Carmen

The story is set in Seville, Spain, circa 1830, and concerns the eponymous Carmen, a beautiful Gypsy with a fiery temper. Free with her love, she woos the corporal Don José, an inexperienced soldier. Their relationship leads to his rejection of his former love, mutiny against his superior, and joining a gang of smugglers. Although he is briefly happy with Carmen, his jealousy when she turns from him to the bullfighter Escamillo, leads him to murder Carmen.

The opera premiered at the Opéra Comique of Paris on March 3, 1875. The opening run in Paris was considered a failure, denounced by the majority of critics.^[3] Shortly after the composer's death, the production in Vienna (October 1875) began the path to its world-wide popularity.^[4]

Today, it is one of the world's most performed operas^[5] and a staple of the standard operatic repertoire. Carmen appears as number four on Opera America's list of the 20 most-performed operas in North America.^[6]

History

Camille du Locle, the artistic director of the Opéra-Comique commissioned Bizet to write an opera based on Mérimée's novel in early 1873 to be premiered at the end of the year. However, difficulty in finding a leading lady caused rehearsals not to begin until August 1874. Bizet bought a house at Bougival on the Seine, where he finished the piano score in the summer of 1874, and took a further two months to complete a full orchestration.

The difficulty in casting the title role arose from the scandal that erupted when the libretto was published. The artistic community almost universally condemned the story, denouncing it as "immoral". The scandal led at least one famous (unnamed) singer to refuse the role. However, the famous mezzo-soprano Galli-Marié accepted it in December without having seen the score.

During rehearsals, du Locle's assistant de Leuven voiced his discontent about the opera's plot, and pressured Bizet and the librettists to alter the tragic ending. De Leuven felt that families would not dare to go to see such a "debauched" opera. The Comique had a reputation as a family-friendly theatre, with many boxes used by parents to interview prospective sons-in-law. The librettists agreed to change the ending, but Bizet refused, which led directly to De Leuven's resignation from the production in early 1874.

The librettists had toned down some of the more extreme elements of Mérimée's novella, although it has been argued that this, and Bizet's close involvement in shaping the libretto are more to do with his wish to get closer to the Pushkin source. ^[7]

Full rehearsals finally began in October, and continued for an unexpected five months. The Comique's orchestra declared the score unplayable, and the cast were having difficulty following Bizet's directions. However, the greatest opposition came from du Locle,^[8] who liked Bizet personally, but hated the opera. At this stage, the Comique was in dire financial straits, leading du Locle to believe the opera would topple the ailing company, which had failed to produce a true success since Gounod's Faust.

The librettists, for whom Carmen was merely a sideshow, secretly tried to induce the singers to over-dramatise in order to lessen the impact of the work. However, much to Bizet's delight, the final rehearsals seemed to convince the majority of the company of the genius of the opera.

The first performance took place on March 3, 1875, the same day Bizet was presented with the Légion d'honneur. The four principals were:

According to Halévy's diary, the premiere did not go well. Act I was fairly well received and the entr'acte to Act II was applauded. However, with the exception of Micaëla's aria in Act III, the Acts II, III and IV were greeted with deafening silence. The critics were scathing, claiming that the libretto was inappropriate for the Comique. Bizet was also condemned by the musical community for following Wagner in making the orchestra more important than the human voices.

However, a few critics, such as the poet Théodore de Banville, praised the work for its innovation. Banville lauded the librettists for writing characters that were more realistic than those normally acted at the Comique. Nevertheless, the negative reviews caused the opera to only have 48 performances in its first year. Towards the end of its run at the Comique, the management was selling tickets wholesale in a vain attempt to make a profit. Despite the critical reaction, the principals had successful careers, with Galli-Marié re-creating her portrayal of the title role in the first performance in Italy (Naples) in 1879, in Spain and England, and then from 27 October 1883 in Paris again.^[9]

Bizet did not live to see the success of his opera: he died on June 3, just after the thirtieth performance. Before long three of the greatest composers in Europe would be counted among his admirers : Wagner, Brahms^[10] and Tchaikovsky^[11]. The day before his death he signed a contract with the Viennese Imperial Opera for the production of Carmen.^[12]

Over the following century, it became a staple of the standard operatic repertoire. Although the title role was written for a mezzo-soprano, many famous sopranos (including Leontyne Price, who also overcame institutionalized racism along the way) have performed and recorded the role, causing much debate over the best vocal type for the role. In addition to the standard mezzo-sopranos and the select group of sopranos that have essayed the role, contraltos have also portrayed Carmen, though not as often. The singer must not only have a great range, capable of frequently going to the bottom of her voice range, but also exhibit superior dramatic skills in order to portray Carmen's complex character, and beyond all that be an extremely good dancer.

