Learn more about Bizet from Classic FM, CMuse, and About CarmenĬarmen the opera premiered in 1875 and is based on the novella by Prosper Mérimé. Three months after the premier, at the age of 36, the composer, a heavy smoker, died of a heart attack.

The Opéra-Comique’s orchestra and chorus, both struggled with the difficulty of the score and the chorus was dismayed at the idea that had to act as individuals, acting on stage, rather than singing in a straight line.Ĭarmen premiered in March of 1875 to mixed reviews, Bizet unfortunately would die prior to the opera becoming an international success. Bizet encountered many obstacles prior to the premiere of Carmen, including a co-director of the theater, who resigned over feared the work being too risqué. In 1872, Bizet was approached to compose three acts for the Opéra-Comique, the project was on Prosper Mérimée’s novella, Carmen. At this time, Bizet started to sketch out new ideas for operas, but that was halted by the start of the Franco-Prussion War in which Bizet served as a National Guard. In 1869, Bizet married Geneviève Halévy, her family initially opposed the marriage, but eventually conceded. His operas of this period, Les pêcheurs de perles (1863) and La jolie fille de Perth (1867) were not immediately successful (though Les pêcheurs de perles is now a part of the standard repertoire) and he turned to transcribing and arranging other composers music.

Returning to Paris, Bizet struggled to gain traction of his compositions, theaters preferred to produce established operas. In 1857, he won the prestigious Prix de Rome and spent 3 years studying composition in Italy. While studying their, he turned his talents to writing opera and was successful in replicating the lighter styles of the genre composing his first opera, La maison du docteur. George Bizet, born in Paris in 1838, was a child prodigy and his great talent caused the Paris Conservatory to waive its age rule to admit him to study by the age of 9.

Carmen opera paris