NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Carmen

Carmen is a French opera by Georges Bizet. The libretto was written by Meilhac and Halévy, based on the story of the same title by Prosper Mérimée. Image File history File links 1875_Carmen_poster. ... Image File history File links 1875_Carmen_poster. ... For other uses, see Opera (disambiguation). ... Georges Bizet Georges Bizet (October 25, 1838 â€“ June 3, 1875) was a French composer and pianist of the romantic era. ... For the computer manufactured by Toshiba, see Libretto (notebook). ... Henri Meilhac (February 21, 1831 - 1897), French dramatist, was born in Paris. ... Ludovic HalÃ©vy (January 1, 1834 - May 8, 1908), French author, was born in Paris. ... Cover incorporating part of MÃ©rimÃ©es own watercolor Carmen Carmen is a novella by Prosper MÃ©rimÃ©e written and first published in 1845. ... Prosper MÃ©rimÃ©e Prosper MÃ©rimÃ©e (September 28, 1803â€“September 23, 1870) was a French dramatist, historian, archaeologist, and short story writer. ...

The opera premiered at the Opéra Comique of Paris on March 3, 1875. For a year after its premiere, it was considered a failure, denounced by critics as "immoral" and "superficial". OpÃ©ra comique is a French style of opera that is a partial counterpart to the Italian opera buffa. ... This article is about the capital of France. ... is the 62nd day of the year (63rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1875 (MDCCCLXXV) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ...

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, turn to a criminal life, and ultimately, out of jealousy, murder of Carmen. Although he is briefly happy with Carmen, he falls into madness when she turns from him to the bullfighter Escamillo. This article is about the city in Spain. ... Languages Romany, languages of native region Religion Romanipen, combined with assimilations from local religions Related ethnic groups South Asians (Desi) This article is about the Indo-Aryan ethnic group. ... This article is about the military rank. ... Mutiny AKA. Matt Daye Is A conspiracy among members of a group of similarly-situated individuals (typically members of the military; or the crew of any ship, even if they are civilians) to openly oppose, change or overthrow an existing authority. ...

Several well-known pieces from this opera have taken on a life separate to the work: the Prélude (overture), the Toréador Song, and the Habanera. The Toreador Song (actually entitled Votre toast, je peux vous le rendre) is one of the most famous compositions from the opera Carmen by Georges Bizet. ... The Habanera is an aria from the opera Carmen by Georges Bizet, adapted[1] from the habanera El Arreglito originally composed by SebastiÃ¡n Yradier. ...

Today, it is one of the world's most popular operas^[1] 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.^[2] Opera America, officially OPERA America, is a service organization in North America promoting the creation, presentation, and enjoyment of opera. ...

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.^[3] Image File history File links Galli-Marie_Carmen_Photo. ... Image File history File links Galli-Marie_Carmen_Photo. ... CÃ©lestine MariÃ© (b. ... OpÃ©ra comique is a French style of opera that is a partial counterpart to the Italian opera buffa. ... 1873 (MDCCCLXXIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Year 1874 (MDCCCLXXIV) was a common year starting on Thursday (link with display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... Bougival is a city of 8500 in the country of France, region of Ile de France, departement of Yvelines. ... This article is about the river in France. ... Look up score in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

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. A scandal is a widely publicized incident involving allegations of wrong-doing, disgrace, or moral outrage. ... For the computer manufactured by Toshiba, see Libretto (notebook). ... A mezzo-soprano (meaning medium soprano in Italian) is a female singer with a range usually extending from the A below middle C to the F an eleventh above middle C. Mezzo-sopranos generally have a darker (or lower) vocal tone than sopranos, and their vocal range is between that... CÃ©lestine MariÃ© (b. ...

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.

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,^[4] 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. Categories: Stub | 1818 births | 1893 deaths | Opera composers | Romantic composers | French musicians ... Faust is an opera in five acts by Charles Gounod to a French libretto by Jules Barbier and Michel CarrÃ© from CarrÃ©s play Faust et Marguerite, in turn loosely based on Goethes Faust, Part I. It debuted at the ThÃ©atre-Lyrique in Paris on March 19, 1859. ...

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: is the 62nd day of the year (63rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1875 (MDCCCLXXV) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Chiang Kai-sheks LÃ©gion dhonneur. ...

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.^[5] CÃ©lestine MariÃ© (b. ... Paul LhÃ©rie (b. ... Entracte is French for between the acts. It can have the meaning of a pause between two parts of a stage production, synonym to intermission, but is more often used to indicate that part of a theatre production that is performed between acts as an intermezzo or interlude. ... Richard Wagner Wilhelm Richard Wagner (22 May 1813 â€“ 13 February 1883) was a German composer, conductor, music theorist, and essayist, primarily known for his operas (or music dramas as they were later called). ...

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. Afterwards, the principals, particularly Galli-Marié, became unemployable. Theodore Faullain de Banville (March 14, 1823 â€“ March 15, 1891) was a French poet and writer. ...