Several pieces from this opera have become popular away from the stage. The Flower song, the Toréador's Song and the Habanera are favourites with singers. Two suites for orchestra are often played: the first consisting of the prelude and entr'actes, and the second of vocal numbers arranged for orchestra.

Dramatic elements

Carmen was extremely innovative in its drama: alternating comic or sentimental scenes found traditionally in opera-comique with stark realism.^[13] The descent of Don José from simple and honourable soldier to a murderous brigand is portrayed through both music and libretto. The music also ensures that Carmen does not become a destructive figure like Elektra or Lulu: she does not chase men; they run after her.^[14] Because Bizet shied away from the traditional image of an operatic femme-fatale, Carmen will always be a challenge for great singing actresses. She is fatalistic and hedonistic, living entirely in the present moment. Carmen's fatalism is well illustrated in the card-playing scene, much revised by Bizet, in which she accepts the premonition of death.^[15] In Act I her reply to Zuniga in her impertinent song when she is arrested is a translation from the Pushkin poem: "J’aime un autre et je meurs en disant que je l’aime", and anticipates phrases she will use at the end of the opera.^[16] Carmen is a woman prepared to give herself completely, aware of the magnitude in human terms of this decision but in turn she will demand the same from the one to whom she surrenders herself. Portrayed as "free, independent and mistress of all her decisions", Carmen’s strength and capacity of expression, her calm acceptance of her fate, and especially of her death show her "interior security, strength of temperament, personality and beauty...".^[17] José is ill-suited to Carmen's whims, desiring constancy in the form of fidelity. The moral disintegration of Jose during the opera is carefully plotted by librettists and composer “from connivance at Carmen’s escape, through desertion, armed resistance to an officer and smuggling, to murder”.^[18]

Carmen and José's scenes together represent the stages of their relationship. The seguidilla in Act I is the seduction, the second in Act II is the conflict, and the last in Act IV - which the librettists by a brilliant stroke moved from the mountains (Merimee) to outside the bullring - is the tragic resolution.^[19]

The supporting characters, Micaëla and Escamillo, are shadowy figures in the novella, not as developed as the two protagonists. Micaëla represents José's character and psychological environment before he met Carmen, whereas Escamillo represents Carmen's exciting future. Micaëla's music is developed from Gounod's lyric operas, whereas Escamillo is a musical cousin of Ourrias in Mireille.^[20] Escamillo has the famous 'Toreador Song'; Bizet knew that the song would be popular, but commented "They want their trash, and will get it".

Musical elements

When asked if he would visit Spain to research his score, Bizet replied "No, that would only confuse me." Bizet worked elements of Spanish music into the score; keeping the music obviously French. Several pieces, especially the Seguidilla and the Gypsy Song make use of the elements of flamenco music. Also, the Act IV entr'acte seems to be influenced by a Spanish song by Manuel García, incorporating elements of gypsy music.^{citations needed}

Bizet worked several popular Spanish songs directly into the score. These include El arreglito which became the habanera, and the folk-song Carmen impudently sings when interrogated by Zuniga; both written by Yradier.^[21] The habanera was written to replace an aria that Galli-Marié disliked, and Bizet supposedly wrote over ten revisions.^[8]

Bizet uses a very slight leitmotif system, preferring to use new material for each musical scene. There are two motifs associated with Carmen. The first is the Carmen Fate motif, and owes its augmented 2nds to Spanish music. It is ominously heard directly after the Prelude and prefigures the ending of the opera. It is heard in this form when Carmen chooses José as her lover, at the beginning of the Flower Song, and during the opera’s final moments. It is also heard, in a faster form, at the entrance of Carmen. This theme is more often heard in the strings, and is used when the slower version would stop the flow of the music. It is notably heard during the card playing scene (No.20).

