Around the Opera

Interesting facts about Carmen

- The circumstances around the opera's reception by public and critic at the time of its world premiere constitutes one of the greatest unfairness in the history of classical music. Bizet was rather proud of and optimistic about the qualities of his work - said that it was "all clarity and vivacity, full of color and melody," but the apathetic reception disappointed him so much that many musical historians attribute to his distress and depression an important role in the heart condition that prematurely took his life (at age 36), just three months after the opening. Shortly after that, Carmen started its journey towards becoming one of the most successful and popular operas of all time, and it is sad and ironic that Bizet did not survive to see its triumph.
...