Bizet did not live to see the success of his opera: he died on June 3, just after the thirtieth performance. Before the year was out three of the greatest composers in Europe would be counted among his admirers : Wagner, Brahms and Tchaikovsky. The day before his death he signed a contract with the Viennese Imperial Opera for the production of Carmen.^{[citation needed]}-1... Wagner may refer to more than one place in the United States: Wagner, South Dakota Wagner, Wisconsin Wagner may refer to more than one person: Richard Wagner, German composer Cosima Wagner, daughter of Franz Liszt and wife of Richard Wagner Heinrich Leopold Wagner, dramatist and author John Peter Honus Wagner... Johannes Brahms Johannes Brahms (May 7, 1833 – April 3, 1897) was a German composer of classical music. ... Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (Russian Пётр Ильи́ч Чайко́вский, sometimes transliterated as Piotr, Anglicised as Peter Ilich), (May 7, 1840 – November 6, 1893 (N.S.); April 25, 1840 – October 25, 1893 (O.S.)) was a Russian composer of the Romantic era. ...

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. Image File history File links CarusoSketch. ... Image File history File links CarusoSketch. ... For the song Caruso by Lucio Dalla, see Caruso (song). ... This article is about the voice-type. ... Mary Violet Leontyne Price (born February 10, 1927) is an American opera singer (soprano). ...

Dramatic elements

Carmen was extremely innovative in its drama: no longer was French Opera confined to one-dimensional comic characters. The descent of Don José from a faithful lover and soldier to an obsessed lunatic 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.^[6] Because Bizet shied away from the traditional image of an operatic femme-fatale, Carmen became a difficult character to understand (or portray on stage). She is fatalistic and hedonistic, living entirely in the present moment. Her beauty unintentionally entraps men, who are then led to their downfall by their own misguided ideas of love. Carmen's character is best illustrated in the card-playing scene, in which she accepts the premonition of death as unavoidable. José is ill-suited to Carmen's whims, desiring constancy in the form of fidelity: upon hearing that Carmen danced for the men in Act II, he becomes greatly distressed. The inconstancy of her character is anarchy to José, and being a soldier, he removes it. For information about the 1967 opera based on the 1931 Eugene ONeill play based on the Elektra story, see Mourning Becomes Electra. ... Lulu is an opera by the composer Alban Berg. ... Convicted spy Mata Hari made her name synonymous with femme fatale during WWI. A femme fatale (plural: femmes fatales) is an alluring and seductive woman whose charms ensnare her lovers in bonds of irresistible desire, often leading them into compromising, dangerous, and deadly situations. ... Fatalism is a philosophical doctrine emphasizing the subjugation of all events or actions to fate or inevitable predetermination. ... This article does not cite any sources. ...

Carmen and José have three duets, which represent three stages of their relationship. The first in Act I is the seduction, the second in Act II is the conflict, and the last in Act IV is the tragic resolution. Musically, the duets are not in the style of the traditional French or Italian duets, where two voices become one. They show the incompatibility of Carmen and José, as they almost never sing together.

The supporting characters, Micaëla and Escamillo, are not as developed as the two protagonists, and are used to reflect upon the leads. Micaëla represents José’s naïve past, whereas Escamillo represents Carmen's exciting future. Micaëla is from Gounod's lyric operas, whereas Escamillo is from the traditional opera buffa. Micaëla has a slight aria in Act III which shows her significance in the story is not great: she was created to be Carmen's opposite, but she also represents José's mother. Escamillo has the famous "Toreador Song"—Bizet knew that the song would be popular, but he secretly despised it, saying “They want their trash, and will get it”. Categories: Stub | 1818 births | 1893 deaths | Opera composers | Romantic composers | French musicians ... Opera buffa (a form of comic opera), also known as Commedia in musica or Commedia per musica, is a genre of opera. ...

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]} The seguidilla is a quick, triple-time Spanish folksong and dance form. ... Flamenco is a Spanish musical genre with strong, rhythmic undertones and is often accompanied with a similarly impassioned style of dance characterized by its powerful yet graceful execution, as well as its intricate hand and footwork. ... Entracte is French for between the acts. It can have the meaning of a pause between two parts of a stage production, synonym to intermission, but is more often used to indicate that part of a theatre production that is performed between acts as an intermezzo or interlude. ... Manuel Patricio RodrÃguez GarcÃa (Zafra, March 17, 1805 - London, July 1, 1906), commonly referred to as Manuel GarcÃa II. was a Spanish singer and music educator. ...

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.^[7] The habanera was written to replace an aria that Galli-Marié disliked, and Bizet supposedly wrote over ten revisions.^[4] SebastiÃ¡n de Iradier y Salaverri (Salberri) (1809-1865), Spanish composer, also known as SebastiÃ¡n Yradier. ... The Habanera is an aria from the opera Carmen by Georges Bizet, adapted[1] from the habanera El Arreglito originally composed by SebastiÃ¡n Yradier. ...