The other theme associated with Carmen represents her influence over José. It is heard after José is chosen as Carmen’s lover, and when Carmen is taken away by the police to José and Zuniga. In a sequence cut from the original edition, placed in the frenzied chorus of women in Act I, the two themes are played contrapuntally.

The orchestration has been much praised; Richard Strauss advised young composers "if you want to learn how to orchestrate, don’t study Wagner’s scores, study the score of Carmen. What wonderful economy, and how every note and every rest is in its proper place". ^[22]

Revisions

Bizet’s original design of Carmen had dialogue in place of recitative. After Bizet's death, the musical community felt it would be more appreciated in the form of Grand Opera rather than opéra comique. Bizet’s friend Ernest Guiraud wrote recitatives for the Vienna premiere performance in 1875, that were used up until the 1960s. (Except at the Opéra-Comique, where the dialogue Carmen remained in repertory into the 1950s.) They are today seen as damaging to the work as a whole. The recitatives destroyed Bizet’s careful pacing, and disrupted the process of characterization significantly. The recitatives do seem to be coming back into fashion in large theaters, such as the Metropolitan, where spoken dialogue is difficult to project.

A new edition in 1964 edited by Fritz Oeser claimed to have restored Bizet’s original vision by including material previously cut from the premiere as well as restoring the dialogue. Unfortunately, Oeser did not realise that a great deal was cut by Bizet himself, and subsequently included several sections that were not required. He also made great changes to the stage directions and rewrote some of the libretto. Today, the only adequate score is a vocal score by Bizet himself, published in 1875. There is still no accurate full score, and each production is judged on the skills of the conductor in choosing a score.

Most recordings since the publication of Oeser edition juggle the Opéra-Comique, Oeser and Guiraud versions. Fruhbeck's 1970 version (pure Opéra-Comique) contains a pantomime scene with Moralés and chorus that was cut from the original production but remained in the score.

In 2003, a recording was made by Michel Plasson that features an earlier variant of Carmen's Habanera ("L'amour est un enfant bohème"), as well as the familiar one.

Other noteworthy recordings feature Plácido Domingo and one of the better-known mezzo-sopranos as Carmen, Chilean Victoria Vergara.

Roles

Synopsis

Note: in the Oeser version, Acts III and IV are played as Act III scene i and Act III scene ii respectively

Act 1

A square in Seville. On the right a cigarette factory, on the left a guard house, with a bridge at the back.

Moralès and the soldiers are on guard, ("Sur la place, chacun passe"). Micaëla appears seeking Don José, a corporal, but is told by Moralès that he isn't yet on duty, so why doesn't she stay and wait with them? She runs away saying that she will return later. Zuniga and José arrive with the new guard, imitated by a crowd of street-children ("Avec la garde montante").

A bell sounds and the cigarette girls emerge from the factory, greeted by young men who have gathered ("La cloche a sonné"). Finally Carmen appears, and all the men ask her when she will love them ("Quand je vous aimerai?"). She replies that she loves the man that does not love her in the famous Habanera ("L'amour est un oiseau rebelle"). When they plead for her to choose a lover from among them, ("Carmen! sur tes pas, nous nous pressons tous!") she tears a bunch of cassia from her bodice and throws it at Don José, who has been ignoring her before going back into the factory with the others. José is annoyed by her insolence.

Micaëla returns and gives him a letter - and a kiss - from his mother ("Parle-moi de ma mère!"). José longingly thinks of his home, and reading the letter sees that his mother wants him to return and get married. Micaëla is embarrased and leaves, but Don José declares that he will marry her.

As soon as she leaves, screams are heard from the factory and the women run out, singing chaotically ("Au secours! Au secours!"). Don José and Zuniga find that Carmen has been fighting with another woman, and slashed her face with a knife. Zuniga asks Carmen if she has anything to say, but she replies impudently with a song ("Tra la la"). Zuniga instructs José to guard her while he writes out the warrant for prison. The women go back into the factory and the soldiers to the guardhouse. To escape, Carmen seduces José with a Seguidilla ("Près des remparts de Séville") about an evening she will spend with her next lover who is "only a corporal"; José gives in and unties her hands. Zuniga returns, and Carmen allows herself to be led away but turns, pushes José to the ground, and as laughing cigarette girls surround Zuniga, she escapes. ^[23]

