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Diseñoparala ópera de Bizet Carmen: Shocking character, successful opera The Hearst Foundation by Jill Leahy Hefren-Tillotson, Inc. CIGARETTE FACTORY The opening scene of Carmen Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield French composer Georges Bizet was named Alexandre César Léopold Bizet LibrettoMeilhac Henriby and Ludovic Halévy
takes place outside a cigarette factory in Seville. This was The Huntington National Bank ● at birth and grew up surrounded by music—his father was a singing teacher an actual place, which once employed 6000 women as Intermediate Unit #1, Pennsylvania and his mother a fine pianist. A prodigy, Bizet was accepted into the Paris cigarette makers. The building still stands and, since the Department of Education Carmen Conservatoire at the age of nine; his teachers included Antoine -François 1950s, has been the seat of the rectorate of the University of Levin Furniture Marmontel, Fromental Halévy (one of the founders of French grand opera, Seville. It is a splendid example of industrial architecture Martha Mack Lewis Foundation whose daughter Bizet married), and the composer Charles Gounod. from the era of Spain’s Antiguo Régimen. People’s Natural Gas Reed Smith LLP In 1857, at the age of 19, Bizet wrote an operetta HABANERA Bizet was very particular about Carmen's first The Techs - MetalTech (Le Docteur Miracle) for a competition organized by aria, the “Habanera”, which means a “dance from Havana.” Triangle Tech Group Jacques Offenbach. Bizet shared the first prize, Originating in Cuba's capitol in the late 19th century, the United States Steel Corporation Miracle was staged, and his name became known in musical style spread throughout the Spanish colonies and Music Georgesby Bizet the best musical circles. He attended Rossini’s captivated European composers, including Bizet, who The Habanera famous Saturday evening soirées and won the Prix incorporated the style into Carmen . After wrangling with his Love is a rebellious bird de Rome from the Académie de Musique. After three librettist about the “Habanera,” Bizet wrote most of the that nobody can tame, happy years in Italy, Bizet returned to Paris and words himself and rewrote the melody 13 times. and you call him quite in vain unhappiness. He had few successes, his mother if it suits him not to come. died, and his first opera of any significance in Paris, Maria Callas is to the “Habanera” as Pavarotti is to "Nessun Nothing helps, neither threat nor prayer. The Pearl Fishers (1863), was praised by Berlioz but dorma." Most performances of the aria are measured One man talks well, the other's mum; disparaged by most others. Bizet’s only success was against hers, even though she never performed the role on it's the other one that I prefer. The Pretty Maid of Perth (1867), which earned praise He's silent but I like his looks. stage—she only recorded it. Carmen’s other arias are also at the time but is rarely performed today. Georges Bizet (1838 – 1875) accompanied by dance music: the seguidilla, the gypsy Love! Love! Love! Love! dance, and even the “Card Aria”, a slow dance of death. In 1873, the Opéra-Comique in Paris commissioned Bizet to write an opera. For more information on He chose Prosper Mérimée’s novella Carmen (1845) and worked closely with OPÉRA COMIQUE and VERISMO FILM The celebrated Pittsburgh Opera's education librettists Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy. Carmen faced many obstacles “Habanera” from Act 1 and the “Toreador Song” from Act 2 programs, please contact: in reaching the stage—many considered the story too salacious for public are among the best known of all operatic arias. Carmen performance, and critics denounced Carmen as immoral even before it was forms a bridge between the tradition of opéra comique and Marilyn Michalka Egan, Ph.D. complete. The title role was rejected by nearly every mezzo-soprano, and the the realism or verismo that emerged in late 19th-century Director of Education theater pressured Bizet for rewrites, to avoid financial calamity. Italian opera. To see a favorably-reviewed, realistic film [email protected] 412-281-0912 ext 242 version of Carmen, starring Julia Migenes, Plácido Domingo, Today, Carmen is one of the most popular operas in the standard repertoire, Ruggero Raimondi, Faith Esham, and conducted by Lorin Pittsburgh Opera but Bizet did not live long enough to see it gain acceptance. Sadly, Bizet died Maazel, search for the 1984 film directed by Francesco 2425 Liberty Avenue just three months after Carmen had its world premiere at the Opéra-Comique Rosi. In 1985, Carmen was nominated for the Golden Globe Pittsburgh, PA 15222 Study Guide to the Opera in Paris on March 3, 1875. Johannes Brahms saw the opera 20 times and Award for Best Foreign Film. www.pittsburghopera.org said that he would have "gone to the ends of the earth to embrace Bizet."