Bizet uses a very slight leitmotif system, preferring to use new material for each 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). A leitmotif (pronounced ) (also leitmotiv; lit. ...

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. For other uses, see Counterpoint (disambiguation). ...

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. Recitative, a form of composition often used in operas, oratorios, and cantatas (and occasionally in operettas and even musicals), is melodic speech set to music, or a descriptive narrative song in which the music follows the words. ... Grand Opera is a genre of 19th-century opera generally in four or five acts, characterised by large-scale casts and orchestras, and (in their original productions) lavish and spectacular design and stage-effects, normally with plots based on or around dramatic historic events. ... Ernest Guiraud (June 26, 1837 â€“ May 6, 1892) was a French composer born in New Orleans, USA. He studied at the Paris Conservatoire, where he won the Grand Prix de Rome. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, the lead section of this article may need to be expanded. ...

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. Fritz Oeser was a musicologist, most famous for preparing restored versions of Bizets Carmen in 1964 and Offenbachs Les contes dHoffmann in 1976. ...

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. Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Michel Plasson (born 2 October 1933 in Paris, France) is a French conductor. ...

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

Roles

A mezzo-soprano (meaning medium soprano in Italian) is a female singer with a range usually extending from the A below middle C to the F an eleventh above middle C. Mezzo-sopranos generally have a darker (or lower) vocal tone than sopranos, and their vocal range is between that... CÃ©lestine MariÃ© (b. ... This article is about Tenor vocalists in music. ... Paul LhÃ©rie (b. ... A bass-baritone is a singing voice that shares certain qualities of both the baritone and the bass. ... This article is about the voice-type. ... This article is related to a series of articles under the main article Voice type. ... For other uses, see Baritone (disambiguation). ... This article is about the voice-type. ... This article is about the voice-type. ...

Synopsis

Note: in the Oeser version, Acts III and IV are played as Act III scene i and Act III scene ii respectively For other uses, see Seville (disambiguation). ... Liberty Leading the People by EugÃ¨ne Delacroix commemorates the July Revolution 1830 (MDCCCXXX) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ...

Act 1

A beautiful square in Seville with a cigarette factory, a guard house, and a bridge Image File history File links Wikisource-logo. ... The original Wikisource logo. ...

Morales and the soldiers are on guard, very bored ("Sur la place, Chacun passe"). Micaëla appears seeking José, her fiancé, but is accosted by the impudent soldiers who desire her company, causing her to run away. As José approaches with the new guard, he and the soldiers are imitated by the street-children ("Avec la garde montante"). The cigarette girls emerge from the factory, greeted by their men ("La cloche a sonné"). 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 asked to choose a lover, she throws a flower in front of José ("Carmen! sur tes pas, nous nous pressons tous!"). José is temporarily transfixed until Micaëla brings him a letter and kiss from his mother ("Parle-moi de ma mère!"). José longingly thinks of his home. 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 his superior, Zuniga find that Carmen has been fighting with another woman, and slashed her face with a knife. Zuniga attempts to interrogate Carmen who impudently sings a folk song, ignoring him ("Tra la la"). Zuniga instructs José to arrest her, and escort her to the jail. Carmen seduces José with a Seguidilla ("Près des remparts de Séville"), and convinces José to let her escape. José is arrested for letting Carmen escape. The Habanera is an aria from the opera Carmen by Georges Bizet, adapted[1] from the habanera El Arreglito originally composed by SebastiÃ¡n Yradier. ... The Habanera is an aria from the opera Carmen by Georges Bizet, adapted[1] from the habanera El Arreglito originally composed by SebastiÃ¡n Yradier. ... The seguidilla is a quick, triple-time Spanish folksong and dance form. ...

Act 2

Carmen and her friends Frasquita and Mercédès sing and dance ("Les tringles des sist–res tintaient" Gypsy Song). Zuniga attempts to woo Carmen, but she can only think of José, who has been in jail for a month and is due to be released that day. The Matador Escamillo is greeted with great enthusiasm by the patrons ("Vivat, vivat le Toréro"). He sings the Toreador song ("Votre toast, je peux vous le rendre") and also attempts to woo Carmen. Carmen refuses him as well. The smugglers Dancaïro and Remendado discuss plans with Carmen and her gypsy friends ("Nous avons en tête une affaire" – Quintet). Carmen refuses to accompany them, for she only can think of José. José arrives singing a folk song (Halte là!), and he and Carmen are left alone. Carmen vexes him with stories of her dancing. She then dances for him alone ("Je vais danser en votre honneur...Lalala"), but is interrupted by the trumpets calling the soldiers to the barracks. Carmen's temper flares when José begins to leave, causing him to pledge his devotion to her in the Flower Song ("La fleur que tu m'avais jetée"). Carmen asks him to join the smugglers if he really loves her ("Non, tu ne m'aime pas"). He refuses and begins to leave when he is surprised by Zuniga. He draws his sword upon his superior officer, but the Gypsies disarm both of them and take away Zuniga ("Mon cher monsieur"). José is forced to flee with Carmen ("La bas dans le montagne"). The Toreador Song (actually entitled Votre toast, je peux vous le rendre) is one of the most famous compositions from the opera Carmen by Georges Bizet. ...