Act 2

Evening at Lillas Pastia's inn, tables scattered around; officers and gypsies relaxing after dinner

It is two months later. Carmen and her friends Frasquita and Mercédès sing and dance ("Les tringles des sistres tintaient"). Zuniga attempts to woo Carmen, but she can only think of José, who was demoted and has been in jail since letting her escape, and was released the day before. Lillas Pastia is trying to get rid of the officers, but as Escamillo passes by outside he is invited in ("Vivat, vivat le Toréro"). He sings the Toreador song ("Votre toast, je peux vous le rendre") and also flirts with Carmen, but Carmen tells him that for the time being he needn't dream of being hers. When everyone except Carmen, Frasquita and Mercédès have left, the smugglers Dancaïre and Remendado arrive and tell the girls of their plans to dispose of the contraband they have smuggled via Gibraltar ("Nous avons en tête une affaire" – Quintet). Carmen refuses to accompany them, saying to their amazement that she is in love. As José's voice is heard ("Halte là!"), Dancaïre tells Carmen she must try to get Don José to join them. Alone together, José returns a gold coin Carmen had sent him in jail and she orders fruit and wine to be brought. Carmen vexes him with stories of her dancing for the officers but then dances with castanets for him alone ("Je vais danser en votre honneur...Lalala"). During her song the sound of bugles is heard calling the soldiers back to barracks. Carmen's temper flares when José says he must leave, but he makes her listen by producing the flower she threw at him, which he kept while he was in prison and is proof of his love (the Flower Song - "La fleur que tu m'avais jetée"). Carmen is unmoved and asks him to join her gipsy life if he really loves her ("Non, tu ne m'aime pas"). Her picture of a life of freedom tempts him but he finally refuses saying he will never be a deserter. He begins to leave when Zuniga enters hoping to find Carmen. Don José draws his sword on his superior officer, but before they can fight the smugglers burst in and disarm both of them. Zuniga is made a prisoner ("Bel officier") and José has no alternative but to flee with Carmen ("Suis-nous à travers la campagne").^[24]

Act 3

The smugglers along with Carmen and José are travelling with the contraband ("Écoute, écoute, compagnons"), but Carmen has tired of José, and does not conceal this, taunting him to return to his village. Carmen, Frasquita and Mercédès read the cards ("Mêlons! Coupons!"): Frasquita and Mercédès foresee love and romance, wealth and luxury; but Carmen's cards foretell death for both her and José ("En vain pour éviter les réponses amères"). The smugglers ask the girls to come and charm the customs officers ("Quant au douanier, c'est notre affaire") and everyone goes off, leaving the jealous José to guard the goods. Micaëla arrives with a guide seeking José. She sends the guide away and vows to take Don José away from Carmen ("Je dis que rien ne m'épouvante"). She sees José firing a gun, and hides in the rocks. It was Escamillo who José had fired at but when he arrives José welcomes him until he says he is infatuated with Carmen and tells José the story of her affair with a soldier, not realising José is that soldier. José challenges Escamillo to a knife-fight, but Escamillo fights defensively, infuriating José. They start again and José finds himself at the mercy of Escamillo who releases him, saying his trade is killing bulls, not men. The third time they fight Escamillo's knife breaks, but he is saved by the return of the smugglers and Carmen ("Holà, holà José"). Escamillo leaves, but invites Carmen and the smugglers to his next bullfight in Seville. Remendado finds Micaëla hiding, and she tells José that his mother wishes to see him. Carmen mocks him and at first he refuses to go ("Non, je ne partirai pas!"), until Micaëla tells him that his mother is dying. Vowing that he will return to Carmen, he goes. As he is leaving, Escamillo is heard singing in the distance. Carmen rushes to the sound of his voice, but José bars her way. ^[25]

Act 4

A square in front of the arena at Seville: the day of a bull-fight; bustling activity

