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Book/Printed Material Carmen. Opera in Four Acts, Based on the Short Story by Prosper Mérimée. Carmen. Opéra-comique en quatre actes, tiré de la nouvelle de Prosper Mérimée

About this Item

Title

  • Carmen. Opera in Four Acts, Based on the Short Story by Prosper Mérimée.

Other Title

  • Carmen. Opéra-comique en quatre actes, tiré de la nouvelle de Prosper Mérimée

Summary

  • Although Carmen is today one of the world's most popular operas, it opened at the Paris Comic Opera on March 3, 1875, to a mixed reception, much to the disappointment of its composer, Georges Bizet (1838-75). Bizet was one of the leaders of a new generation of French composers, and Carmen was the pinnacle of his career. The libretto, adapted from Prosper Mérimée's short story by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy, seemed scandalous to many who attended the opera. Célestine Galli-Marié (1840-1906), who played the role of Carmen, put on a racy performance that seduced some but outraged others in the audience. Bizet, who reportedly composed the tune to "Love is a Rebellious Bird" with the rhythm of the habanera and the image of Carmen's hips (as described by Mérimée) in mind, vigorously defended the role and Galli-Marié's performance.

Names

  • Bizet, Georges, 1838-1875 Composer.
  • Halévy, Ludovic, 1834-1908 Librettist.
  • Meilhac, Henri, 1831-1897 Librettist.
  • Mérimée, Prosper, 1803-1870 Contributor.

Created / Published

  • [place of publication not identified] : [publisher not identified], 1872.

Headings

  • -  France
  • -  France--Île-de-France--Paris
  • -  1872
  • -  Musical scores
  • -  Operas

Notes

  • -  Title devised, in English, by Library staff.
  • -  Original resource extent: Autograph manuscript, 35 x 27.5 centimeters.
  • -  Original resource at: National Library of France.
  • -  Content in French.
  • -  Description based on data extracted from World Digital Library, which may be extracted from partner institutions.

Medium

  • 1 online resource.

Digital Id

Library of Congress Control Number

  • 2021667568

Online Format

  • compressed data
  • pdf
  • image

Additional Metadata Formats

IIIF Presentation Manifest

Rights & Access

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Credit Line: [Original Source citation], World Digital Library

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Cite This Item

Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate.

Chicago citation style:

Bizet, Georges, Composer, Ludovic Halévy, Henri Meilhac, and Prosper Mérimée. Carmen. Opera in Four Acts, Based on the Short Story by Prosper Mérimée. [Place of Publication Not Identified: Publisher Not Identified, 1872] Pdf. https://www.loc.gov/item/2021667568/.

APA citation style:

Bizet, G., Halévy, L., Meilhac, H. & Mérimée, P. (1872) Carmen. Opera in Four Acts, Based on the Short Story by Prosper Mérimée. [Place of Publication Not Identified: Publisher Not Identified] [Pdf] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/2021667568/.

MLA citation style:

Bizet, Georges, Composer, et al. Carmen. Opera in Four Acts, Based on the Short Story by Prosper Mérimée. [Place of Publication Not Identified: Publisher Not Identified, 1872] Pdf. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/2021667568/>.