Act 3

José arrives with the smugglers ("Écoute, écoute, compagnon"), but Carmen loves him no longer, realizing that he is not her match. She now turns to Escamillo. Carmen, Frasquita and Mercedes read the cards ("Mêlons! Coupons!"). Frasquita and Mercedes foresee love and romance, wealth and luxury in their cards; but Carmen's cards foretell death for her and José ("En vain pour éviter les réponses amères"). The smugglers plan their actions ("Quant au douanier, c'est notre affaire"). Micaëla arrives with a guide seeking José ("Je dis, que rien ne m'épouvante"), and hides in the rocks when she hears a gunshot. Escamillo arrives and tells José that he is infatuated with Carmen and tells José the story of her affair with a soldier, not knowing that José is the soldier. A fight between José and Escamillo over Carmen is narrowly averted by the smugglers ("Holà, holà José"). Escamillo leaves, but invites Carmen and the smugglers to the bullfights. Micaëla emerges and tells José that his mother wishes to see him. 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 leaves. As he is leaving, Escamillo is heard singing in the distance. Carmen rushes to the sound of his voice, but José bars her way.

Act 4

The general populace prepare for the bull fight ("A deux cuartos!") (occasionally played as a ballet with a different text: "Dansez, dansez") and they see the cuadrilla arrive ("Les voici! voici la quadrille"). Carmen and Escamillo are greeted by the crowds and celebrate love and victory, Carmen adding that she had never loved one so much ("Si tu m'aimes, Carmen"). Frasquita warns Carmen that José is in the crowd ("Carmen! Prends garde!), and that he intends to kill her, but Carmen says she will speak to him. Before she can enter the arena she is confronted by the pale and despairing José ("C'est toi! C'est moi!"). For the last time, half-crazed he demands her love and fidelity, even after she repeatedly explains that she loves him no longer. When she scornfully throws back the ring that he gave to her ("Cette bague, autrefois"), he stabs her to the heart ("Eh bien, damnée") and she dies at the moment that Escamillo triumphs in the arena. The spectators exit the arena and José, completely broken, confesses his action to all, exclaiming: "Ah! Carmen! ma Carmen adorée!". Bull ring (Plaza de Toros) in MÃ¡laga (Spain) Bullfighting or tauromachy (Spanish toreo, corrida de toros or tauromaquia; Portuguese tourada, corrida de touros or tauromaquia) is a tradition that involves, most of the time, professional performers (generally called in Spanish toreros or matadores and in Portuguese toureiros) who execute...

