About this Piece

Inside almost every French composer is a Spaniard yearning to get out. Perhaps geographical proximity may be the reason many French musicians have authentically captured the musical imagery of their neighbors to the south. Whatever the magic may be, it was in full force in the case of Georges Bizet and his Carmen, even though he apparently had never set foot in the country whose atmosphere he so masterfully evoked.

Born in Paris, Bizet did spend three years in another country south of his own—Italy, as a reward for winning the Paris Conservatory’s Prix de Rome. Once back in Paris, he settled into a composing career that failed to bring him more than a modicum of attention until, after some minor successes in 1873, he was commissioned to write a work for the Opéra-Comique. Selecting Prosper Merimée’s vivid story Carmen as his subject, Bizet induced Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy to write the libretto. The opera premiered on March 3, 1875, and while its naturalism and luridness ruffled some refined Parisian sensibilities, it attained a decent level of success. In the following weeks, it was performed nearly two dozen times, but tragically, on the night of its 23rd performance, three months to the day after its premiere, Bizet died at the age of 36. He never witnessed Carmen’s phenomenal popularity all over the world.

Lavishly melodious, vitally rhythmic, richly orchestrated and harmonized, Carmen is nothing less than a miracle of lyric theater. Even without the vocal parts, an opera’s lifeblood, it is irresistible, just like its title character who is killed by her former lover in a fit of jealous rage. It has inspired full-length ballets, innumerable suites, Tom & Jerry’s cat-and-mouse game, and Beyoncé’s star turn in 2001’s Carmen: A Hip Hopera.

Tonight’s presentation eschews the opera’s impending tragedy and stitches together a selection of its nonstop stream of highlights.

Prelude—The opera opens outside of a tobacco factory in Seville, Spain. Soldiers, including the corporal Don José, parade the square.

Habanera—The women who work in the factory stream outside for a break, including the tantalizing Carmen. She sings of love and how it cannot be tamed, captivating all the soldiers but one, Don José.

Entr’acte: Act II–Act III—A gentle melody first played by the flute and then picked up by clarinet before being joined by plush strings moves the plot from the outskirts of Seville to the countryside.

Seguidilla—Don José imprisons Carmen for starting a fight with another woman who works at the factory. As he stands guard, Carmen entrances him with her song of pleasures on the outskirts of Seville, at Lillas Pastia’s inn.

Entr’acte: Act III–Act IV—Sounds of the bullfight arena and its toreadors give way to a seductive theme played by a sinuous oboe and accented by curlicuing flute and clarinet.

Chanson bohème—Now at Lillas Pastia’s inn, Carmen, along with her friends Frasquita and Mercédès, entertains the crowd with an alluring melody. —Adapted from a note by Orrin Howard