Georges Bizet

As a precocious youngster, Georges Bizet (zhahrzh bee-ZAY, 1838-1875), entered the Conservatoire de Paris a couple of weeks before his tenth birthday and seemed destined for great things, excelling both as pianist and composer and winning the prestigious Prix de Rome in 1857. But his adult life was plagued by one setback after another and he never enjoyed the success his great talent should have afforded. His final work, Carmen has become one of the most beloved operas of all time, but the 37-year-old Bizet, weakened by complications from acute tonsillitis (i.e., quinsy, the same affliction that did in George Washington), died of a heart attack three months after his masterpiece premiered to a decidedly lukewarm reception at Paris’s Opéra-Comique, and without a clue as to the ultimate popularity his swan song would gain. The perceived immorality of the story by French author Prosper Mérimée (may-ree-MAY, 1803-1870), beginning with smoking factory girls (shocking!) and ending with a sexually-charged murder, was a tad racier than the family-friendly theater was accustomed. The theater management even went so far as to insist that the ending be rewritten— it is to Bizet’s credit that he refused to compromise his artistic vision. The rest, as they say, is history.

Carmen: Habañera

Believing it was an anonymous folksong, Bizet borrowed the melody of Carmen’s Habañera from a piece called El Arreglito, but the tune is actually by Spanish composer Sebastián de Yradier (say-bahs-tee-AHN day ee-rah-thee-EHR, 1809-1865). The librettists, Henri Meilhac (ahn-REE mee-YAK, 1831-1897) and Ludovic Halévy (lü-doh-VEEK ah-lay-VEE, 1802-1883), best known for their satirical writing in the operettas of Jacques Offenbach (zhahk AH-fun-BAHK, 1819-1880) never took Carmen very seriously, and Bizet had to rewrite the lyrics several times himself because his librettists couldn’t get it quite right. In the opera, as “Carmen” sings she shamelessly flirts with a hapless soldier, “Don José,” and he is hopelessly smitten—but you can’t say she didn’t warn him.

Carmen: Toreador Song

Carmen is anxiously awaiting the release of José, who went to jail himself rather than letting Carmen get arrested for, well, for being Carmen. “Escamilio,” the local celebrity bullfighter, enters ye ole (or is that olé?) tavern and immodestly charms his adoring fans with the famous Toreador Song. For the time being, the irresistible Carmen ignores Escamilio’s advances, but ultimately it is not only her faithfulness to José that proves to be short-lived.

--Intermezzo Sunday Concerts, November 18, 2007 (Bella Voce Cabaret)