Selected recordings

Note: "Cat:" is short for catalogue number by the label company; "ASIN" is amazon.com product reference number. Year 1950 (MCML) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Rise Stevens was the leading mezzo-soprano at New Yorks Metropolitan Opera for two decades Rise Stevens (born 1913, New York City) (first name properly spelled RisÃ« and pronounced REE-sah) was an American mezzo-soprano who captured a wide popular audience at the height of her career (1940... Jan Peerce (June 3, 1904 â€“ December 15, 1984) was an American tenor. ... Licia Albanese, born July 22, 1913, in Bari, Italy, is a distinguished Italian soprano and chairman of The Licia Albanese-Puccini Foundation, founded in 1974 and dedicated to assisting young artists and singers. ... Robert Merrill (June 4, 1917 â€“ October 23, 2004) was an American opera baritone. ... This article contains information that has not been verified and thus might not be reliable. ... RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony BMG Music Entertainment. ... Year 1950 (MCML) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Raoul Jobin (born Joseph RomÃ©o) (April 8, 1906 â€“ January 13, 1974) was a Canadian tenor, professor, administrator and senior civil servant. ... Andre Cluytens (EMI) AndrÃ© Cluytens (March 26, 1905 - June 3, 1967) was a Belgian-born French conductor. ... -1... Year 1959 (MCMLIX) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Victoria de los Ãngeles VictÃ²ria dels Ã€ngels (November 1, 1923 â€“ January 15, 2005) was a Catalan Spanish operatic soprano whose career began in the early 1940s and reached its height in the mid 1970s. ... The Swedish tenor Nicolai Gedda (born July 11, 1925) is a famous opera singer and recitalist. ... Thomas Beecham (April 29, 1879 - March 8, 1961) was a British conductor. ... The Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France is a French orchestra providing music for Radio France. ... EMI Classics is a record label of EMI. It was formed in 1990 in order to reduce the need to create country-specific packaging and catalogs for internationally distributed classical music releases. ... Also Nintendo emulator: 1964 (emulator). ... Maria Callas in a casual moment, 1960s Maria Callas (Greek: ÎœÎ±ÏÎ¯Î± ÎšÎ¬Î»Î»Î±Ï‚) (December 2, 1923 â€“ September 16, 1977) was an American born, Greek dramatic coloratura soprano and perhaps the best-known opera singer of the post-World War II period. ... The Swedish tenor Nicolai Gedda (born July 11, 1925) is a famous opera singer and recitalist. ... Georges PrÃªtre (born August 14, 1924) is a French conductor. ... Front of the Palais Garnier under winter sun, photography by Eric Pouhier OpÃ©ra National de Paris is the leading opera company of France. ... EMI Classics is a record label of EMI. It was formed in 1990 in order to reduce the need to create country-specific packaging and catalogs for internationally distributed classical music releases. ... For other uses, see 1963 (disambiguation). ... Mary Violet Leontyne Price (born February 10, 1927) is an American opera singer (soprano). ... Franco Corelli. ... Mirella Freni Mirella Freni (born 27 February 1935) is a famous Italian opera soprano much admired for the youthful quality of her voice and her acting skills. ... Robert Merrill (June 4, 1917 â€“ October 23, 2004) was an American opera baritone. ... Herbert von Karajan (April 5, 1908 â€“ July 16, 1989) was an Austrian orchestra and opera conductor, one of the most renowned 20th century conductors. ... The Vienna Philharmonic (in German: Wiener Philharmoniker) is an orchestra in Austria, regularly considered as one of the finest in the world. ... RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony BMG Music Entertainment. ... Year 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the 1967 Gregorian calendar. ... Grace Bumbry The American opera singer Grace Bumbry (born 4 January 1937) was one of the leading mezzo-sopranos of her generation -- although often a controversial singer. ... Jon S. Vickers, CC , D.Mus. ... Mirella Freni Mirella Freni (born 27 February 1935) is a famous Italian opera soprano much admired for the youthful quality of her voice and her acting skills. ... Justino Diaz (born January 29, 1940 in San Juan, Puerto Rico) is an internationally renowned opera singer. ... Herbert von Karajan (April 5, 1908 â€“ July 16, 1989) was an Austrian orchestra and opera conductor, one of the most renowned 20th century conductors. ... The Vienna Philharmonic (in German: Wiener Philharmoniker) is an orchestra in Austria, regularly considered as one of the finest in the world. ... Deutsche Grammophon is a German classical record label. ... Year 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Grace Bumbry The American opera singer Grace Bumbry (born 4 January 1937) was one of the leading mezzo-sopranos of her generation -- although often a controversial singer. ... Jon S. Vickers, CC , D.Mus. ... Mirella Freni Mirella Freni (born 27 February 1935) is a famous Italian opera soprano much admired for the youthful quality of her voice and her acting skills. ... Rafael FrÃ¼hbeck de Burgos (born September 15, 1933 in Burgos) is a Spanish conductor. ... EMI Classics is a record label of EMI. It was formed in 1990 in order to reduce the need to create country-specific packaging and catalogs for internationally distributed classical music releases. ... For the song by James Blunt, see 1973 (song). ... Marilyn Horne The American opera singer Marilyn Horne (born January 16, 1934) is a mezzo soprano who is particularly associated with the music of Rossini and Handel. ... James McCracken (December 16, 1926 – April 29, 1988) was an American tenor. ... Leonard Bernstein in 1971 Leonard Bernstein (IPA pronunciation: )[1] (August 25, 1918 â€“ October 14, 1990) was an American conductor, composer, and pianist. