Carmen

Is Carmen’s gaze only to be compared with that of a wild animal? The French writer Prosper Mérimée explored this question in his novella Carmen, which was the basis for Georges Bizet’s (1838-1875) final opera, which premiered at the Opéra-Comique in Paris on 3 March 1875. Carmen’s air of seduction is both her weapon and her downfall, for in the end she dies at the hands of her jealous lover, Don José. Carmen refuses to be told what to do and certainly doesn’t want to be rescued by Don José in the shifting sands in front of the bullfighting arena. She prefers death to having her life decided by others. In the extremely popular and passionate “Habanera” aria, which is our first encounter with Carmen, she paints a picture of herself: “Love is a rebellious bird that none can tame.” Her indomitable desire for freedom is stamped in her DNA.

Peppered with catchy melodies, traditional instruments such as castanets and tambourines, sparkling rhythms and a string of Spanish dances, Georges Bizet’s score is full of vigour, power and passion. Joie de vivre and dance are closely interwoven with pain and, ultimately, death. The Janus-faced theme of fear and fascination sets the temperature in this opera and, incidentally, went on to influence the creation of a number of Carmen-like figures in later operas.