured characters who engaged in physical fights, smoked in public, and lived with sexual freedom—this realism eventually inaugurated a new chapter in operatic history. This shift toward dramatic truth and the portrayal of everyday life became the hallmark of the verismo movement, which flourished in the late 19th century through the works of composers like Pietro Mascagni and Ruggero Leoncavallo.134