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, the lead section of this article may need to be expanded. ... Deutsche Grammophon is a German classical record label. ... Year 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Tatiana Troyanos (September 12, 1938 â€“ August 21, 1993) was an American mezzo-soprano of Greek extraction. ... PlÃ¡cido Domingo JosÃ© PlÃ¡cido Domingo Embil KBE (born January 21, 1941)[1] better known as PlÃ¡cido Domingo, is a world-renowned operatic tenor. ... Dame Kiri Janette Te Kanawa IPA: , ONZ, AC, DBE, (born March 6, 1944) is an internationally famous New Zealand opera singer. ... Baron JosÃ© van Dam (August 25, 1940) is one of the most prominent and sought-after interpreters of the baritone-bass repertoire. ... Sir Georg Solti (October 21, 1912 - September 5, 1997) was a well-known orchestral and operatic conductor, who was still actively engaged in performing right up until his death. ... The London Philharmonic Orchestra (LPO), based in London, is one of the major orchestras of the United Kingdom. ... It has been suggested that Decca Music Group be merged into this article or section. ... Also: 1977 (album) by Ash. ... Teresa Berganza The Spanish opera singer Teresa Berganza (born 16 March 1935) is a well-known mezzo-soprano most closely associated with the roles of Rossini, Mozart, and Bizet. ... PlÃ¡cido Domingo JosÃ© PlÃ¡cido Domingo Embil KBE (born January 21, 1941)[1] better known as PlÃ¡cido Domingo, is a world-renowned operatic tenor. ... The title given to this article is incorrect due to technical limitations. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Claudio Abbado (born June 26, 1933) is a noted Italian conductor. ... The London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) is one of the major orchestras of the United Kingdom. ... Deutsche Grammophon is a German classical record label. ... Year 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar). ... Elena Obraztsova on the cover of her biography Elena Vasiliyevna Obraztsova, (sometimes Yelena), born in Leningrad, (now St Petersburg) Russia, on July 7, 1939, is a Russian mezzo-soprano. ... PlÃ¡cido Domingo JosÃ© PlÃ¡cido Domingo Embil KBE (born January 21, 1941)[1] better known as PlÃ¡cido Domingo, is a world-renowned operatic tenor. ... Carlos Kleiber (July 3, 1930 - July 13, 2004) was a German-born conductor. ... Vienna State Opera (German: Wiener Staatsoper) is one of the most important opera companies in Europe. ... TDK Corporation ), formerly TDK Electronics Co. ... For the Jimi Hendrix song, see 1983. ... Agnes Baltsa (AÎ³Î½Î® MÏ€Î¬Î»Ï„ÏƒÎ±) (born 19th November 1944 on Lefkada) is a leading Greek mezzo-soprano. ... JosÃ© Carreras Coll (Catalan: Josep Carreras i Coll) (born December 5, 1946) is a Spanish operatic tenor. ... Katia Ricciarelli (January 16, 1946) is an Italian soprano, born in Rovigo, in the Veneto region. ... Baron José van Dam (August 25, 1940) is one of the most prominent and sought-after interpreters of the baritone-bass repertoire. ... Herbert von Karajan (April 5, 1908 â€“ July 16, 1989) was an Austrian orchestra and opera conductor, one of the most renowned 20th century conductors. ... Entrance to the concert hall The Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra (a. ... Deutsche Grammophon is a German classical record label. ... This article is about the year. ... Julia Migenes (born March 13, 1949) is an American soprano. ... PlÃ¡cido Domingo JosÃ© PlÃ¡cido Domingo Embil KBE (born January 21, 1941)[1] better known as PlÃ¡cido Domingo, is a world-renowned operatic tenor. ... Ruggero Raimondi, born October 3, 1941, is an Italian Bass-baritone opera singer and sometime screen actor. ... Lorin Varencove Maazel (born March 6, 1930) is a conductor, violinist and composer. ... The Orchestre National de France (French National Orchestra) is a symphony orchestra run by Radio France. ... Francesco Rosi (born November 15, 1922 in Naples) is an Italian film director. ... Sony Corporation ) is a Japanese multinational corporation and one of the worlds largest media conglomerates with revenue of $66. ... Carmen is a 1984 film directed by Francesco Rosi. ... Year 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar). ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Neil Shicoff (born June 2, 1949) is an American opera singer known for his lyric tenor singing and his dramatic, emotional acting. ... Mirella Freni Mirella Freni (born 27 February 1935) is a famous Italian opera soprano much admired for the youthful quality of her voice and her acting skills. ... Simon Estes (2 February 1938-) is an America bass-baritone singer. ... Seiji Ozawa , born September 1, 1935) is a Japanese conductor. ... The Orchestre National de France (French National Orchestra) is a symphony orchestra run by Radio France. ... Philips HQ in Amsterdam Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Royal Philips Electronics N.V.), usually known as Philips, (Euronext: PHIA, NYSE: PHG) is one of the largest electronics companies in the world, founded and headquartered in the Netherlands. ... Agnes Baltsa (AÎ³Î½Î® MÏ€Î¬Î»Ï„ÏƒÎ±) (born 19th November 1944 on Lefkada) is a leading Greek mezzo-soprano. ... JosÃ© Carreras Coll (Catalan: Josep Carreras i Coll) (born December 5, 1946) is a Spanish operatic tenor. ... Leona Mitchell (b. ... James Levine (born June 23, 1943 in Cincinnati, Ohio) is an American orchestral pianist and conductor and most well known as the music director of the Metropolitan Opera in New York. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, the lead section of this article may need to be expanded. ... Deutsche Grammophon is a German classical record label. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Angela Gheorghiu (born Angela Burlacu) (born September 7, 1965)[1] is a prominent Romanian operatic soprano. ... Roberto Alagna (born June 7, 1963) is French operatic tenor. ... Inva Mula (alternate spellings Inva Mula-Ã‡ako, Inva Mula-Tchako, Inva Mula Tchako, Inva Mulla Tchako) (born 1963) is an opera singer born in Tirana, Albania. ... Michel Plasson (born 2 October 1933 in Paris, France) is a French conductor. ... The Orchestre national du Capitole de Toulouse is the orchestra of the city of Toulouse. ... EMI Classics is a record label of EMI. It was formed in 1990 in order to reduce the need to create country-specific packaging and catalogs for internationally distributed classical music releases. ...

