Show I Bt Bizet and Carmen j I Georges Bizet born In Paris 1838 was the son of very poor but talented parents both being fine musicians His Ills mother be began began beann gan ann teaching him music when he was wasand 4 and at 9 0 he went to the conservatory cons nato lie was a master of the piano at 14 He lIe won many prizes In tho tim conservatory and finally the grand prize of Rome Ronie While studying stud in Italy he sent back many bril brilliant brilliant brilliant compositions After Alter his lila return to Paris he be taught music for a living and spent every spare moment composing of often often often ten working sixteen hours a day da first success was the overture to ta Patrie which was played ed at the popular concerts Carmen was produced at the Opera in It was not an n Im Immediate Immediate immediate mediate success It was called by b some commonplace by others radical daring and coarse The critics all agreed that It was not a great work or destined to live lIe Bizet walked the streets of Paris all night in hIs Ills bitter disappointment at what he be believed believed believed to be a failure His incessant in industry Industry Industry and long lon hours of work undoubted undoubtedly ly hastened his death but he really died of or ofa ora ofa a broken heart three months after the production of Carmen at the age of 36 Three years ears later Carmen was given g en in London with Minnie Hauck an nn American prima donna In the title role with ith enor enormous en or moue moos success and its popularity is still undiminished The opera is a vital and brilliant work vork lie its story stor dramatic and amI im impressive Impressive Impressive Its music full of color fire lire grace and originality The opening scene of Carmen takes place in the public square of Seville where Don Jose JOIe and his soldier are wait waiting waitIng waiting ing the coming of the girls from the cigar cl ar factory The handsome wicked Carmen strolls by b indifferent to t her hr many man admirers ers era but seeing Don Jose unmindful of her charms charm throws him a rose as she slie runs by This coquetry is effective e and It requires the appearance appears nee of or his own gentle sweetheart bearing a J message from his mother to dispel the spell of Carmen As he is about to throw away awa the rose the soldiers are summoned to the factory factors to arrest Carmen Cannen who has stabbed one of the girls Iris She pleats plea g with Don Jose to release her and he lie allows her herto herto herto to escape In the second act in the cab cabaret cabaret cabaret aret of Lilies Lillas she is singing and dancing with her gypsy gypS friends a band of smugglers Escamillo the dashing torea toreador toreador toreador dor comes in and Carmen Cannen at once finds him an admirer who especially pleases her Don Jose who has been in prison a month for fat allowing hey her escape seeks her herat herat herat at once on his release She tries to get him Im to give up the army and Join the smugglers Ills captain surprises him with Carmen Cannen swords are drawn and there theoe Is nothing left for Jose but to join the gypsies The third act is 15 In the gypsy camp in the mountains Carmen has grown weary weal of Don Jose and gladly wel vel welcomes welcomes comes tho the arrival ar of camillo K Just as the rivals rIals are ara prevented from fighting a aduel aduel aduel duel Michaela comes with a message that Don Joses mother Is dying and he reluctantly reluctantly t returns with her The last act is the day of the bull buil fight of which Es Escamillo Escamillo camillo is the tho hero Don Jose who hopes to regain Carmen meets her hr as she Is en entering entering entering the arena His Ills prayers do not move moe her Throwing his ring at him she bhe at attempts attempts attempts tempts to go to Escamillo but Don Dan Jose seizes her and stabs her through the heart |