Bizet's Masterpiece "Carmen"

The distinctive musical art of Alexandre Cesar Leopold Bizet made so little impression upon the French musical public, when it was first produced at the Opera Comique, in Paris, March 3, 1875, that the composer, who died three months thereafter, must have spent many heart heavy days over the "failure." Just how and why such a thing could occur is difficult to tell; but Bizet himself could not recover from the melancholy event. He mourned the "fiasco" daily. Although he was only thirty-six, he was heard to exclaim, "It is extraordinary that I should feel so old." Just how tragic may have been this lack of appreciation by his public can only be estimated when we learn that shortly before his death, in fits of desperation, he burned many manuscripts. Who knows what masterpieces may have been among them?

Bizet was born in Paris, October 25, 1838. His name "Georges" by which he is best know, was really a kind of nickname attached to the boy by his godfather. Bizet's father was an artisan, who became so much interested in the study of music that he acquired sufficient ability to teach singing. His mother was a fine pianist, a "first prize" of the Conservatoire. She was a sister of the wife of Delsarte. With such a home environment the boy naturally developed a keen liking for music and acquired his elementary training from his family.

However, his inclinations were toward literature rather than music, and it was often necessary to hide his books so that he would not neglect his music. At the age of ten he entered the Conservatoire, studying under Marmontel (piano), Benoist (counterpoint), Zimmerman (fugue), Halevy (composition). From 1849 to 1857 his years were marked by successive prize winning, eventually carrying off the Grand Prix de Rome.

In 1856, Offenbach conducted a prize contest for the Bouffes-Parisian. The winners were Bizet and Lecocq. The opera was Doctor Miracle. Lecocq's work was given first and this was followed the next day by the version by Bizet. Both operas failed to gain public approval.

While in Rome, Bizet produced two or three works in accordance with the provisions of the prize. These were the operas Don Procorpio and La Guzla de l'Elmir and the orchestra compositions Vasco da Gama.

Upon his return to Paris he found that his beloved mother was dying and that he was in dire poverty. He prayed for an operatic success, but instead had to content himself with giving music lessons for a living. In 1863, however, he produced The Pearl Fishers, which was given eighteen times at the Theatre Lyrique. It was not produced again in Paris for twenty-six years.

Meanwhile, he was forced to do all kinds of hack work to make a living - arranging dance music, correcting proofs and writing trite songs. He worked from fifteen to sixteen hours a day much of the time, burning up a genius such as rarely comes more than once in a century.

His opera "The Fair Maid of Perth, based upon Walter Scott's story, was produced in 1867, and enjoyed thirty-two performances. Bizet, in the meantime, married the daughter of the successful Halevy, and his fortunes were slightly bettered.

In 1872, he produced a one-act opera at the Opera Comique and was rewarded by ten performances and the wrathful indignation of Saint-Saens, who ridiculed the Parisian publicly for not patronizing a masterpiece. Meanhwhile, he had discovered his skill as a critic and wrote much interesting comment for the press under the name Gaston de Betzi. In 1872, the melodrama, L'Arlesienne, was produced at the Vaudeville, and was identified as very great music by all of the critics.

Finally, in 1875, came Carmen, with text by Meilhae and Haley (Bizet's brother-in-law). Although the Government sought to recognize the composer by awarding the red ribbon of the Legion of Honor, Bizet's chagrin at the public failure was fatal.

The plot of Carmen is based upon Prosper Merimees story of the same name. It is one of the very best of all operatic libretti. There are no moments of tedium and the intensely dramatic character of the lat act is unquestionable one of the finest moments in opera. The character of Michaela is not found in the original story, but was introduced doubtless for the purpose of making a foil to Carmen and providing a soprano role.

Just how much of the musical material is genuine Spanish folk themes skillfully re-arranged and adapted by Bizet cannot really be estimated. The famous Habenera L'amour cst un oiscau is believed to be an introduction by Bizet of a real folk theme almost complete.

Bizet was one of the first of the French masters to accept the wisdom of Wagner's method of employing leading themes or Leit motiv. Carment is full of this method of treatment: and the interest of the intelligent music lover is greatly enhanced by an acquaintance with the themes.

The title role from the very beginning has called first of all for a great actor and then a great singer. Celestine Galli-Marie (1840-1905), the first Carmen, was not endowed with a superbly beautiful voice, but she was one of the greatest actresses of her day. Other famous Carmens since that time have been Minnie Hauk, Zelie de Lussan, Calve and now Geraldine Farrar, whose interpretation of the role is the most famous of present-day singers. The character of Carmen was created in New York by Minnie Hauk in 1878.

The Story of "Carmen"

The opera is founded on the novel by Prosper Merimee.

Act I: Don Jose stands on duty in a public square of Seville. From a near cigarette factory the girls stream out. Carment, a captivating gypsy girl, tosses a rose to Don Jose. A little farther down the street a stabbing affray with a rival leads to the arrest of Carmen. Placed in the care of Jose, she bewitches him into allowing her escape.

Act II: The tavern of Lillas Pastia, resort of gypsies and questionable characters. Carmen waits to see again the young officer who had been imprisoned for her escape. Don Jose appears. Carmen performs a wild gypsy dance before him followed by an ardent love making, which results in his desertion from his regiment to follow Carmen.

Act III: A smuggler's camp. Don Jose tires of the rough life and offends Carmen by his distaste for it. Excamillo, the torreador, appears, having followed Carment, and Michaela comes with a message from the dying mother of Don Jose. Failing in an attempt on the life of Excamillo, Don Jose departs, promising Carmen to return.

Act IV: The Plaza de Toros of Seville. Carmen has returned to witness Escamillo's success in the ring. Jose, frenzied with jealousy, watches. He meets Carmen, she scorns his appeals, he stabs her as from the arena come shouts of Escamillo's triumph.

The Etude Magazine May 1921