Adaptations

Fantasies

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

Some of these, such as Pablo de Sarasate's Carmen Fantasy (1883) for violin and orchestra, Franz Waxman's Carmen Fantasie (1946) for violin and orchestra and Vladimir Horowitz's Variations on a theme from Carmen for solo piano are virtuoso showpieces in the tradition of fantasias on operatic themes. Pablo MartÃn MelitÃ³n de Sarasate y NavascuÃ©z (March 10, 1844 - September 28, 1908, pronounced Sara-SOT-tey), was a Spanish violin virtuoso and composer of the Romantic period. ... Carmen Fantasy, Op. ... Franz Waxman (December 24, 1906, KÃ¶nigshÃ¼tte, Upper Silesia (now ChorzÃ³w, Poland) - February 24, 1967, Los Angeles, California), born Franz Wachsmann, was a German-born Jewish-American composer, known for his bravura Carmen Fantasy for violin and orchestra and for his musical scores for films. ... Carmen Fantasie (1946) is a virtuoso showpiece for violin and orchestra. ... Vladimir Samoylovich Horowitz (Russian: ; Ukrainian: ) (1 October 1903 â€“ 5 November 1989) was a Russian-American[1][2] pianist. ... The fantasia (also English: , German: , French: ) is a musical composition with its roots in the art of improvisation. ...

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. Ferruccio Busoni Ferruccio Busoni (April 1, 1866 â€“ July 27, 1924) was an Italian composer, pianist, music teacher and conductor. ... In music, a suite is an organized set of instrumental or orchestral pieces normally performed at a single sitting, as a separate musical performance, not accompanying an opera, ballet, or theater-piece. ...

Film

In 1915, Cecil B. DeMille directed a 59-minute silent film version of the opera. The claim is made (under the heading Personal Life) that DeMille was in negotiations with MGM to direct Ben-Hur at the time of his death in January, 1959. ... A silent film is a film which has no accompanying soundtrack. ...

Also in 1915, Raoul Walsh directed a version of the film, starring Theda Bara. Raoul Walsh as John Wilkes Booth in Birth of a Nation Raoul Walsh (March 11, 1887 â€“ December 31, 1980) was an American film director, actor, founding member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) and the brother of silent screen actor George Walsh. ... Theda Bara was the stage name of Theodosia Burr Goodman (July 29, 1885 - April 13, 1955), a silent film actress. ...

In 1943 , in the United States, it was adapted by Oscar Hammerstein II into an African-American setting as Carmen Jones, which was a success firstly as a stage production and in 1954 as a feature film. For work done with Richard Rodgers, see Rodgers and Hammerstein Oscar Hammerstein II (July 12, 1895 â€“ August 23, 1960) was a New-York born writer, producer, and (usually uncredited) director of musicals for almost forty years. ... Languages Predominantly American English Religions Protestantism (chiefly Baptist and Methodist); Roman Catholicism; Islam Related ethnic groups Sub-Saharan Africans and other African groups, some with Native American groups. ... Carmen Jones was a 1943 Broadway musical, later also performed a 1954 musical film; the play also ran for a season in 1991 at Londons Old Vic and most recently in Londons Royal Festival Hall in the South Bank Centre in 2007[1]. It is an updating of...

In 1967, the conductor Herbert von Karajan directed a Technicolor film of the opera. Herbert von Karajan (April 5, 1908 â€“ July 16, 1989) was an Austrian orchestra and opera conductor, one of the most renowned 20th century conductors. ... Logo celebrating Technicolors 90th Anniversary Technicolor is the trademark for a series of color film processes pioneered by Technicolor Motion Picture Corporation (a subsidiary of Technicolor, Inc. ...

In 1983, Carlos Saura made a dance film inspired by the opera, with flamenco dances choreographed by Antonio Gades, in which the modern dancers re-enact in their personal lives the tragic love affair up to its lethal end. Carlos Saura (born 4 January 1932, AtarÃ©s, Huesca) is a Spanish film director. ... Carmen is a 1983 film adaptation of the opera of the same name by Georges Bizet. ... Antonio Gades (November 14, 1936 - July 20, 2004) was a Spanish flamenco dancer and choreographer (born Antonio Esteve RÃ³denas in Alicante). ...

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. Carmen is a 1984 film directed by Francesco Rosi. ... Julia Migenes (born March 13, 1949) is an American soprano. ... PlÃ¡cido Domingo JosÃ© PlÃ¡cido Domingo Embil KBE (born January 21, 1941)[1] better known as PlÃ¡cido Domingo, is a world-renowned operatic tenor. ... Lorin Varencove Maazel (born March 6, 1930) is a conductor, violinist and composer. ... The Orchestre National de France (French National Orchestra) is a symphony orchestra run by Radio France. ... Recitative, a form of composition often used in operas, oratorios, and cantatas (and occasionally in operettas and even musicals), is melodic speech set to music, or a descriptive narrative song in which the music follows the words. ... CD may stand for: Compact Disc Canadian Forces Decoration Cash Dispenser (at least used in Japan) CD LPMud Driver Centrum-Demokraterne (Centre Democrats of Denmark) Certificate of Deposit ÄŒeskÃ© DrÃ¡hy (Czech Railways) Chad (NATO country code) Chalmers DatorfÃ¶rening (computer club of the Chalmers University of Technology) a 1960s...

