What's going on with the "Carmen exchanges with Mercedes" markings in the Carmen opera score?

Surely Carmen will more than likely take the bottom of the three women, correct? Or is this a stage direction? I'm looking in the Schirmer score.

Nemesis2013-05-17T03:19:07Z

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That's a stage direction, a bit clumsily translated. Best keep your hands off Mercedes' vocal part or she'll be likely to throw you a hissy fit and with some justification... :-)

Precisely what that stage direction will turn into meaning in production you will find out in rehearsal. Each director will handle that differently for any individual production, most of the time.

All the best,