It is the day of the contest to which Escamillo invited the smugglers. The square is full of people, with merchants and gipsies selling their wares ("A deux cuartos!"). Zuniga, Frasquita and Mercédès are among the crowd and the girls tell Zuniga that Carmen is now with Escamillo. The crowd and children sing and cheer on the procession as the cuadrilla arrive ("Les voici! voici la quadrille"). Carmen and Escamillo are greeted by the crowds and express their love, Carmen adding that she had never loved one so much ("Si tu m'aimes, Carmen"). After Escamillo has gone into the fight, Frasquita warns Carmen that José is in the crowd ("Carmen! Prends garde!), but Carmen scorns their fears. Before she can enter the arena she is confronted by the desperate José ("C'est toi! C'est moi!"). He begs her to return his love and start a new life with him far away. She calmly replies that she loves him no longer and will not give way - free she was born and free she will die. Cheers are heard from the bull-ring and Carmen tries to enter, but José bars her way. He asks her one last time to come back, but she scornfully throws back the ring that he gave to her ("Cette bague, autrefois"). He stabs her ("Eh bien, damnée") and as Escamillo is acclaimed in the arena she dies. Don José kneels in despair beside her. The spectators flock out of the arena and find José, confessing his guilt ("Ah! Carmen! ma Carmen adorée!") over her dead body.^[26]

Selected recordings

Note: "Cat:" is short for catalogue number by the label company; "ASIN" is amazon.com product reference number.

Adaptations

Fantasies

A number of classical composers have used themes from Carmen as the basis for works of their own.

Ferruccio Busoni wrote a Sonatina (No.6) for piano named Fantasia da camera super Carmen (1920), which uses themes from the opera. There are also two suites of music drawn directly from Bizet's opera, often recorded and performed in orchestral concerts.

Film

In 1984, a film version was produced. This motion picture stars Julia Migenes as Carmen and Plácido Domingo as Don José, with Lorin Maazel conducting the Orchestre National de France. The powerful cast and traditional direction made it popular with audiences. It was the first film version to use Bizet's spoken dialogues in place of the recitatives. The entire soundtrack was released on CD.

Another African adaptation Karmen Gei (2001), set in Dakar, Senegal was sung in French and Wolof.

Other

Media

Notes

^ The novella was first published in 1845 in serial form in La Revue des Deux Mondes, and in book form in 1847 (from French Wikipedia page).
^ Hammond A. Music Note in programme for Carmen. Royal Opera House Covent Garden, 1984.
^ Curtiss M. Bizet and his world. New York, Vienna House, 1958, Chapter XXVII.
^ Curtiss, op cit, p426.
^ Tanner, pg 237
^ OPERA America's "The Top 20" list of most-performed operas
^ Briggs A D. Did Carmen come from Russia? in English National Opera programme, 2004; which also argues that the concepts of freedom and destiny are enhanced in the opera by Bizet's attempt in part to return to the Pushkin poem.
^ ^a ^b Dean, Bizet, Georges
^ Wright L A. Galli-Marié in New Grove Dictionary of Opera ed Sadie S. London & New York, Macmillan, 1997.
^ Curtiss M. Bizet and his world. New York, Vienna House, 1974: p426-7.
^ Brown D. Tchaikovsky: the crisis years (1874-1878). London, Gollancz, 1992; p58-60.
^ Dean W. Bizet. London, JM Dent & Sons, 1978; p129.
^ Forbes E. Carmen, in Sadie, S: The New Grove Dictionary of Opera. London & New York, Macmillan, 1997.
^ Batta, pg 103
^ Dean W. Bizet. London, J M Dent & Sons, 1978.
^ Hammond A. Music Note in programme for Carmen. Royal Opera House Covent Garden, 1984.
^ Berganza T. The real Carmen in Programme for Carmen. Royal Opera House Covent Garden, 1984.
^ Dean W. Bizet. London, J M Dent & Sons, 1978.
^ Dean W, op cit.
^ Forbes E, op cit.
^ Better known as the composer of another habanera "La Paloma", written about 1860 shortly after a visit to Cuba, which was an extremely popular song in Spain, Latin America, and also the USA
^ Quoted by George Szell in The Szell transcripts (conversations with Paul Myers). Gramophone, February 1971, p1291.
^ Revised using Synopsis in booklet accompanying Decca records DIID 3.
^ Revised using Synopsis in booklet accompanying Decca records DIID 3, based on Bizet's intentions given in the 1875 vocal score.
^ Revised using Synopsis in booklet accompanying Decca records DIID 3, based on Bizet's intentions given in the 1875 vocal score.
^ Revised using Synopsis in booklet accompanying Decca records DIID 3, based on Bizet's intentions given in the 1875 vocal score.

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