MTV also made a version, Carmen: A Hip Hopera, starring Beyoncé Knowles as Carmen, in 2001. This article is about the original U.S. music television channel. ... Cover of DVD Carmen: A Hip Hopera is an MTV production from 2001 starring Beyoncé Knowles, Mos Def, Rah Digga, Wyclef Jean, Mekhi Phifer, Da Brat, Joy Bryant, Jermaine Dupri and Lil Bow Wow, directed by Robert Townsend. ... BeyoncÃ© Giselle Knowles (pronounced [1]) (born September 4, 1981) is an American R&B singer, songwriter, record producer, music video director, actress, dancer, and fashion designer. ... This article is about the year. ...

A recent adaptation was U-Carmen e-Khayelitsha (2005), set in Khayelitsha, South Africa; and sung in Xhosa. The film received the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival. U-Carmen e-Khayelitsha is a 2005 film directed by Mark Dornford-May. ... Khayelitsha Township in the Cape Flats Khayelitsha (IPA: ) is a partially informal township in South Africa, on the outskirts of Cape Town in the Cape Flats. ... The Xhosa (IPA ( )) people are speakers of Bantu languages living in south-east South Africa, and in the last two centuries throughout the southern and central-southern parts of the country. ... Binomial name Ursus arctos Linnaeus, 1758 The Brown Bear (Ursus arctos) is a species of bear that can reach weights of 130-700 kg (300 to 1500 pounds). ... One of the A festivals in Europe. ...

Another African adaptation Karmen Gei (2001), set in Dakar, Senegal was sung in French and Wolof. (City of Dakar, divided into 19 communes darrondissement) City proper (commune) RÃ©gion Dakar DÃ©partement Dakar Mayor Pape Diop (PDS) (since 2002) Area 82. ... Wolof is a language spoken in Senegal, the Gambia, and Mauritania, and it is the native language of the ethnic group of the Wolof people. ...

Other

Rodion Konstantinovich Shchedrin (born December 16, 1932) is a Russian composer. ... For other uses, see Ballet (disambiguation). ... This article is about a British ballet and dance choreographer. ... The company of Matthew Bournes The Car Man, with danseur Alan Vincent in the lead role of Luca. ... Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926 â€“ September 28, 1991) was an American jazz musician, widely considered to be one of the most influential of the 20th century. ... Hey Arnold! is an American animated television series that aired from October 7, 1996 until June 8, 2004 on Nickelodeon. ... Katedralskolan (Swedish; the Cathedral School) is the name, or part of the name, of several Swedish language schools in Sweden and Finland, each of which traces its origin to a medieval cathedral school or a 17th century gymnasium near a cathedral: Katedralskolan (Ã…bo) in Ã…bo (Finnish: Turku), Finland Katedralskolan (Link... Uppsala (older spelling Upsala) is a city in central Sweden, located about 70 km north of Stockholm. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Mari Hanafusa. ... For the NES (Nintendo Entertainment System) video game, see The Adventures of Gilligans Island. ... For other uses, see Hamlet (disambiguation). ... Shakespeare redirects here. ...

Media

Toreador song. ... Image File history File links Entracte_to_Act_III_from_Carmen. ... Entracte is French for between the acts. It can have the meaning of a pause between two parts of a stage production, synonym to intermission, but is more often used to indicate that part of a theatre production that is performed between acts as an intermezzo or interlude. ... Image File history File links Entracte_to_Act_IV_from_Carmen. ...

Notes

^ Tanner, pg 237
^ OPERA America's "The Top 20" list of most-performed operas
^ This is still record time to complete such a large orchestration project.
^ ^a ^b Dean, Bizet, Georges
^ For instance, the Gypsy Song (No. 12) relies for effectiveness on strong rhythmic and melodic support from the orchestra, and is essentially unperformable otherwise, while parts of the famous Toréador song later in Act II, cannot be heard clearly over the orchestra, even with a powerful bass singing Escamillo's part, if the conductor is careless.
^ Batta, pg 103
^ 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

References

The New Grove Dictionary of Opera is an encyclopedia (or encyclopedic dictionary) of opera, considered to be one of the best general reference sources on the subject. ...

Contents

History

Dramatic elements

Musical elements

Revisions

Roles

Synopsis

Act 1

Act 2

Act 3

Act 4

Selected recordings

Adaptations

Fantasies

Film

Other

Media

Notes

References

External links

Contents

History GA_googleFillSlot("encyclopedia_square");

Dramatic elements

Musical elements

Revisions

Roles

Synopsis

Act 1

Act 2

Act 3

Act 4

Selected recordings

Adaptations

Fantasies

Film

Other

Media

Notes

References

External links

History