Carmen

In its first version Carmen was written in a form similar to a comic opera, where songs and spoken parts intertwined. This fact, according to the then custom, blocked the work’s way to the stage of Great Paris Opera and the first night had to take place in the Comic Opera. However, the audience of that place preferred light and funny musical comedies and did not appreciate the tragic ending of Bizet’s work - this is one of the reasons of a cold reception of Carmen. However the more important reason for an initial distaste of the public and critics for the opera was its innovative content. Bizet broke the unwritten tradition according to which topics of operas were to be taken from the world of myths and legends or old historical periods and life of the so called “higher spheres”. Instead of conventional heroes, often full of artificial pathos, the composer brought up living and contemporary people - soldiers, smugglers and female workers from a cigar manufactory. As the time went by, incredible variegation of music, its vigorous temper and peculiar “Spanish” exoticism, artistry and elegance, splendor and brilliance, combined with an excellent libretto contributed to a complete triumph of the work.

As the time went by, incredible variegation of music, its vigorous temper and peculiar “Spanish” exoticism, artistry and elegance, splendor and brilliance, combined with an excellent libretto contributed to a complete triumph of the work.