Carmen by herby by Leahy Jill
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Henri Meilhac (1831– 1897) Meet the Team of Librettists them convincedLocle Du toapproach deLeuven for t Whenahead.told of plan, the de Leuven reportedly harsh. kept He Carmen’s death the in production,bu girl namedgirl Micaëla, madeand the humorousgypsies i addingby a filledwas that scene light andwith la much persuasion, de Leuven agreed toproduce the op theater, despite Carmen’s death the in end. Carmen, added characters, warmer as such more a kin Around 1869, the co-directors ofthe Opéra-Comique conservative Adophede Leuven andmore the liberal Locle.It Du was who approachedLocle Georges Bizet commissionto ancreate operaand arranged for him librettists and Halévy Meilhac. Ludovic Halévy and Henri Meilhac aalready were wel and successful team who hadfor written vaudeville for over twenty years. With Bizet insiststubbornly wanted to adaptProsper Mérimée'snovella, "Carmen!The Wasn'tCarmen of Mérimée? murdered she lover? At the Opéra-Comique,the theater offamilie parties? would the You put public toflight. no No, Halévy promisedthat would this beatamer "softer, they would make various concessionsto convention, they wouldto work diffuse the murderimpact of the Leuven consented with, Working tomake the operamore acceptable, Bizet so theFollowing tradition forof writing Opéra-Comiqu wrote spokendialogue for recitative. This is the version of Carmen is m that performedtoday. lyrical lyrical pieces Halévy. However, written by after Bi closefriend Ernest Guiraud replaced the spoken dia
Opera News Opera A deux A ). She calm- ). Micaëla
Je suis Je Escamil- suis ). She hides when a hides when ). She Synopsis cont. cont. Synopsis Pause
Freely adapted from from adapted Freely Back in Seville, the in Seville, Back Carmen and José quar- and José Carmen Je dis que rien rien ne que dis Je ). Carmen arrives on on arrives ). Carmen
Carmen ). The smugglers separate The separate smugglers ). Melons! Coupons! Melons! C’est toi! moi! C’est toi! C’est ly tells him that their affair is over: tells theirhim is over: that ly affair free she free and born she was die. cheer- is The heard crowd will keeps trying ingJosé Escamillo. takes off back. She Carmen to win feet it his at throws his ring and forarena. the before heading to José death. stabs her IIIACT IVACT rel in the smugglers’ mountain mountain rel smugglers’ in the She admits that her hideaway. to is him fading advises love and his mother. with toreturn live Mercédès When and Frasquita fortunes, tell totheir turn cards the for foresee and riches they love cards themselves, Carmen’s but for José and death—for spell her ( crowd cheers the bullfighters on thecheers crowd bullfighters to ( arena the their way cuartos arm,Frasquita Escamillo’s and that her José warn and Mercédès waits out- she is nearby. Unafraid, crowds the side theas entrance appears enter arena. José the theforget to and begs Carmen lifewith him new pasta start and ( appears, frightened by the moun- the frightened by appears, wom- the meet to tains and afraid a has into turned an José who criminal ( m’épouvante at fired has José rings shotout. to turns be out an who intruder, that tells he José Escamillo. He the and find toCarmen, has come ( fightmen two lo invites every- them,Escamillo and his to in particular, one, Carmen When left, has bullfight. next he José emerges and begs Micaëla when He returnagrees to home. is dying, mother that he his learns warns he he butleaves before meet will they again. that Carmen
baritone soprano baritone
mezzo-soprano
[frah-SKEE-tah]
[mehr-SAY-dehs] ● [dong-kah-EE-reh] [reh-men-DAH-doh] [LEE-lahs PAH-styah] Characters
Carmen Carmen [KAR-men]or [kar-MEN] A Gypsy who uses her dancing and singing talents to andbewitch men. seduce José Don [zho-ZAY] A respectable corporal, he becomesanoutlaw. Escamillo [ess-kah-MEE-yoh] A bullfighter who is attracted to Carmen. Micaëla A loyal, inkind, peasantgirl love with Don José. Zuniga [ZOO-nee-gah] A lieutenant and of the army José's commanding officer. Moralès [mor-AHL-ehs] An corporal. army Gypsy friends of Carmen Frasquita Mercédès Smugglers Dancaïre Remendado Spoken roles Lillas Pastia Other Roles Officers,Dragoons, Children, CigaretteGirls, Gypsies, Smugglers,Townspeople [mee-kah-EH-lah] A guide ). ). s s tain the tain
). As he ). As lain their lain latest his rouses ). Frasquita and ). Frasquita ). Zuniga tells tells ). Zuniga ). Mesmerized, ). Mesmerized, Votre toast, je je toast, Votre Synopsis rmen throws throws a rmen ng the weeks in ng weeks the in in them. in return to theto return cause she is in love. is cause in love. she o leave. Zuniga Zuniga o leave. at him and ake her to prison. prison. to her ake ghter Escamillo ghter Escamillo have left with with left have She dances for him for him dances She a life of freedom in freedom a life of ons of a rendezvous rendezvous ons a of ion ( ion sy. Carmen refuses to to sy. refuses Carmen en Carmen and en and Carmen ison, Carmen escapes. ison, escapes. Carmen picks up the flower and flower the picks and up mother, from José’s he smugglers return he smugglers about to throw away the away throw to about In Seville by a cigarette by Seville In ). Carmen mocks him. To ). mocks Carmen him.
Ma mere, je la vois je mere, Ma L’amour est un oiseau rebelle oiseau L’amour un est ). She is unimpressed: if he really really he ). if She is unimpressed: factory, soldiers comment on the the on comment factory, soldiers them is Among townspeople. askswho girl, a Micaëla, peasant Don José. for a named corporal tells her another corporal, Moralès, of changing thereturn he with will guard, Therelief guard. the Zuniga, Lieutenant headed by from learns and soon José arrives, has been that Moralès Micaëla factory When the for him. looking gather mentherings, bell Seville of workers— female the to watch gypsy the favorite, their especially admirers tells her Carmen. She freeno rules is and that obeys love ( Carmen IACT Intermission Intermission
Près des remparts de Séville remparts Près de des Nous avons en tête une affaire en tête une avons Nous ), and flirts with Carmen, who tells him that she she i that who tells flirtshim Carmen, with ), and
Les tringles des sistres tintaient sistres des tringles Les Je vais danser en votre honneur en votre danser vais Je Carmen and her friends Frasquita and Mercédès enter and Mercédès friends Frasquita her and Carmen La fleur que tu m’avais tu jetée que fleur La Edouard Manet(1832 –1883) Portraitof Emilie Ambreas Carmen, hides it when Micaëla returns. letter a She brings Micaëla hides it when ( countryside the in a lives village in who Only one man pays no attention to her: Don José. Ca toDon José. her: no one attention pays man Only José work. girls to go theback flower him, and at
flower when a fight erupts inside the factory betwe factory the fight inside a erupts flower when gyp the retrieve to José girl.sends another Zuniga t to is ordered questions,José Zuniga’s answer and begins to read the letter, Micaëla leaves. is José Micaëla letter, the read tobegins suggesti entices with him, she José Left with alone tavern ( atPastia’s Lillas for pr As leave they get away. her he let to agrees arrested. Don José is Carmen that José has just been released. The The bullfi released. just has been that CarmenJosé his of profess pleasures the enters,about boasting guests at the tavern ( tavern the guests at ACT II ACT prove his love, José shows flowerthrew her she the José his love, prove shows duri madelose hope its not him scent confesses how prison ( involved with someone else. After the tavern guests tavern the someone After with else. involved exp and Remendado Dancaïre smugglers Escamillo, the ( women the to scheme be refuses Carmen but arehelp, to Mercédès willing a Carmen as approaches. José The withdraw smugglers for she danced Zuniga. telling how by him jealousy now, but when a bugle call is heard he says he must he is heardsays he a butcall bugle now, when barracks ( peux vous rendre le peux vous loved her, he would desert the army and join her join in her and army the her,desert loved he would fightsT him. jealous José rage and bursts in a in, joto but has no choice now José and disarm Zuniga. the mountains. José refuses, and Carmen tells him t tells him refuses,Carmen and mountains. theJosé